DRS/A
Table of Contents

As confidentially submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 21, 2020.

Registration No. 333-                      

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Amendment No. 1

to

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

TaskUs, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Delaware   7374   83-1586636

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

1650 Independence Drive, Suite 100

New Braunfels, Texas 78132

Telephone: (888) 400-8275

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Jeffrey Chugg

Vice President, Legal

TaskUs, Inc.

1650 Independence Drive, Suite 100

New Braunfels, Texas 78132

Telephone: (888) 400-8275

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

 

Copies to:

Joshua Ford Bonnie

Edgar J. Lewandowski

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Telephone: (212) 455-2000

 

Byron B. Rooney

Emily Roberts

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Telephone: (212) 450-4000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of the proposed sale of the securities to the public: As soon as practicable after the Registration Statement is declared effective.

 

 

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☐

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of
Securities to be Registered
 

Proposed Maximum
Aggregate

Offering Price (1)(2)

  Amount of
Registration Fee

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

  $               $            

 

 

(1)

Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the amount of the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(2)

Includes shares of common stock that the underwriters have the option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any.

 

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to completion, dated December 21, 2020

Preliminary Prospectus

             Shares

 

LOGO

TaskUs, Inc.

Common Stock

This is the initial public offering of shares of common stock of TaskUs, Inc. No public market currently exists for our common stock. We are offering all of the                 shares in this offering. We anticipate that the initial public offering price will be between $                and $                per share. We intend to apply to list our common stock on the                under the symbol “                .”

After the completion of this offering, Bryce Maddock and Jaspar Weir, the co-founders of TaskUs, Inc., and affiliates of The Blackstone Group Inc. will continue to own a majority of the voting power of shares eligible to vote in the election of our directors. As a result, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of                . See “Management—Controlled Company Exception” and “Principal Stockholders.”

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for future filings. See “Summary—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”

Investing in shares of our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 24 to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our common stock.

 

     Per Share      Total  

Initial public offering price

   $                        $                    

Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)

   $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to TaskUs, Inc

   $        $    

 

(1)

See “Underwriting” for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

To the extent that the underwriters sell more than                 shares of our common stock, the underwriters have the option to purchase up to an additional                 shares of our common stock from us at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions, within 30 days from the date of this prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of our common stock against payment in New York, New York on or about                 ,                .

 

 

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC    J.P. Morgan

The date of this prospectus is                


Table of Contents

Table of Contents

 

     Page  

Summary

     1  

Risk Factors

     24  

Forward-Looking Statements

     69  

Market and Industry Data

     70  

Trademarks, Service Marks and Trade Names

     71  

Use of Proceeds

     72  

Dividend Policy

     73  

Capitalization

     74  

Dilution

     75  

Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data

     77  

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     81  

Business

     105  

Management

     135  
     Page  

Executive and Director Compensation

     140  

Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions

     153  

Principal Stockholders

     155  

Description of Certain Indebtedness

     157  

Description of Capital Stock

     159  

Material United States Federal Income and Estate Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders

     168  

Shares Eligible for Future Sale

     171  

Underwriting

     173  

Legal Matters

     178  

Experts

     178  

Where You Can Find More Information

     178  

Index to Financial Statements

     F-1  
 

 

 

Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf. Neither we nor the underwriters take any responsibility for, or can provide any assurance as to the reliability of, any information other than the information in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf. We and the underwriters are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of shares of our common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

For investors outside the United States: Neither we nor the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus or any free writing prospectus we may provide to you in connection with this offering in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. You are required to inform yourselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus and any such free writing prospectus outside the United States.

Through and including            ,            (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.

 

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About This Prospectus

Financial Statement Presentation

This prospectus includes certain historical consolidated financial and other data for TaskUs, Inc. (formerly known as TU TopCo, Inc.), a Delaware corporation. TaskUs, Inc. was formed by investment funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group Inc. as a vehicle for the acquisition of TaskUs Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as TaskUs, Inc.), a Delaware corporation, on October 1, 2018 (the “Blackstone Acquisition”). Prior to the Blackstone Acquisition, TaskUs, Inc. had no operations and TaskUs Holdings, Inc. is the predecessor for financial reporting purposes. As a result of the Blackstone Acquisition, we applied the acquisition method of accounting and established a new basis of accounting. Accordingly, historical predecessor information presented in this prospectus does not reflect the impact of the Blackstone Acquisition and may not be comparable with historical successor information presented in this prospectus or necessarily reflect what will occur in the future. The combination of historical predecessor information from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 with historical successor information from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 is referred to as “Full Year 2018.”

Certain Definitions

As used in this prospectus, unless otherwise noted or the context requires otherwise:

 

   

“TaskUs,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer (i) with respect to events occurring or periods ending before October 1, 2018, to the Predecessor, and (ii) with respect to events occurring or periods ending on or after October 1, 2018, to the Successor.

 

   

“Successor” refers to TaskUs, Inc. (formerly known as TU TopCo, Inc.) and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

   

“TaskUs Holdings” and “Predecessor” refer to TaskUs Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as TaskUs, Inc.) and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

   

“Annual contract value” or “ACV” for a client contract refers to the total estimated annual revenue value for our services and solutions under a client contract, estimated as of the date of that client contract. ACV excludes any estimated project-based revenue value and any estimated revenue value during the implementation period for a client contract.

 

   

“ACV signings” refers to, in a given period, the sum of the ACV for all new client contracts entered into during that period, including new ACV associated with amendments to or statements of work under existing client contracts. ACV signings do not reflect actual or anticipated increases, reductions or terminations under any client contract.

 

   

“Blackstone” or “our Sponsor” refers to investment funds associated with The Blackstone Group Inc.

 

   

“Client Net Promoter Score” or “cNPS” refers to a percentage, expressed as a numerical value from -100 to 100, to gauge client satisfaction based on our internal client satisfaction survey, using the question “How likely are you to recommend TaskUs to a friend or a colleague?” on a 0 to 10 scale. Responses of nine or ten are considered “promoters” and responses of six or less are considered “detractors.” The percentage of respondents who are detractors is subtracted from the percentage of respondents who are promoters, and the resulting percentage is the Client Net Promoter Score. cNPS for a given period reflects all client satisfaction survey responses received during that period. TaskUs runs its cNPS survey approximately every six months.

 

   

“Co-Founders” refers to our co-founders: Bryce Maddock, our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors; and Jaspar Weir, our President and a member of our board of directors.

 

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“Employee Net Promoter Score” or “eNPS” refers to a percentage, expressed as a numerical value from -100 to 100, to gauge employee satisfaction based on our internal employee satisfaction survey, using the question “How likely are you to recommend TaskUs to a friend or colleague?” on a 0 to 10 scale. Responses of nine or ten are considered “promoters” and responses of six or less are considered “detractors.” The percentage of respondents who are detractors is subtracted from the percentage of respondents who are promoters, and the resulting percentage is the Employee Net Promoter Score. eNPS for a given period reflects all employee satisfaction survey responses received during that period. TaskUs runs its eNPS survey approximately every three months.

 

   

“Existing owners” or “pre-IPO owners” refers collectively to Blackstone, the Co-Founders and the management and other equity holders who are the owners of TaskUs immediately prior to the consummation of this offering.

 

   

“Fill rate” refers to the rate at which we hire full-time employees for posted open positions for a campaign during a given year and is calculated as a quotient of hired headcount divided by required headcount.

 

   

“Headcount” refers to TaskUs employees as of the end of a given measurement period.

 

   

“Implementation Net Promoter Score” or “iNPS” refers to a percentage, expressed as a numerical value from -100 to 100, to gauge client satisfaction with an implementation project performed by TaskUs using the question “How likely are you to recommend your implementation experience with your TaskUs Project Manager to a friend or colleague?” on a 0 to 10 scale. Responses of nine or ten are considered “promoters” and responses of six or less are considered “detractors.” The percentage of respondents who are detractors is subtracted from the percentage of respondents who are promoters, and the resulting percentage is the Implementation Net Promoter Score. iNPS for a given period reflects all implementation satisfaction survey responses received during that period. TaskUs runs its iNPS survey at the completion of each implementation project and summarizes survey results periodically.

 

   

“Internal referral rate” for a given period refers to the percentage of the number of employees hired during that period who were sourced from internal referrals by existing employees.

 

   

“Net revenue retention rate” for a given fiscal year is calculated using a measurement period consisting of the two consecutive fiscal years ending with and including the most recent applicable fiscal year. Next, we define our “base cohort” as the population of clients that were using our services during the entire 12-month period of the first year of the measurement period. Net revenue retention rate is calculated as the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the revenue generated by the base cohort in the second year of measurement by (b) the revenue generated by the base cohort in the first year of measurement.

 

   

“New client win” refers to a new business opportunity awarded from a company that is not an existing client or, in certain cases, a division or unit of a company that is an existing client but with which division or unit we have not previously had a business relationship.

 

   

“Recurring revenue contract” refers to contracts we have entered into with our clients for our services and solutions for which revenue is recognized over time and under which revenue is expected to continue into the future. A typical recurring revenue contract has a term of one to two years and has an automatic renewal provision.

 

   

“Win rate” refers to the percentage of new business opportunities that we were awarded out of all opportunities closed in the period for which we submitted a proposal during the same period. We calculate win rate for a given period as the quotient of the total ACV for all opportunities closed as “won” divided by the total ACV for all opportunities closed as either “won” or “lost,” in each case during that period. Excluded from this calculation are all opportunities closed as “disqualified” because they never reached the proposal stage.

 

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Unless indicated otherwise, the information included in this prospectus assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to an additional                shares of common stock from us and that the shares of common stock to be sold in this offering are sold at $                per share of common stock, which is the midpoint of the price range indicated on the front cover of this prospectus.

 

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SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in shares of our common stock. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the section entitled “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus, before you decide to invest in shares of our common stock.

Overview

Technology is changing the world and this transformation is being led by the Digital Economy, an expanding set of modern companies using a combination of internet, cloud and mobile infrastructure to deliver economic value to consumers. These companies are responsible for revolutionizing many aspects of our daily lives, including the ways in which we socialize, shop, dine, date, travel and invest.

The impact of the Digital Economy has also radically altered the market landscape. As of September 30, 2020, technology companies represented 66% of the total market capitalization of the world’s twenty most highly valued public companies, up from just 16% in 2010. In the global private markets, as of September 2020, there were more than 580 companies with greater than a $1 billion valuation (“unicorns”), including more than 30 with greater than a $10 billion valuation (“decacorns”), as compared to 80 unicorns and eight decacorns as of January 2015.

These high growth companies are focused on developing new products or services and often lack the desire, expertise, scale and/or geographic presence to build the operational infrastructure to support their growth. We are the outsourcing partner of choice for many of the most disruptive brands in the world. We help support the growth of our innovative clients by providing technology-enabled outsourcing solutions purpose-built for the Digital Economy.

TaskUs presents a diversified opportunity to participate in the growth of the Digital Economy and has a strong track record of profitability.

We are a digital outsourcer, focused on serving high-growth technology companies to represent, protect and grow their brands. We serve our clients to support their end customers’ urgent needs, navigate an increasingly-complex compliance landscape, and handle sensitive tasks, including online content moderation. As of December 31, 2019, we had over 90 clients spanning numerous industry segments within the Digital Economy, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ride sharing, HiTech, FinTech and HealthTech. Between 2019 and 2023, the verticals we prioritize are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) of 18%.

As our clients grow, we are the beneficiary of increased outsourcing volumes and incremental revenue as we enable our clients to focus on their core businesses. Between 2017 and 2019, our current clients with publicly disclosed financials grew their revenue at an estimated unweighted average CAGR of 37%. Over the same period, TaskUs achieved a revenue CAGR of 75% as we grew with our existing clients and added several new clients.

Our global, omni-channel delivery model is focused on providing our clients three key services – Digital Customer Experience, Content Security and AI Operations. 85% of our revenue in 2019 was delivered from non-voice, digital channels. Non-voice channels allow us to utilize resources efficiently, thereby driving higher profitability.



 

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LOGO

Our differentiated set of digitally focused service offerings are leveraged by many of the world’s most iconic technology brands, including Zoom, Netflix, Uber, Coinbase and Oscar.

Our Digital Customer Experience offerings serve the needs of the modern consumer, whose habits have drastically changed in the past decade and revolve around the smartphone. Whether it’s an app being used to deliver food instantly, securely buy and sell stocks or stream their favorite shows, it is easy to forget that these pocket luxuries were nascent or nonexistent ten years ago. Each of these are examples of emerging industries that have become strategic growth drivers for TaskUs. In particular, Zoom, Netflix, Uber, Coinbase and Oscar are representative clients in HiTech, streaming media, food delivery and ride sharing, FinTech and HealthTech verticals, each of which turned to us when it faced logistical challenges during its rapid growth cycle.

With the explosive growth of user-generated content and social media, issues of censorship, community moderation and foreign interference in democratic election processes have become some of the most important socio-political issues of our time. Our Content Security offerings include content monitoring and moderation services (“Content Security”), the need for which is increasingly critical to protect the sanctity of the open internet. Our artificial intelligence (“AI”) Operations offerings include providing high quality, human-annotated data sets and algorithm training services to our clients as they navigate significant increases in the prevalence of disruptive AI technology.

We have a track record of using thesis-led prospecting strategies to identify attractive and emerging industry segments in their infancy, win marquee clients and establish thought leadership and operating best practices. Our early-mover position and the willingness of our clients to serve as references have had a snowball effect in winning additional new clients, which continues to reinforce our market leadership.

Our agile and responsive operational model allows us to selectively target high-potential clients who have never outsourced before. Since 2017, over 50 of our clients trusted TaskUs to be their first outsourcer in our areas of service, driven by their understanding that we have the rare ability to support clients on their journey from startup to global enterprise.

Our delivery model is tailored to meet the needs of high-growth companies. Our cloud-based technology infrastructure is designed to enable clients to set up operations quickly and seamlessly and allows clients to outsource many of their core processes at earlier stages of their company lifecycle. We prioritize data science and process automation to achieve technology-driven efficiency gains. We continually analyze massive amounts of data obtained from customer interactions we manage for our clients. We leverage these insights and end customer-driven feedback to drive workflow efficiencies, deliver insights on predictive behaviors that lead to lower customer churn and help our clients innovate their core product offerings and develop new product features.

At TaskUs, culture is at the heart of everything we do.

Our Co-Founders, who started TaskUs twelve years ago and still lead us today, believe that serving frontline employees helps us better serve our clients. As we have expanded across the globe, we strive to champion our Co-Founders’ vision of operational excellence through an employee-centric culture at every site. As of September 30, 2020, we had approximately 20,300 employees across eighteen locations in seven countries. In



 

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2019, our employee net promoter score (“eNPS”) was 61, and 71% of our employees who participated rated us 9 or 10 on a scale of 10. Glassdoor ranked us number 40 on their 2019 Best Places to Work list among U.S. employers with at least 1,000 employees and we held a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0 as of September 30, 2020.

Many of the companies operating in the Digital Economy are well-known for their obsession with creating a world-class employee experience. We believe clients choose TaskUs in part because they view our company culture as aligned with their own, which enables us to act as a natural extension of their brands and gives us an advantage in the recruitment of highly engaged frontline teammates who produce better results. We use eNPS and client net promoter scores (“cNPS”) to measure the satisfaction each group has with TaskUs. In December 2019, our cNPS was 67. We believe both our eNPS and cNPS metrics to be industry-leading.

Recurring revenue model with a track record of high growth and profitability at scale.

LOGO

 

*

2018 refers to Full Year 2018

We believe that we have delivered industry-leading growth and profitability. In 2019, over 97% of our revenues came from recurring revenue contracts and we achieved a net revenue retention rate of 139% in 2019. In 2019, we delivered revenue of $360 million, net income of $34 million at a net income margin of 9.4%, Adjusted Net Income of $53 million at an Adjusted Net Income Margin of 14.7% and Adjusted EBITDA of $74 million at an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 20.6%. From 2017 to 2019, our revenue grew organically at a 75% CAGR, our net income grew at a 94% CAGR, and our Adjusted EBITDA grew at a 88% CAGR.

For reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income Margin to the most directly comparable measures calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), information about why we consider such measures useful and a discussion of the material risks and limitations of these measures, please see “Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”



 

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Market Opportunity

The aggregate size of our market opportunity is over $100 billion, and consists of the following service offerings:

Digital Customer Experience: IDC estimates that global customer care outsourcing services spend will be $77 billion in 2020. We focus on the fast growing digitally enabled consumer brands and traditional players catering to their customers in multiple channels. According to Everest Group, the digital customer experience market is projected to grow at a 20-25% CAGR from 2018 to 2021 and will continue to drive overall industry growth.

Content Security: According to Domo, every minute, Facebook users upload 147,000 photos, Instagram users post 347,222 stories and YouTube users upload 500 hours of video. JC Market Research estimates that the content moderation solutions market is $5.3 billion in 2020. Further, Everest Group estimates that the market will grow at a CAGR of 40-50% from 2016 to 2021.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Operations: The development of Artificial Intelligence technology often requires massive amounts of data that has been annotated by human experts and must be refined through ongoing manual training. These factors have significantly contributed to the growth of the AI services market served by our AI Operations service offering, which includes data labelling and algorithm training. IDC predicts that the worldwide AI services market will grow from $18.4 billion in 2020 to $37.8 billion in 2024 at a CAGR of 20% over the four year period.

LOGO

 

Sources: Everest Group (Digital CX and Content Security); IDC, Worldwide Artificial Intelligence Services Forecast, 4 year CAGR from 2020-2024, August 2020 (AI Services).

Our strategy is to target the intersection of these high growth service offerings across attractive vertical markets in the Digital Economy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Digital Economy accounted for 9% of U.S. gross domestic product in 2018, or $1.8 trillion, and grew at four times the rate of overall U.S. economic growth from 2006 to 2018.



 

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The vertical markets we prioritize are projected to grow at an unweighted average CAGR of 18% from 2019 to 2023:

LOGO

 

Sources: The Business Research Company; TechSci Research; Technavio; Allied Market Research; and eMarketer.

Key Industry Trends

As technology and the internet have fundamentally transformed the way consumers seek to engage with their favorite brands, a number of trends have emerged that benefit our clients and increase their demand for our solutions, including:

Rapid growth in the Digital Economy: New and emerging digital trends such as the Internet of Things (“IoT”), cloud computing, mobile web services and AI are radically changing the business ecosystem and creating new opportunities for economic growth. Their success is evidenced by the rise in the volume of technology initial public offerings along with venture capital and private equity investments over the past 10 years.

Technology companies are outsourcing at an accelerating pace: As technology companies scale, they must dedicate resources across product development and operations. However, they often lack the physical capacity or desire to develop operational infrastructure internally as they focus on growing their core offerings. As a result, we believe technology companies are increasingly willing to outsource at earlier stages of their lifecycles and are driving outsized growth within the overall outsourcing industry.

Alignment of vendor company culture: We believe that vendor company culture is the number one selection criteria when digital economy companies evaluate outsourcing vendors. Companies understand that consumers increasingly want to feel a personal connection to the brands they interact with. This trend accelerates the need for next-generation outsourcers to act as extensions of their clients’ brands so that end customers receive the personal experiences they desire.

Customer experience is a critical retention and growth lever, rather than a cost center: According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers study on customer experience, 59% of Americans will walk away from a brand they love after several bad experiences and 17% after just one bad experience. This direct impact of negative experiences on brand affinity coupled with relatively high customer acquisition costs for new economy companies, underscores the importance of active customer retention efforts.



 

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Significant increase in user and advertiser generated content and the need for content moderation: According to Technavio, there were nearly four billion social media users worldwide as of 2020, leading to unprecedented amounts of user generated content. As a result, social media platforms have attracted billions of advertising dollars from a significant number of advertisers. There are regulatory and reputational risks, as well as billions of dollars of revenue streams at stake, for these platforms if sensitive content is not properly moderated with human intervention.

Advancement of AI technologies requires large sets of annotated data: AI use cases are growing quickly and the success of AI companies will be determined in large part by the accuracy of their algorithms, which are inextricably linked to the quality of underlying data sets which must be manually annotated by trained experts. We believe that as AI continues to grow, so too will outsourcing opportunities.

Competitive Strengths

We have distinguished ourselves as a leader in next-generation technology-enabled outsourced services by leveraging several competitive strengths, including:

High Growth Technology Is Not a Segment of Our Business, It Is Our Business: We view technology as a macro trend that transcends all industries, whereas we believe most of our competitors view technology as one of their many client verticals. We have been able to develop deep expertise across several sub-verticals that comprise this high growth market, including food delivery, e-commerce, FinTech and social media. We facilitate millions of interactions between our clients and their respective end customers on a daily basis. We leverage insights from this constant flow of activity to better understand the particular challenges and trends in each niche market, which enables us to drive best practices across our client base. We believe each additional satisfied client enhances our brand’s reputation as the top provider of outsourced services for high growth technology companies.

The following chart shows our percentage of clients by vertical, as of December 31, 2019:

LOGO

 



 

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Digitally Native: Being a 12-year-old outsourcer means we were “born on the web and grew up in the cloud,” allowing us to enter the market without investing in legacy infrastructure. We are adept at executing work in digital channels such as chat, native in-app messaging, short message service (“SMS”), and social channels. 85% of our revenue in 2019 was delivered from non-voice, digital channels, and our technology infrastructure is cloud-based.

Agility and Responsiveness at Scale: We know how to get the job done—quickly. We move swiftly and we think differently. From the pre-contract engagement of our Project Management Organization to our decentralized “Site ‘CEO’ Model,” we are purposely built for speed to support clients with ever-changing needs. We believe these characteristics provide a differentiated ability to thrive in high growth and large-scale environments. We reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic swiftly, enabling over 90% of our workforce to work-from-home soon after the commencement of lockdowns.

Leadership in Content Security: The growth of social media platforms and the need to secure the user and advertiser generated content on these platforms has led to an explosion in demand for content moderation services. As of September 30, 2020, we had 3,200 front line teammates performing work in Content Security dealing with misinformation, offensive content, and critical policy issues. To care for their health and wellbeing, we have developed the TaskUs Resiliency Studio, a clinician-led and evidence-based psychological health and safety program. We couple this with advanced policy management expertise and an agile product development team focused on tools and innovation. We believe our revenue CAGR of 273% in this service offering from 2017 to 2019 is evidence that our clients view this offering as critical and differentiated.

Employer of Choice: Our culture has been recognized internationally, with accolades such as number 40 on Glassdoor’s 2019 Best Places to Work among large U.S. employers and Platinum Employer of the Year in 2018, according to Investors in People. We believe our eNPS of 61 in 2019 is higher than any other tech-enabled service provider with over 1,000 employees. We believe this not only drives higher quality work and lower attrition, but also enables us to nimbly recruit additional employees to accommodate growth. For example in 2019, 48% of our new hires came from internal referrals, helping us achieve a 99.1% fill rate.

Founder-Led, Organic Growth Engine: Our Co-Founders and seasoned management team have meticulously built our employer brand and the agile operating model we rely upon to deliver for high growth clients. We believe we are the only company in our sector with over $250 million in annual revenues that has grown 100% organically, leading to consistency in operations and culture which provides a strong foundation for future potential growth, organic or inorganic. This strategy has helped TaskUs deliver 75% CAGR in revenues from 2017 to 2019.

Growth Strategy

We intend to continue our accelerated growth trajectory through several attractive and actionable opportunities, including:

Growing with our Current Clients: As of December 31, 2019 we served over 90 of the world’s leading technology companies, and between 2017 and 2019, our current clients with publicly disclosed financials grew their revenue at an estimated unweighted average CAGR of 37%. As our clients’ revenue and scale have grown at rapid rates, so have our outsourcing volumes, revenue and service relationships. Revenue from TaskUs clients who have been with us since 2017 grew by 171% through the end of 2019, based on 40 clients who generated $500,000 or more in revenue for each of those years. In addition, our average annual net revenue retention rate between 2017 and 2019 was 123% and our cNPS score has increased from 37 in 2017 to 67 in December 2019.



 

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Extending Solutions with Current Clients: We have a significant opportunity to enhance the penetration of current services as well as cross-sell new services. We aim to bolster our portfolio of highly complementary service capabilities by integrating consultative expertise, process automation, and technology that further expand our value proposition to clients. Services such as Content Security, which grew at a CAGR of 273% between 2017 and 2019, anti-money laundering, fraud prevention and data science are areas we believe are particularly attractive and highly relevant for our forward-leaning technology client base.

New Client Wins: We are well positioned within multi-billion dollar commercial markets with massive addressable spend opportunities where we focus on culturally aligned, agile companies that plan to scale rapidly. We plan to take advantage of our brand position and highly effective sales team, modeled after software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) industry practices, to continue to diversify our client base and add more enterprise-class technology brands to our client list. We had a total of seventeen new clients in 2019, and win rates of 40%. Our new client win rate from 2017 to 2019 was 36%. We generated an average of approximately $95 million in new client ACV signings annually between 2017 and 2019.

Expanding Geographically: Global presence and multilingual capabilities are of increasing importance to our multinational clients and potential clients. The number of clients working with TaskUs in multiple geographies more than doubled from 2017 to 2019. New geographies mean new languages and/or capabilities to offer to our clients and increasing opportunities to win new business.

Pursuing Opportunistic M&A: We intend to continue to evaluate M&A opportunities to expand into higher value services and add additional capabilities to support our teammates in delivering exceptional service.

Solutions and Services

We work with disruptive technology companies in different stages of their life cycle ranging from high-growth venture capital-backed companies to innovative global public companies. The TaskUs platform is purpose-built and organized around the following three service offerings:

 

   

Digital Customer Experience: Principally consists of omni-channel customer care services primarily delivered through digital (non-voice) channels. Other solutions include customer care services for new product or market launches, trust & safety solutions and customer acquisition solutions.

 

   

Content Security: Principally consists of review and disposition of user and advertiser generated content for purposes which include removal or labeling of policy violating, offensive or misleading content. We are developing and enforcing Content Security policies in several areas including intellectual property, job and commerce postings, objectionable material and political advertising.

 

   

Artificial Intelligence Operations: Principally consists of data labeling, annotation and transcription services performed for the purpose of training and tuning AI algorithms through the process of machine learning.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, Digital Customer Experience, Content Security and Artificial Intelligence Operations represented 57%, 29% and 14%, respectively, of our total service revenue of $359.7 million for the year.



 

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Digital Customer Experience

Our clients in Digital Customer Experience (“Digital CX”) are predominantly online or app-based businesses transforming industries such as ride-sharing, e-commerce, food and grocery delivery, streaming media, and online digital marketplaces. Our digitally native service offerings enable us to utilize lower cost non-voice channels. We leverage chat, social, in-app support, SMS, and in-platform solutions and apply an “automation first” mentality to our client engagements.

We execute these solutions through our team of highly-trained and dedicated omni-channel service experts. We create a deep connection between our teammates and our clients—we become brand ambassadors for our clients and are deeply integrated in their workflows. Their success is our success.

Our Digital Customer Experience solutions include:

Omni-Channel Customer Care: Protecting and maintaining our clients’ brands makes up a significant portion of our Digital CX services. 74% of our Digital CX revenues were generated from non-voice channels in 2019; even our pure voice work is supported by cloud-based infrastructure. We customize the support experience to the specific client and channel we operate within, across account management, billing and technical support.

New Product or Market Launches: Our clients are often in a high-stakes race to get a new product launched or enter a new market. Through the dozens of clients we have supported in these efforts, we have designed a value-added framework of product and market launch playbooks. This gives us an edge as the go-to-partner for critical new growth initiatives.

Trust & Safety: We position our most skilled teammates to perform the critical support needed to protect end users, detect and eliminate fraud, address unwanted user activity, and manage regulatory compliance.

Customer Acquisition: TaskUs supports lead research, lead generation, appointment setting, new customer outreach and activation, retention, and advanced customer conversion from free and low cost subscription/product offerings to one of higher value and profitability.

Voice of the Customer: TaskUs leverages its access to a wealth of internal and external customer experience data to provide insights and feedback on customer, process and product operations and policies.

Content Security

The rise of apps and social networks has led to an explosion of user-generated content and advertising. To comply with government regulations and advertiser standards, social networks maintain complex platform policies to define what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable content and advertisements. As of September 30, 2020, we had 3,200 teammates who together moderated tens of millions of pieces of content each month. We are developing and enforcing Content Security policies in several areas, including intellectual property, job and commerce postings, objectionable material, and political advertising.

Highlights of our Content Security service offering include:

TaskUs Resiliency Studio: We view our employees who provide Content Security services as “Digital First Responders.” Most of the content our employees review is not offensive, but even constantly viewing misinformation or conspiracy theories can be challenging. To care for our employees’ well-being, we have developed the TaskUs Resiliency Studio, a clinician-led and evidence-based psychological health and safety program.



 

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Global Policy Management: Our Content Security organization partners with our clients to apply best practices to policy development and distribution, product design, quality, and training. As a result of government regulations and cultural norms, major social networks must maintain increasingly distinct content policies in different geographies.

Tools and Innovation: The tools used by employees providing Content Security services have a significant impact on efficiency, accuracy and quality. We partner with our clients to customize these toolsets and have developed proprietary technology to improve our own productivity and accuracy.

Artificial Intelligence Operations

Intelligent applications based on Artificial Intelligence are core to the digital economy. AI applications are created by annotating datasets to train an algorithm in a process called Machine Learning. We first began supporting AI applications over a decade ago including next-generation product development efforts such as transcribing voicemail messages for visual voicemail solutions and manually scoring the sentiment of social media posts for social listening tools. Today, our services have increased in sophistication and complexity as AI applications have evolved.

Our Artificial Intelligence Operations solutions include:

Data Annotation: We build large sets of training data for our clients by annotating videos, photos, audio clips and text based on their policy specifications.

Computer Vision: Algorithms which allow a computer to “see” the world require millions of labeled images. For mission critical applications such as autonomous vehicles these images often must be labeled down to a single pixel.

Natural Language Processing: To understand the meaning of phrases, algorithms are trained with large sets of written text that has been annotated based on parts of speech, meaning and sentiment.

Video Processing: Understanding videos requires the segmentation and recombination of two distinct training data sets—audio and visual. The audio file must be transcribed and annotated to enable Natural Language Processing and objects in the image files must be tagged to enable Computer Vision.

Sensor Processing: Refining algorithms which make decisions based on sensor data requires annotated sets of sensor data from sources such as the LiDAR systems of autonomous vehicles.

Delivery and Operations

TaskUs operations are designed to scale rapidly with perpetual experimentation and iteration and a devotion to data-driven decision making. Many of our clients have little to no outsourcing experience. Over 50 of our clients since 2017 turned to TaskUs to be their first outsourcer in our area of service. Given the rapid scale required to keep up with the growth of their businesses, they choose to outsource certain services. Unlike more mature buyers of outsourced services, our clients rarely deliver us a prescriptive playbook for how to run our operations. We understand their objectives and design the most efficient process to meet and exceed these goals. In our June 2020 cNPS Survey, 83% of all respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their programs’ operational performance expectations are regularly met. To deliver to these standards we offer:

 

   

Subject Matter Expertise: We have “SME” teams in each of our primary services—Digital Customer Experience, Content Security and Artificial Intelligence Operations;



 

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Project Management Organization: Our “PMO” is the linchpin between sales and operations to ensure client success;

 

   

Modern Service Excellence: We use real-time dashboards and KPI management to meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. Our process discipline has allowed us to achieve multiple certifications and compliance standards including SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA and PCI;

 

   

Agile Automation: There are often massive opportunities to improve our efficiency and quality with our own technology. Our Digital Innovation team focuses on rapid prototyping using lightweight technical solutions like browser based extensions, robotic process automation, and productivity and workflow analytics; and

 

   

Data Science and Analytics: Our Business Intelligence teams apply data science to client data to drive insights back into our operations in a cycle of continuous improvement.

At the core of our operations are scaled teams of employees, our TaskUs teammates. These individuals ultimately determine the quality of service we provide our clients and, as such, we are obsessive about the standard of our frontline teammates and our team leaders, the first level of management. We have organized our global operating model around individual office locations, referred to as sites. These sites are run by Vice Presidents of Operations, who act as “Site CEOs.”

Our operations are supported by centralized shared services based in the Philippines and India. Each site has at least one leader on-site from each of our support functions, including Human Resources, Workforce Management and Information Technology. The combination of onsite leadership with scaled shared services allows us to support our Site CEO model in a cost effective manner and execute processes with the appropriate consistency globally while accounting for local nuance.

We leverage technology to deliver coaching, training, and support services at scale. Our proprietary coaching platform, Boost, is used daily by our frontline team leaders to coach their teammates and for our entire executive team to manage weekly one-to-ones and quarterly performance appraisals. Our learning-management-system, ACE, is used to enable self-paced client specific training and certification. Our Global Knowledge Support Center, Glowstick, is an employee engagement platform used to provide self service and support ticketing for all areas of our business.

Utilizing primarily offshore and near-shore markets is a central tenet of our service delivery strategy; 86% of our employees were located in these markets as of September 30, 2020. Since 85% of our revenue in 2019 was delivered from non-voice, digital channels, we are particularly well positioned to leverage an off-shore / near-shore model.

As of September 30, 2020, we provided our services through a network of eighteen locations in seven countries and employed approximately 20,300 people worldwide.



 

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LOGO

In addition to our on-site operations, we utilize an internally developed cloud-based platform, Cirrus, which enables our employees to deliver services remotely on behalf of our clients. Given the recent shift to work-from-home at TaskUs during COVID-19, we expect our Cirrus Work@Home platform to be a meaningful part of our future delivery model.

Culture

The number one reason job candidates choose one job over another is company culture—Korn Ferry.

We continually work on our company culture like it is a product we sell in the market, listening to our employees, similar to how we listen to our clients. We leverage this feedback to drive continuous improvement, conduct quality control to ensure global consistency, and award bonuses to our executives based on achieving their culture-related goals. Our primary culture-related goal metric is eNPS, the single most important barometer we use to measure employee engagement. Our executive team reviews the survey score and thousands of verbatim comments. We take the feedback and create specific and measurable goals we believe will impact parts of our culture.

Our ability to maintain high eNPS scores enables us to drive real business impact. We believe it drives improved attendance as our teammates show up on time and excited to work. We believe happy employees deliver better results and higher retention. In 2019, our annualized attrition rate for employees who were employed by TaskUs for more than 180 days was 32%. In 2019, 48% of our new hires came through referrals, which we believe yields higher quality candidates at a lower cost to recruit than candidates hired through traditional channels.



 

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The culmination of our employee efforts drove our eNPS score of 61 in 2019 and 71% of respondents were promoters.

The differentiated culture we have created is validated by the following metrics, each as of September 30, 2020:

LOGO

Our philosophy is simple: treat people well and they will deliver a better end customer experience which leads to happy clients and a thriving business.

Our Clients

As of December 31, 2019, we served over 90 clients, the majority of which are disruptive technology companies in attractive, high growth industry verticals, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ride sharing, HiTech, FinTech and HealthTech. We work with a broad range of clients in different stages of their lifecycle, ranging from start-up companies to well-capitalized and established public companies with scaled operations. Our top ten and twenty clients accounted for 74% and 84% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, respectively. Our largest client, Facebook, generated 35% and 23% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and the Full Year 2018, respectively. Our second largest client, DoorDash, generated 11% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

Our Sponsor

Blackstone (NYSE: BX) is one of the world’s leading investment firms. Blackstone’s asset management businesses include investment vehicles focused on real estate, private equity, public debt and equity, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Through its different businesses, Blackstone had total assets under management of over $584 billion as of September 30, 2020.

After the completion of this offering, our Co-Founders and our Sponsor will be parties to a stockholders agreement described in “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Stockholders Agreement” and will beneficially own approximately    % of our common stock (or    % if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). As a result, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards. Under these corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is beneficially owned by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance standards, including the requirements (1) that a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors, (2) that our board of directors have a compensation committee that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities and (3) that our director nominations be made, or recommended to our



 

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full board of directors, by our independent directors or by a nominations committee that is comprised entirely of independent directors and that we adopt a written charter or board resolution addressing the nominations process. For at least some period following this offering, we intend to utilize certain of these exemptions. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of these corporate governance requirements. In the event that we cease to be a “controlled company” and our common stock continues to be listed on                 , we will be required to comply with these provisions within the applicable transition periods.



 

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Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

As a company with less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our most recently completed fiscal year as of the initial filing date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These provisions include:

 

   

presentation of only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations in this prospectus;

 

   

reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements;

 

   

no non-binding stockholder advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements;

 

   

exemption from compliance with the requirement of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding communication of critical accounting matters in the auditor’s report in the financial statements; and

 

   

exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the auditing assessment over internal control over financial reporting.

We may take advantage of these exemptions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will cease to be an emerging growth company upon the earliest of: (1) the end of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of this offering; (2) the first fiscal year after our annual gross revenues are $1.07 billion or more; (3) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; or (4) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). We have taken advantage of reduced disclosure regarding executive compensation arrangements and the presentation of certain historical financial information in this prospectus, and we may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced disclosure obligations in future filings. If we do, the information that we provide stockholders may be different than you might get from other public companies in which you hold stock.

The JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company such as us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We have elected to use the extended transition period until we are no longer an emerging growth company or until we choose to affirmatively and irrevocably “opt out” of the extended transition period. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies.

Summary Risk Factors

An investment in shares of our common stock involves substantial risks and uncertainties that may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and cash flows. Some of the more significant challenges and risks relating to an investment in our common stock include, among other things, the following:

 

   

Our business is dependent on key clients, and the loss of a key client could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.



 

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Our contracts are typically one to three years in length with automatic renewal provisions, but certain of our contracts may provide for termination at the client’s convenience with advance notice and may or may not include penalties or required payments in the event the termination right is exercised. Our clients may terminate contracts before completion or choose not to renew contracts, and our clients may be unable or unwilling to pay for services we performed. A loss of business or non-payment from significant clients could materially affect our results of operations.

 

   

If we provide inadequate service or cause disruptions in our clients’ businesses or fail to comply with the quality standards required by our clients under our agreements, it could result in significant costs to us, the loss of our clients and damage to our corporate reputation.

 

   

Unauthorized or improper disclosure of personal or other sensitive information, or security breaches and incidents, whether inadvertent or purposeful, including as the result of a cyber-attack, could result in liability and harm our reputation, each of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

   

Content moderation is a large portion of our business. The long term impacts on the mental health and well-being of our employees doing this work are unknown. This work may lead to stress disorders and may create liabilities for us. This work is also subject to significant press and regulatory scrutiny. As a result, we may be subject to negative publicity or liability, or face difficulties retaining and recruiting employees, any of which could have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

   

Our failure to detect and deter criminal or fraudulent activities or other misconduct by our employees could result in loss of trust from our clients and negative publicity, which would have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

   

Global economic and political conditions, especially in the social media and meal delivery and transport industries from which we generate most of our revenue, could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

 

   

Our business is heavily dependent upon our international operations, particularly in the Philippines and India, and any disruption to those operations would adversely affect us.

 

   

Our business is subject to a variety of U.S. and international laws and regulations, including those regarding privacy and data security, and we or our clients may be subject to regulations related to the handling and transfer of certain types of sensitive and confidential information. Any failure to comply with applicable privacy and data security laws and regulations could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

   

Our business depends in part on our capacity to invest in technology as it develops, and substantial increases in the costs of technology and telecommunications services or our inability to attract and retain the necessary technologists could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

   

Our results of operations and ability to grow could be materially affected if we cannot adapt our services and solutions to changes in technology and client expectations.

 

   

Fluctuations against the U.S. dollar in the local currencies in the countries in which we operate could have a material effect on our results of operations. Our business depends on a strong brand and corporate reputation, and if we are not able to maintain and enhance our brand, our ability to expand our client base will be impaired and our business and operating results will be adversely affected.

 

   

Competitive pricing pressure may reduce our revenue or gross profits and adversely affect our financial results.

 

   

The success of our business depends on our senior management and key employees.

 

   

Our management team has limited experience managing a public company.



 

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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the resulting global economic uncertainty and measures taken in response to the pandemic, has adversely impacted our business, financial condition and results of operations and continues to do so.

 

   

Our Sponsor and our Co-Founders control us and their interests may conflict with ours or yours in the future.

Please see “Risk Factors” for a discussion of these and other factors you should consider before making an investment in shares of our common stock.

 

 

TaskUs, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware on July 27, 2018, under the name TU TopCo, Inc. On December 14, 2020, we changed our name to TaskUs, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 1650 Independence Drive, Suite 100, New Braunfels, Texas 78132 and our telephone number is (888) 400-8275.



 

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The Offering

 

Common stock offered by TaskUs, Inc.

                    shares.

Option to purchase additional shares

                    shares.

Common stock outstanding after giving effect to this offering

                    shares (or                 shares if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares).

Use of proceeds

  

We estimate that the net proceeds to TaskUs, Inc. from this offering, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $                 million (or $                 million if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares of common stock).

We intend to use approximately $                 million of the net proceeds from this offering to satisfy payments in respect of vested phantom shares, including $                 million in respect of vested phantom shares held by certain of our executive officers, that will become due upon the completion of this offering, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, including $                 million in deferred dividend payments in respect of such vested phantom shares. We intend to use the remainder of the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes.

Controlled company

   After the completion of this offering, our Sponsor and our Co-Founders will beneficially own approximately     % of our common stock (or     % if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). As a result, we will be a “controlled company” under the                  rules. As a controlled company, we qualify for, and intend to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements of the                 .

Dividend policy

   We have no current plans to pay dividends on our common stock following this offering. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Because we are a holding company and have no direct operations, we will only be able to pay dividends from funds we receive from our subsidiaries. In addition, our ability to pay dividends is limited by covenants in our existing indebtedness and may be limited by the agreements governing any indebtedness we or our subsidiaries may incur in the future. See “Dividend Policy.”

Risk factors

   See “Risk Factors” for a discussion of risks you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our common stock.

Proposed trading symbol

   “    .”


 

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In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, the number of shares of common stock outstanding and the other information based thereon does not reflect:

 

   

                 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of common stock from us;

 

   

                 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase share of our common stock outstanding as of                  pursuant to the 2019 TaskUs, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan (the “2019 Stock Incentive Plan”); or

 

   

                 shares of common stock that may be granted under the TaskUs, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Omnibus Incentive Plan”). See “Executive Compensation—Omnibus Incentive Plan.”

In addition, all share information reflects a                  -for-1 forward stock split to occur immediately prior to closing of this offering.



 

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Summary Historical Consolidated Financial and Other Data

The following tables present summary historical financial and other data for the periods and as of the dates indicated and should be read in conjunction with the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data” and the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

The summary historical consolidated financial information presented below for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) are distinct reporting periods, and certain financial information for the Successor period is not comparable to the Predecessor period due to a new basis of accounting resulting from the application of acquisition accounting in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period.

The unaudited combined financial information for Full Year 2018 represents the mathematical addition of our Predecessor’s results of operations from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018, and the Successor’s results of operations from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Each of the Predecessor and Successor periods from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 and October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018, respectively, have been audited and are consistent with GAAP. However, the presentation of unaudited combined financial information for Full Year 2018 is not consistent with GAAP or with the pro forma requirements of Article 11 of Regulation S-X, and may yield results that are not comparable on a period-to-period basis primarily due to (i) the impact of required purchase accounting adjustments and (ii) the new basis of accounting established in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition. Such results are not necessarily indicative of what the results for the combined period would have been had the Blackstone Acquisition not occurred.

 

     Successor          Predecessor         
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
     October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
         January 1
2018 through
September 30,
2018
     Full Year
2018

(unaudited)
 

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

             

Statement of Operations Data:

             

Service revenue

   $ 359,681      $ 85,709        $ 168,501      $ 254,210  

Operating income

   $ 36,862      $ 3,690        $ 26,323      $ 30,013  

Income before taxes

   $ 29,529      $ 2,508        $ 24,142      $ 26,650  

Net income (loss)

   $ 33,940      $ (871      $ 33,094      $ 32,223  

Net income (loss) per common share, basic and diluted

   $ 3.70      $ (0.09      $ 3.02      $ 3.06  

 

     Successor  
     December 31,
2019
     December 31,
2018
 

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

     

Balance Sheet Data:

     

Cash

   $ 37,541      $ 25,281  

Total assets

   $ 610,675      $ 585,380  

Long-term debt

   $ 204,874      $ 82,650  

Distributions paid per common share

   $ 14.72      $ —    


 

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     Year ended
December 31,
2019
    Full Year 2018  

Key Operational Metrics:

    

ACV signings, in thousands (1)

   $ 178,943     $ 205,664  

Headcount (approx. at period end) (2)

     18,400       13,800  

Net revenue retention rate (3)

     139     118

 

(1)

“ACV signings” refers to, in a given period, the sum of the ACV for all new client contracts entered into during that period, including new ACV associated with amendments to or statements of work under existing client contracts. ACV signings do not reflect actual or anticipated increases, reductions or terminations under any client contract. We use ACV as a leading indicator of our revenue opportunity in existing clients and new clients.

(2)

“Headcount” refers to TaskUs employees as of the end of a given measurement period.

(3)

“Net revenue retention rate” is an important metric we calculate annually to measure the retention and growth in the use of our services by our existing clients. Our net revenue retention rate as of a given fiscal year is calculated using a measurement period consisting of the two consecutive fiscal years ending with and including the most recent applicable fiscal year. Next, we define our “base cohort” as the population of clients that were using our services during the entire 12-month period of the first year of the measurement period. Net revenue retention rate is calculated as the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the revenue generated by the base cohort in the second year of measurement by (b) the revenue generated by the base cohort in the first year of measurement.



 

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     Successor           Predecessor        
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Full Year
2018

(unaudited)
 

(in thousands, except margin amounts)

             

Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

             

Adjusted Net Income(1)

   $ 52,975     $ 9,797          $ 22,591     $ 32,388  

Adjusted Net Income Margin(1)

     14.7     11.4          13.4     12.7

EBITDA(2)

   $ 72,056     $ 12,400          $ 33,236     $ 45,636  

Adjusted EBITDA(2)

   $ 74,239     $ 18,356          $ 38,594     $ 56,950  

Adjusted EBITDA Margin(2)

     20.6     21.4          22.9     22.4

 

(1)

Adjusted Net Income is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents net income or loss for the period before the impact of amortization of intangible assets and certain items that are considered to hinder comparison of the performance of our businesses on a period-over-period basis or with other businesses. During the periods presented, we exclude from Adjusted Net Income transaction related costs associated with the Blackstone Acquisition and the tax benefit associated with certain of such costs, the effect of foreign currency gains and losses, and losses from disposals of fixed assets, which include costs that are required to be expensed in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes that the inclusion of supplementary adjustments to net income (loss) applied in presenting Adjusted Net Income are appropriate to provide additional information to investors about certain material non-cash items and about unusual items that we do not expect to continue at the same level in the future.

The following table reconciles net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to Adjusted Net Income:

 

     Successor           Predecessor        
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Full Year
2018

(unaudited)
 

(in thousands)

             

Net income (loss)

   $ 33,940       (871          33,094       32,223  

Amortization of intangible assets

     18,847       4,712            —         4,712  

Transaction related costs(a)

     —         5,769            3,685       9,454  

Foreign currency (gains) losses(b)

     (2,039     (395          1,680       1,285  

Loss (gain) on disposal of assets(c)

     2,227       582            (7     575  

Tax benefit from transaction related costs(d)

     —         —              (15,861     (15,861
  

 

 

   

 

 

        

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income

   $ 52,975       9,797            22,591       32,388  
  

 

 

   

 

 

        

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income Margin(e)

     14.7     11.4          13.4     12.7
  

 

 

   

 

 

        

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a)

Transaction related costs include professional services fees totaling $9.2 million and compensation expense for bonuses paid to certain employees for services rendered in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition totaling $0.3 million.

  (b)

Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains and losses include the effect of fair market value changes of forward contracts and remeasurement of U.S. dollar-denominated accounts to foreign currency.

  (c)

Loss (gain) from disposal of fixed assets mainly resulted from moving to permanent locations and consolidation of sites in the United States.

  (d)

Tax benefit recognized for transaction related costs deducted for tax purposes but not attributable to either the Predecessor or Successor period and therefore expense recognized “on the line.”

  (e)

Adjusted Net Income Margin represents Adjusted Net Income divided by service revenue.

 

(2)

EBITDA is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents net income or loss for the period before the impact of the benefit from or provision for income taxes, financing expenses, depreciation, and amortization of intangible assets. EBITDA eliminates potential differences in performance caused by variations in capital structures (affecting financing expenses), tax positions (such as the availability of net operating losses against which to relieve taxable profits), the cost and age of tangible assets (affecting relative depreciation expense) and the extent to which intangible assets are identifiable (affecting relative amortization expense).



 

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Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents EBITDA before certain items that are considered to hinder comparison of the performance of our businesses on a period-over-period basis or with other businesses. During the periods presented, we exclude from Adjusted EBITDA transaction related costs associated with the Blackstone Acquisition, the effect of foreign currency gains and losses, losses from disposals of fixed assets, and accelerated expense for certain unamortized debt financing costs related to the settlement of our 2018 Credit Facility (as defined in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness”), which include costs that are required to be expensed in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes that the inclusion of supplementary adjustments to EBITDA applied in presenting Adjusted EBITDA are appropriate to provide additional information to investors about certain material non-cash items and about unusual items that we do not expect to continue at the same level in the future.

The following table reconciles net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

 

     Successor            Predecessor        
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
           January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Full Year
2018

(unaudited)
 

(in thousands, except margin amounts)

             

Net income (loss)

   $ 33,940       (871          33,094       32,223  

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

     (4,411     3,379            (8,952     (5,573

Financing expenses(a)

     7,351       1,527            511       2,038  

Depreciation

     16,329       3,653            8,583       12,236  

Amortization of intangible assets

     18,847       4,712            —         4,712  
  

 

 

   

 

 

        

 

 

   

 

 

 

EBITDA

     72,056       12,400            33,236       45,636  
           

 

 

   

 

 

 

Transaction related costs(b)

     —         5,769            3,685       9,454  

Foreign currency (gains) losses(c)

     (2,039     (395          1,680       1,285  

Loss (gain) on disposal of assets(d)

     2,227       582            (7     575  

Settlement of 2018 Credit Facility(e)

     1,995       —              —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

        

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

     74,239       18,356            38,594       56,950  
  

 

 

   

 

 

        

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA Margin(f)

     20.6     21.4          22.9     22.4
  

 

 

   

 

 

        

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a)

Financing expenses include interest expense, commitment fees on undrawn amounts, and debt financing costs related to our 2018 Credit Facility and 2019 Credit Facilities (as defined in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness”) . For the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), we accelerated expense recognition for certain debt financing costs upon settlement of our 2018 Credit Facility, which were included in financing expenses in our consolidated statements of operations, but which have been separately included as a non-recurring adjustment to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA.

(b)

Transaction related costs include professional services fees totaling $9.2 million and compensation expense for bonuses paid to certain employees for services rendered in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition totaling $0.3 million.

(c)

Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains and losses include the effect of fair market value changes of forward contracts and remeasurement of U.S. dollar-denominated accounts to foreign currency.

(d)

Loss (gain) from disposal of fixed assets mainly resulted from moving to permanent locations and consolidation of sites in the United States

(e)

Debt financing costs for which expense was accelerated upon settlement of our 2018 Credit Facility.

(f)

Adjusted EBITDA Margin represents Adjusted EBITDA divided by service revenue.



 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in shares of our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following information about these risks, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before investing in shares of our common stock. Any of the following risks could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results or operations or prospects and could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline, which would cause you to lose all or part of your investment. Our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects could also be harmed by risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently do not believe are material.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Our business is dependent on key clients, and the loss of a key client could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

We derive a substantial portion of our revenue from a few key clients who generally retain us across multiple service offerings. Our top five clients accounted for 62% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, respectively. Our top client accounted for an aggregate of 35% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, across multiple service offerings. The loss of all or a portion of our business with, or the failure to retain a significant amount of business with, any of our key clients could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, our ability to maintain, increase and collect revenue from our top clients depends in part on the financial condition of those clients. Further, our reliance on any individual client for a significant portion of our revenue may give that client a certain degree of pricing leverage against us when negotiating contracts and terms of service and solutions.

Our contracts are typically one to three years in length with automatic renewal provisions, but certain of our contracts may provide for termination at the client’s convenience with advance notice and may or may not include penalties or required payments in the event the termination right is exercised. Our clients may terminate contracts before completion or choose not to renew contracts, and our clients may be unable or unwilling to pay for services we performed. A loss of business or non-payment from significant clients could materially affect our results of operations.

Our ability to maintain continuing relationships with our major clients and successfully obtain payment for our services and solutions is essential to the growth and profitability of our business. We enter into contractual arrangements, typically from one to three years in length, with our clients to help manage pricing or counter pricing pressure. However, the volume of work performed for any specific client is likely to vary from year to year, especially since we generally are not our clients’ exclusive outsourcing provider and we generally do not have long-term commitments from clients to purchase our services and solutions. Some of our service agreements restrict our ability to perform similar services, either generally or in certain sites, for certain of our clients’ competitors under specific circumstances. We may in the future enter into additional agreements with clients that restrict our ability to accept assignments from, or render similar services to, those clients’ customers, require us to obtain our clients’ prior written consent to provide services to their customers or restrict our ability to compete with our clients, or bid for or accept any assignment for which those clients are bidding or negotiating.

We may also fail to adequately or accurately assess the creditworthiness of our clients. Our clients’ ability to terminate engagements with or without cause, including for convenience, or opt for month to month contracts and our clients’ inability or unwillingness to pay for services we performed makes our future revenues and profitability uncertain.

In addition, the services and solutions we provide to our clients, and the revenue and income from those services and solutions, may decline or vary as the type and quantity of services and solutions we provide changes

 

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over time. In order to successfully perform and market our services and solutions, we must establish and maintain multi-year close relationships with our clients and develop a thorough understanding of their businesses. Our ability to maintain these close relationships is essential to the growth and profitability of our business. If we fail to maintain these relationships and successfully obtain new engagements from our existing clients, we may not achieve our revenue growth and other financial goals.

There are a number of factors relating to our clients that are outside of our control, which have in some cases led them to terminate or not renew a contract or project with us, or be unable to pay us, including:

 

   

financial difficulties;

 

   

a demand for price reductions by that client;

 

   

corporate restructuring, or mergers and acquisitions activity;

 

   

our inability to complete our contractual commitments and bill and collect our contracted revenues;

 

   

change in strategic priorities or economic conditions, resulting in elimination of the impetus for the project or a reduced level of technology related spending;

 

   

change in outsourcing strategy resulting in moving more work to the client’s in-house technology departments or to our competitors;

 

   

government regulation that affects our clients’ business;

 

   

replacement of existing software with packaged software supported by licensors; and

 

   

uncertainty and disruption to the global markets including due to public health pandemics, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Termination or non-renewal of a client contract could cause us to experience a higher than expected number of unassigned employees and thus compress our margins until we are able to reallocate our headcount. Clients that delay payment, request modifications to their payment arrangements, or fail to meet their payment obligations to us could increase our cash collection time or cause us to incur bad debt expense. The loss of any of our major clients or a significant decrease in the volume of work they outsource to us or the price they are willing or able to pay us, if not replaced by new service engagements and revenue, could materially adversely affect our revenues and results of operations.

If we provide inadequate service or cause disruptions in our clients’ businesses or fail to comply with the quality standards required by our clients under our agreements, it could result in significant costs to us, the loss of our clients and damage to our corporate reputation.

Any defects or errors or failure to meet clients’ expectations in the performance of our contracts could result in claims for substantial damages against us. Our contracts generally limit our liability for damages that arise from negligent acts, errors, mistakes or omissions in rendering services to our clients. However, we cannot be sure that these contractual provisions will protect us from liability for damages in the event we are sued. In some circumstances, we have agreed to high liability limitations or unlimited liability for some claims, such as intellectual property infringement or a data security breach. Certain liabilities, such as claims of third parties for intellectual property infringement and breaches of data protection and security requirements, for which we may be required to indemnify our clients, could be substantial. The successful assertion of one or more large claims against us in amounts greater than those covered by our current insurance policies could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Even if such assertions against us are unsuccessful, we may incur reputational harm and substantial legal fees. In addition, a failure or inability to meet a contractual requirement could seriously damage our reputation and limit our ability to attract new business.

In certain instances, we guarantee clients that we will launch a campaign by a scheduled date or that we will maintain certain service levels. We are generally not subject to monetary penalties for failing to complete

 

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projects by the scheduled date, but may suffer reputational harm and loss of future business if we do not meet our contractual commitments. In addition, if a project experiences a performance problem, we may not be able to recover the additional costs we will incur, which could exceed revenue realized from a project. Under our managed service contracts, we may be required to pay liquidated damages if we are unable to maintain agreed-upon service levels.

In addition, many of our client contracts contain service level and performance requirements, including requirements relating to the quality of our solutions. Failure to meet service requirements or real or perceived errors made by our employees in the course of delivering our solutions could result in a reduction of revenue, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In addition, many of our services and solutions, such as Content Security, require our employees to make judgments that may be subject to negative publicity or otherwise be scrutinized in hindsight, and in some cases our clients have sought to hold us responsible for or distance themselves from real or perceived errors of judgment.

Unauthorized or improper disclosure of personal or other sensitive information, or security breaches and incidents, whether inadvertent or purposeful, including as the result of a cyber-attack, could result in liability and harm our reputation, each of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our business depends significantly upon our technology infrastructure, data, equipment, and systems. Our clients also typically provide data and systems that our employees use to provide services to those clients. Internal or external attacks on either our or our clients’ technology infrastructure, data, equipment, or systems could disrupt the normal operations of our and our clients’ businesses, including by impeding our ability to provide critical solutions to our clients. In addition, in the ordinary course of our business we collect, use, store, process, and transmit information about our employees, our clients and customers of our clients, including personal information and protected health information. While we believe we take reasonable measures to protect the security of, and against unauthorized or other improper access to, our technology infrastructure, data, equipment, and systems, including with respect to personal, protected health, and proprietary information, it is possible that our security controls and practices may not prevent unauthorized or other improper access to our technology infrastructure, data, equipment, or systems, or the disclosure of personal, protected health or proprietary information. In addition, we rely on systems provided by third parties, which may also suffer security breaches or incidents. Such unauthorized or other improper access, disclosures, security breaches or incidents may be inadvertent, or may come about due to intentional misconduct or other malfeasance or by human error or technical malfunctions, including those caused by hackers, employees, contractors, or vendors.

Cybersecurity threats and attacks may take on a variety of forms, ranging from inadvertent disclosures or acts by employees to purposeful attacks by individuals and groups of hackers and even sophisticated organizations, including state-sponsored actors. Cybersecurity risks may result from viruses, worms, and other malicious software programs, including phishing attacks, to hacking or other significant security incidents (e.g., ransomware attacks) targeted against information technology infrastructure and systems, any of which could result in (i) disclosure, unauthorized access to, or corruption of data, including personal information, confidential information and proprietary information, (ii) defective products, including as a result of system and production downtimes, and (iii) interruptions in the ability to operate our business. Any of the foregoing could subject us to liability or damage our reputation. In addition, as the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access or sabotage systems change frequently and may not be identified until they are first launched against a target, despite our efforts to secure our technology infrastructure, data, equipment, and systems, we may be unable to anticipate all attacks or to implement adequate preventative measures against them.

Any unauthorized access, acquisition, use, or destruction of data we collect, store, process or transmit, the unavailability of such data, or other disruptions of our ability to provide services and solutions to our clients, regardless of whether it originates or occurs on our systems or those of third party service providers or our

 

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clients, could expose us to significant liability under our contracts, as well as to regulatory actions, litigation, investigations, remediation obligations, damage to our reputation and brand, supplemental disclosure obligations, loss of client, customer, consumer, and partner confidence in the security of our applications, impairment to our business, and corresponding fees, costs, expenses, loss of revenues, and other potential liabilities as well as increased costs or loss of revenue or other harm to our business. In addition, if a high profile security breach occurs within our industry, our clients and potential clients may lose trust in the security of our systems and information even if we are not directly affected.

In addition, as we continue to evaluate new solutions and services for our clients, these new solutions or services, or the third-party components we use to provide such solutions, may contain or introduce cybersecurity threats or vulnerabilities to our clients’ information technology networks, either intentionally or unintentionally. Our clients may maintain their own proprietary, sensitive, regulated or confidential information that could be compromised in a cybersecurity attack or incident, or their systems may be disabled or disrupted as a result of such an attack or incident. Our clients, regulators, or other third parties may attempt to hold us liable, through contractual indemnification clauses or directly, for any such losses or damages resulting from such an attack.

Content moderation is a large portion of our business. The long term impacts on the mental health and well-being of our employees doing this work are unknown. This work may lead to stress disorders and may create liabilities for us. This work is also subject to significant press and regulatory scrutiny. As a result, we may be subject to negative publicity or liability, or face difficulties retaining and recruiting employees, any of which could have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

Some of our clients maintain platforms and websites that permit users to post content that is made generally available on these platforms and websites. These posts sometimes contain content that is defamatory, pornographic, hateful, violent, racist, scandalous, obscene, offensive, objectionable, or illegal, or that otherwise violates the policies of our clients (“Prohibited Content”). In addition to Prohibited Content, employees review posts that are political in nature, which may constitute objectionable content for some employees. Some of our employees work as content moderators on behalf of our clients, screening posts for Prohibited Content. While we believe that content moderation is a vital part of maintaining an open and safe internet for everyone, employees exposed to Prohibited Content on a regular basis are more likely to develop mental health issues, such as stress disorders, or experience other negative health impacts, and are more likely to resign from their employment. In addition, employers of content moderators, including our company, have been subject to significant negative media coverage and other public relations challenges, as well as legal actions by or on behalf of content moderators claiming significant damages for mental health issues allegedly developed while on the job. Additionally, content moderation is subject to regulation in certain jurisdictions and we may receive inquiries from government authorities and regulators regarding our compliance with laws and regulations, many of which are evolving and subject to interpretation.

We are dedicated to improving the efficiency and accuracy of content moderation while also mitigating its impact on the health and well-being of our content moderator employees. Despite these efforts, we could be subject to claims made by such employees. These claims could lead to liability and negative publicity, harm our reputation, and impact our ability to retain or recruit employees to work as content moderators. For example, we may be required under applicable law to provide accommodations for employees who experience or who assert they are experiencing such mental health consequences. These accommodations could result in increased costs and reductions in the availability of employees who can perform content moderation work for our clients. Our content moderation employees may also make claims under workers’ compensation programs or other public or private insurance programs in connection with their employment or applicable labor or other laws. Any such employee claims or demands could result in increased costs, and could lead us to limit our content moderation business entirely, any of which would adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition to employee-related controversies surrounding content moderation, companies that are engaged in content moderation, including certain of our clients, are under increasing scrutiny by both the public and lawmakers

 

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to be more transparent about how content moderation decisions are made and about the guidelines they create. We also face scrutiny for our application of our client guidelines. Our content moderation employees may erroneously or deliberately make content moderation decisions, many of which may be subjective in nature, that are inconsistent with client guidelines, which could result in a failure to meet our clients’ expectations or adverse publicity, either of which could impair our reputation and our ability to retain existing clients or attract new clients or expose us to liability to users of client platforms. In addition, the content that our content moderation employees analyze is selected for review by our clients’ systems and moderated by our employees based on our clients’ policies and rules, and the tools used by our clients to identify content may fail to identify content that violates relevant content policy or community guidelines or, in certain jurisdictions, legal requirements. Although the methods employed to select content for review are not within the scope of the services we provide, the failure of objectionable content to be appropriately moderated on our clients’ platforms, for whatever reason, could adversely impact our reputation for content moderation service delivery and our ability to attract and retain clients.

Our business, and those of our clients, are subject to laws related to content moderation in some jurisdictions. In the United States, the Communications Decency Act (“CDA”) Section 230 provides protection to those who provide “interactive computer services” (e.g., websites, social media platforms) from being liable for the speech of their users (with certain exceptions). The law also shields interactive computer services from civil liability for a good faith action voluntarily taken to restrict access to or availability of content that the provider or user considers to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected. The content moderation that is both required and permitted by CDA Section 230 is currently a topic of significant debate in the United States, with some taking the position that interactive computer services are using CDA Section 230 to censor speech, and others taking the position that not enough action is taken to remove Prohibited Content. As a result of our content moderation business, we risk being part of this ongoing controversy, which could result in negative publicity and harm our ability to retain and attract clients, and negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Furthermore, changes to CDA Section 230 are currently being debated by lawmakers, but the final content of these changes, if any, are currently unknown. In October of 2020, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) announced that the FCC will be drafting regulations to clarify the meaning of CDA Section 230. Changes to CDA Section 230 remain uncertain, and could have a significant impact on our business, including by requiring us to comply with additional regulations, subjecting our business, and the businesses of our clients, to increased liability for content moderation activities, significantly increasing our expenses to comply with applicable laws and regulations, or shrinking the market for content moderation, any of which would adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our failure to detect and deter criminal or fraudulent activities or other misconduct by our employees could result in loss of trust from our clients and negative publicity, which would have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Because we have access to our clients’ sensitive and confidential information in the ordinary course of our business, our employees have engaged and could engage in criminal, fraudulent or other conduct prohibited by applicable law, client contracts or internal policy. The remote work environment implemented in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and our inability to maintain access controls on physical space has reduced our ability to monitor employee conduct and has elevated the risk of our employees engaging in such conduct undetected by us. For example, employees may exfiltrate data from client systems by using cameras to photograph their computer screens or provide unauthorized users with access to our and clients’ computer systems. Since we transitioned to a remote work environment, we have detected increased incidence of attempted employee fraud. For example, certain of our employees have abused their access to client systems to confer benefits, such as credits for our clients’ services, on themselves or their associates, improperly collected sensitive customer data such as credit card or other payment information and engaged in other malfeasance, which has in certain cases resulted in harm to our relationships with impacted clients. Although we terminate employees when our investigations establish misconduct and have implemented measures designed to identify and deter such

 

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misconduct, such as fraud prevention training, there can be no assurance that such measures will prevent or detect further employee misconduct. If our employees use their access to our and our clients’ systems as a conduit for criminal activity or other misconduct, our clients and their customers may not consider our services and solutions safe and trustworthy, and we could receive negative press coverage or other public attention as a result. Such loss of trust and negative publicity could cause our existing clients to terminate or reduce the scope of their dealings with us and harm our ability to attract new clients, which would have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Further, we may be subject to claims of liability by our clients or their customers based on the misconduct or malfeasance of our employees, and our insurance policies may not cover all potential claims to which we are exposed or indemnify us for all liability.

Global economic and political conditions, especially in the social media and meal delivery and transport industries from which we generate most of our revenue, could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

Our results of operations may vary based on the impact of changes in the global economy and political environment on us and our clients. While it is often difficult to predict the impact of general economic conditions on our business, unfavorable economic conditions, such as those that occurred during the global financial crisis and economic downturn that began in 2008, would adversely affect the demand for some of our clients’ products and services and, in turn, could cause a decline in the demand for our services and solutions and materially adversely affect our revenues, financial condition and results of operations. We derive a significant portion of our revenues from high-growth consumer technology companies located in the United States. In particular, a substantial portion of our clients are concentrated in the social media, meal delivery and transport industries. The transportation, hospitality, entertainment, e-commerce and retail industries are particularly sensitive to the economic environment, and tend to decline during general economic downturns. Some of these industries and some of our clients within these industries have been particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our business growth largely depends on continued demand for our services and solutions from clients in these industries and other industries that we may target in the future, as well as on trends in these industries to purchase such services and solutions or to move such services and solutions in-house.

In addition, as many of our clients are venture-backed technology companies that have not yet attained profitability, our clients may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns, especially if economic or financial conditions impair their ability to access continued funding. If the U.S. economy further weakens or slows, or a negative or an uncertain political climate persists, pricing for our services and solutions may be depressed and our clients may reduce or postpone their spending significantly, which may, in turn, lower the demand for our services and solutions and negatively affect our revenues and profitability. Additionally, several of our clients, particularly in the transportation, hospitality, entertainment, e-commerce, and retail industries, have experienced substantial price competition. As a result, we face increasing price pressure from such clients, which, if continued, would negatively affect our operating and financial performance. For these reasons, among others, the occurrence of unfavorable economic and political conditions could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

Our business is heavily dependent upon our international operations, particularly in the Philippines and India, and any disruption to those operations would adversely affect us.

Our business and future growth depend largely on continued demand for our services performed in the Philippines and the United States. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, we derived 58% of our revenue from work performed in the Philippines and 37% of our revenue from work performed in the United States. Outside of the Philippines and the United States, a substantial portion of our operations are conducted in India. The Philippines has experienced political instability, acts of natural disaster, such as typhoons and flooding, and the occasional health and security threat and continues to be at risk of similar and other events that may disrupt our operations. In addition, we have benefited from many policies of the Government of India and the Indian state government in the state in which we operate which are designed to promote foreign investment.

 

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There is no assurance that such policies will continue. Various factors, such as changes in the central or state governments, could trigger significant changes in India’s economic liberalization and deregulation policies and disrupt business and economic conditions in India generally and our business in particular. We also conduct operations in Mexico, Taiwan, Ireland and Greece which are subject to various risks germane to those locations.

Our international operations, particularly in the Philippines and India, and our ability to maintain our offshore sites in those jurisdictions are an essential component of our business model, as the labor costs in certain of those jurisdictions are substantially lower than the cost of comparable labor in the United States and other developed countries, which allows us to competitively price our solutions. Our competitive advantage would be greatly diminished and may disappear altogether as a result of a number of factors, including:

 

   

political unrest;

 

   

social unrest;

 

   

terrorism or war;

 

   

health pandemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic) or epidemics;

 

   

failure of power grids in certain of the countries in which we operate, which are subject to frequent outages;

 

   

currency fluctuations;

 

   

changes to the laws of the jurisdictions in which we operate; or

 

   

increases in the cost of labor and supplies in the jurisdictions in which we operate.

Our business and our international operations may also be affected by actual or threatened trade war or other governmental action related to trade restrictions, such as tariffs or other trade controls. If we are unable to continue to leverage the skills and experience of our international workforce, particularly in the Philippines and India, we may be unable to provide our solutions at an attractive price and our business could be materially and negatively impacted.

Our business may also be affected by the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union (“Brexit”). The United Kingdom formally left the European Union on January 31, 2020, with a transitional period set to end on December 31, 2020. There is continued uncertainty surrounding the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, including trade agreements between the United Kingdom and European Union. Additionally, long-term risks of Brexit include economic recessions in the United Kingdom or other European markets and currency instability for both the British Pound Sterling and the Euro. Although we do not expect any direct adverse impact on our business from Brexit, any adverse impact of Brexit on our clients may reduce their demand for our services and solutions.

Our business is subject to a variety of U.S. and international laws and regulations, including those regarding privacy and data security, and we or our clients may be subject to regulations related to the handling and transfer of certain types of sensitive and confidential information. Any failure to comply with applicable privacy and data security laws and regulations could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We and our clients are subject to privacy- and data security-related laws and regulations that impose obligations in connection with the collection, use, storage, transfer, dissemination, security, and/or other processing of personal information and other sensitive or regulated data. Existing U.S. federal and various state and foreign privacy- and information security-related laws and regulations are rapidly evolving and subject to potentially differing interpretations, and we expect that legislative and regulatory bodies will expand existing or enact new laws and regulations regarding privacy- and information security-related matters in the future. New laws, amendments to, or re-interpretations of existing laws and regulations, rules of self-regulatory bodies,

 

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industry standards and contractual obligations may each impact our business and practices, and we may be required to expend significant resources to adapt to these changes, or stop offering our services and solutions in certain countries. In addition, because the scope of these laws is changing and may be subject to differing interpretations, and may be inconsistent among countries and jurisdictions in which we operate, or conflict with other rules, it may be costly for us to comply with these laws and regulations, and our attempts to comply with them may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The U.S. federal and various state and foreign governments have adopted or proposed limitations on, or requirements regarding, the collection, retention, storage, use, processing, sharing, and disclosing of personal information. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and numerous state attorneys general are applying federal and state consumer protection laws to impose standards on the collecting, retaining, storing, using, processing, sharing, and disclosing of personal information, and to the security measures applied to such information. Similarly, many foreign countries and governmental bodies, including the EU member states, have laws and regulations concerning the collection, retention, storage, use, processing, sharing, and disclosing of personal information obtained from individuals located, or business operating, in the such countries. For example, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) became effective on May 25, 2018, and has resulted and will continue to result in significantly greater compliance burdens and costs for companies with customers, users, or operations in the European Union. Under GDPR, fines of up to 20 million Euros or up to 4% of the annual global revenues of the infringer, whichever is greater, can be imposed for violations. The GDPR imposes several stringent requirements for organizations that control or process personal information and could make it more difficult or more costly for us to use and share personal information in the ordinary course of our business. In addition, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), which went into effect on January 1, 2020, limits how we may collect and use personal data. The effects of the CCPA potentially are far-reaching and may require us to modify our data processing practices and policies and incur substantial compliance-related costs and expenses. Under the CCPA, in the event of a data breach affecting California residents’ personal information as a result of failure to maintain reasonable security procedures and practices can trigger a private right of action lawsuit, and as a result data breach litigation is likely to increase. Damages available for private rights of action range from $100 to $750 per violation or actual damages, whichever greater, with injunctive or declaratory relief also possible. In addition to the data breach private right of action, the California Attorney General may independently bring administrative actions for civil penalties of $2,500 per violation, or up to $7,500 per violation if intentional. Some observers have noted that the CCPA could mark the beginning of a trend toward more stringent privacy legislation in the U.S., which could increase our potential liability related to privacy and data security under U.S. law, require us to change our business practices, and adversely affect our business.

Both the European Union and California are also considering new regulations and laws. The European Union is considering another draft data protection regulation, known as the Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications, or ePrivacy Regulation, which would replace the current ePrivacy Directive and addresses topics such as unsolicited marketing and cookies. Originally planned to be adopted and implemented at the same time as the GDPR, the ePrivacy Regulation has been delayed. Recent discussions were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, further delaying enactment of this regulation, the details of which remain in flux. Additionally, in November 2020, California voters approved a ballot initiative known as the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (“CPRA”). The CPRA will amend the CCPA by creating additional privacy rights for California consumers and additional obligations on businesses and is expected to take effect on January 1, 2023. Implementation of either the ePrivacy Directive or the CPRA could require us to expend additional time and effort to comply with these new regulations and laws, and we could be subject to new or increased fines, individual claims, commercial liabilities, or regulatory penalties.

In addition, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) issued a decision on July 16, 2020, invalidating the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework on which we and certain of our services providers relied to conduct data transfers in compliance with the GDPR. While the decision did not invalidate standard contractual clauses, another mechanism for making cross-border transfers, the decision has called the validity of standard

 

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contractual clauses into question under certain circumstances, and has made the legality of transferring personal information from the EU to the US more uncertain. Specifically, the CJEU stated that companies must now assess the validity of standard contractual clauses on a case by case basis, taking into consideration whether the standard contractual clauses provide sufficient protection in light of any access by the public authorities of the third country to where the personal information is transferred, and the relevant aspects of the legal system of such third country. In addition, if we were to cease our compliance with our Privacy Shield commitments, we could still be subject to action by the Federal Trade Commission. This decision, and increased uncertainty surrounding data transfers from the EU to the US, may increase our costs of compliance, impede our ability to transfer data and conduct our business, and may harm our business or results of operations.

In the United States, the federal government, including the White House, the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Commerce and Congress, and many state governments are reviewing the need for greater regulation of the collection, processing, storage, sharing, disclosure, use and security of information concerning consumer behavior with respect to online services, including regulations aimed at restricting certain targeted advertising practices and collection and use of data from mobile devices. This review may result in new laws or the promulgation of new regulations or guidelines. For example, the State of California and other states have passed laws relating to disclosure of companies’ practices with regard to Do-Not-Track signals from internet browsers, the ability to delete information of minors, and data breach notification requirements. Outside the European Union and the United States, a number of countries have adopted or are considering privacy laws and regulations that may result in significant greater compliance burdens.

Data privacy and security are active areas and new laws and regulations are likely to be enacted. We expect that there will continue to be new proposed laws, regulations and industry standards concerning privacy, data protection and information security in the United States, the European Union and other jurisdictions, and we cannot yet determine the impact such future laws, regulations and standards may have on our business. Because global laws, regulations, industry standards and other legal obligations concerning privacy and data security have continued to develop and evolve rapidly, it is possible that we or our business may not be, or may not have been, compliant with each such applicable law, regulation, industry standard or other legal obligation. We or our third-party service providers could be adversely affected if legislation or regulations are expanded to require changes in our or our third-party service providers’ business practices or if governing jurisdictions interpret or implement their legislation or regulations in ways that negatively affect our or our third-party service providers’ business, results of operations or financial condition. Any such new laws, regulations, other legal obligations or industry standards, or any changed interpretation of existing laws, regulations or other standards may require us to incur additional costs and restrict our business operations. If our privacy or data security measures fail to comply with current or future laws, regulations, policies, legal obligations or industry standards, we may be subject to litigation, regulatory investigations, fines or other liabilities, as well as negative publicity and a potential loss of business.

Although we believe we take reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable laws and regulations with respect to security of our own systems, networks, and data, we rely heavily on the use of our clients’ systems to perform services, and we have no ability to control our clients’ systems, policies and practices or ensure that there are adequate safeguards in place with respect to these systems. There can be no assurance that we will not be subject to regulatory action, including fines, in the event of an incident or actual or perceived non-compliance. We also strive to comply with applicable industry standards and codes of conduct relating to privacy and information security, and are subject to the terms of our own privacy policies and privacy-related obligations to third parties. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with applicable laws and regulations, our privacy policies, our privacy-related obligations to clients, customers or other third parties, our data disclosure and consent obligations, or any compromise of security that results in the unauthorized disclosure, transfer or use of personal or other information, may result in governmental enforcement actions, litigation or public statements critical of us by consumer advocacy groups or others and could cause our clients to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our business. Further, although we generally obtain and rely on contractual representations that our clients are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, any such failure or

 

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perceived failure by our clients with respect to their users, customers or other third parties, or any failure or perceived failure of our clients to follow their publicly posted privacy policies or other agreements with their users, customers, or other third parties, may result in similar consequences to them and, to the extent our work for such clients is associated with such failure or perceived failure, to us. For example, the data collection and processing activities of certain of our clients have been the subject of negative commentary relating to such clients’ privacy practices. Additionally, if third parties we work with violate applicable laws, our policies or other privacy or security-related obligations, such violations may also put our clients’ information at risk and could in turn have an adverse effect on our business. Governmental agencies may also request or take data for national security or informational purposes, and also can make data requests in connection with criminal or civil investigations or other matters, which could harm our reputation and our business.

Certain of our clients are engaged in highly regulated industries and require solutions that ensure security given the nature of the content and information being distributed and associated applicable regulatory requirements. In particular, our employees may access protected health information in compliance with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, and related regulations, which are collectively referred to as HIPAA. HIPAA imposes privacy, security and breach notification obligations on certain health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses, known as covered entities, as well as their business associates that perform certain services that involve creating, receiving, maintaining or transmitting protected health information for or on behalf of such covered entities. Persons that are found to be in violation of HIPAA may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative fines and penalties and/or additional reporting and oversight obligations if required to enter into a resolution agreement and corrective action plan with HHS to settle allegations of HIPAA non-compliance. Further, persons that knowingly obtain, use, or disclose protected health information maintained by a HIPAA covered entity in a manner that is not authorized or permitted by HIPAA may be subject to criminal penalties. As a “business associate,” we are directly liable for compliance with HIPAA’s privacy and security requirements. We also have obligations under the business associate agreements that we are required to enter into with certain clients that are covered by HIPAA and certain subcontractors that we engage in connection with our business operations. Compliance efforts can be expensive and burdensome, and if we fail to comply with our obligations under HIPAA we may be subject to penalties, mitigation and breach notification expenses, private litigation and contractual damages, corrective action plans and related regulatory oversight and reputational harm.

In addition to privacy and data security requirements under applicable laws, we are subject to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (“PCI-DSS”) a self-regulatory standard that requires companies that process payment card data to implement certain data security measures. If we or our payment processors fail to comply with the PCI-DSS, we may incur significant fines or liability and lose access to major payment card systems. Failure to maintain PCI-DSS standards may amount to a violation of certain contractual obligations to our clients or may impair our ability to attract or retain business. Industry groups may in the future adopt additional self-regulatory standards by which we are legally or contractually bound.

Our business depends in part on our capacity to invest in technology as it develops, and substantial increases in the costs of technology and telecommunications services or our inability to attract and retain the necessary technologists could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The use of technology in our industry has and is expected to continue to expand and change rapidly. Our business depends, in part, upon our ability to develop and implement solutions that anticipate and keep pace with continuing changes in technology, industry standards and client preferences. We may incur significant expenses in an effort to keep pace with client preferences for technology or to gain a competitive advantage through technological expertise or new technologies.

If we do not recognize the importance of a particular new technology to our business in a timely manner, are not committed to investing in and developing or adopting such new technology and applying these technologies

 

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to our business, or are unable to attract and retain the technologists necessary to develop and implement such technologies, our current solutions may be less attractive to existing and new clients, and we may lose market share to competitors who have recognized these trends and invested in such technology. There can be no assurance that we will have sufficient capacity or capital to meet these challenges. Any such failure to recognize the importance of such technology, a decision not to invest in and develop or adopt such technology that keeps pace with evolving industry standards and changing client demands, or an inability to attract and retain the technologists necessary to develop and implement such technology could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our results of operations and ability to grow could be materially affected if we cannot adapt our services and solutions to changes in technology and client expectations.

Our growth and profitability will depend on our ability to develop and adopt new services and solutions that expand our existing offerings by leveraging new technological trends and cost efficiencies in our operations, while meeting rapidly evolving client expectations. As technology evolves, more tasks currently performed by our team members may be replaced by automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, chatbots and other technological advances, which puts our lower-skill tier one customer care offerings at risk. These technology innovations could potentially reduce our business volumes and related revenues, unless we are successful in adapting and deploying them profitably.

We may not be successful in anticipating or responding to our client expectations and interests in adopting evolving technology solutions, and their integration in our offerings may not achieve the intended enhancements or cost reductions. Services and solutions offered by our competitors may make our services and solutions not competitive or even obsolete and may negatively impact our clients’ interest in our solutions. Our failure to innovate, maintain technological advantages, or respond effectively and timely to transformational changes in technology could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Fluctuations against the U.S. dollar in the local currencies in the countries in which we operate could have a material effect on our results of operations.

A majority of our revenues are in U.S. Dollars and our costs are primarily in local currencies, including the U.S Dollar, Philippine Peso, Indian Rupee, Mexican Peso, Euro and Taiwanese Dollar. While we utilize hedging contracts, an appreciation of local currencies against the U.S. Dollar would cause a net adverse impact to our profitability. Our exchange rate forward contracts are not designated hedges under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. Because our financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars and revenues are primarily generated in U.S. dollars, whereas some portion of the cost is incurred in foreign currencies, any significant unhedged fluctuations in the currency exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies of countries in which we incur costs in local currencies will affect our results of operations and financial statements. This may also affect the comparability of our financial results from period to period, as we convert our subsidiaries’ statements of financial position into U.S. dollars from local currencies at the period-end exchange rate, and income and cash flow statements at average exchange rates for the year. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Trends and Factors Affecting our Performance.”

As we increase our revenues from non-U.S. sites or expand our solution delivery or back office footprint to other international locations, this effect may be magnified. We may in the future engage in additional hedging strategies in an effort to reduce the adverse impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, which may not be successful. See also “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk— Foreign Currency Risk.”

 

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Our business depends on a strong brand and corporate reputation, and if we are not able to maintain and enhance our brand, our ability to expand our client base will be impaired and our business and operating results will be adversely affected.

Our corporate reputation is a significant factor in our clients’ and prospective clients’ determination of whether to engage us. We believe the TaskUs brand name and our reputation are important corporate assets that help distinguish our services from those of our competitors and also contribute to our efforts to recruit and retain talented employees. However, our corporate reputation is susceptible to damage by actions or statements made by current or former employees or clients, competitors, vendors, adversaries in legal proceedings and government regulators, as well as members of the investment community and the media. Our reputation could also be harmed by our association with certain clients with high visibility in the public. There is a risk that negative information about our company, even if based on false rumor or misunderstanding, could adversely affect our business. In particular, damage to our reputation could be difficult and time-consuming to repair, could make potential or existing clients reluctant to select us for new engagements, resulting in a loss of business, and could adversely affect our recruitment and retention efforts. Damage to our reputation could also reduce the value and effectiveness of our TaskUs brand name and could reduce investor confidence in us and result in a decline in the price of our common stock.

Competitive pricing pressure may reduce our revenue or gross profits and adversely affect our financial results.

The prices for our services and solutions may decline for a variety of reasons, including pricing pressures from our competitors, pricing leverage from clients, anticipation of the introduction of new solutions by our competitors, or promotional programs offered by us or our competitors. In particular, we tend to face increased pricing pressure from our key clients as we grow the existing services and solutions we provide to our key clients or expand our business with them by cross-selling new services and solutions. In addition, competition continues to increase in the markets in which we operate, and we expect competition to further increase in the future. If we are unable to maintain our pricing due to competitive pressures or other factors, our margins will be reduced and our gross profits, business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.

The success of our business depends on our senior management and key employees.

Our success depends on the continued service and performance of our senior management, particularly Bryce Maddock, our Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, and Jaspar Weir, our Co-Founder and President, and other key employees. In each of the industries in which we participate, there is competition for experienced senior management and personnel with industry-specific expertise. We may not be able to retain our key personnel or recruit skilled personnel with appropriate qualifications and experience. The loss of key members of our personnel, particularly to competitors, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We currently do not maintain key man life insurance for any of the members of our senior management team or other key employees. We also do not have long-term employment contracts with all of our key employees. If one or more of our senior executives or key employees are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, it could disrupt our business operations, and we may not be able to replace them easily, on a timely basis or at all.

If any of our senior management team or key employees joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose clients, suppliers, know-how and technology professionals and staff members to them. Also, if any of our sales executives or other sales personnel, who generally maintain close relationships with our clients, joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose clients to that company, and our revenue may be materially adversely affected. Additionally, there could be unauthorized disclosure or use of our technical knowledge, business practices or procedures by such personnel. Any non-competition, non-solicitation or non-disclosure agreements we have with our senior executives or key employees might not provide effective protection to us in light of legal uncertainties associated with the enforceability of such agreements.

 

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Our management team has limited experience managing a public company.

Most members of our management team have limited experience managing a publicly traded company, interacting with public company investors, and complying with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to public companies. Our management team may not successfully or efficiently manage our transition to being a public company that is subject to significant regulatory oversight and reporting obligations under the federal securities laws and the continuous scrutiny of securities analysts and investors. These new obligations and constituents will require significant attention from our senior management and could divert their attention away from the day-to-day management of our business, which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the resulting global economic uncertainty and measures taken in response to the pandemic, has adversely impacted our business, financial condition and results of operations and continues to do so.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a widespread and detrimental effect on the global economy and has adversely impacted our business and results of operations. While we are unable to accurately predict the full impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on our results from operations, financial condition, liquidity and cash flows due to numerous uncertainties, including the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and its containment measures, our compliance with these measures has impacted our day-to-day operations and disrupted our business and the business of our clients. Because the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences are highly uncertain, rapidly changing and difficult to predict, the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations is currently unknown.

The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic continues to adversely impact our business and results of operations will depend on numerous evolving factors that are difficult to predict and outside of our control, including: the duration and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic; actions taken by governments and other parties, including our clients, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic activity and actions taken in response; the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on our clients and client demand for our services and solutions; the ability of our clients to pay for our services and solutions on time or at all; our ability to sell and provide our services and solutions to clients and prospects; the ability of our employees to successfully work remotely without suffering productivity issues due to, among other things, their own illness or the illness of family members, distractions at home, including family issues or virtual school learning for their children; and/or unreliable or unstable internet connections; and our ability to fully resume operations in our sites affected by, among other things, the ability of certain of our employees to rejoin working in our sites, the difficulties our employees may face commuting due to limited or a lack of public transportation, and the unpredictability as to the timing of fully reopening our sites.

We have experienced travel bans, states of emergency, quarantines, lockdowns, “shelter in place” orders, business restrictions and shutdowns in the countries where we operate. In the interest of the health and safety of our employees and due to restrictions imposed by national or local governments, in March 2020 we rapidly mobilized our operations to deliver our services remotely from the homes of our individual employees. This effort posed, and continues to pose, numerous operational risks and logistical challenges and has increased certain costs and risks to our business, including increased demand on our information technology resources and systems that were designed for most of our employees to work from our sites and not remotely, inability to use or access facilities, enhanced risk that remote assets like computers or routers might be damaged or not returned, the movement of assets from a tax free zone to a work from home location might trigger new increased taxation should the tax authorities decide to reinstate requirements of being on-site for special tax treatment that were temporarily waived during COVID-19, increased equipment costs due to the inability to use the same equipment, such as computers, IT equipment and workspaces, for multiple shifts, increased phishing, ransomware and other cybersecurity attacks as cybercriminals try to exploit the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and

 

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increased data privacy and security risks as substantially all our employees work remotely from environments that may be less secure than those of our sites. Any failure to effectively manage these risks, including to timely identify and appropriately respond to any cyberattacks, may adversely affect our business. Further, we currently and may in the future face lease disputes with our landlords over rents demanded during COVID-19 lockdown or “shelter in place” orders.

In addition, certain of our clients have not consented (or may not continue to consent) to or have limited programs eligible for work-at-home arrangements in connection with the services we deliver to them. Further, certain of our employees have been unable to transition to a work-at-home environment due to broadband and/or work environment deficiencies in their homes, and as a result we have been unable to fully staff as needed and to deliver at the same volumes to the same extent we were prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also exposed to the risk that continued government-imposed restrictions or frequently changing government-imposed restrictions, such as enhanced quarantine areas, lockdowns or cessation of transportation which adversely affect our employees’ ability to access our sites, could further disrupt our ability to provide our services and solutions and result in, among other things, terminations of client contracts and losses of revenue or additional costs borne by us to provide temporary housing or transportation to our employees to allow them to access our sites, which could also leave us vulnerable to risks related to employee safety, road hazards and other related hazards. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we regularly clean and sanitize equipment in our sites between shifts, observe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines and guidelines issued by equivalent agencies in foreign jurisdictions, and keep our sites closed until 30 days after local governments permit such sites to reopen. Even after implementing social distancing, enhanced cleaning procedures and other mitigating measures, there is no guarantee that we will not have an outbreak of the virus that causes COVID-19 at one of our sites, which could result in a significantly reduced workforce due to infection or a significant percentage of our workforce in a site being quarantined due to exposure as a result of contact tracing, and a governmental authority could close our site as a result, which could impact cash flows from operations and liquidity. Further, even with respect to clients who have consented to work-at-home arrangements for some or all of their programs, there is no guarantee that these clients will continue to permit these work-at-home arrangements and revocation by any clients of their consent to these arrangements could also result in loss of revenue in the future.

Our business strategy depends in part on our employee-centered culture. The significant personal and business challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the potentially life-threatening health risks to employees and their families and friends, the closures of schools and the unavailability of various services that some of our employees rely upon, such as childcare or public transportation, may adversely impact employee productivity and result in increased absenteeism and leaves of absence.

We have experienced and may continue to experience reluctance of the workforce to return to our sites during the COVID-19 pandemic due to concerns related to returning to a communal workplace including, for their own health if they are part of a vulnerable population or have vulnerable family members at home and enhanced government unemployment incentives that may result in temporarily higher income from unemployment that may exceed local prevailing wages and may make it more difficult for us to encourage our workforce to return to work or hire a sufficient number of employees to support our contractual commitments or may result in higher costs, higher turnover and reduced operational efficiencies, which could, in the aggregate, have a material adverse impact on our results of operations.

Social distancing rules and other government mandates in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic may continue to impact the structure and configuration of our sites, where employees work in close proximity. If these new regulatory requirements remain in effect for the medium-term or the long-term, we may be forced to make significant capital investments to reconfigure our existing sites and to accept lower capacity utilization than the utilization priced under our multi-year contracts or to expand our capacity into new space in certain geographies to accommodate our workforce, which will result in increased capital expenditures and a degradation of our gross margin and profitability under the negotiated cost structures for the client. If we are unable to recoup these

 

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additional costs by renegotiating our contracts or by adjusting the price when we renew our contracts or otherwise adjust our cost structure to absorb them, our margins and profitability will be impacted and will result in adverse impact on our results of operations. Further, such rules and regulations may impair our ability to develop and implement agile workforce strategies, which would reduce our ability to meet any increase in client demand for our services. We could also see an increase in health care costs for employees due to emerging regulations regarding COVID-19 testing, telemedicine, and in the future, coverage for any vaccine. Historically, pandemic conditions have led to sweeping changes in governmental regulations regarding the use and payment of sick time and vacation/leave time, which could have a material adverse effect on our future labor costs.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could result in slowed decision-making and delayed planned work by our clients. Some of our clients, especially in the on-demand transportation industry, have experienced a decline in their end customer volumes because of lockdown restrictions globally, which has resulted in reduced demand from our services from those clients. As certain of our clients face reduced demand for their products and solutions, reduce their business activity and face increased financial pressure on their businesses, we have faced and expect to continue to face downward pressure on our pricing and gross margins due to pricing concessions to clients and requests from clients to extend payment cycles. In addition, some clients have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and, as a result, have delayed and may continue to delay payments, which may have an adverse effect on our cash flows from operations. We have faced client bankruptcy and may continue to face a significantly elevated risk of client insolvency, bankruptcy or liquidity challenges where we may perform services and incurred expenses for which we are not paid. While several clients, especially in the On Demand Travel + Transportation, Social Media, Entertainment + Gaming, and Retail +e-Commerce industries, have witnessed an increase in demand driven by an increase in online commerce and content consumption, resulting in more demand for our services and solutions, such demand for our clients’ products and services may stabilize or decrease as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, causing reduced demand for our services and solutions.

The overall uncertainty regarding the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on our revenue growth could impact our cash flows from operations and liquidity. Increased currency exchange-rate fluctuations and an inability to recover costs or lost revenues or profits from insurance carriers could all adversely affect us, our financial condition and our results of operations. Additionally, the disruptions and volatility in the global and domestic capital markets may increase the cost of capital and limit our ability to access capital.

Our efforts to mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business may not be effective, and if there is a protracted economic downturn, we and our clients may be affected. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, we may continue to experience negative effects as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic’s global economic impact. Further, as this COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and continuously evolving, it may also affect our operating and financial results in a manner that is not presently known to us or in a manner that we currently do not consider will present significant risks to us or our operations.

For more information, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—COVID-19.”

Risks Related to Macro-Economic, Geographical and Political Conditions

Natural events, health pandemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic) or epidemics, infrastructure breakdowns, wars, widespread civil unrest, terrorist attacks and other acts of violence involving any of the countries in which we or our clients have operations could adversely affect our operations and client confidence.

Natural events (such as floods, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and earthquakes), health pandemics or epidemics, wars, widespread civil unrest, terrorist attacks and other acts of violence or war could result in

 

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significant worker absenteeism, increased attrition rates, lower asset utilization rates, voluntary or mandatory closure of our sites, our inability to meet dynamic employee health and safety requirements, our inability to meet contractual service levels for our clients, our inability to procure essential supplies, travel restrictions on our employees, and other disruptions to our business. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the mandatory closure of some of our sites. In particular, a natural disaster, catastrophic event or public health pandemic or epidemic could cause us or our clients to suspend all or a portion of their operations for a significant period of time, result in a permanent loss of resources, or require the relocation of personnel and material to alternate sites that may not be available or adequate. Such events could adversely affect global economies, worldwide financial markets and our clients’ levels of business activity and could potentially lead to economic recession, which could impact our clients’ purchasing decisions and reduce demand for our services and solutions and, consequently, adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, global climate change is expected to result in certain natural disasters occurring more frequently or with greater intensity, such as tsunamis, cyclones, typhoons, drought, wildfires, sea-level rise, heavy rains and flooding. Any such disaster or series of disasters in areas where we have a concentration of sites, such as the Philippines, India, or Texas, could significantly disrupt our operations and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. For example, a significant portion of our operations are located in or near Manila, Philippines, in sites that are in close proximity to each other. A natural disaster, fire, earthquake, volcanic activity, tsunami, power interruption, work stoppage, outbreaks of pandemics or contagious diseases (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) or other calamity in the Manila metropolitan area would significantly disrupt our ability to deliver our solutions and services and operate our business.

Our sites, key technology systems and data and voice communications may also be damaged or disrupted as a result of technical disruptions such as electricity or infrastructure breakdowns, including from additional stress relating to an increase in working from home and Wi-Fi usage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and including damage to telecommunications cables, computer glitches, power failures and electronic viruses or human-caused events such as protests, riots, labor unrest, terrorist attacks and cyberattacks. Such events, or any natural or weather-related disaster, could lead to the disruption of information systems and telecommunication services for sustained periods. They also may make it difficult or impossible for employees to reach our sites. Any significant failure, damage or destruction of our equipment or systems, or any major disruptions to basic infrastructure such as power and telecommunications systems in the sites in which we operate, could impede our ability to provide solutions to our clients and thus adversely affect their businesses, have a negative impact on our reputation and may cause us to incur substantial additional expenses to repair or replace damaged equipment, internet server connections, information technology systems or sites. Damage or destruction that interrupts our provision of services could adversely affect our reputation, our relationships with our clients, our leadership team’s ability to administer and supervise our business or it may cause us to incur substantial additional expenditure to repair or replace damaged equipment or sites. In addition, operations of our significant suppliers and distributors could be adversely affected if manufacturing, logistics or other operations in these locations are disrupted for any reason, such as those listed above, and, consequently, our operations could be adversely affected. Even if our operations are unaffected or recover quickly from any such events, if our clients cannot timely resume their own operations due to a catastrophic event, they may reduce or cancel their orders, which may adversely affect our results of operations. We may also be liable to our clients for disruption in service resulting from such damage or destruction. Any of these events, their consequences or the costs related to mitigation or remediation could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

While we maintain property and business interruption insurance, our insurance coverage may not be sufficient to guarantee costs of repairing the damage caused by such disruptive events and such events may not be covered under our policies. Prolonged disruption of our services and solutions, even if due to events beyond our control, could also entitle our clients to terminate their contracts with us or result in other brand and reputational damages, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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Our operations in emerging markets subject us to greater economic, financial, and banking risks than we would face in more developed markets.

We have significant operations in certain emerging market economies, including the Philippines and India. Emerging markets are vulnerable to market and economic volatility to a greater extent than more developed markets, which presents risks to our business and operations. A significant portion of our revenues are generated by services for companies headquartered in the United States. However, many of our personnel and sites are located in lower cost locations, including emerging markets. This exposes us to foreign exchange risks relating to revenues, compensation, purchases, capital expenditures, receivables and other balance-sheet items. As we continue to leverage and expand our global delivery model into other emerging markets, a larger portion of our revenues and incurred expenses may be in currencies other than U.S. dollars. Currency exchange volatility caused by economic instability or other factors could materially impact our results. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”

The economies of certain emerging market countries where we operate have experienced periods of considerable instability and have been subject to abrupt downturns. We have cash in banks in countries , where the banking sector generally does not meet the banking standards of more developed markets, bank deposits made by corporate entities are not insured, and the banking system remains subject to instability. A banking crisis, or the bankruptcy or insolvency of banks that receive or hold our funds, particularly in the United States, may result in the loss of our deposits or adversely affect our ability to complete banking transactions in that region. In addition, some countries where we operate may impose regulatory or practical restrictions on the movement of cash and the exchange of foreign currencies within their banking systems, which would limit our ability to use cash across our global operations and increase our exposure to currency fluctuations. Emerging market vulnerability, and especially its impact on currency exchange volatility and banking systems, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Our Growth and Business Strategies

We may face difficulties as we expand our operations into countries in which we have no prior operating experience and in which we may be subject to increased business and economic risks that could impact our results of operations.

We expect to continue to expand our international operations in order to maintain an appropriate cost structure and meet our clients’ needs, which may include opening sites in new jurisdictions and providing our services and solutions in additional languages. We expect our expansion efforts will include expanding into countries other than those in which we currently operate and where we have less familiarity with local procedures. It may involve expanding into less developed countries, which may have less political, social or economic stability and less developed infrastructure and legal systems. As we expand our business into new countries, we may encounter economic, regulatory, personnel, technological and other difficulties that increase our expenses or delay our ability to start up our operations or become profitable in such countries. This may affect our relationships with our clients and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Any new markets or countries into which we attempt to provide our services and solutions may not be receptive. In addition, our ability to manage our business and conduct our operations internationally requires considerable management attention and resources and is subject to the particular challenges of supporting a rapidly growing business in an environment of multiple languages, cultures, customs, legal and regulatory systems, alternative dispute systems, and commercial markets. International expansion has required, and will continue to require, investment of significant funds and other resources. Operating internationally subjects us to new risks and may increase risks that we currently face, including risks associated with:

 

   

compliance with applicable international laws and regulations, including laws and regulations with respect to privacy, data protection, consumer protection, and unsolicited email, and the risk of penalties

 

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to our users and individual members of management or employees if our practices are deemed to be out of compliance;

 

   

recruiting and retaining talented and capable employees, and maintaining our company culture across our sites;

 

   

providing our services and solutions and operating our business across a significant distance, in different languages and among different cultures, including the potential need to modify our services and solutions to ensure that they are culturally appropriate and relevant in different countries;

 

   

management of an employee base in jurisdictions, such as Greece and Ireland, that do not give us the same employment and retention flexibility as does the United States;

 

   

operating in jurisdictions that do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as does the United States;

 

   

compliance by us and our business partners with anti-corruption laws, import and export control laws, tariffs, trade barriers, economic sanctions, and other regulatory limitations on our ability to provide our platform in certain international markets;

 

   

foreign exchange controls that might require significant lead time in setting up operations in certain geographic territories and might prevent us from repatriating cash earned outside the United States;

 

   

political and economic instability;

 

   

changes in diplomatic and trade relationships, including the imposition of new trade restrictions, trade protection measures, import or export requirements, trade embargoes and other trade barriers;

 

   

double taxation of our international earnings and potentially adverse tax consequences due to changes in the income and other tax laws of the United States or the international jurisdictions in which we operate; and

 

   

higher costs of doing business internationally, including increased accounting, travel, infrastructure, and legal compliance costs.

Compliance with laws and regulations applicable to our international operations substantially increases our cost of doing business in international jurisdictions. We may be unable to keep current with changes in laws and regulations as they change. Although we have implemented policies and procedures designed to support compliance with these laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that we will always maintain compliance or that all of our employees, contractors, partners, and agents will comply. Any violations could result in enforcement actions, fines, civil and criminal penalties, damages, injunctions, or reputational harm. If we are unable to comply with these laws and regulations or manage the complexity of our global operations successfully, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We face substantial competition in our business.

The market in which we compete, which is comprised of, among others, customer experience, content security and AI operations market segments, is highly competitive, highly fragmented and continuously evolving. We face competition from a variety of companies, including some of our own clients, which operate in distinct segments of the customer lifecycle journey. These industry segments are very competitive, and we expect competition to remain intense from a number of sources in the future. We believe that the most significant competitive factors in the markets in which we operate are service quality, value-added service offerings, industry experience, advanced technological capabilities, global coverage, reliability, scalability, security, price, employee wellness and culture. Our services and solutions may easily be replicated by our competitors and our existing and potential clients may choose our competitors over us for any of the foregoing reasons or for other reasons. The trend toward near-shore and offshore outsourcing, international expansion by foreign and domestic competitors and continued technological changes may result in new and different competitors entering our markets. These competitors may include entrants in geographical locations with lower costs than those in which we operate.

 

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We compete with large multinational service providers; offshore service providers from lower-cost jurisdictions like various parts of India and Latin America, depending on the service, that offer similar services, often at highly competitive prices and aggressive contract terms; niche solution providers that compete with us in specific geographic markets, industry segments or service areas; companies that utilize new, potentially disruptive technologies or delivery models, including artificial intelligence powered solutions; and in-house functions of large companies that use their own resources, rather than outsourcing the Digital Customer Experience services we provide.

Some of our existing and future competitors have or will have greater financial, human and other resources, longer operating histories, larger geographic presence, greater technological expertise and more established relationships in the industries that we currently serve or may serve in the future. Also, our services can be moved from one provider to another. Accordingly, we have faced, and expect to continue to face, competition from new market entrants and incumbents. In addition, some of our competitors may enter into strategic or commercial relationships among themselves or with larger, more established companies in order to increase their ability to address client needs and reduce operating costs, or enter into similar arrangements with potential clients. Further, trends of consolidation in our industries and among competitors may result in new competitors with greater scale, a broader footprint, better technologies and price efficiencies attractive to our clients. Increased competition, our inability to compete successfully, pricing pressures or loss of market share could result in reduced operating profit margins and diminished financial performance which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may acquire other companies in pursuit of growth, which may divert our management’s attention, result in dilution to our shareholders and consume resources that are necessary to sustain our business.

As part of our business strategy, we regularly review potential strategic transactions, including potential acquisitions, dispositions, consolidations, joint ventures or similar transactions, some of which may be material. Through the acquisitions we pursue, we may seek opportunities to add to or enhance the services and solutions we provide, to enter new industries or expand our client base, or to strengthen our global presence and scale of operations. Negotiating these transactions can be time-consuming, difficult and expensive, and our ability to complete these transactions may be subject to conditions or approvals that are beyond our control, including anti-takeover and antitrust laws in various jurisdictions. Consequently, these transactions, even if undertaken and announced, may not close.

An acquisition, investment or new business relationship may result in unforeseen operating difficulties and expenditures. In particular, we may encounter difficulties assimilating or integrating the businesses, technologies, services, products, personnel or operations of acquired companies, particularly if the key personnel of the acquired company choose not to work for us, the acquired company’s technology is not easily compatible with ours or we have difficulty retaining the clients of any acquired business due to changes in management or otherwise. We have historically grown our operations organically, and we do not have significant experience managing the acquisition or a business, including with diligence or integration. Mergers or acquisitions may also disrupt our business, divert our resources and require significant management attention that would otherwise be available for the development of our business. Moreover, the anticipated benefits of any merger, acquisition, investment or similar partnership may not be realized or we may be exposed to unknown liabilities, including litigation against the companies we may acquire, for example from failure to identify all of the significant risks or liabilities associated with the target business. For one or more of those transactions, we may:

 

   

issue additional equity securities that would dilute our shareholders;

 

   

use cash that we may need in the future to operate our business;

 

   

incur debt on terms unfavorable to us or that we are unable to repay or that may place burdensome restrictions on our operations or cash flows;

 

   

incur large charges or substantial liabilities; or

 

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become subject to adverse tax consequences, or substantial depreciation or amortization, deferred compensation or other acquisition related accounting charges.

Any of these risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our success largely depends on our ability to achieve our business strategies, and our results of operations and financial condition may suffer if we are unable to continually develop and successfully execute our strategies.

Our future growth, profitability and cash flows largely depend upon our ability to continually develop and successfully execute our business strategies. While we believe that our strategic plans reflect opportunities that are appropriate and achievable, the execution of our strategy may not result in long-term growth in revenue or profitability due to a number of factors, including:

 

   

the number, timing, scope and contractual terms of projects in which we are engaged;

 

   

unfavorable contract terms with clients, such as high limitations on liability, unlimited liability, or indemnification obligations;

 

   

delays in project commencement or staffing delays due to difficulty in assigning appropriately skilled or experienced employees;

 

   

the accuracy of estimates of the resources, time and fees required to complete projects and costs incurred in the performance of each project;

 

   

inability to retain employees or maintain employee utilization levels;

 

   

changes in pricing in response to client demand and competitive pressures;

 

   

the business decisions of our clients regarding the use of our services;

 

   

the ability to further grow sales of services from existing clients;

 

   

our clients’ desire to avoid concentrating spend in one or a limited number of outsourcing vendors;

 

   

seasonal trends and the budget and work cycles of our clients;

 

   

delays or difficulties in expanding our operational sites or infrastructure;

 

   

our ability to estimate costs under fixed price or managed service contracts;

 

   

employee wage levels and increases in compensation costs;

 

   

unanticipated contract or project terminations;

 

   

the timing of collection of accounts receivable;

 

   

our ability to manage risk through our contracts;

 

   

the continuing financial stability and growth of our clients;

 

   

changes in our effective tax rates;

 

   

fluctuations in currency exchange rates;

 

   

general economic conditions; and

 

   

the impact of public health pandemics, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In pursuit of our growth strategy, we may also invest significant time and resources into new service or solution offerings, and these offerings may fail to yield sufficient return to cover our investments in them. The failure to continually develop and execute optimally on our business strategies could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our success will depend in part upon the ability of our senior management to manage our projected growth effectively. To do so, we must continue to increase the productivity of our existing employees and to attract, hire,

 

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train and manage new employees as needed. To manage the expected domestic and international growth of our operations and personnel, we will need to continue to improve our operational, financial and management controls, our reporting systems and procedures, and our utilization of real estate. If we fail to successfully scale our operations and increase productivity, we may be unable to execute our business plan, and such failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We have a relatively short history of operating at a large, global scale and may not be able to sustain our revenue growth rate or profitability in the future.

We have experienced rapid revenue growth in recent periods. Our revenue increased by 41.5% from $254 million for the Full Year 2018 to $360 million in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Our rapid growth has been fueled in part by the rapid growth of our major clients in high growth industries, such as social media, meal delivery and transport, e-commerce and fintech. We may not be able to sustain revenue growth consistent with our recent history or at all. You should not consider our revenue growth in recent periods as indicative of our future performance. As we grow our business, we expect our revenue growth rates to slow in future periods. Our revenue growth rate may slow due to a number of factors, which may include slowing demand for our services, increasing competition, decreasing growth of our overall market, our inability to engage and retain a sufficient number of skilled employees or otherwise scale our business, prevailing wages in the markets in which we operate or our failure, for any reason, to capitalize on growth opportunities. In addition, any slowdown in the growth of our major clients, or the industries that we serve, may adversely impact the rate of our revenue growth. Additionally, we may experience a decrease in demand due to the worldwide economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, the industry in which we operate is continuously evolving. Competition, fueled by rapidly changing consumer demands and constant technological developments, renders the industry in which we operate one in which success and performance metrics are difficult to predict and measure. Because services and technologies are rapidly evolving and each company within the industry can vary greatly in terms of the services it provides, its business model, and its results of operations, it can be difficult to predict how any company’s services, including ours, will be received in the market. While enterprises have been willing to devote significant resources to incorporate new technologies and market practices into their business models, enterprises may not continue to spend any significant portion of their budgets on our services in the future. Our recent growth is due in part to our success in identifying sectors that have the potential for high-growth and acquiring new clients within those sectors; however, we may not be successful in identifying or acquiring high-growth clients in the future. Neither our past financial performance nor the past financial performance of any other company in the technology services industry or the business process outsourcing industry may be indicative of how our company will fare financially in the future. Our future profits may vary substantially from those of other companies, and those we have achieved in the past, making investment in our common stock risky and speculative. If our clients’ demand for our services declines, as a result of economic conditions, market factors or shifts in the technology industry, our business would suffer and our financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.

The estimates of market opportunity and forecasts of market growth included in this prospectus may prove to be inaccurate, and even if the markets in which we compete achieve the forecasted growth, our business could fail to grow at similar rates, if at all.

Market opportunity estimates and growth forecasts are subject to significant uncertainty and are based on assumptions and estimates that may not prove to be accurate. The estimates and forecasts in this prospectus relating to the size and expected growth of the total addressable market for our services and solutions may prove to be inaccurate. Any expansion in our market depends on a number of factors, including the cost, performance and perceived value associated with our solutions and those of our competitors. Even if the markets in which we currently compete meet the size estimates and growth forecasted in this prospectus, our business could fail to grow at similar rates, if at all, and/or we may not continue to grow our share of the market. Our growth is subject to many factors, including our success in implementing our business strategy, which is subject to many risks and

 

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uncertainties. Accordingly, the forecasts of market growth included in this prospectus should not be taken as indicative of our future growth. In addition, our estimates of the addressable market for our current and future services and solutions are based on a number of internal and third-party estimates and assumptions. While we believe our assumptions and the data underlying our estimates are reasonable, these assumptions and estimates may not be correct. As a result, our estimates of our addressable markets for our current or future services and solutions may prove to be incorrect. If the actual addressable market for our services and solutions is smaller than we estimate, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. For more information regarding the estimates of market opportunity and the forecasts of market growth included in this prospectus, see “Market and Industry Data,” “Summary—Market Opportunity” and “Business—Market Opportunity.”

Risks Related to Labor, Employees and Management

Increases in employee expenses as well as changes to labor laws could reduce our profit margin.

We may not be successful in our attempt to control costs associated with salaries and benefits as we continue to add capacity in locations where we consider wage levels of skilled personnel to be satisfactory. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, payroll and related costs accounted for $162 million representing 45% of our revenue in such period. Employee benefits expenses in each of the countries in which we operate are a function of the country’s economic growth, level of employment and overall competition for qualified employees in the country. In addition, wage inflation, whether driven by competition for talent or ordinary course pay increases, may increase our cost of providing services and reduce our profitability if we are not able to pass those costs on to our clients or charge premium prices when justified by market demand. We may need to increase employee compensation more than in previous periods to remain competitive in attracting the quantity and quality of employees that our business requires, which may reduce our profit margins and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects. In addition, wage increases or other expenses related to the termination of our employees may reduce our profit margins and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects. If we expand our operations into new jurisdictions, we may be subject to increased operating costs, including higher employee compensation expenses in these new jurisdictions relative to our current operating costs, which could have a negative effect on our profit margin.

Furthermore, many of the countries in which we operate have labor protection laws, which may include statutorily mandated minimum annual wage increases, legislation that imposes financial obligations on employers and laws governing the employment of workers. These labor laws in one or more of the key jurisdictions in which we operate, particularly in the United States, the Philippines or India, may be modified in the future in a way that is detrimental to our business. Recently, a number of state and local governments in the United States have increased the minimum wage for employees with other such laws proposed and there have been various proposals discussed to increase the federal minimum wage in the United States. As federal or state minimum wage rates increase, we may need to increase the wages paid to our hourly team members. Further, should we fail to increase our wages competitively in response to increasing wage rates, the quality of our workforce could decline, causing our client service to suffer. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued regulations increasing the minimum threshold for overtime “exempt” employees, and additional increases may be proposed, which could result in a substantial increase in our payroll expense. If these labor laws become more stringent, or if there are increases in statutory minimum wages or higher labor costs in these jurisdictions, it may become more difficult for us to discharge employees, or cost-effectively downsize our operations as our level of activity fluctuates, both of which would likely reduce our profit margins and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Additionally, as we expand to other markets, some of those markets may have employment laws that provide greater job security, bargaining or other rights to employees than the laws in the United States. Such employment rights require us to work collaboratively with the legal representatives of the employees to effect any changes to labor arrangements. For example, in Europe employees may be represented by works councils that have

 

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co-determination rights on any changes in conditions of employment, including certain salaries and benefits and staff changes, and may impede efforts to restructure our workforce. A strike, work stoppage or slowdown by our employees or significant dispute with our employees, whether or not related to these negotiations, could result in a significant disruption of our operations or higher ongoing labor costs and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects and harm our reputation.

In addition, our employees may in the future elect to form unions and seek to bargain collectively. If employees at any of our sites become unionized, we may be required to raise wage levels or grant other benefits that could result in an increase in our compensation expenses, in which case our profitability may be adversely affected.

Our clients often dictate where they wish for us to locate the sites that serve their customers, such as “near-shore” jurisdictions located in close proximity to the United States or specific locations elsewhere in the world. There is no assurance that we will be able to find and secure locations suitable for operations in jurisdictions which meet our cost-effectiveness and security standards. Our inability to expand our operations to such locations, however, may impact our ability to secure new and additional business from clients, and could adversely affect our growth and results of operations.

We may fail to attract, hire, train and retain sufficient numbers of skilled employees in a timely fashion at our sites to support our operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our business relies on large numbers of trained and skilled employees at our sites, and our success depends to a significant extent on our ability to attract, hire, train and retain skilled employees. The outsourcing industry as well as the technology industry generally experience high employee turnover. In addition, we compete for skilled employees not only with other companies in our industry, but also with companies in other industries, such as social media, meal delivery and transport, e-commerce and fintech, among others. Increased competition for these employees, in our industry or otherwise, particularly in tight labor markets, could have an adverse effect on our business. Additionally, a significant increase in the turnover rate among trained employees could increase our costs and decrease our operating profit margins and could have an adverse effect on our ability to complete existing contracts in a timely manner, meet client objectives and expand our business.

In addition, our ability to maintain and renew existing client engagements, obtain new business and increase our margins will depend, in large part, on our ability to attract, hire, train and retain employees with skills that enable us to keep pace with growing demands for outsourcing, evolving industry standards, new technology applications and changing client preferences. Our failure to attract, train and retain personnel with the experience and skills necessary to fulfill the needs of our existing and future clients or to assimilate new employees successfully into our operations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In particular, competition for qualified employees, particularly in the United States, Philippines, India, Mexico and Taiwan, remains high and we expect such competition to continue. In many locations in which we operate, there is a limited pool of employees who have the skills and training needed to do our work. If our business continues to grow, the number of people we will need to hire will increase. We will also need to increase our hiring if we are not able to effectively manage our employee attrition rate. Significant competition for employees could have an adverse effect on our ability to expand our business and service our clients, as well as cause us to incur greater personnel expenses and training costs.

The inelasticity of our labor costs relative to short-term movements in client demand could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business depends on maintaining large numbers of employees to service our clients’ business needs, and we prefer not to terminate employees on short notice to respond to temporary declines in demand in excess of agreed levels, as rehiring and retraining employees at a later date would force us to incur additional expenses,

 

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and any termination of our employees would also involve the incurrence of significant additional costs in the form of severance payments to comply with labor regulations in the various jurisdictions in which we operate our business, all of which would have an adverse impact on our operating profit margins. Additionally, the hiring and training of our employees in response to increased demand takes time and results in additional short term expenses. These factors constrain our ability to adjust our labor costs for short-term movements in demand, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

There may be adverse tax and employment law consequences if the independent contractor status of some of our personnel or the exempt status of our employees is successfully challenged.

In several countries, a small number of our personnel are retained as independent contractors. The criteria to determine whether an individual is considered an independent contractor or an employee are typically fact sensitive and vary by jurisdiction, as can the interpretation of the applicable laws. If a government authority or court makes any adverse determination with respect to independent contractors in general or one or more of our independent contractors specifically, we could incur significant costs, including for prior periods, in respect of tax withholding, social security taxes or payments, workers’ compensation and unemployment contributions, and recordkeeping, or we may be required to modify our business model, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and increase the difficulty in attracting and retaining personnel.

Risks Related to Our Clients and Client Contracts

If our clients decide to enter into or further expand insourcing activities in the future, or if current trends toward outsourcing services and/or outsourcing activities are reversed, it may materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

Our current agreements with our clients do not prevent our clients from insourcing services that are currently outsourced to us, and none of our clients have entered into any non-compete agreements with us. Our current clients may seek to insource services similar to those we provide. Any decision by our clients to enter into or further expand insourcing activities in the future could cause us to lose a significant volume of business and may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Moreover, the trend towards outsourcing business processes may not continue and could be reversed by factors beyond our control, including negative perceptions attached to outsourcing activities or government regulations against outsourcing activities, or reduced costs from insourcing services, including as a result of technological developments or improvement in automation. Current or prospective clients may elect to perform such services in-house that may be associated with using an offshore provider. Political opposition to outsourcing services and / or outsourcing activities may also arise in certain countries if there is a perception that such actions have a negative effect on domestic employment opportunities.

In addition, our business may be adversely affected by potential new laws and regulations prohibiting or limiting outsourcing of certain core business activities of our clients in key jurisdictions in which we conduct our business, such as in the United States. The introduction of such laws and regulations or the change in interpretation of existing laws and regulations could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The consolidation of our clients or potential clients may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Consolidation of the potential users of our solutions, particularly those in the social media, on-demand, e-commerce and fintech industries, may decrease the number of clients who contract for our solutions. Any significant reduction in or elimination of the use of the solutions we provide as a result of consolidation would result in reduced revenue to us and could harm our business. Such consolidation may encourage clients to apply increasing pressure on us to lower the prices we charge for our solutions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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The terms of our client contracts or inaccurate forecasting may limit our profitability or enable our clients to reduce or terminate their use of our solutions.

Some of our client contracts do not have minimum volume requirements, and the profitability of each client contract or work order may fluctuate, sometimes significantly, throughout various stages of the program. Further, clients in some cases do not accurately forecast their demand for our services, resulting in over-hiring for certain campaigns without the ability to charge the client for these excess headcount costs. Certain contracts have performance-related penalty provisions that require us to issue the client a credit based upon our failing to meet agreed-upon service levels and performance metrics. In addition, certain of our client contracts include provisions that subject us to potential liability and / or credits in certain circumstances. Moreover, although our objective is to sign multi-year agreements, our contracts generally allow the client to terminate the contract for convenience with advance notice or reduce their use of our solutions. There can be no assurance that our clients will not terminate their contracts before their scheduled expiration dates, that the volume of services for these programs will not be reduced, that we will be able to avoid penalties or earn performance bonuses for our solutions, or that we will be able to terminate unprofitable contracts without incurring significant liabilities. For these reasons, there can be no assurance that our client contracts will be profitable for us or that we will be able to achieve or maintain any particular level of profitability through our client contracts. In addition, these risks make it more difficult to predict our financial results in future periods.

We may be subject to liability claims if we breach our contracts, and our insurance may be inadequate to cover our losses.

We are subject to numerous obligations in our contracts with our clients. Despite the procedures, systems and internal controls we have implemented to comply with our contracts, on occasion we have in the past failed and may in the future fail to achieve these commitments, whether through a weakness in these procedures, systems and internal controls, negligence or the willful act of an employee or contractor, or other factors beyond our control, such as weaknesses in our clients’ systems and security. Our insurance policies, including our cyber and errors and omissions insurance, may be inadequate to compensate us for the potentially significant losses that may result from claims arising from breaches of our contracts (including breaches that result in the unauthorized access to systems or disclosure of data), disruptions in our services, failures or disruptions to our infrastructure, catastrophic events, the COVID-19 pandemic, disasters or otherwise. In addition, such insurance may not be available to us in the future on economically reasonable terms, or at all. Further, our insurance may not cover all claims made against us and defending a suit, regardless of its merit, could be costly and divert management’s attention.

In particular, our contract with clients includes obligations to satisfy certain performance indicators, such as average handle time, job count, productivity, total review time and accuracy. If we fail to meet such performance indicators, we could be obligated to reduce our client’s payment under the contract or our client may have the right to terminate the contract. The termination of our contracts with our clients and the resulting loss of clients due to our failure to meet performance indicators may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and may also harm our reputation.

If our current insurance coverage is or becomes insufficient to protect against losses incurred, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We provide services and solutions that are integral to our clients’ businesses. If we were to default in the provision of any contractually agreed-upon services or solutions, our clients could suffer significant damages and make claims against us for those damages. We currently carry cyber and errors and omissions liability coverage in an amount we consider appropriate for all of the services we provide. To the extent client damages are deemed recoverable against us in amounts substantially in excess of our insurance coverage, or if our claims for insurance coverage are denied by our insurance carriers for any reason, including reasons beyond our control, there could be a material adverse effect on our revenue, business, financial condition and results of operations.

Although we maintain professional liability insurance, product liability insurance, commercial general and property insurance, business interruption insurance, workers’ compensation coverage, and umbrella insurance for

 

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certain of our operations, our insurance coverage does not insure against all risks in our operations or all claims we may receive. Damage claims from clients or third parties brought against us or claims that we initiate due to a data security breach, the disruption of our business, litigation, or natural disasters, may not be covered by our insurance, may exceed the limits of our insurance coverage, and may result in substantial costs and diversion of resources even if insured. Some types of insurance are not available on reasonable terms or at all in some countries in which we operate, and we cannot insure against damage to our reputation. The assertion of one or more large claims against us, whether or not successful and whether or not insured, could materially adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Intellectual Property and Technology

Others could claim that we infringe, violate, or misappropriate their intellectual property rights, which may result in substantial costs, diversion of resources and management attention and harm to our reputation.

Our success largely depends on our ability to use and develop our technology, tools, code, methodologies and services without infringing the intellectual property rights of third parties, including patents, copyrights, trade secrets and trademarks. We or our clients may be subject to claims that our services and solutions infringe, misappropriate, or violate the intellectual property rights of others. Any such claims, whether or not they have merit or are successful, may result in substantial costs, divert management attention and other resources, harm our reputation and prevent us from offering our solutions to clients. A successful infringement claim against us could materially and adversely affect our business, resulting in our being required to enter into license agreements (if available on commercially reasonable terms or at all), substitute inferior or costlier technologies into our solutions, pay monetary damages or royalties and/or comply with an injunction against providing some or all of our solutions to clients.

We also license software from third parties. Other parties may claim that our use of such licensed software infringes their intellectual property rights. Although we seek to secure indemnification protection from our software vendors to protect us against such claims, not all of our vendors agree to provide us with sufficient indemnification protection, and even in the instances where we do secure such protection, it is possible that such vendors may not honor those obligations or that we may have a costly dispute with a vendor over such obligations.

In our contracts, we agree to indemnify our clients for expenses and liabilities resulting from third parties claiming our solutions infringe, misappropriate, or violate their intellectual property rights, in some cases excluding third-party components. In some instances, the amount of these indemnity obligations may be greater than the revenues we receive from the client under the applicable contract. Further, our current and former employees and independent contractors could challenge our exclusive rights to the software and other technology they have developed in the course of their employment or engagement with us. In certain countries in which we operate, an employer is deemed to own the copyright in any work created by its employees during the course, and within the scope, of their employment, but the employer may be required to satisfy additional legal requirements in order to make further use of such works. While we believe that we have complied with all such requirements, and believe that we have fulfilled all requirements necessary to acquire all rights in software and technology developed by our employees and independent contractors, we cannot guarantee that all such requirements have been met, and even if they have, current and former employees and independent contractors could still challenge our exclusive rights in software and technology they have created, which could divert management attention and other resources and result in substantial cost. We may not be successful in defending against any claim by our current or former employees or independent contractors challenging our exclusive rights over the use of works those employees or independent contractors created, or their requesting additional compensation for our use of such works.

If we fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights and proprietary information in the United States and abroad, our competitive position could be impaired and we may lose valuable assets, experience reduced revenues and incur costly litigation to protect our rights.

We believe that our success is dependent, in part, upon protecting our intellectual property rights and proprietary information, including trade secrets. We rely on a combination of intellectual property rights,

 

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including trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, contractual restrictions and technical measures to establish and protect our intellectual property rights and proprietary information. However, the steps we take to protect our intellectual property rights and proprietary information may provide only limited protection and may not now or in the future provide us with a competitive advantage. We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights, if, for example, if we do not detect unauthorized use of our intellectual property or do not have the resources to enforce our intellectual property rights. Any of our intellectual property rights may be challenged by others and could be invalidated through administrative process or litigation. Furthermore, legal standards relating to the validity, enforceability and scope of protection of intellectual property rights are uncertain. Despite our precautions, it may be possible for unauthorized third parties to copy our technology and use information that we regard as proprietary to create products and services that compete with our solutions, which may cause us to lose market share or render us unable to operate our business profitably. In addition, some contractual provisions protecting against unauthorized use, copying, transfer, and disclosure of our technology may be unenforceable under the laws of jurisdictions outside the United States. In addition, the laws of some countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States, and as a result we may not be able to protect our technology and intellectual property in all jurisdictions in which we operate.

We enter into confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with our employees and consultants and enter into confidentiality agreements with our directors, advisory board members and with the parties with whom we have strategic relationships and business alliances, as well as our clients. We also enter into confidentiality agreements with third parties that receive access to our proprietary or confidential information. No assurance can be given that these agreements will be effective in controlling access to or the distribution of our proprietary information. Further, these agreements will not prevent potential competitors from independently developing technologies that may be substantially equivalent or superior to ours.

While our contracts with our clients provide that we retain the ownership rights to our pre-existing proprietary intellectual property, in some cases we may assign to clients intellectual property rights in and to some aspects of the work product developed specifically for these clients in connection with these projects. If we assign intellectual property rights to clients that may be more broadly useful in our business, that would limit or prevent our ability to use such intellectual property rights in our solutions.

We may be required to spend significant resources to monitor and protect our intellectual property rights. Litigation may be necessary in the future to enforce our intellectual property rights, including to protect our trade secrets. Such litigation could be costly, time consuming and distracting to management. Furthermore, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights may be met with defenses, counterclaims or countersuits attacking the validity and enforceability of our intellectual property rights. Our inability to protect our proprietary technology against unauthorized copying or use, as well as any costly litigation that we may enter into to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights, could make it more expensive for us to do business and adversely affect our operating results by delaying further sales or the implementation of our technologies, impairing the functionality of our solutions, delaying introductions of new features or applications or injuring our reputation.

Our solutions use open source software, and any failure to comply with the terms of one or more applicable open source licenses could adversely affect our business, subject us to litigation, and create potential liability.

Some of our solutions use software made available under open source licenses, and we expect to continue to incorporate open source software in our solutions in the future. Open source software is typically freely available, but is licensed under various requirements that bind the licensee. While the use of open source software may reduce development costs and speed up the development process, it may also present certain risks, that may be greater than those associated with the use of third-party commercial software. For example, open source software is generally provided without any warranties or other contractual protections regarding infringement or the quality of the code, including the existence of security vulnerabilities. We cannot guarantee we comply with all obligations under these licenses. If the owner of the copyright in the relevant open source software were to allege that we had not complied with the conditions of one or more open source licenses, we could be required to incur significant expenses defending against such allegations, may be subject to the payment of damages, enjoined from further use of the

 

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software, required to comply with conditions of the license (which may include releasing the source code of our proprietary software to third parties without charge), or forced to devote additional resources to re-engineer all or a portion of our solutions to avoid using the open source software. Any of these events could create liability for us, damage our reputation, and have an adverse effect on our revenue, and operations.

Our business relies heavily on owned and third-party technology and computer systems, which subjects us to various uncertainties.

We rely heavily on sophisticated and specialized communications and computer technology coupled with third-party telecommunications and bandwidth providers to provide high-quality and reliable real-time solutions on behalf of our clients through our sites. We rely on client relationship management and other systems and technology in our contact center operations. Our operations, therefore, depend on the proper functioning of our and third parties’ equipment and systems, including hardware and software. We also rely on the data services provided by local communication companies in the countries in which we operate as well as domestic and international service providers.

We may in the future experience system disruptions, outages, and other performance problems. These problems may be caused by a variety of factors, including infrastructure changes, vendor issues, software defects, human error, viruses, worms, security attacks (internal or external), fraud, spikes in customer usage, or denial of service attacks. In some instances, we may not be able to identify the cause or causes of these performance problems within an acceptable period of time. Because of the large amount of data that we collect and process in our systems, it is possible that these issues could result in data loss or corruption, or cause the data to be incomplete or contain inaccuracies that our clients, their customers and other users regard as significant. Furthermore, the availability or performance of our solutions could also be adversely affected by our clients’ and their customers’ and other users’ inability to access the internet. For example, our clients and their customers and other users access our solutions through their internet service providers. If a service provider fails to provide sufficient capacity to support our applications or otherwise experiences service outages, such failure could interrupt our clients’ and their customers’ and other users’ access to our applications, which could adversely affect their perception of our applications’ reliability and our revenues.

We seek to maintain sufficient capacity in our operations infrastructure to meet the needs of all of our clients and users, as well as our own needs, and to ensure that our services and solutions are accessible, including backup and redundancy mechanisms. Despite our efforts, any disruptions in the delivery of our services due to the failure of our systems, hardware or software, whether provided and maintained by third parties or our in-house teams, or due to interruptions in our data services or those of third parties that adversely affect the quality or reliability (or perceived quality or reliability) of our solutions or render us unable to handle increased volumes of client interaction during periods of high demand, may result in reduction in revenue, loss of clients, or require unexpected investments in new systems or technology to ensure that we can continue to provide high-quality and reliable solutions to our clients. These types of interruptions or failures could also adversely impact our timekeeping, scheduling, and workforce management applications, such as scheduling, forecasting and reporting applications and home build systems for employee timekeeping, scheduling and employee leave requests. The occurrence of any such interruption or unplanned investment could materially adversely affect our business, financial positions, operating results and prospects.

In addition, in some areas of our business, we depend upon the quality and reliability of the services and products of our clients which we help sell to their end customers. If the services and solutions we provide to our clients through their services and products experience technical difficulties or quality issues, our clients may face difficulties selling their services and products to their end customers and we may have a harder time selling services and solutions to our clients, which could have an adverse impact on our business and operating results.

We further anticipate that it will be necessary to continue to invest in our technology and communications infrastructure to ensure reliability and maintain our competitiveness. This is likely to result in significant ongoing capital expenditures for maintenance as well as growth as we continue to grow our business. There can be no

 

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assurance that any of our information systems will be adequate to meet our future needs or that we will be able to incorporate new technology to enhance and develop our existing solutions. Moreover, investments in technology, including future investments in upgrades and enhancements to hardware or software, may not necessarily maintain our competitiveness. Our future success will also depend in part on our ability to anticipate and develop information technology solutions that keep pace with evolving industry standards and changing client demands.

Our business prospects will suffer if we are unable to continue to anticipate our clients’ needs by adapting to market and technology trends.

Our success depends, in part, upon our ability to anticipate our clients’ needs by adapting to market and technology trends. We may need to invest significant resources in research and development to maintain and improve our solutions and respond to our clients’ changing needs. However, we may not be able to modify our current solutions or develop, introduce or integrate new solutions in a timely manner or on a cost-effective basis. If we are unable to further refine and enhance our solutions or to anticipate innovation opportunities and keep pace with evolving technologies, our solutions could become uncompetitive or obsolete and as a result our clients may terminate their relationship with us or choose to divert their business elsewhere, and our revenue may decline as a result. In addition, we may experience technical problems and additional costs as we introduce new solutions, deploy future iterations of our solutions and integrate new solutions with existing client systems and workflows. If any of these or related problems were to arise, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Our clients span numerous industry verticals, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ride sharing, HiTech, FinTech and HealthTech. If we are unable to successfully adapt our solutions to these industry verticals, if we are not successful in attracting successful clients in these industry verticals, or if these industry verticals do not grow in line with our expectations, our potential growth opportunities could be compromised.

Risks Related to Legal, Regulatory and Tax Matters

We are subject to laws and regulations in the United States and other countries in which we operate, including export restrictions, economic sanctions, the FCPA, and similar anti-corruption laws. Compliance with these laws requires significant resources and non-compliance may result in civil or criminal penalties and other remedial measures.

We are subject to many laws and regulations that restrict our international operations, including laws that prohibit activities involving restricted countries, organizations, entities and persons that have been identified as unlawful actors or that are subject to U.S. sanctions. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), and other international bodies have imposed sanctions that prohibit us from engaging in trade or financial transactions with certain countries, businesses, organizations and individuals. We are also subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), and anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws in other countries. The FCPA prohibits U.S. businesses and their representatives from offering to pay, paying, promising to pay or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official in order to influence any act or decision of the foreign official in his or her official capacity or to secure any other improper advantage in order to obtain or retain business. The FCPA also obligates companies whose securities are listed in the United States to comply with accounting provisions requiring us to maintain books and records, which in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the corporation, including international subsidiaries, if any, and to devise and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements. Globally, other countries have enacted anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws similar to the FCPA, such as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in the Philippines and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, all of which prohibit companies and their intermediaries from bribing government officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business or otherwise obtaining favorable treatment. We operate in many parts of the world that have experienced government corruption to some degree, and, in certain circumstances, strict compliance with anti-

 

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bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices, although adherence to local customs and practices is generally not a defense under U.S. and other anti-bribery laws.

Our compliance program contains controls and procedures designed to ensure our compliance with the FCPA, OFAC and other sanctions, and laws and regulations. The continuing implementation and ongoing development and monitoring of our compliance program is time consuming and expensive, and could result in the discovery of compliance issues or violations by us or our employees, independent contractors, subcontractors or agents of which we were previously unaware. In addition, due to uncertainties and complexities in the regulatory environment, we cannot assure you that regulators will interpret laws and regulations the same way we do, or that we will always be in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Any violations of these or other laws, regulations and procedures by our employees, independent contractors, subcontractors and agents, including third parties we associate with or companies we acquire, could expose us to administrative, civil or criminal penalties, fines or business restrictions, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition and would adversely affect our reputation and the market for shares of our common stock and may require certain of our investors to disclose their investment in us under certain state laws.

Litigation or legal proceedings could expose us to significant liabilities and have a negative impact on our reputation or business.

From time to time, we have been and may be party to various claims and litigation proceedings, including class actions. We evaluate these claims and litigation proceedings to assess the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes and to estimate, if possible, the amount of potential losses. Based on these assessments and estimates, we establish reserves, as appropriate. These assessments and estimates are based on the information available to management at the time and involve a significant amount of management judgment. Although we are not currently party to any litigation that we consider material, actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from our assessments and estimates.

Even when these claims are not meritorious, the defense of these claims may divert our management’s attention, and may result in significant expenses. The results of litigation and other legal proceedings are inherently uncertain, and adverse judgments or settlements in some of these legal disputes may result in adverse monetary damages, penalties or injunctive relief against us, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows or results of operations. Any claims or litigation, even if fully indemnified or insured, could damage our reputation and make it more difficult to compete effectively or to obtain adequate insurance in the future.

Furthermore, while we maintain insurance for certain potential liabilities, such insurance does not cover all types and amounts of potential liabilities and is subject to various exclusions as well as caps on amounts recoverable. Even if we believe a claim is covered by insurance, insurers may dispute our entitlement to recovery for a variety of potential reasons, which may affect the timing and, if the insurers prevail, the amount of our recovery.

Our global operations expose us to numerous legal and regulatory requirements and failure to comply with such requirements, including unexpected changes to such requirements, could adversely affect our results of operations.

We service our clients’ customers around the world. We are subject to numerous, and sometimes conflicting, legal regimes of the United States and foreign national, state and provincial authorities on matters as diverse as anti-corruption, content requirements, trade restrictions, tariffs, taxation, sanctions, immigration, internal and disclosure control obligations, securities regulation, anti-competition, data security, privacy, labor relations, wages and severance, and health care requirements. For example, our operations in the United States are, and our operations outside of the United States may also be, subject to U.S. laws on these diverse matters. U.S. laws may be different in significant respects from the laws of the Philippines and India, where we have

 

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significant operations, and jurisdictions where we seek to expand. We also have expanded and may seek to expand operations in emerging market jurisdictions where legal systems are less developed or familiar to us. In addition, there can be no assurance that the laws or administrative practices relating to taxation (including the current position as to income and withholding taxes), foreign exchange, export controls, economic sanctions or otherwise in the jurisdictions where we have operations will not change. In addition, changes in tax laws in some jurisdictions may have an retroactive effect and we may be found to have paid less tax than required in such regions. For instance, the Income-tax Act of India was changed recently which included a retroactive effect going back to 1962. Compliance with diverse legal requirements is costly, time-consuming and requires significant resources. Violations of one or more of these regulations in the conduct of our business could result in significant fines, criminal sanctions against us or our officers, prohibitions on doing business and damage to our reputation. Violations of these regulations in connection with the performance of our obligations to our clients also could result in liability for significant monetary damages, fines or criminal prosecution, unfavorable publicity and other reputational damage, restrictions on our ability to process information and allegations by our clients that we have not performed our contractual obligations. Due to the varying degrees of development of the legal systems of the countries in which we operate, local laws might be insufficient to protect our rights.

We are subject to economic sanctions, export control, anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and similar laws. Non-compliance with such laws can subject us to criminal or civil liability and harm our business, revenues, financial condition and results of operations.

Although we take precautions to prevent our services from being provided or deployed in violation of such laws, our services could be provided inadvertently in violation of such laws despite the precautions we take, including usage by our clients in violation of our terms of service. We also cannot assure you that our employees and agents will not take actions in violation of our policies and applicable law, for which we may be ultimately held responsible, including entering into contracts or agreements with third parties without our knowledge or consent that would result in such violation. If we fail to comply with these laws, we and our employees could be subject to civil or criminal penalties, including the possible loss of export privileges, monetary penalties, and, in extreme cases, imprisonment of responsible employees for knowing and willful violations of these laws. We may also be adversely affected through penalties, reputational harm, loss of access to certain markets, or otherwise.

In addition, various countries regulate the import and export of certain encryption and other technology, including import and export permitting and licensing requirements, and have enacted laws that could limit our ability to distribute our services and solutions or could limit our users’ ability to access our services and solutions in those countries. Changes in our services and solutions, or future changes in export and import regulations may prevent our users with international operations from utilizing our services and solutions globally or, in some cases, prevent the export or import of our services and solutions to certain countries, governments, or persons altogether. Any change in export or import regulations, economic sanctions, or related legislation, or change in the countries, governments, persons, or technologies targeted by such regulations, could result in decreased use of our services and solutions by, or in our decreased ability to export or sell services and solutions to, existing or potential users with international operations. Any decreased use of our platform or limitation on our ability to export or sell our services and solutions would likely adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We cannot predict whether any material suits, claims, or investigations may arise in the future. Regardless of the outcome of any future actions, claims, or investigations, we may incur substantial defense costs and such actions may cause a diversion of management time and attention. Also, it is possible that we may be required to pay substantial damages or settlement costs which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

From time to time, some of our employees spend significant amounts of time at our client’s sites, often in foreign jurisdictions, which expose us to certain risks.

Some of our projects require a portion of the work to be undertaken at our clients’ facilities, which are often located outside our employees’ country of residence. The ability of our employees to work in locations around

 

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the world may depend on their ability to obtain the required visas and work permits, and this process can be lengthy and difficult. Immigration laws are subject to legislative change, as well as to variations in standards of application and enforcement due to political forces and economic conditions and international travel, which may be adversely affected by regional or global circumstances or travel restrictions also affects our employees’ ability to work in foreign jurisdictions. In addition, we may become subject to taxation in jurisdictions where we would not otherwise be so subject as a result of the amount of time that our employees spend in any such jurisdiction in any given year. While we seek to monitor the number of days that our employees spend in each country to avoid subjecting ourselves to any such taxation, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in these efforts.

Our business operations and financial condition could be adversely affected by negative publicity about offshore outsourcing or anti-outsourcing legislation in the countries in which our clients operate.

Concerns that offshore outsourcing has resulted in a loss of jobs and sensitive technologies and information to foreign countries have led to negative publicity concerning outsourcing in some countries. Many organizations and public figures in the United States and Europe have publicly expressed concern about a perceived association between offshore outsourcing IT service providers and the loss of jobs in their home countries.

Current or prospective clients may elect to perform services that we offer, or may be discouraged from transferring these services to offshore providers such as ourselves, to avoid any negative perceptions that may be associated with using an offshore provider or for data privacy and security concerns. As a result, our ability to compete effectively with competitors that operate primarily out of facilities located in these countries could be harmed.

Governments and industry organizations may also adopt new laws, regulations or requirements, or make changes to existing laws or regulations, that could impact the demand for, or value of, our services. If we are unable to adapt the solutions we deliver to our clients to changing legal and regulatory standards or other requirements in a timely manner, or if our solutions fail to allow our clients to comply with applicable laws and regulations, our clients may lose confidence in our services and could switch to services offered by our competitors, or threaten or bring legal actions against us.

Increases in income tax rates, changes in income tax laws or disagreements with tax authorities could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We are subject to income taxes in the United States and in certain foreign jurisdictions in which we operate. Increases in income tax rates or other changes in income tax laws in any particular jurisdiction could reduce our after-tax income from such jurisdictions and could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Our operations outside the United States generate a significant portion of our income and many of the other countries in which we have significant operations, have recently made or are actively considering changes to existing tax laws. For example, in December 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) was signed into law in the United States. While our accounting for the recorded impact of the TCJA is deemed to be complete, these amounts are based on prevailing regulations and currently available information, and any additional guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) could impact our recorded amounts in future periods.

The TCJA imposed a new tax assessed on indirect foreign earnings, known as the global intangible low- taxed income tax (the “GILTI”) and a new minimum tax known as the base-erosion anti-abuse tax (the “BEAT”). The GILTI aims to tax a U.S. shareholder’s share of the income of controlled foreign corporations in excess of their tangible business property returns, while the BEAT imposes a minimum tax on certain taxpayers that make deductible “base erosion” payments to foreign related parties. We are currently evaluating the applicability of the GILTI and BEAT taxes to us.

Additional changes in the U.S. tax regime or in how U.S. multinational corporations are taxed on foreign earnings, including changes in how existing tax laws are interpreted or enforced, could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

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We cannot predict the outcome of any specific legislative proposals or amendments to existing treaties. Since we operate or have operations in a number of foreign jurisdictions, our plans for expansion or our results of operations in such jurisdictions could be adversely affected if any adopted proposals resulted in an increase in our tax burden, costs of our tax compliance or otherwise adversely affected our results of operations and cash flows. There are no assurances that we will be able to implement effective tax planning strategies that are necessary to optimize our tax position following changes in tax laws globally. Our effective tax rate and our results of operations may be impacted by any changes in tax laws.

In addition, we are subject to periodic examination of our income tax returns by the IRS and other tax authorities around the world. There can be no assurance that the outcomes from these examinations will not have an adverse effect on our provision for income taxes and cash tax liability.

If our favorable tax treatment is overturned, we may be subject to significant penalties.

Several of our facilities, primarily located in the Philippines, benefit from tax incentives or concessional rates provided by local laws and regulations. Several of our sites located within special economic zones in the Philippines benefit from favorable tax treatment provided by registrations with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (“PEZA”). These benefits vary from site to site and may include income tax holidays, reduced income taxes, and reduced VAT. Under the PEZA registrations, favorable tax treatment for some of our PEZA-registered sites expires at the end of 2020, but may be renewed for subsequent periods provided we meet certain criteria. Any such increase could require us to pay a significant tax liability, and we may have not the available cash or borrowing capacity to make the payments, which could materially impair our ability to conduct our business.

Risks Related to Finance and Accounting

Our profitability will suffer if we are not able to maintain asset utilization levels, price appropriately and control our costs.

Our profitability is largely a function of the efficiency with which we utilize our assets, particularly our people and sites, and the pricing that we are able to obtain for our solutions. Our utilization rates are affected by a number of factors, including our ability to transition employees from completed projects to new assignments, hire and assimilate new employees, forecast demand for our services and solutions and thereby maintain an appropriate headcount in each of our locations and geographies, manage attrition, accommodate our clients’ requests to shift the mix of delivery locations during the pendency of a contract, and manage resources for training, professional development and other typically non-billable activities. In addition, we rely in part on our clients’ own forecasts when we forecast demand for our services and solutions, and we have in the past experienced, and may in the future experience, substantial variation from these forecasts in our clients’ actual demand. If we are unable to manage our asset utilization levels, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The pricing of our services and solutions is usually included in statements of work entered into with our clients. We may not accurately price certain contracts to reflect the true cost of providing services. In certain cases, we have committed to pricing with limited to no sharing of risks regarding inflation and currency exchange rates. In addition, we are obligated under some of our contracts to deliver productivity benefits to our clients, such as reduction in handle time or response time. The prices we are able to charge for our solutions are affected by a number of factors, including our clients’ perceptions of our ability to add value through our solutions, competition, introduction of new services or solutions by us or our competitors, our ability to accurately estimate, attain and sustain revenues from client engagements, margins and cash flows over increasingly longer contract periods and general economic and political conditions. If we fail to accurately estimate future wage inflation rates, unhedged currency exchange rates or our costs, or if we fail to accurately estimate the productivity benefits we can achieve under a contract, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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Our profitability is also a function of our ability to control our costs and improve our efficiency. As we increase the number of our employees and grow our business, we may not be able to manage a significantly larger and more geographically diverse workforce and our profitability may suffer. Our cost management strategies also include improving the alignment between the demand for our services and our resource capacity, including our contact center utilization; the costs of service delivery; the cost of sales and general and administrative costs as a percentage of revenues; and the use of process automation for standard operating tasks. If we are not effective in managing our operating and administrative costs in response to changes in demand and pricing for our services, or if we are unable to absorb or pass on to our clients the increases in our costs of operations, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Our operating results may fluctuate from quarter to quarter due to various factors.

Our operating results may vary significantly from one quarter to the next and our business may be impacted by factors such as client loss, the timing of new contracts and of new service or solution offerings, termination of existing contracts, variations in the volume of business from clients resulting from changes in our clients’ operations, the business decisions of our clients regarding the use of our solutions, start-up costs, delays or difficulties in expanding our operating sites and infrastructure, delays or difficulties in recruiting, changes to our revenue mix or to our pricing structure or that of our competitors, inaccurate estimates of resources and time required to complete ongoing projects, currency fluctuation and seasonal changes in the operations of our clients. The financial benefit of gaining a new client may not be recognized at the intended time due to delays in the implementation of our solutions or negatively impacted due to an increase in the start-up costs. These factors may cause differences in revenues and income among the various quarters of any financial year, which means that the individual quarters of a year may not be predictive of our financial results in any other period.

Portions of our business have long sales cycles and long implementation cycles, which require significant resources and working capital.

Many of our client contracts are entered into after long sales cycles, which require a significant investment of capital, resources and time by both our clients and us. Before committing to use our services and solutions, potential clients require us to expend substantial time and resources educating them as to the value of our services and solutions and assessing the feasibility of integrating our systems and processes with theirs. As a result, our selling cycle, which may continue for multiple years, is subject to many risks and delays over which we have little or no control, including our clients’ decisions to choose alternatives to our solutions (such as other providers or in-house resources) and the timing of our clients’ budget cycles and approval processes.

In addition, implementing our services and solutions involves a significant commitment of resources over an extended period of time from both our clients and us. Our clients may also experience delays in obtaining internal approvals or may face delays associated with technology or system implementations, thereby further delaying the implementation process.

If we fail to close sales with potential clients to whom we have devoted significant time and resources, or if our current and future clients are not willing or able to invest the time and resources necessary to implement our services and solutions, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could suffer.

If we are unable to fund our working capital requirements and new investments, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Similar to our competitors in this industry, we incur significant start-up costs related to investments in infrastructure to provide our solutions and the hiring and training of employees, such expenses historically being incurred before revenues are generated.

We are exposed to adverse changes in our clients’ payment policies. If our key clients implement policies which extend the payment terms of our invoices, our working capital levels could be adversely affected and our

 

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financing costs may increase. If we are unable to fund our working capital requirements, access financing at competitive rates or make investments to meet the expanding business of our existing and potential new clients, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

Our cash flows and results of operations may be adversely affected if we are unable to collect on billed and unbilled receivables from clients.

Our business depends on our ability to effectively bill and successfully obtain payment from our clients of the amounts they owe us for work performed. We evaluate the financial condition of our clients and usually bill and collect on relatively short cycles. We maintain provisions against receivables. Actual losses on client balances could differ from those that we currently anticipate and, as a result, we may need to adjust our provisions. In addition, our assessment of the creditworthiness of our clients may differ from the actual creditworthiness of those clients at the time of such assessment. Macroeconomic conditions, such as a potential credit crisis in the global financial system and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have resulted in financial difficulties for some of our clients and could result in financial difficulties of other clients, including limited access to the credit markets, insolvency or bankruptcy. Such conditions have caused some clients and could cause other clients to delay payment, request modifications of their payment terms, or default on their payment obligations to us, all of which could increase our receivables balance. Timely collection of fees for client services depends on our ability to complete our contractual commitments and subsequently effectively bill for and collect our contractual service fees. If we are unable to meet our contractual obligations or effectively prepare and provide invoices, including as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we might experience delays in the collection of or be unable to collect our client balances, which would adversely affect our results of operations and could adversely affect our cash flows. In addition, if we experience an increase in the time required to bill and collect for our services or if our clients are delayed in making payments or stop payments altogether, our cash flows could be adversely affected, which in turn could adversely affect our ability to make necessary investments and, therefore, could affect our results of operations.

During weak economic periods, there is an increased risk that our clients will file for bankruptcy protection, which may harm our revenue, profitability, and results of operations. For example, in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, certain of our former clients have filed for bankruptcy protection under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Although we have filed claims for payment of amounts we are owed in these cases, we may not ultimately recover amounts owed from these clients in bankruptcy proceedings. We also face risk from international clients that file for bankruptcy protection in foreign jurisdictions, particularly given that the application of foreign bankruptcy laws may be more difficult to predict. In addition, we may determine that the cost of pursuing any creditor claim outweighs the recovery potential of such claim. As a result, increases in client bankruptcy during weak economic periods could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

We are subject to risks associated with our incurrence of debt.

On September 25, 2019, we entered into the 2019 Credit Agreement providing for the $210.0 million Term Loan Facility and the $40.0 million Revolving Credit Facility (each as defined in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness”). The 2019 Credit Facilities (as defined in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness”) mature on September 25, 2024. We expect to refinance, renew or replace the 2019 Credit Facilities prior to their maturity in September 2024 or to repay the 2019 Credit Facilities with cash from operations. An inability to refinance our 2019 Credit Facilities prior to maturity could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, capital resources and liquidity. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” and “Description of Certain Indebtedness—Senior Secured Credit Facilities” for more information on our 2019 Credit Facilities.

 

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Although we currently believe that we will be able to obtain any necessary amendment or refinancing of our 2019 Credit Facilities at a reasonable cost, there can be no assurance that we will succeed in obtaining such amendment or refinancing on favorable terms, if at all, which could significantly increase our future interest expense and adversely impact our liquidity and results of operations.

Further, an increase to our level of indebtedness could:

 

   

require us to dedicate a portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, which could reduce the availability of cash flow to fund acquisitions, start-ups, working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes;

 

   

limit our ability to borrow money or sell stock for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements and other purposes;

 

   

limit our flexibility in planning for, and reacting to, changes in our industry or business;

 

   

make us more vulnerable to unfavorable economic or business conditions; and

 

   

limit our ability to make acquisitions or take advantage of other business opportunities.

In the event we incur additional indebtedness, the risks described above could increase.

Indebtedness under our 2019 Credit Agreement bears interest based on the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), which may be subject to regulatory guidance and/or reform that could cause interest rates under our current or future debt agreements to perform differently than in the past or cause other unanticipated consequences.

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, has announced in 2017 that it intends to stop encouraging or requiring banks to submit LIBOR rates after 2021, and as a result, methods of calculating LIBOR are evolving. If LIBOR ceases to exist or if the methods of calculating LIBOR change from their current form, we may need to renegotiate the terms of our 2019 Credit Agreement to replace LIBOR with the new standard that is established, if any, or to otherwise agree with the trustees or agents under such facilities or instruments on a new means of calculating interest. As of the date of this annual report we cannot reasonably estimate the expected impact on our business of the discontinuation of LIBOR.

We may be unable to raise additional capital, which could harm our ability to compete.

As of                , we had cash and cash equivalents of $                . Even if this offering is successful, we may need additional funding to fund our operations, but additional funds, including late stage venture capitalist funding, may not be available to us on acceptable terms and on a timely basis, if at all. We may seek funds through borrowings or through additional rounds of financing, including private or public equity or debt offerings. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:

 

   

the expenses needed to attract, hire and retain skilled personnel;

 

   

the costs associated with being a public company;

 

   

the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business and financial markets generally; and

 

   

the extent to which we acquire or invest in businesses, products or technologies, although we currently have no commitments or agreements relating to any of these types of transactions.

If we raise additional funds through further issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences, and privileges superior to those of holders of our common stock. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us, when we require it, our ability to continue to pursue our

 

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business objectives and to respond to business opportunities, challenges, or unforeseen circumstances could be significantly limited, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In addition, as a condition to providing additional funds to us, future investors may demand, and may be granted, rights superior to those of existing stockholders.

Debt financing, if available, is likely to involve restrictive covenants limiting our flexibility in conducting future business activities, and, in the event of insolvency, debt holders would be repaid before holders of our equity securities receive any distribution of our corporate assets. We also could be required to seek funds through arrangements with partners or others that may require us to relinquish rights or jointly own some aspects of our technologies or products that we would otherwise pursue on our own.

We track certain operational metrics with internal systems and tools and do not independently verify such metrics. Certain of our operational metrics are subject to inherent challenges in measurement, and real or perceived inaccuracies in such metrics may harm our reputation and negatively affect our business.

We track certain operational metrics, including key metrics such as ACV, ACV signings, net revenue retention rate, cNPS, eNPS, win rate, fill rate, internal referral rate and seat turn, with internal systems and tools that are not independently verified by any third party and which may differ from estimates or similar metrics published by third parties due to differences in sources, methodologies, or the assumptions on which we rely. Our internal systems and tools have a number of limitations, and our methodologies for tracking these metrics may change over time, which could result in unexpected changes to our metrics, including the metrics we publicly disclose. If the internal systems and tools we use to track these metrics undercount or overcount performance or contain algorithmic or other technical errors, or if survey respondents are uncertain as to the confidentiality of their responses, the data we report may not be accurate. While these numbers are based on what we believe to be reasonable estimates of our metrics for the applicable period of measurement, there are inherent challenges and uncertainties in measuring these metrics. For example, our calculation of ACV requires us to make judgments about the expected future revenue value of our client contracts and the enforceability of our client contracts, it is not updated based on events that occur subsequent to entering into such contracts and does not account for the possibility that our clients may terminate such contracts for convenience with advance notice or reduce their use of our solutions. In addition, some of these metrics, such as ACV signings, are expected to fluctuate significantly from period to period based on timing of one or more client purchase decisions or other factors, which makes it difficult for us to accurately predict such metrics for any future period. Limitations or errors with respect to how we measure data or with respect to the data that we measure may affect our understanding of certain details of our business, which could affect our long-term strategies. If our operating metrics are not accurate representations of our business, or if investors do not perceive our operating metrics to be accurate, or if we discover material inaccuracies with respect to these figures, our reputation may be significantly harmed, and our operating and financial results could be adversely affected. Our operating metrics are not necessarily indicative of the historical performance of our business or the results that may be expected for any future period.

Our sites operate on leasehold property, and our inability to renew our leases on commercially acceptable terms or at all may adversely affect our results of operations.

Our sites operate on leasehold property. Our leases are subject to renewal and we may be unable to renew such leases on commercially acceptable terms or at all. Our inability to renew our leases, or a renewal of our leases with a rental rate higher than the prevailing rate under the applicable lease prior to expiration, may have an adverse impact on our operations, including disrupting our operations or increasing our cost of operations. In addition, in the event of non-renewal of our leases, we may be unable to locate suitable replacement properties for our sites or we may experience delays in relocation that could lead to a disruption in our operations. This has been further augmented by the COVID-19 pandemic where the commercial real estate industry, including our landlords, are experiencing tenants requesting rent abatements and reductions, which could lead to an increase in tenant evictions and vacant spaces, difficulty exiting existing leases and landlord bankruptcies.

 

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Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of our Common Stock

Our Sponsor and our Co-Founders control us and their interests may conflict with ours or yours in the future.

Immediately following this offering, our Sponsor and our Co-Founders will beneficially own approximately                % of our common stock (or                % if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Moreover, we will agree to nominate to our board individuals designated by our Sponsor and our Co-Founders in accordance with the stockholders agreement we intend to enter into in connection with this offering. Our Sponsor and our Co-Founders will retain the right to designate directors subject to the maintenance of certain ownership requirements in us. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Stockholders Agreement.” Even when our Sponsor and our Co-Founders cease to own shares of our stock representing a majority of the total voting power, for so long as our Sponsor and Co-Founders continue to own a significant percentage of our stock, they will still be able to significantly influence or effectively control the composition of our board of directors and the approval of actions requiring stockholder approval through their voting power. Accordingly, for such period of time, our Sponsor and our Co-Founders will have significant influence with respect to our management, business plans and policies, including the appointment and removal of our officers. In particular, for so long as our Sponsor continues to own a significant percentage of our stock, our Sponsor will be able to cause or prevent a change of control of our company or a change in the composition of our board of directors and could preclude any unsolicited acquisition of our company. The concentration of ownership could deprive you of an opportunity to receive a premium for your shares of common stock as part of a sale of our company and ultimately might affect the market price of our common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not limit the ability of our Sponsor to compete with us, and our Sponsor may have investments in businesses whose interests conflict with ours.

Our Sponsor and its affiliates engage in a broad spectrum of activities, including investments in the businesses that may compete with us. In the ordinary course of their business activities, our Sponsor and its affiliates may engage in activities where their interests conflict with our interests or those of our stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that none of our Sponsor, any of its affiliates or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to refrain from engaging, directly or indirectly, in the same business activities or similar business activities or lines of business in which we operate. Our Sponsor also may pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us. In addition, our Sponsor may have an interest in our pursuing acquisitions, divestitures and other transactions that, in its judgment, could enhance its investment, even though such transactions might involve risks to us and our stockholders.

Upon the listing of our shares on                 , we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the rules of                 and, as a result, will qualify for, and intend to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements. You will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

After the completion of this offering, our Sponsor and our Co-Founders will be parties to a stockholders agreement described in “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Stockholders Agreement” and will beneficially own approximately                % of the combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. As a result, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of                . Under these rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power in the election of directors is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements. For example, controlled companies, within one year of the date of the listing of their common stock:

 

   

are not required to have a board that is composed of a majority of “independent directors,” as defined under the rules of such exchange;

 

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are not required to have a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors; and

 

   

are not required to have a nominating and corporate governance committee that is composed entirely of independent directors.

For at least some period following this offering, we intend to utilize certain of these exemptions.

Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the                 .

We are an “emerging growth company,” and we cannot be certain if the reduced reporting requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an “emerging growth company” until the earliest to occur of:

 

   

the last day of the fiscal year during which our total annual revenue equals or exceeds $1.07 billion (subject to adjustment for inflation);

 

   

the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of this offering;

 

   

the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt; or

 

   

the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under the Exchange Act.

We may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including but not limited to, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Investors may find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our per share trading price may be materially adversely affected and more volatile.

We will incur increased costs and become subject to additional regulations and requirements as a result of becoming a public company, which could lower our profits, make it more difficult to run our business or divert management’s attention from our business.

As a public company, we will be required to commit significant resources and management time and attention to the requirements of being a public company, which will cause us to incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we have not incurred as a private company, including costs associated with public company reporting requirements. We also will incur costs associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and related rules implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and                , and compliance with these requirements will place significant demands on our legal, accounting and finance staff and on our accounting, financial and information systems. In addition, we might not be successful in implementing these requirements. The expenses incurred by public companies generally for reporting and corporate governance purposes have been increasing. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly, although we are currently unable to estimate these costs with any degree of certainty. These laws and regulations also could make it more difficult or costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. These laws and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board

 

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committees or as our executive officers. Furthermore, if we are unable to satisfy our obligations as a public company, we could be subject to delisting of our common stock, fines, sanctions and other regulatory action and potentially civil litigation.

Our internal controls over financial reporting currently do not meet all of the standards contemplated by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on our business and the market price of our common stock.

As a public company, we will have significant requirements for enhanced financial reporting and internal controls. The process of designing and implementing effective internal controls is a continuous effort that will require us to anticipate and react to changes in our business and the economic and regulatory environments and to expend significant resources to maintain a system of internal controls that is adequate to satisfy our reporting obligations as a public company. If we are unable to establish or maintain appropriate internal financial reporting controls and procedures, it could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations on a timely basis, result in material misstatements in our consolidated financial statements and harm our operating results. Our internal controls over financial reporting currently do not meet all of the standards contemplated by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that eventually we will be required to meet. Because currently we do not have comprehensive documentation of our internal controls and have not yet tested our internal controls in accordance with Section 404, we cannot conclude in accordance with Section 404 that we do not have a material weakness in our internal controls or a combination of significant deficiencies that could result in the conclusion that we have a material weakness in our internal controls. Our management will first be required to perform an annual assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in connection with our second Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our independent public registered accounting firm will first be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the first year we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” and thereafter on an annual basis. If we are not able to complete our initial assessment of our internal controls and otherwise implement the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or with adequate compliance, our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to certify as to the adequacy of our internal controls over financial reporting.

Matters impacting our internal controls may cause us to be unable to report our financial information on a timely basis and thereby subject us to adverse regulatory consequences, including sanctions by the SEC or violations of applicable stock exchange listing rules, which may result in a breach of the covenants under existing or future financing arrangements. There also could be a negative reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of investor confidence in us and the reliability of our financial statements. Confidence in the reliability of our financial statements also could suffer if we or our independent registered public accounting firm were to report a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting. In addition, we may be required to incur costs in improving our internal control system and the hiring of additional personnel. Any such action could materially adversely affect us and lead to a decline in the market price of our common stock.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they downgrade their recommendations regarding our common stock, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. If any of the analysts who cover us downgrade our common stock or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our common stock price may decline. If analysts cease coverage of us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our common stock price or trading volume to decline and our common stock to be less liquid.

 

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If our operating and financial performance in any given period does not meet any guidance that we provide to the public, the market price of our common stock may decline.

We may, but are not obligated to, provide public guidance on our expected operating and financial results for future periods. Any such guidance will be comprised of forward-looking statements subject to the risks and uncertainties described in this prospectus and in our other public filings and public statements. Our actual results may not always be in line with or exceed any guidance we have provided, especially in times of economic uncertainty. If, in the future, our operating or financial results for a particular period do not meet any guidance we provide or the expectations of investment analysts, or if we reduce our guidance for future periods, the market price of our common stock may decline. Even if we do issue public guidance, there can be no assurance that we will continue to do so in the future.

There has been no prior market for our common stock and an active trading market for our common stock may never develop or be sustained, which may cause shares of our common stock to trade at a discount from their initial offering price and make it difficult to sell the shares of common stock you purchase.

Prior to this offering, there has not been a public trading market for shares of our common stock. The initial public offering price per share of common stock will be determined by agreement among us and the representatives of the underwriters, and may not be indicative of the price at which shares of our common stock will trade in the public market after this offering. If you purchase shares of our common stock, you may not be able to resell those shares at or above the initial public offering price. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in our company will lead to the development of an active trading market on the                or how liquid that market might become. An active public market for our common stock may not develop or be sustained after the offering. If an active public market does not develop or is not sustained, it may be difficult for you to sell your shares of common stock at a price that is attractive to you, or at all. The market price of our common stock may decline below the initial public offering price.

The market price of shares of our common stock may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance, which could cause the value of your investment to decline.

Even if a trading market develops, the market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations. Securities markets worldwide experience significant price and volume fluctuations. This market volatility, as well as general economic, market or political conditions, could reduce the market price of shares of our common stock regardless of our operating performance. In addition, our operating results may fail to match our past performance and could be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors due to a number of potential factors, including variations in our quarterly operating results, any decision by significant clients to terminate or reduce our services (including failure to renew their contracts with us), additions or departures of key management personnel, failure to meet analysts’ earnings estimates, publication of research reports about our industry, the performance of direct and indirect competitors, litigation and government investigations, changes or proposed changes in laws or regulations or differing interpretations or enforcement thereof affecting our business, adverse market reaction to any indebtedness we may incur or securities we may issue in the future, changes in market valuations of similar companies or speculation in the press or investment community, announcements by our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, dispositions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments, adverse publicity about the industries we participate in or individual scandals, and in response the market price of shares of our common stock could decrease significantly. You may be unable to resell your shares of common stock at or above the initial public offering price.

Stock markets have recently experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations. In the past, following periods of volatility in the overall market and the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against these companies. This litigation, if instituted against us, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention and resources.

 

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Because we have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our common stock following this offering, you may not receive any return on your investment unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

We have no current plans to pay cash dividends following this offering. The declaration, amount and payment of any future dividends on shares of common stock will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors. Our board of directors may take into account general and economic conditions, our financial condition and results of operations, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions and implications on the payment of dividends by us to our stockholders or by our subsidiaries to us and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends is limited by our existing indebtedness and may be limited by covenants of other indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur in the future. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell your shares of our common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for them.

We have broad discretion to determine how to use the funds raised in this offering, and may use them in ways that may not enhance our operating results or the price of our common stock about our business.

Our management will have broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds to us from this offering, and we could spend the proceeds from this offering in ways our stockholders may not agree with or that do not yield a favorable return, if at all. We currently expect to use the net proceeds of this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, for general corporate purposes. However, our use of these proceeds may differ substantially from our current plans. If we do not invest or apply the proceeds of this offering in ways that improve our operating results, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

Investors in this offering will suffer immediate and substantial dilution.

The initial public offering price per share of common stock will be substantially higher than our net tangible book value per share immediately after this offering. As a result, you will pay a price per share of common stock that substantially exceeds the per share book value of our tangible assets after subtracting our liabilities. In addition, you will pay more for your shares of common stock than the amounts paid by our pre-IPO owners. Assuming an offering price of $                  per share of common stock, which is the midpoint of the range on the front cover of this prospectus, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution in an amount of $                  per share of common stock. See “Dilution.”

You may be diluted by the future issuance of additional common stock in connection with our incentive plans, acquisitions or otherwise.

After this offering we will have approximately                 shares of common stock authorized but unissued. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize us to issue these shares of common stock and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to common stock for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our board of directors in its sole discretion, whether in connection with acquisitions or otherwise. As of                , we had shares of common stock issuable in respect of outstanding stock options granted under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan with a weighted average exercise price of $                per share, which are not currently exercisable and will generally begin vesting upon the first anniversary of this offering. Additionally, we have reserved                 shares for issuance under our Omnibus Incentive Plan. See “Executive Compensation—Omnibus Incentive Plan.” Any common stock that we issue, including under our Omnibus Incentive Plan or other equity incentive plans that we may adopt in the future, would dilute the percentage ownership held by the investors who purchase common stock in this offering.

 

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We may issue preferred stock whose terms could materially adversely affect the voting power or value of our common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize us to issue, without the approval of our stockholders, one or more classes or series of preferred stock having such designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights, including preferences over our common stock respecting dividends and distributions, as our board of directors may determine. The terms of one or more classes or series of preferred stock could adversely impact the voting power or value of our common stock. For example, we might grant holders of preferred stock the right to elect some number of our directors in all events or on the happening of specified events or the right to veto specified transactions. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences we might assign to holders of preferred stock could affect the residual value of the common stock.

If we or our pre-IPO owners sell additional shares of our common stock after this offering or are perceived by the public markets as intending to sell them, the market price of our common stock could decline.

The sale of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could harm the prevailing market price of shares of our common stock. These sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, also might make it more difficult for you to sell your common stock in the future at a time and at a price that you deem appropriate, if at all. Upon completion of this offering, we will have a total of                shares of our common stock outstanding (or                shares of our common stock outstanding if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Of the outstanding shares, the                shares sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except that any shares held by our affiliates, as that term is defined under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, may be sold only in compliance with the limitations described in “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.”

The remaining outstanding                shares of common stock held by our pre-IPO owners and management after this offering will be subject to certain restrictions on resale. We, our officers, directors and certain holders of our outstanding shares of common stock immediately prior to this offering, including our Sponsor, that collectively will own                shares following this offering, will sign lock-up agreements with the underwriters that will, subject to certain customary exceptions, restrict the sale of the shares of our common stock held by them for 180 days following the date of this prospectus. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC may, in their sole discretion, release all or any portion of the shares of common stock subject to lock-up agreements. See “Underwriting” for a description of these lock-up agreements. See “Principal Stockholders” and “Shares Eligible for Future Sale—Lock-Up Arrangements.”

Upon the expiration of the lock-up agreements described above, all of such shares will be eligible for resale in the public market, subject, in the case of shares held by our affiliates, to volume, manner of sale and other limitations under Rule 144. We expect that our Sponsor will continue to be considered an affiliate following the expiration of the lock-up period based on its expected share ownership and its board nomination rights. Certain other of our stockholders may also be considered affiliates at that time. However, subject to the expiration or waiver of the 180-day lock-up period, the holders of these shares of common stock will have the right, subject to certain exceptions and conditions, to require us to register their shares of common stock under the Securities Act, and they will have the right to participate in future registrations of securities by us. Registration of any of these outstanding shares of common stock would result in such shares becoming freely tradable without compliance with Rule 144 upon effectiveness of the registration statement. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.”

We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our common stock issued pursuant to our 2019 Stock Incentive Plan and our Omnibus Incentive Plan. Any such Form S-8 registration statements will automatically become effective upon filing. Accordingly, shares registered under such registration statements will be available for sale in the open market. We expect that the initial registration statement on Form S-8 will cover                shares of our common stock.

 

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In the future, we may also issue our securities in connection with investments or acquisitions. The amount of shares of our common stock issued in connection with an investment or acquisition could constitute a material portion of our then outstanding shares of common stock. As restrictions on resale end, the market price of our shares of common stock could drop significantly if the holders of these restricted shares sell them or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them. These factors could also make it more difficult for us to raise additional funds through future offerings of our shares of common stock or other securities or to use our shares of common stock as consideration for acquisitions of other businesses, investments or other corporate purposes.

Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and Delaware law might discourage or delay acquisition attempts for us that you might consider favorable.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will become effective immediately prior to the consummation of this offering will contain provisions that may make the merger or acquisition of our company more difficult without the approval of our board of directors. Among other things, these provisions:

 

   

provide that our board of directors will be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in size as possible, with directors in each class serving three-year terms and with terms of the directors of only one class expiring in any given year;

 

   

provide for the removal of directors only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote, if the parties to our stockholders agreement and their affiliates cease to beneficially own less than 30% of the total voting power of all then outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and provide that specified directors designated pursuant to the stockholders agreement may not be removed without cause without the consent of the specified designating party;

 

   

provide that, subject to the rights of the holders of any preferred stock and the rights granted pursuant to the stockholders agreement, vacancies and newly created directorships may be filled only by the remaining directors, if the parties to our stockholders agreement and their affiliates cease to beneficially own less than 30% of the total voting power of all then outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors;

 

   

would allow us to authorize the issuance of shares of one or more series of preferred stock, including in connection with a stockholder rights plan, financing transactions or otherwise, the terms of which series may be established and the shares of which may be issued without stockholder approval, and which may include super voting, special approval, dividend, or other rights or preferences superior to the rights of the holders of common stock;

 

   

prohibit stockholder action by written consent from and after the date on which the parties to our stockholders agreement and their affiliates cease to beneficially own at least 30% of the total voting power of all then outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and require the consent of our Sponsor in any action by written consent;

 

   

provide for certain limitations on convening special stockholder meetings;

 

   

provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, or repeal our bylaws and that our stockholders may only amend our bylaws with the approval of 66 2/3% or more of all of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote, if the parties to our stockholders agreement and their affiliates beneficially own less than 30% of the total voting power of all then outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; and

 

   

provide that certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote thereon, if the parties to our stockholders agreement and their affiliates cease to beneficially own less than 30% of the total voting power of all then outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors;

 

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establish advance notice requirements for nominations for elections to our board or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at stockholder meetings; and

 

   

provide that the total number of directors shall be determined exclusively by resolution adopted by the board.

We have opted out of Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”); however, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains similar provisions providing that we may not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless the transaction fits within an enumerated exception, such as board approval of the business combination or the transaction that resulted in such stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our Sponsor and its affiliates, and any of their respective direct or indirect transferees, and any group as to which such persons are a party, do not constitute “interested stockholders” for purposes of this provision. See “Description of Capital Stock—Business Combinations.” These anti-takeover provisions and other provisions under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated by laws or Delaware law could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of our company, including actions that our stockholders may deem advantageous, or negatively affect the trading price of our common stock. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing and to cause us to take other corporate actions you desire.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will designate the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the federal district courts of the United States of America as the sole and exclusive forums for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with the Company or the Company’s directors, officers or other employees.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (1) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our Company, (2) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, employee or stockholder of our Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (3) action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer of the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, or (4) action asserting a claim against us or any current or former director or officer of the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will further provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the federal securities laws of the United States of America. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have provided consent to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. These choice-of-forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable or convenient for disputes with the Company or the Company’s directors, officers, other employees or stockholders, which may discourage such lawsuits. However, we note that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce our forum selection provisions and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. If a court were to find these provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, our operations, our financial performance and our industry. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “believe,” “expect,” “potential,” “continue,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “predict,” “intend,” “trend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “anticipate” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. These factors include but are not limited to those described under “Risk Factors.”

These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this prospectus. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, investments, or other strategic transactions we may make. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.

Any forward-looking statement made by us in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of this prospectus. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

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MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

This prospectus includes market and industry data and forecasts that we have derived from independent consultant reports, publicly available information, various industry publications, other published industry sources and our internal data and estimates. Independent consultant reports, industry publications and other published industry sources generally indicate that the information contained therein was obtained from sources believed to be reliable.

The source of certain statistical data, estimates and forecasts contained in this prospectus include, among others, the following independent industry publications or reports:

 

   

IDC, Worldwide and U.S. Finance and Accounting and Procurement Business Process Outsourcing Services Forecast, 2020-2024, May 2020;

 

   

Everest Group, Customer Experience Management (CXM) Annual Report 2019: Delivering Next-Generation Contact Center Services, September 2019;

 

   

Domo, Data Never Sleeps 8.0 – How much data is generated every minute?, 2020;

 

   

JC Market Research, Global Content Moderation Solutions Market, 2020 COVID-19 Impact Assessment, 2020;

 

   

IDC, Worldwide Artificial Intelligence Services Forecast, 4 year CAGR from 2020-2024, August 2020;

 

   

United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, New Digital Economy Estimates, August 2020;

 

   

The Business Research Company, Social Media Global Market Briefing 2020: COVID 19 Impact and Recovery, April 13, 2020;

 

   

TechSci Research, 2015-2025 Global Fintech Market Forecast and Opportunities, May 2020;

 

   

Technavio, Global Digital Health Market 2020-2024;

 

   

Allied Market Research, Video Streaming Market – Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027, a report empowered by EMIS www.emis.com, December 2019;

 

   

Technavio, Global Mobile Gaming Market 2020-2024;

 

   

eMarketer, Global Ecommerce 2020 – Ecommerce Decelerates amid Global Retail Contraction but Remains a Bright Spot, June 2020;

 

   

Technavio, Global Ride Hailing Services Market 2020-2024;

 

   

Technavio, Global Food Delivery Services Market 2020-2024;

 

   

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, PwC Future of Customer Experience Survey 2017/18;

 

   

Technavio, Global Customer Analytics Applications Market 2020-2024;

 

   

Korn Ferry Institute, The Talent Forecast – Part 1: Adapting today’s candidate priorities for tomorrow’s organizational success, 2017;

 

   

QuestionPro Workforce, Culture Benchmarks, January 2019;

 

   

ClearlyRated, 2020 NPS Benchmarks for IT Service Providers, April 2019; and

 

   

Glassdoor, 50 HR and Recruiting Stats for 2019.

The Everest Global, Inc. (“Everest Group”) report and its content described and cited herein (the “Everest Group Report”) represents research opinions or viewpoints, not representations or statements of fact. The Everest Group Report was published as part of a membership service provided by Everest Group. Unless otherwise specifically stated in the Everest Group Report, the Everest Group Report has not been updated or revised since

 

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the original publication date of the Everest Group Report. The opinions expressed in the Everest Group Report are subject to change without notice. Everest Group disclaims all representations and warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this Everest Group Report, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy or completeness of information. Nothing in the Everest Group Report is considered part of this prospectus. Information used in preparing the Everest Group Report may have been obtained from or through the public, the companies in the Everest Group Report, or third-party sources. Everest Group assumes no responsibility for independent verification of such information and has relied on such to be complete and accurate in all respects. To the extent such information includes estimates or forecasts, Everest Group has assumed that such estimates and forecasts have been properly prepared. The Everest Group Report is not intended to be, and must not be, taken as the basis for an investment decision and it may not be used or relied upon in evaluating the merits of any investment, or in taking or not taking any action. The Everest Group Report will not be construed as investment, legal, tax or other advice.

Although we believe that these third-party sources are reliable, we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information, and neither we nor the underwriters have independently verified this information. Some market data and statistical information are also based on our good faith estimates, which are derived from management’s knowledge of our industry and such independent sources referred to above. Certain market, ranking and industry data included elsewhere in this prospectus, including the size of certain markets and our size or position and the positions of our competitors within these markets, including our services relative to our competitors, are based on estimates of our management. These estimates have been derived from our management’s knowledge and experience in the markets in which we operate, as well as information obtained from surveys, reports by market research firms, our clients, suppliers, trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate and have not been verified by independent sources. Unless otherwise noted, all of our market share and market position information presented in this prospectus is an approximation. Our market share and market position in each of our lines of business, unless otherwise noted, is based on our sales relative to the estimated sales in the markets we served. References herein to our being a leader in a market or product category refer to our belief that we have a leading market share position in each specified market, unless the context otherwise requires. As there are no publicly available sources supporting this belief, it is based solely on our internal analysis of our sales as compared to our estimates of sales of our competitors. In addition, the discussion herein regarding our various end markets is based on how we define the end markets for our products, which products may be either part of larger overall end markets or end markets that include other types of products and services.

Our internal data and estimates are based upon information obtained from trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate and our management’s understanding of industry conditions. Although we believe that such information is reliable, we have not had this information verified by any independent sources.

TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS AND TRADE NAMES

We own or have rights to trademarks, service marks or trade names that we use in connection with the operation of our business. In addition, our names, logos and website domain names and addresses are our service marks or trademarks. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trademarks, service marks, copyrights or trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies. The trademarks we own or have the right to use include, among others, TaskUs. We also own or have the rights to copyrights that protect the content of our literature, be it in print or electronic form.

Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus are used without the ® and symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensors to these trademarks, service marks and trade names. All trademarks, service marks and trade names appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds to TaskUs, Inc. from this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $                 million (or $                 million if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares of common stock). A $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share would increase or decrease, as applicable, the net proceeds to TaskUs, Inc. from this offering by approximately $                million, assuming the number of shares offered by us remains the same as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions.

We intend to use approximately $                million of the net proceeds from this offering to satisfy payments in respect of vested phantom shares, including $                million in respect of vested phantom shares held by certain of our executive officers, that will become due upon the completion of this offering, based on the assumed initial public offering price of $                per share, including $                million in deferred dividend payments in respect of such vested phantom shares. We intend to use the remainder of the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes.

If the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase                 additional shares of common stock, we intend to use the additional $                 million of net proceeds for general corporate purposes.

Pending specific application of these proceeds, we expect to invest them primarily in short-term demand deposits at various financial institutions.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have no current plans to pay dividends on our common stock following this offering. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Because we are a holding company and have no direct operations, we will only be able to pay dividends from funds we receive from our subsidiaries. In addition, our ability to pay dividends is limited by covenants in our existing indebtedness and may be limited by the agreements governing any indebtedness we or our subsidiaries may incur in the future.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of                ,                :

 

   

on a historical basis; and

 

   

on an as adjusted basis to reflect:

 

   

the sale by us of                shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed public offering price of $            per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus; and

 

   

the application of the net proceeds from this offering as described under “Use of Proceeds” as if this offering and the application of the net proceeds of this offering had occurred on                ,                at the assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, which includes the anticipated payment of $                million cash settlement in respect of the vested phantom shares that will become due upon the completion of this offering.

The information below is illustrative only and our capitalization following this offering will be adjusted based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. Cash and cash equivalents are not components of our total capitalization. You should read this table together with the other information contained in this prospectus, including “Use of Proceeds,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the historical financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

                     ,  
     Actual      As Adjusted(1)  
     (In thousands, except per
share amounts)
 

Cash and cash equivalents

   $                    $                
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term debt

   $        $    

Common stock, par value $0.01 per share,                 shares authorized,                 shares issued and outstanding on an actual basis;                 shares authorized,                 shares issued and outstanding on an as adjusted basis

     

Accumulated deficit

     

Additional paid-in capital

     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $        $    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $            per share would increase or decrease, as applicable, cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital and total stockholders’ equity by $            million, assuming the number of shares offered by us remains the same as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in shares of our common stock in this offering, your investment will be immediately diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of common stock after this offering. Dilution results from the fact that the per share offering price of the shares of common stock is substantially in excess of the as adjusted net tangible book value per share attributable to the shares of common stock held by our pre-IPO owners.

Our net tangible book value as of                ,                was $            , or $            per share of common stock. Net tangible book value represents the amount of total tangible assets less total liabilities, and net tangible book value per share of common stock represents net tangible book value divided by the number of shares of common stock outstanding.

After giving effect to this offering and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described in “Use of Proceeds,” based on the assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, our net tangible book value as of                 ,                  would have been $            , or $            per share of common stock. This represents an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $            per share of common stock to our pre-IPO owners and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $            per share of common stock to investors in this offering.

The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share of common stock basis assuming the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock:

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share of common stock

      $                

Net tangible book value per share of common stock as of             ,            

   $                   

Increase in net tangible book value per share of common stock attributable to investors in this offering

   $       
  

 

 

    

As adjusted net tangible book value per share of common stock after the offering

      $    
     

 

 

 

Dilution per share of common stock to investors in this offering

      $    
     

 

 

 

The following table summarizes, as of                 ,                , the total number of shares of common stock purchased from us, the total cash consideration paid to us, and the average price per share paid by pre-IPO owners and by investors in this offering. As the table shows, new investors purchasing shares in this offering will pay an average price per share substantially higher than our pre-IPO owners paid. The table below reflects an assumed initial public offering price of $             per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, for shares purchased in this offering and excludes underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us:

 

     Shares of Common Stock
Purchased
    Total
Consideration
    Average
Price Per

Share of
Common Stock
 
     Number      Percent     Amount      Percent  
                  (In thousands)               

Pre-IPO owners

                                    $                                 $                
            

Investors in this offering

                   $                     $    
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

                   $                     $    
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Each $1.00 increase in the assumed offering price of $             per share would increase total consideration paid by investors in this offering by $             million, assuming the number of shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions. A $1.00 decrease in the assumed initial public offering price per share would result in equal changes in the opposite direction.

 

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The dilution information above is for illustrative purposes only. Our net tangible book value following the consummation of this offering is subject to adjustment based on the actual initial public offering price of our shares and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

 

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SELECTED HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

The following tables present selected historical consolidated financial information for the periods and as of the dates indicated and should be read in conjunction with the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Summary Historical Consolidated Financial and other Data” and the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.

The selected historical consolidated financial information presented below for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected historical consolidated financial information presented below for the years ended December 31, 2017, and 2016 have been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements that are not included in this prospectus. The period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) are distinct reporting periods, and certain financial information for the Successor period is not comparable to the Predecessor period due to a new basis of accounting resulting from the application of acquisition accounting in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period.

 

     Successor            Predecessor  
(in thousands, except per share amounts)    Year ended
December 31,
2019
     October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
           January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
     Year ended
December 31,
2017
(unaudited)
     Year ended
December 31,
2016
(unaudited)
 

Statement of Operations Data:

                  

Service revenue

   $ 359,681      $ 85,709          $ 168,501      $ 117,288      $ 79,701  

Operating income

   $ 36,862      $ 3,690          $ 26,323      $ 13,867      $ 5,807  

Income before taxes

   $ 29,529      $ 2,508          $ 24,142      $ 14,044      $ 5,733  

Net income (loss)

   $ 33,940      $ (871        $ 33,094      $ 9,022      $ 5,340  

Net income (loss) per common share, basic and diluted

   $ 3.70      $ (0.09        $ 3.02      $ 0.82      $ 0.49  

 

     Successor             Predecessor  
(in thousands, except per share amounts)    December 31,
2019
     December 31,
2018
            December 31,
2017

(unaudited)
     December 31,
2016

(unaudited)
 

Balance Sheet Data:

                

Cash

   $ 37,541      $ 25,281           $ 19,275      $ 9,120  

Total assets

   $ 610,675      $ 585,380           $ 69,031      $ 41,092  

Long-term debt

   $ 204,874      $ 82,650           $ 1,944      $ 3,611  

Distributions paid per common share

   $ 14.72      $ —             $ —        $ —    

 

     Year ended
December 31,
2019
    Full Year 2018  

Key Operational Metrics:

    

ACV signings, in thousands(1)

   $ 178,943     $ 205,664  

Headcount (approx. at period end)(2)

     18,400       13,800  

Net revenue retention rate(3)

     139     118

 

(1)

“ACV signings” refers to, in a given period, the sum of the ACV for all new client contracts entered into during that period, including new ACV associated with amendments to or statements of work under existing client contracts. ACV signings do not reflect actual or anticipated increases, reductions or terminations under any client contract. We use ACV as a leading indicator of our revenue opportunity in existing clients and new clients.

 

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(2)

“Headcount” refers to TaskUs employees as of the end of a given measurement period.

(3)

“Net revenue retention rate” is an important metric we calculate annually to measure the retention and growth in the use of our services by our existing clients. Our net revenue retention rate as of a given fiscal year is calculated using a measurement period consisting of the two consecutive fiscal years ending with and including the most recent applicable fiscal year. Next, we define our “base cohort” as the population of clients that were using our services during the entire 12-month period of the first year of the measurement period. Net revenue retention rate is calculated as the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the revenue generated by the base cohort in the second year of measurement by (b) the revenue generated by the base cohort in the first year of measurement.

 

     Successor            Predecessor  
(in thousands, except margin amounts)    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
           January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Year ended
December 31,
2017
(unaudited)
    Year ended
December 31,
2016
(unaudited)
 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

               

Adjusted Net Income(1)

   $ 52,975     $ 9,797          $ 22,591     $ 8,607     $ 5,281  
 

Adjusted Net Income Margin(1)

     14.7     11.4          13.4     7.3     6.6
 

EBITDA(2)

   $ 72,056     $ 12,400          $ 33,236     $ 21,433     $ 10,432  

Adjusted EBITDA(2)

   $ 74,239       18,356          $ 38,594     $ 21,018     $ 10,373  

Adjusted EBITDA Margin(2)

     20.6     21.4          22.9     17.9     13.0

 

(1)

Adjusted Net Income is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents net income or loss for the period before the impact of amortization of intangible assets and certain items that are considered to hinder comparison of the performance of our businesses on a period-over-period basis or with other businesses. During the periods presented, we exclude from Adjusted Net Income transaction related costs associated with the Blackstone Acquisition and the tax benefit associated with certain of such costs, the effect of foreign currency gains and losses, and losses from disposals of fixed assets, which include costs that are required to be expensed in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes that the inclusion of supplementary adjustments to net income (loss) applied in presenting Adjusted Net Income are appropriate to provide additional information to investors about certain material non-cash items and about unusual items that we do not expect to continue at the same level in the future.

The following table reconciles net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to Adjusted Net Income:

 

    Successor           Predecessor  
(in thousands)   Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Year ended
December 31,
2017
(unaudited)
    Year ended
December 31,
2016
(unaudited)
 

Net income (loss)

  $ 33,940     $ (871       $ 33,094     $ 9,022     $ 5,340  

Amortization of intangible assets

    18,847       4,712           —         —         —    

Transaction related costs(a)

    —         5,769           3,685       —         —    

Foreign currency (gains) losses(b)

    (2,039     (395         1,680       (432     (59

Loss (gain) on disposal of assets(c)

    2,227       582           (7     17       —    

Tax benefit from transaction related costs(d)

    —         —             (15,861     —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income

  $ 52,975     $ 9,797         $ 22,591     $ 8,607     $ 5,281  
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income Margin(e)

    14.7     11.4         13.4     7.3     6.6
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a)

Transaction related costs include professional services fees totaling $9.2 million and compensation

 

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  expense for bonuses paid to certain employees for services rendered in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition totaling $0.3 million.
  (b)

Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains and losses include the effect of fair market value changes of forward contracts and remeasurement of U.S. dollar-denominated accounts to foreign currency.

  (c)

Loss (gain) from disposal of fixed assets mainly resulted from moving to permanent locations and consolidation of sites in the United States.

  (d)

Tax benefit recognized for transaction related costs deducted for tax purposes but not attributable to either the Predecessor or Successor period and therefore expense recognized “on the line.”

  (e)

Adjusted Net Income Margin represents Adjusted Net Income divided by service revenue.

 

(2)

EBITDA is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents net income or loss for the period before the impact of the benefit from or provision for income taxes, financing expenses, depreciation, and amortization of intangible assets. EBITDA eliminates potential differences in performance caused by variations in capital structures (affecting financing expenses), tax positions (such as the availability of net operating losses against which to relieve taxable profits), the cost and age of tangible assets (affecting relative depreciation expense) and the extent to which intangible assets are identifiable (affecting relative amortization expense).

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents EBITDA before certain items that are considered to hinder comparison of the performance of our businesses on a period-over-period basis or with other businesses. During the periods presented, we exclude from Adjusted EBITDA transaction related costs associated with the Blackstone Acquisition, the effect of foreign currency gains and losses, losses from disposals of fixed assets, and accelerated expense for certain unamortized debt financing costs related to the settlement of our 2018 Credit Facility, which include costs that are required to be expensed in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes that the inclusion of supplementary adjustments to EBITDA applied in presenting Adjusted EBITDA are appropriate to provide additional information to investors about certain material non-cash items and about unusual items that we do not expect to continue at the same level in the future.

The following table reconciles net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

 

    Successor           Predecessor  
(in thousands, except margin amounts)   Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Year ended
December 31,
2017
(unaudited)
    Year ended
December 31,
2016
(unaudited)
 

Net income (loss)

  $ 33,940     $ (871       $ 33,094     $ 9,022     $ 5,340  

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

    (4,411     3,379           (8,952     5,022       393  

Financing expenses(a)

    7,351       1,527           511       257       140  

Depreciation

    16,329       3,653           8,583       7,132       4,559  

Amortization of intangible assets

    18,847       4,712           —         —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EBITDA

    72,056       12,400           33,236       21,433       10,432  

Transaction related costs(b)

    —         5,769           3,685       —         —    

Foreign currency (gains) losses(c)

    (2,039     (395         1,680       (432     (59

Loss (gain) on disposal of assets(d)

    2,227       582           (7     17       —    

Settlement of 2018 Credit Facility(e)

    1,995       —             —         —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 74,239     $ 18,356         $ 38,594     $ 21,018     $ 10,373  
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA Margin(f)

    20.6     21.4         22.9     17.9     13.0
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a)

Financing expenses include interest expense, commitment fees on undrawn amounts, and debt financing costs related to our 2018 Credit Facility and 2019 Credit Facilities. For the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), we accelerated expense recognition for certain debt financing costs upon settlement of our 2018 Credit Facility, which were included in financing expenses in our

 

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  consolidated statements of operations, but which have been separately included as a non-recurring adjustment to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA.
  (b)

Transaction related costs include professional services fees totaling $9.2 million and compensation expense for bonuses paid to certain employees for services rendered in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition totaling $0.3 million.

  (b)

Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains and losses include the effect of fair market value changes of forward contracts and remeasurement of U.S. dollar -denominated accounts to foreign currency.

  (c)

Loss (gain) from disposal of fixed assets mainly resulted from moving to permanent locations and consolidation of sites in the United States.

  (d)

Debt financing costs for which expense was accelerated upon settlement of our 2018 Credit Facility.

  (e)

Adjusted EBITDA Margin represents Adjusted EBITDA divided by service revenue.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion of our results of operations and financial condition in conjunction with the section titled “Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The following discussion and analysis also includes a discussion of certain non-GAAP financial measures. For a description and reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures discussed in this section, see “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.

This prospectus includes certain historical consolidated financial and other data for TaskUs, Inc. (formerly known as TU TopCo, Inc.) (“we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company”). TaskUs, Inc. was formed by funds affiliated with Blackstone as a vehicle for the Blackstone Acquisition. Prior to the Blackstone Acquisition, TaskUs, Inc. had no operations and TaskUs Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as TaskUs, Inc.) is the predecessor. The following discussion provides a narrative of our results of operations and financial condition for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor). As a result of the Blackstone Acquisition, we applied the acquisition method of accounting and established a new basis of accounting. Accordingly, the discussion and analysis of historical Predecessor periods do not reflect the impact of the Blackstone Acquisition and may not necessarily reflect what will occur in the future.

Overview

We are a digital outsourcer, focused on serving high-growth technology companies to represent, protect and grow their brands. We support some of the world’s most disruptive brands such as Zoom, Netflix, Uber, Coinbase and Oscar. As of December 31, 2019, we had over 90 clients spanning numerous industry segments within the Digital Economy, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ride sharing, HiTech, FinTech and HealthTech.

Our global, omni-channel delivery model is focused on providing our clients three key services – Digital Customer Experience, Content Security and AI Operations. 85% of our revenue in 2019 was delivered from non-voice, digital channels. Non-voice channels allow us to utilize resources efficiently, thereby driving higher profitability.

We have designed our platform to enable us to rapidly scale and benefit from our clients’ growth. In 2019, we delivered a net revenue retention rate of 139% as our clients experienced growth and expanded use of our services. We believe our ability to deliver “ridiculously good” outsourcing will enable us to continue to grow our client base.

At TaskUs, culture is at the heart of everything we do. Many of the companies operating in the Digital Economy are well-known for their obsession with creating a world-class employee experience. We believe clients choose TaskUs in part because they view our company culture as aligned with their own, which enables us to act as a natural extension of their brands and gives us an advantage in the recruitment of highly engaged frontline teammates who produce better results.

Business Highlights

We have a track record of delivering strong, profitable growth. From 2017 to 2019 we delivered a Revenue CAGR of 75%, Net Income CAGR of 94% and Adjusted EBITDA CAGR of 88%. As of September 30, 2020, we had approximately 20,300 employees across eighteen locations in seven countries.

 

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The below chart describes our history and growth in revenue since our launch in 2008.

 

 

LOGO

Recent Financial Highlights

For the year ended December 31, 2019, we recorded service revenues of $359.7 million, or a 41.5% increase from $254.2 million for the Full Year 2018.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased 5.3% to $33.9 million from $32.2 million for the Full Year 2018. Adjusted Net Income for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased 63.6% to $53.0 million from $32.4 million for the Full Year 2018. Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased 30.4% to $74.2 million from $57.0 million for the Full Year 2018.

The operating results in any period are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period.

Trends and Factors Affecting our Performance

There are a number of key factors and trends affecting our results of operations.

Growing with our current clients

As of December 31, 2019 we served over 90 of the world’s leading technology companies. Between 2017 and 2019, our current clients with publicly disclosed financials grew their revenue at an estimated unweighted average CAGR of 37%. As our clients’ revenue and scale have grown at rapid rates, so have our outsourcing volumes, revenue and service relationships. Revenue from TaskUs clients who have been with us since 2017 grew by 171% through the end of 2019, based on 40 clients who generated $500,000 or more in revenue for each of those years. In addition, our average annual net revenue retention rate between 2017 and 2019 was 123%. In 2019, over 97% of our revenues were from recurring revenue contracts.

 

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Extending solutions with our current clients

We have a significant opportunity to enhance the penetration of current services as well as cross-sell new services. As our clients grow in size and the complexity of their outsourcing needs increases, we believe we have an opportunity to increase the addressable spend available to TaskUs. In 2019, our largest client leveraged all three of our primary service offerings.

We aim to bolster our portfolio of highly complementary service capabilities by integrating consultative expertise, process automation, and technology that further expand our value proposition to clients. Services such as Content Security, which grew at a CAGR of 273% between 2017 and 2019, anti-money laundering, fraud prevention and data science are areas we believe are particularly attractive and highly relevant for our forward-leaning technology client base.

Our ACV signings from existing clients were $21.1 million in 2017, $59.6 million in 2018 and $92.6 million in 2019.

New client wins

We are well positioned within multi-billion dollar commercial markets with massive addressable spend opportunities where we focus on culturally aligned, agile companies that plan to scale rapidly. Our world-class sales team is organized around new-economy industry verticals such as FinTech, On Demand Travel + Transportation, Entertainment + Gaming, Social Media, HiTech, HealthTech and Retail + e-Commerce. We identify emerging industry and funding trends to engage early and work with future market leaders and enterprise-class clients.

We generated ACV signings from new clients of $51.8 million in 2017, $146.1 million in 2018, to $86.3 million in 2019. The increase in ACV signings in 2018 was impacted by a one time signing of a large contract with our largest client.

Expanding geographically

Global presence and multilingual capabilities are of increasing importance to our multinational clients and potential clients. The number of clients working with TaskUs in multiple geographies more than doubled from 2017 to 2019. In many cases our geographic expansion is driven by specific client requests, such as an online gaming client leading us to Taiwan, supporting a European market launch in Greece, and two social media clients in Ireland and Atlanta, Georgia, respectively. New geographies mean new languages and/or capabilities to offer to our clients and increasing opportunities to win new business. We plan to continue expanding our geographic footprint to drive growth in both existing and new clients.

Our profitability is also driven by effective asset utilization, as our focus on non-voice channels lead to greater seat turns, which reflect that a single seat has the potential to be used multiple times in a 24-hour day based on the hours an employee works. We achieved seat turns of approximately 2.0 across our sites in 2019, calculated based on the average for each month in the year of the operational headcount for each month divided by the occupied seats in each month. Further, our location strategy prioritizes expansion in lower cost offshore delivery geographies such as Philippines and India, where we are actively expanding into provincial cities. These factors have enabled us to maintain strong profitability.

We have expanded our presence rapidly from nine sites in three countries as of December 31, 2017 to eighteen sites in seven countries as of September 30, 2020. In October 2019, we entered the India market with our first site in Indore where we already have over 1,600 employees as of September 30, 2020. As we expand our geographical footprint and service offerings, we may have one time costs that may impact profitability.

 

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Hiring and retention of employees

In order to efficiently and effectively provide services to our clients, we must be able to quickly hire, train and retain employees. We offer our employees competitive wages with annual increases and also invest in their wellbeing. Our employee benefits and employee engagement costs may vary from period to period based on employee participation. We seek to retain sufficient employees to serve our clients’ increasing business needs and position ourselves for growth. We believe our focus on employee culture leads to lower employee attrition levels. Apart from driving our high client satisfaction and retention metrics, lower employee attrition leads to lower hiring and training costs and higher employee productivity.

Foreign currency fluctuations

We are subject to foreign currency exposure, primarily related to costs from the international locations in which we have operations. In order to mitigate this exposure, we enter into foreign currency exchange rate forward contracts for the larger geographies in which we operate to reduce the volatility of forecasted cash flows denominated in foreign currencies.

COVID-19

During the first quarter of 2020, there was a global outbreak of a novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”), which has spread to over 200 countries and territories, including all states in the United States. The global impact of the outbreak has been rapidly evolving and many countries have reacted by instituting quarantines and restrictions on travel, closing financial markets and/or restricting trading, and limiting operations of non-essential businesses. Such actions are creating disruption in global supply chains, increasing rates of unemployment and adversely impacting many industries. The outbreak could have a continued adverse impact on economic and market conditions and trigger a period of global economic slowdown. The full extent of the impact and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will depend on future developments, including, among other factors, the duration and spread of the outbreak, along with related travel advisories, quarantines and restrictions, the recovery time of the disrupted supply chains and industries, the impact of labor market interruptions, the impact of government interventions, and uncertainty with respect to the duration of the global economic slowdown.

Operational Enablement

In early March, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we mobilized a centralized crisis response team to implement a fully virtual operating model. We did this to protect the health and safety of our employees, and ensure continued service for our clients. The shift entailed significant challenges including reconfiguring IT infrastructure and delivering thousands of personal computers, laptops and wireless internet cards to a majority of our employees’ homes, under stringent transport restrictions. In addition, we have paused certain on-site amenities for our employees, such as free on-site meals, until all our normal operations can be safely resumed.

Aided by significant agility and effective planning by our on-ground IT and operations teams, we were able to operationalize the model swiftly: over 90% of our frontline teammates were enabled to work virtually soon after the commencement of lockdowns.

Operating in a virtual model has required us to hire employees remotely, virtually train them and expand our network capabilities. We are observing local government mandates and guidance provided by health authorities and have proactively implemented quarantine protocols, social distancing policies, working from home arrangements, and travel suspensions. We expect to continue implementing these measures and we may take further actions if required or recommended by government authorities or if we determine them to be in the best interests of our employees, clients, and suppliers. We believe we were the first outsourcing company to announce continuation of our company-wide work-from-home policy through the end of 2020.

 

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Revenue and Sales Generation

Our business performance has been resilient despite the impact of the pandemic. Our strong market position within our industry verticals as well as our operational agility enabled us to act as a key partner to clients in market industry segments such as social media, e-commerce, streaming media, gaming and food delivery that saw an increase in demand driven by a surge in online commerce and content consumption.

As a result, we delivered strong sales performance across new and existing clients, with ACV signings of $            million for the nine month period ended September 30, 2020. Aided by this, our revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was                , which was an increase of        % compared to our revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

While we delivered strong performance overall, some of our clients, especially in the ride sharing, travel and retail segments, experienced a decline in their end customer volumes because of lockdown restrictions globally, which resulted in a reduction in spend from those clients.

Cash and Cost Management

On March 27, 2020, in the United States, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act, among other things, permits net operating loss (“NOL”) carryovers and carrybacks to offset 100% of taxable income for taxable years beginning before 2021 and the deferral of employer taxes. We have chosen to avail ourselves of these CARES Act provisions for NOL carryovers and carrybacks and the deferral of employer taxes. We have carried back net operating losses originating in the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 to claim a refund for taxes paid in fiscal 2015, 2016, 2017, and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 resulting in an expected benefit of approximately $5.2 million. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we deferred $            million of employer taxes.

In addition to the operating interventions and CARES Act provisions discussed above, we also conducted a comprehensive review of our cost structure in order to build efficiencies across functions and implemented robust working capital controls to maintain cash conversion and compliance with covenants. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we incurred costs associated with the transformations mentioned above of $            million and certain account receivables were written-off resulting in bad debt expense of $            million, however, we do not have significant liquidity or operational concerns. We continue to closely monitor the outbreak and the impact on our operations and liquidity.

As a result of the unpredictable and evolving impact of the pandemic and measures being taken around the world to combat its spread, the timing and trajectory of the recovery remain unclear at this time, and the adverse impact of the pandemic on our operations could be material. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the resulting global economic uncertainty and measures taken in response to the pandemic, has adversely impacted our business, financial condition and results of operations and continues to do so.”

Key Components of Our Results of Operations

Service Revenue

We derive revenues from the following three service offerings:

 

   

Digital Customer Experience: Principally consists of omni-channel customer care services primarily delivered through digital (non-voice) channels. Other solutions include customer care services for new product or market launches, trust & safety solutions and customer acquisition solutions.

 

   

Content Security: Principally consists of review and disposition of user and advertiser generated content for purposes which include removal or labeling of policy violating, offensive or misleading

 

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content. We are developing and enforcing Content Security policies in several areas including intellectual property, job and commerce postings, objectionable material, and political advertising.

 

   

AI Operations: Principally consists of data labeling, annotation and transcription services performed for the purpose of training and tuning AI algorithms through the process of machine learning.

As these services are delivered, we bill our clients on either time-and-materials, cost-plus, unit-priced, fixed-price, or outcome oriented basis. Service revenue from time-and-materials or cost-plus contracts is recognized as the services are performed. Service revenue from unit-priced contracts is recognized monthly as transactions are processed based on objective measures of output. Service revenue from fixed-price contracts is recognized monthly as service revenue is earned and obligations are fulfilled. Service revenue from outcome oriented contracts is recognized when it is reasonably certain that the desired outcome has been achieved.

Operating Expenses

Cost of Services

Cost of services consists primarily of costs related to delivery of services, and consists primarily of personnel expenses like salaries and wages, employee welfare, employee engagement, recruiting and professional development. Additionally, cost of services includes expenses related to sites and technology costs that can be directly attributed to the delivery of services.

Selling, General, & Administrative

Selling expenses consists of personnel costs, travel expenses, and other expenses for our client services, sales and marketing teams. Additionally, it includes costs of marketing and promotional events, corporate communications, and other brand-building activities.

General and administrative expenses consist of personnel and related expenses for technology, human resources, legal, finance, global shared services, and executives including, professional fees; insurance premiums, cloud-based capabilities and other corporate expenses.

Depreciation

Depreciation is computed on the straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of our property and equipment assets, generally three to five years or, for leasehold improvements, over the term of the lease, whichever is shorter.

Amortization of intangible assets

Amortization relates to our client relationship and trade name intangibles, which are amortized over their useful lives using the straight-line method, which reflects the pattern of benefit, and assumes no residual value.

Other (Income) Expense

Other (income) expense primarily consists of gains and losses resulting from changes in the fair value of the foreign currency exchange rate forward contracts that we are party to. Our forward contracts do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment. Other expenses also include gains and losses resulting from the remeasurement of U.S.-denominated accounts to foreign currency and loss on sale of property and equipment.

Financing Expenses

Financing expenses primarily consist of interest expenses related to our term loans in addition to commitment fees related to the undrawn delayed draw loan and revolver loan. For the year ended December 31,

 

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2019 (Successor), we also included the write off of unamortized discounts and deferred financing costs in connection with the settlement of our 2018 Credit Agreement, discussed further below under “Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” below.

(Benefit from) provision for Income Taxes

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes consists primarily of income taxes related to U.S. federal and state income taxes and income taxes in foreign jurisdictions in which we conduct business.

Results of Operations

The following tables set forth certain historical consolidated financial information for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor).    The period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) are distinct reporting periods, and certain financial information for the Successor period is not comparable to the Predecessor period due to a new basis of accounting resulting from the application of acquisition accounting in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition. This information includes, but may not be limited to, amortization expense, interest expense and transaction expenses included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

 

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In order to facilitate a more meaningful comparison between our fiscal years, we have set forth a discussion comparing financial information for the “Full Year 2018” to financial information for the year ended December 31, 2019. The unaudited combined financial information for Full Year 2018 represents the mathematical addition of our Predecessor’s results of operations from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018, and the Successor’s results of operations from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Each of the Predecessor and Successor periods from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 and October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018, respectively, have been audited and are consistent with GAAP. However, the presentation of unaudited combined financial information for Full Year 2018 is not consistent with GAAP or with the pro forma requirements of Article 11 of Regulation S-X, and may yield results that are not comparable on a period-to-period basis primarily due to (i) the impact of required purchase accounting adjustments and (ii) the new basis of accounting established in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition. Such results are not necessarily indicative of what the results for the combined period would have been had the Blackstone Acquisition not occurred.

 

    Successor           Predecessor                    
    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Full Year
2018
(unaudited)
    Period over
Period
Change
($)
    Period over
Period
Change
(%)
 
(in thousands)                                          

Service revenue

    359,681       85,709           168,501       254,210       105,471       41.5
 

Operating expenses:

               

Cost of services

    194,786       43,911           83,851       127,762       67,024       52.5

Selling, general, and administrative expense

    90,630       29,161           49,751       78,912       11,718       14.8

Depreciation

    16,329       3,653           8,583       12,236       4,093       33.5

Amortization of intangible assets

    18,847       4,712           —         4,712       14,135       300.0

Loss (gain) on disposal of assets

    2,227       582           (7     575       1,652       287.3
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses:

    322,819       82,019           142,178       224,197       98,622       44.0
 

Operating income

    36,862       3,690           26,323       30,013       6,849       22.8
 

Other (income) expense

    (2,013     (345         1,670       1,325       (3,338     (251.9 )% 

Financing expenses

    9,346       1,527           511       2,038       7,308       358.6
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income before taxes

    29,529       2,508           24,142       26,650       2,879       10.8
 

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

    (4,411     3,379           (8,952     (5,573     1,162       (20.9 )% 
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

    33,940       (871         33,094       32,223       1,717       5.3
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the Period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the Period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor)

Service revenue

Service revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $359.7 million, $85.7 million, and $168.5 million, respectively. Service revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased by $105.5 million or 41.5% when compared to the Full Year 2018 period, primarily resulting from extending solutions with our current clients and new clients related to two of our service offerings, Content Security and Digital Customer Experience, which contributed 20.0% and 14.2% of the year over year growth respectively. The growth in Content Security was primarily driven by an increase in volume of services provided to our largest client.

 

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The following table shows service revenues by service offering for each period.

 

    Successor           Predecessor                    
    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Full Year 2018
(unaudited)
    Period over
Period change
($)
    Period over
Period change
(%)
 
(in thousands)                                          

Digital Customer Experience

  $ 206,471       47,862           119,555       167,417       39,054       23.3

Content Security

    104,259       27,729           25,765       53,494       50,765       94.9

AI Operations

    48,951       10,118           23,181       33,299       15,652       47.0
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Service revenue

  $ 359,681       85,709           168,501       254,210       105,471       41.5
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Service revenues by delivery geography

The majority of our service revenues are derived from contracts with clients who are either located in the United States, or with clients who are located outside of the United States but whereby the contract specifies payment in United States dollars. However, we deliver our services from multiple locations around the world. The following table presents the breakdown of our service revenues by geographical location, based on where the services are provided.

 

    Successor           Predecessor              
    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Full Year 2018
(unaudited)
    Period over
period change
($)
    Period over
period change
(%)
 
(in thousands)                                          

Philippines

  $ 208,983       47,555           122,246       169,801       39,182       23.1

United States

    132,962       32,898           39,887       72,785       60,177       82.7

Rest of World

    17,736       5,256           6,368       11,624       6,112       52.6
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Service revenue

  $ 359,681       85,709           168,501       254,210       105,471       41.5
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Revenues generated from services provided from our delivery sites in the Philippines for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $209.0 million, $47.6 million, and $122.2 million, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2019, our service revenues from work performed out of our delivery sites in the Philippines grew 23.1% when compared to the Full Year 2018 period. This growth resulted from expansion in two of our service offerings, Digital Customer Experience and Content Security, which contributed 11.4% and 7.4% of the growth, respectively.

Revenues generated from services provided from the United States for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $133.0 million, $32.9 million, and $39.9 million, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2019, our service revenues from work performed out of our delivery sites in the United States grew 82.7% when compared to the Full Year 2018 period. This growth resulted from expansion in two of our service offerings, Content Security and Digital Customer Experience, which contributed 52.1% and 15.0% of the growth, respectively.

Revenues generated from services provided from the Rest of World for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $17.7 million, $5.3 million, and $6.4 million, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2019, our service revenues from work performed out of our delivery sites in the Rest of World grew 52.6% when compared to the Full Year 2018 period. This growth resulted from expansion in our Digital Customer Experience service offering.

 

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Operating Expenses

Cost of Services

Cost of services for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $194.8 million, $43.9 million, and $83.9 million, respectively. Cost of services for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased by $67.0 million, or 52.5%, when compared to the Full Year 2018 period. The change was driven by an increase in personnel costs of $59.4 million and an increase in costs due to expansion in sites and key employee initiatives of $7.6 million. Personnel costs increased primarily due to increased headcount and a shift toward more volumes being serviced in the United States.

Selling, general, and administrative expense

Selling, general, and administrative expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $90.6 million, $29.2 million, and $49.8 million, respectively. Selling, general, and administrative expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased by $11.7 million, or 14.8%, when compared to the Full Year 2018. The increase was primarily driven by higher personnel costs, offset by a reduction in transaction related costs. For the year ended December 31, 2019, we saw an increase in personnel costs of $18.2 million across our functions in support of our growth in revenues, and expansion in our enterprise cloud-based software capabilities on account of higher headcount and an increase in marketing costs to support new business and brand development. For the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor), we incurred $5.7 million and $3.7 million, respectively, in professional fees and services in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition.

Depreciation

Depreciation for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $16.3 million, $3.7 million, and $8.6 million, respectively. The increase can be attributed to depreciation related to capital expenditures of $21.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 and $25.7 million in Full Year 2018 made to support the growth of our existing sites and expansion to new sites. The capital expenditures included leasehold improvements, computer equipment and office equipment.

Amortization of intangible assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor), and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $18.8 million, $4.7 million, and $0.0 million, respectively. The increase can be attributed to the recognition of client relationship and trade name intangible assets recognized in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition that are being amortized on a straight-line basis.

Loss (gain) on disposal of assets

We recognized losses from disposal of assets during the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) of $2.2 million, $0.6 million, respectively, and a gain of $7 thousand for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018. The Successor period amounts related to temporary sites that were vacated as we moved to permanent locations in the United States and consolidation of other sites.

 

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Other (income) expense

Other (income) expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor), and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $(2.0) million, $(0.3) million and $1.7 million, respectively.

Changes in other (income) expense are primarily driven by our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk resulting from our operations in foreign geographies, primarily the Philippines, offset by economic hedges using foreign currency exchange rate forward contracts. For the year ended December 31, 2019 and Full Year 2018, we recognized foreign exchange gains resulting from these transactions of $2.0 million and losses of $1.3 million, respectively.

Financing expense

Financing expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $9.3 million, $1.5 million, and $0.5 million, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor) we recognized interest expense of $4.3 million and amortization of debt financing fees of $0.4 million in connection with our 2018 Credit Agreement, as well as accelerated expense of unamortized debt financing fees of $2.0 million in connection with the extinguishment of the 2018 Credit Agreement during this period. During the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), we also recognized interest expense of $2.5 million and amortization of debt financing fees of $0.1 million in connection with our 2019 Credit Agreement (as defined below under “—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness—2019 Credit Agreement”), which we entered into on September 25,2019. During the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor), we recognized interest expense in connection with our 2018 Credit Agreement totaling $1.4 million. The increase in interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor) was due in part to the timing of the Blackstone Acquisition, as the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) included only three months of interest expense, as well as an increase in amounts outstanding under the 2019 Credit Agreement as compared to the 2018 Credit Agreement. See “—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Indebtedness” below for further detail on the 2019 Credit Agreement and 2018 Credit Agreement.

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

Income tax expense (benefit) for the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was ($4.4) million, $3.4 million, and ($9.0) million, respectively. Our effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was (15%), 118%, and 28%, respectively.

The higher effective tax rate for the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) as compared to the effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) is partially due to lower pre tax book income in such period combined with the timing of recognition of certain tax items. Pre tax book income for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was $29.5 million, $2.5 million, and $24.1 million, respectively.

For the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), we realized a decrease in the blended state income tax rate, decrease in global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) and increase in tax benefits of income tax holidays in foreign jurisdictions. For the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the rate impact of GILTI was 5%, a decrease of 102% as compared to 107% in the Successor period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor).

 

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For the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor), the change in the effective tax rate as compared to the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was primarily due to an increase in GILTI, offset by tax benefit of income tax holidays in foreign jurisdictions. For the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor), the rate impact of GILTI was 107%, an increase from (0%) in the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor). The GILTI had a disproportionate impact on the effective tax rate for the period October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) compared to the year ended December 31, 2019 and the period January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) because the tax impact for our entire calendar year 2018 was recognized during the period October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor).

Revenue by Top Clients

The table below sets forth the percentage of our total service revenues derived from our largest clients for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor):

 

     Percentage of Total Service Revenue        
                                 
     Successor            Predecessor        
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1, 2018
through
December 31,

2018
           January 1, 2018
through
September 30,

2018
    Full Year 2018
(unaudited)
 

Top ten clients

     74     75          65     69

Top twenty clients

     84     87          82     84

Our clients are part of the rapidly growing Digital Economy and they rely on our suite of digital solutions to drive their continued success. For our existing clients, we benefit from our ability to grow as they grow and to cross sell new solutions, further deepening our entrenchment. As an indicator of the strength of our relationships, in 2019, we achieved a net revenue retention rate of 139%.

For the year ended December 31, 2019 and the Full Year 2018, we generated 35% and 23% respectively of our service revenue from Facebook, our largest client, and we generated 11% and 6% respectively of our service revenue from our second largest client, DoorDash.

We continue to identify and target high growth industry verticals and clients. Our strategy is to acquire new clients and further grow with our existing ones in order to achieve meaningful client and revenue diversification over time.

Foreign Currency

As a global company, we face exposure to movements in foreign currency exchange rates. Fluctuations in foreign currencies impact the amount of total assets, liabilities, revenue, operating expenses and cash flows that we report for our foreign subsidiaries upon the translation of these amounts into U.S. dollars. See “—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” for additional information on how foreign currency impacts our financial results.

 

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Key Operational Metrics

We regularly monitor a number of operating metrics in order to measure our current performance and estimate our future performance.

 

     Year ended
December 31,
2019
    Full Year 2018  

Key Operational Metrics:

    

ACV signings, in thousands(1)

   $ 178,943     $ 205,664  

Headcount (approx. at period end)(2)

     18,400       13,800  

Net revenue retention rate(3)

     139     118

 

(1)

“ACV signings” refers to, in a given period, the sum of the ACV for all new client contracts entered into during that period, including new ACV associated with amendments to or statements of work under existing client contracts. ACV signings do not reflect actual or anticipated increases, reductions or terminations under any client contract. We use ACV as a leading indicator of our revenue opportunity in existing clients and new clients.

(2)

“Headcount” refers to TaskUs employees as of the end of a given measurement period.

(3)

“Net revenue retention rate” is an important metric we calculate annually to measure the retention and growth in the use of our services by our existing clients. Our net revenue retention rate as of a given fiscal year is calculated using a measurement period consisting of the two consecutive fiscal years ending with and including the most recent applicable fiscal year. Next, we define our “base cohort” as the population of clients that were using our services during the entire 12-month period of the first year of the measurement period. Net revenue retention rate is calculated as the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the revenue generated by the base cohort in the second year of measurement by (b) the revenue generated by the base cohort in the first year of measurement.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We use Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as key profitability measures to assess the performance of our business.

Each of the profitability measures described below are not recognized under GAAP and do not purport to be an alternative to net income (loss) as a measure of our performance. Such measures have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider any of such measures in isolation or as substitutes for our results as reported under GAAP. Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA exclude items that can have a significant effect on our profit or loss and should, therefore, be used in conjunction with profit or loss for the period. Our management compensates for the limitations of using non-GAAP financial measures by using them to supplement GAAP results to provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting the business than GAAP results alone. Because not all companies use identical calculations, these measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies.

Adjusted Net Income

Adjusted Net Income is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents net income or loss for the period before the impact of amortization of intangible assets and certain items that are considered to hinder comparison of the performance of our businesses on a period-over-period basis or with other businesses. During the periods presented, we exclude from Adjusted Net Income transaction related costs associated with the Blackstone Acquisition and the tax benefit associated with certain of such costs, the effect of foreign currency gains and losses, and losses from disposals of fixed assets, which include costs that are required to be expensed in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes that the inclusion of supplementary adjustments to net income (loss) applied in presenting Adjusted Net Income are appropriate to provide additional information to investors about certain material non-cash items and about unusual items that we do not expect to continue at the same level in the future.

 

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The following table reconciles net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to Adjusted Net Income:

 

    Successor           Predecessor                    
    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Full Year
2018
(unaudited)
    Period over
Period
Change ($)
    Period over
Period
Change (%)
 
(in thousands)                                          

Net income (loss)

  $ 33,940       (871         33,094       32,223       1,717       5.3

Amortization of intangible assets

    18,847       4,712           —         4,712       14,135       300.0

Transaction related costs(1)

    —         5,769           3,685       9,454       (9,454     (100.0 )% 

Foreign currency (gains) losses(2)

    (2,039     (395         1,680       1,285       (3,324     (258.7 )% 

Loss (gain) on disposal of assets(3)

    2,227       582           (7     575       1,652       287.3

Tax benefit from transaction related costs(4)

    —         —             (15,861     (15,861     15,861       (100.0 )% 
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income

  $ 52,975       9,797           22,591       32,388       20,587       63.6
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Net Income Margin(5)

    14.7     11.4         13.4     12.7                     
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

(1)

Transaction related costs include professional services fees totaling $9.2 million and compensation expense for bonuses paid to certain employees for services rendered in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition totaling $0.3 million.

(2)

Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains and losses include the effect of fair market value changes of forward contracts and remeasurement of U.S. dollar-denominated accounts to foreign currency

(3)

Loss (gain) from disposal of fixed assets mainly resulted from moving to permanent locations and consolidation of sites in the United States

(4)

Tax benefit recognized for transaction related costs deducted for tax purposes but not attributable to either the Predecessor or Successor period and therefore expense recognized “on the line.”

(5)

Adjusted Net Income Margin represents Adjusted Net Income divided by service revenue

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

EBITDA is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents net income or loss for the period before the impact of the benefit from or provision for income taxes, financing expenses, depreciation, and amortization of intangible assets. EBITDA eliminates potential differences in performance caused by variations in capital structures (affecting financing expenses), tax positions (such as the availability of net operating losses against which to relieve taxable profits), the cost and age of tangible assets (affecting relative depreciation expense) and the extent to which intangible assets are identifiable (affecting relative amortization expense).

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP profitability measure that represents EBITDA before certain items that are considered to hinder comparison of the performance of our businesses on a period-over-period basis or with other businesses. During the periods presented, we exclude from Adjusted EBITDA transaction related costs associated with the Blackstone Acquisition, the effect of foreign currency gains and losses, losses from disposals of fixed assets, and accelerated expense for certain unamortized debt financing costs related to the settlement of the 2018 Credit Facility, which include costs that are required to be expensed in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes that the inclusion of supplementary adjustments to EBITDA applied in presenting Adjusted EBITDA are appropriate to provide additional information to investors about certain material non-cash items and about unusual items that we do not expect to continue at the same level in the future.

 

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The following table reconciles net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

 

    Successor           Predecessor                    
    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
    Full Year
2018

(unaudited)
    Period over
Period
Change ($)
    Period over
Period
Change (%)
 
(in thousands, except margin amounts)                                          

Net income (loss)

  $ 33,940       (871         33,094       32,223       1,717       5.3

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

    (4,411     3,379           (8,952     (5,573     1,162       (20.9 )% 

Financing expenses(1)

    7,351       1,527           511       2,038       5,313       260.7

Depreciation

    16,329       3,653           8,583       12,236       4,093       33.5

Amortization of intangible assets

    18,847       4,712           —         4,712       14,135       300.0
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EBITDA

    72,056       12,400           33,236       45,636       26,420       57.9

Transaction related costs(2)

    —         5,769           3,685       9,454       (9,454     (100.0 )% 

Foreign currency (gains) losses(3)

    (2,039     (395         1,680       1,285       (3,324     (258.7 )% 

Loss (gain) from disposals of fixed assets(4)

    2,227       582           (7     575       1,652       287.3

Settlement of 2018 Credit Facility(5)

    1,995       —             —         —         1,995       100.0
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 74,239       18,356           38,594       56,950       17,289       30.4
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA Margin(6)

    20.6     21.4         22.9     22.4                                      
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

(1)

Financing expenses include interest expense, commitment fees on undrawn amounts, and debt financing costs related to our 2018 Credit Facility and 2019 Credit Facilities. For the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor), we accelerated expense recognition for certain debt financing costs upon settlement of our 2018 Credit Facility, which were included in financing expenses in our consolidated statements of operations, but which have been separately included as a non-recurring adjustment to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA.

(2)

Transaction related costs include professional services fees totaling $9.2 million and compensation expense for bonuses paid to certain employees for services rendered in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition totaling $0.3 million.

(3)

Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains and losses include the effect of fair market value changes of forward contracts and remeasurement of U.S. dollar-denominated accounts to foreign currency.

(4)

Loss (gain) from disposal of fixed assets mainly resulted from moving to permanent locations and consolidation of sites in the United States.

(5)

Debt financing costs for which expense was accelerated upon settlement of our 2018 Credit Agreement.

(6)

Adjusted EBITDA Margin represents Adjusted EBITDA divided by service revenue.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2019, our principal sources of liquidity were cash and cash equivalents totaling $37.5 million, which were held for working capital purposes, as well as the available balance of our 2019 Credit Facilities, described further below. During the years ended December 31, 2019, and 2018, we have made investments in supporting the growth of our business, which were enabled in part by our positive cash flows from operations during these periods. We expect to continue to make similar investments in the future.

We have financed our operations primarily through cash received from operations. We believe our existing cash and cash equivalents, our 2019 Credit Facilities, and the proceeds from this offering will be sufficient to meet our working capital and capital expenditure needs for at least the next 12 months. Our future capital requirements will depend on several factors, including but not limited to our obligation to repay any amounts outstanding under our 2019 Credit Facilities, our revenue growth rate, timing of client billing and collections, the

 

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timing of expansion into new geographies, variability in the cost of delivering services in our geographies, the timing and extent of spending on technology innovation, the extent of our sales and marketing activities, and the introduction of new and enhanced service offerings and the continuing market adoption of our platform.

To the extent additional funds are necessary to meet our long-term liquidity needs as we continue to execute our business strategy, we anticipate that they will be obtained through the incurrence of additional indebtedness, additional equity financings or a combination of these potential sources of funds; however, such financing may not be available on favorable terms, or at all. In particular, the widespread COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in, and may continue to result in, significant disruption of global financial markets, reducing our ability to access capital. If we are unable to raise additional funds when desired, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Although we are not currently a party to any material definitive agreement regarding potential investments in, or acquisitions of, complementary businesses, applications or technologies, we may enter into these types of arrangements, which could reduce our cash and cash equivalents, require us to seek additional equity or debt financing or repatriate cash generated by our international operations that could cause us to incur withholding taxes on any distributions. Additional funds from financing arrangements may not be available on terms favorable to us or at all.

As market conditions warrant, we and certain of our equity holders, including our Sponsor and their respective affiliates, may from time to time seek to purchase our outstanding debt securities or loans, including the notes and borrowings under our 2019 Credit Facilities, in privately negotiated or open market transactions, by tender offer or otherwise. Subject to any applicable limitations contained in the agreements governing our indebtedness, any purchases made by us may be funded by the use of cash on our balance sheet or the incurrence of new secured or unsecured debt, including borrowings under our credit facilities. The amounts involved in any such purchase transactions, individually or in the aggregate, may be material. Any such purchases may be with respect to a substantial amount of a particular class or series of debt, with the attendant reduction in the trading liquidity of such class or series. In addition, any such purchases made at prices below the “adjusted issue price” (as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) may result in taxable cancellation of indebtedness income to us, which amounts may be material, and in related adverse tax consequences to us.

Indebtedness

As of December 31, 2019, our total indebtedness was $207.3 million, with up to $40 million of available borrowings under our revolving credit facility. See Note 8 Long-Term Debt (Successor) in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this prospectus for additional information regarding our debt.

2019 Credit Agreement

On September 25, 2019, we entered into a credit agreement (the “2019 Credit Agreement”) that included a $210 million term loan (the “Term Loan Facility”) and a $40 million revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility” and, together with the Term Loan Facility, the “2019 Credit Facilities”). The Revolving Credit Facility includes a letter of credit sub-facility of up to $15.0 million, and the 2019 Credit Facilities include an uncommitted incremental facility, which, subject to certain conditions, would provide for additional term loan facilities, an increase in commitments under the Term Loan Facility and/or an increase in commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility, in an aggregate amount of up to $75.0 million (which may increase based on consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the 2019 Credit Agreement)) plus additional amounts based on achievement of a certain consolidated total net leverage ratio.

Our borrowings under the 2019 Credit Facilities bear interest, at our option, at a rate of either (a) a Eurocurrency Rate, defined as LIBOR, subject to a 0.00% floor, plus 2.25% per annum or (b) a Base Rate, defined as the greatest of (i) the prime rate, (ii) the federal funds rate plus one half of 1.00% and (iii) the sum of

 

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one-month LIBOR plus 1.00%, subject to a floor of 1.00%, plus 1.25% per annum, and in each case subject to certain adjustments and exceptions. We have elected to pay interest on our borrowings under the 2019 Credit Facilities based on the Eurocurrency Rate, except that any borrowings under the swing line provided for in the 2019 Credit Agreement will be subject to the Base Rate.

The Term Loan Facility matures on September 24, 2024 and requires quarterly principal payments of 0.25% of the original principal amount per quarter through September 30, 2020, 0.625% of the original principal amount through September 30, 2021, 1.25% of the original principal amount through September 30, 2022, 1.875% of the original principal amount through September 30, 2023 and 2.50% of the original principal amount thereafter, with any remaining principal due in a lump sum at the maturity date. Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility are subject to the same interest rate as the Term Loan Facility, with the exception of the swing line borrowings which are always subject to the Base Rate. As of December 31, 2019, $207.3 million was outstanding under the Term Loan Facility.

The Revolving Credit Facility matures on September 24, 2024 and requires a commitment fee of 0.4% of undrawn commitments also to be paid quarterly in arrears. As of December 31, 2019, there were no outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility.

The 2019 Credit Agreement contains certain affirmative and negative covenants applicable to us and our restricted subsidiaries, including, among other things, limitations on our Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the 2019 Credit Agreement) and restrictions on changes in the nature of our business, acquisitions and other investments, indebtedness, liens, fundamental changes, dispositions, prepayment of other indebtedness, repurchases of stock, cash dividends, and other distributions. The 2019 Credit Facilities are guaranteed by our material domestic subsidiaries and are secured by substantially all of our tangible and intangible assets, including our intellectual property, and the equity interests of our subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions.

For additional information regarding the 2019 Credit Agreement and the 2019 Credit Facilities, see “Description of Certain Indebtedness.”

2018 Credit Agreement

On October 1, 2018, we entered into a credit agreement (the “2018 Credit Agreement”) that included a $85 million term loan, a $15 million delayed draw term loan, and a $20 million revolving credit facility (together, the “2018 Credit Facility”). As of December 31, 2018, no funds had been drawn under the delayed draw term loan and there were no outstanding borrowings on the revolver facility. As of September 25, 2019, we entered into a new credit agreement and the total outstanding debt under the 2018 Credit Agreement of $84.6 million was fully settled. The remaining unamortized discounts of $1.6 million and deferred financing costs of $0.4 million were charged to interest expense.

 

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Cash Flows

The following table presents a summary of our consolidated cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities for the periods indicated.

 

    Successor           Predecessor  
    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
          January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
 
(in thousands)                        

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

  $ 45,204       (43,597         35,440  

Net cash used in investing activities

    (21,460     (305,251         (19,282

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    (12,810     351,598           (1,111
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Increase in cash and cash equivalents

    10,934       2,750           15,047  

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

    1,326       821           (12,612

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period

    25,281       21,710           19,275  
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period

  $ 37,541       25,281           21,710  
 

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor) was $45.2 million compared to net cash used in operating activities of $43.6 million for the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and net cash provided by operating activities of $35.4 million for the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor). Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 reflects the add back for non-cash charges including $16.3 million in depreciation including additional purchases of fixed assets to support growth and expansion and $18.8 million of amortization as a result of the Blackstone Acquisition, offset by changes in operating assets and liabilities primarily driven by a $13.0 million change in accounts receivable due to higher service revenues.

Net cash used in operating activities for the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) consisted of cash provided of $0.9 million in net loss, adjusted for non-cash charges including $3.7 million in depreciation and $0.1 million of amortization, offset by changes in operating assets and liabilities primarily driven by a $44.9 million change in accrued payroll and employee related liabilities due to the phantom stock payout in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition, Net cash provided from operating activities for the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) comprised cash provided of $33.1 million in net income, adjusted for non-cash charges including $8.6 million in depreciation, offset by changes in operating assets and liabilities primarily driven by a $18.6 million change in accounts receivable due to higher service revenues.

Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor) was $21.5 million compared to net cash used in investing activities of $305.3 million for the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) and $19.3 million for the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor). Net cash used from investing activities primarily consisted of capital expenditures for operational equipment except for the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 which also included $298.9 million in net cash used for business acquisition costs.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor) was $12.8 million compared to net cash provided by financing activities of $351.6 million for the period from October 1 through

 

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December 31, 2018 (Successor) and net cash used in financing activities of $1.1 million for the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor). Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor) consisted of cash proceeds from long-term debt of $125.4 million, offset by cash used in the distribution of dividends of $135.0 million.

Net cash provided by financing activities for the period from October 1 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) comprised cash proceeds from long-term debt of $85.0 million and common stock issuance of $268.6 million due to the Blackstone Acquisition. Net cash used in financing activities for the period from January 1 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) was comprised solely of cash used for payments on long-term debt of $1.1 million.

Contractual Obligations

Our principal commitments consist of obligations for outstanding debt and leases for our office space. The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2019:

 

     Payments Due by Period  
     Total      Less than
1 year
     1-3 years      3-5 years      More than
5 years
 
(in thousands)                                   

Long-term debt obligations

     209,476        2,888        18,376        188,212        —    

Operating lease obligations

     27,520        9,144        14,146        4,230        —    

Technology solution obligations

     8,646        3,960        4,686        —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     245,642        15,992        37,208        192,442        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Technology solution obligations relate mainly to third-party cloud infrastructure agreements and subscription arrangements used to facilitate our operations at the enterprise level. If we fail to meet the minimum user or license commitment during any year, we are required to pay the difference.

In addition, in the ordinary course of business, we enter into agreements of varying scope and terms pursuant to which we agree to indemnify clients, vendors and other business partners with respect to certain matters, including, but not limited to, losses arising out of breach of such agreements, services to be provided by us or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties. We have not included any such indemnification provisions in the contractual obligations table above. Historically, we have not experienced significant losses on these types of indemnification obligations.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, we did not have any relationships with special purpose or variable interest entities or other which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other off-balance sheet arrangements.

Public Company Costs

Upon consummation of our initial public offering, we will become a public company, and our shares of common stock will be publicly traded on the                 . As a result, we will need to comply with new laws, regulations and requirements that we did not need to comply with as a private company, including provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, other applicable SEC regulations and the requirements of the                 . Compliance with the requirements of being a public company will require us to increase our general and administrative expenses in order to pay our employees, legal counsel and independent registered public accountants to assist us in, among other things, instituting and monitoring a more comprehensive compliance and board governance function, establishing and maintaining internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of

 

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the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and preparing and distributing periodic public reports in compliance with our obligations under the federal securities laws. In addition, as a public company, it will be more expensive for us to obtain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

JOBS Act Accounting Election

We qualify as an emerging growth company pursuant to the provisions of the JOBS Act. The JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company like us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We have elected to use the extended transition period until we are no longer an emerging growth company or until we choose to affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the US. The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, costs and expenses, provision for income taxes, and related disclosures. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Changes in accounting estimates are reasonably likely to occur from period to period. Accordingly, actual results could differ significantly from the estimates made by our management. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our future financial statement presentation, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows will be affected.

We believe that the following critical accounting policies involve a greater degree of judgment or complexity than our other accounting policies. Accordingly, these are the policies we believe are the most critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our consolidated financial condition and results of operations.

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenue as services are performed and amounts are earned. Determining the method and amount of revenue to recognize requires us, at times, to make judgments and estimates. Specifically, we apply judgments in determining whether performance obligations are satisfied over-time and the method to measure progress towards completion. Additionally, the nature of our contracts gives rise to several types of variable consideration, including estimates on collectability, discounts, and client credits. Some contracts may include incentives or penalties related to costs incurred, benefits produced or adherence to schedules that may increase the variability in service revenues and margins earned on such contracts. Our estimates are monitored over the lives of our contracts and are based on an assessment of our anticipated performance, historical experience and other information available at the time.

Goodwill Impairment

Goodwill is the amount by which the cost of the acquired net assets in a business combination exceeds the fair value of the identifiable net assets on the date of purchase. Goodwill is not amortized.

We review goodwill for impairment annually on December 31, or more frequently when events or circumstances indicate goodwill may be impaired. We initially assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more-likely-than-not that the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount (“Step 0”). If determined that it is more-likely-than-not the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, a quantitative assessment is

 

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performed, whereby the fair value of reporting units is estimated using a combination of the income approach, using a discounted cash flow methodology, and a market approach (“Step 1”). The determination of discounted cash flows is based on our strategic plans and market conditions. If the fair value exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill is not considered to be impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds its fair value, an impairment charge is recorded in an amount equal to that excess, but not more than the carrying value of goodwill. Under FASB Topic ASC 350 Intangibles—Goodwill and Other, entities have an unconditional option to bypass the qualitative assessment described in the preceding sentences for any reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to performing the quantitative goodwill impairment test. An entity may resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period.

As of December 31, 2018, based on the qualitative assessment of our business performance and market conditions as compared to the recording of goodwill upon the Blackstone Acquisition, management concluded under Step 0 of the goodwill impairment model that our singular reporting unit was not at risk of failing Step 1. As of December 31, 2019, based on the qualitative assessment of our business performance and market conditions as compared to the recording of goodwill upon the Blackstone Acquisition, management concluded under Step 0 of the goodwill impairment model that our singular reporting unit was not at risk of failing Step 1.

Share-based Compensation

We account for our stock-based awards in accordance with provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). For equity awards, total compensation cost is based on the grant date fair value. For liability awards, total compensation cost is based on the fair value of the award on the date the award is granted and its remeasured value at each reporting date until its settlement. Awards granted to employees contain service, performance and market criteria. For unvested awards with performance vesting features, we assess the probability of attaining the performance trigger at each reporting period. Awards that are deemed probable of attainment are recognized in expense over the requisite service period of the grant using a graded vesting model. We account for forfeitures as they occur.

Determining the fair value of our option awards at the grant date requires judgement. Given the absence of an active market for our common stock, the board of directors was required to estimate the fair value of our common stock at the time of each option grant based on several factors, including consideration of input from management and third-party valuations. Management has considered numerous objective and subjective factors to determine the best estimate of the fair value of our common stock, including:

 

   

our operating and financial performance – both historical and projected;

 

   

current business conditions and projections;

 

   

the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event such as an initial public offering or sale of our company;

 

   

the lack of marketability of our shares;

 

   

the market performance of comparable publicly traded companies and guideline transactions; and

 

   

the overall macroeconomic environment.

The value of the common shares was then used as an input to the option valuation. We value our options using an option pricing framework, with a combination of Monte Carlo simulation and Black-Scholes model. A Monte Carlo simulation was first used to determine the number of options eligible for vesting, then a Black-Scholes model was used to estimate the value for the vested options given the simulated scenario, with the assumption that vested options will be exercised at the mid-point from the vesting date to its maturity date. Key assumptions in performing the option valuation include the expected time to liquidity event, total equity value, value per common share, the discount for lack of marketability to be applied to the common shares, and volatility of the common shares.

 

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Independent valuations were performed as of September 30, 2020, December 10, 2019 and April 16, 2019 to assist management in determining the fair value of the common stock and option awards granted pursuant to ASC 718 as described further below:

 

    

September 30, 2020

  

December 10, 2019

  

April 16, 2019

Valuation methodology for the fair value of the common stock    Probability weighted expected return method(1)    Income and market approach(2)    Blackstone Acquisition(3)

Dividend yield (%)

   0.0%    0.0%    0.0%

Expected volatility (%)

   35.0%    35.0%    29.0%

Risk-free interest rate (%)

   0.1% - 0.25%(1)    1.7%    2.4%

Expected time to liquidity (years)

   0.5 - 4.5(1)    5    5

Discount for lack of marketability (%)

   8.0% - 16.0%(1)    20.0%    N/A(3)

 

(1)

We determined the equity value of our business as of September 30, 2020 using the probability-weighted expected return method (“PWERM”) approach, which assigns probabilities to different exit scenarios and drove the range of assumptions shown in the table above. The PWERM was determined to be an appropriate valuation methodology because we revised our expectations about the possibility of a near-term exit, as we had recently engaged underwriters in contemplation of this offering. In addition to this offering, the PWERM also contemplated a potential acquisition of us and the continued operation as a private company with a deferred exit. The inclusion of revised expectations for near term exit resulted in a significant increase in value as of September 30, 2020 as compared to prior periods.

 

(2)

We used a combination of the income and market approach based on the presumption that the Company would continue to operate as a private company.

 

(3)

We used the fair value of shares of our common stock as imputed from the Blackstone Acquisition on October 1, 2018 for estimate of the grant date fair value on April 16, 2019. We determined that there had been no significant or material changes to the operations or economic trends since the Blackstone Acquisition such that this continued to be our best estimate of fair value of the common shares.

Once a public trading market for our common stock has been established in connection with the consummation of this offering, it will no longer be necessary for our board of directors or management to estimate the fair value of our common stock in connection with our accounting for granted stock options, as the fair value of our common stock will be determined based on its trading price on the                .

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statements carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. We recognize the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

For additional information regarding recent accounting pronouncements adopted and under evaluation, refer to Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this prospectus.

 

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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Our activities expose us to a variety of financial risks: market risk (includes foreign currency), interest rate risk and credit risk.

Foreign Currency Risk

Our exposure to market risk arises principally from exchange rate risk. Although substantially all of our revenues are denominated in U.S. dollars, a substantial portion of our expenses were incurred and paid in the Philippine peso in the year ended December 31, 2019. We also incur expenses in U.S. dollars, and currencies of the other countries in which we have operations. The exchange rates among the Philippine peso and the U.S. dollar have changed substantially in recent years and may fluctuate substantially in the future.

The average exchange rate of the Philippine peso against the U.S. dollar decreased from 52.67 pesos during the year ended December 31, 2018 to 51.78 pesos during the year ended December 31, 2019, representing an appreciation of the Philippine peso of 1.7%. Based upon our level of operations during the year ended December 31, 2019 and excluding any forward contract arrangements that we had in place during that period, a 10% appreciation/depreciation in the Philippine Peso against the U.S. dollar would have increased or decreased our expenses incurred and paid in the Philippine Peso by approximately $14.6 million or $11.9 million, respectively, in the year ended December 31, 2019.

In order to mitigate our exposure to foreign currency fluctuation risks and minimize the earnings and cash flow volatility associated with forecasted transactions denominated in certain foreign currencies, we enter into foreign currency forward contracts. These derivatives do not qualify as fair value hedges under ASC No. Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). Changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recognized in the consolidated statements of income (loss) and are included in other expense. These contracts must be settled on the day of maturity or may be canceled subject to the receipts or payments of any gains or losses respectively, equal to the difference between the contract exchange rate and the market exchange rate on the date of cancellation. We do not enter into foreign currency forward contracts for speculative or trading purposes.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), we realized gains of $2.5 million, $0.5 million and $0.9 million, respectively, resulting from the settlement of forward contracts were included within other expense.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), we had outstanding forward contracts. The forward contract receivable resulting from change in fair value was recorded under other current assets. For the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), the unrealized gains on the forward contracts of $1.1 million, $1.8 million, and $2.0 million, respectively, were included within other expense.

We also enter into foreign currency exchange rate contracts to economically hedge our intercompany balances and other monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than functional currencies. These derivatives do not qualify as fair value hedges under ASC No. Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). Changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recognized in the consolidated statements of income and are included in foreign exchange gain/(loss). These derivative instruments do not subject us to material balance sheet risk due to exchange rate movements because gains and losses on the settlement of these derivatives are intended to offset revaluation losses and gains on the assets and liabilities being hedged.

 

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Interest Rate Risk

Our exposure to market risk is influenced by the changes in interest rates paid on any outstanding balance on our borrowings, mainly under our 2019 Credit Facilities. All of our borrowings outstanding under the 2019 Credit Facilities as of December 31, 2019 accrue interest at LIBOR plus 2.25%. We entered into our 2019 Credit Facilities on September 25, 2019 and incurred interest expense of $2.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Fluctuations due to interest rates may be more significant in future annual periods.

Credit Risk

As of December 31, 2019, we had accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, of $58.0 million, of which $21.4 million was owed by three of our clients. Collectively, our top three clients represented greater than 30% of our accounts receivable as of December 31, 2019. The same three clients represented 51% of our service revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

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BUSINESS

Overview

Technology is changing the world and this transformation is being led by the Digital Economy, an expanding set of modern companies using a combination of internet, cloud and mobile infrastructure to deliver economic value to consumers. These companies are responsible for revolutionizing many aspects of our daily lives, including the ways in which we socialize, shop, dine, date, travel and invest.

The impact of the Digital Economy has also radically altered the market landscape. As of September 30, 2020, technology companies represented 66% of the total market capitalization of the world’s twenty most highly valued public companies, up from just 16% in 2010. In the global private markets, as of September 2020, there were more than 580 unicorns, including more than 30 decacorns, as compared to 80 unicorns and eight decacorns as of January 2015.

These high growth companies are focused on developing new products or services and often lack the desire, expertise, scale and/or geographic presence to build the operational infrastructure to support their growth. We are the outsourcing partner of choice for many of the most disruptive brands in the world because we deliver the human capital, process expertise, and enabling technologies to meet their outsourcing needs. We help support the growth of our innovative clients by providing technology-enabled outsourcing solutions purpose-built for the Digital Economy.

TaskUs presents a diversified opportunity to participate in the growth of the Digital Economy and has a strong track record of profitability.

We are a digital outsourcer, focused on serving high-growth technology companies to represent, protect and grow their brands. We serve our clients to support their end customers’ urgent needs, navigate an increasingly-complex compliance landscape, and handle sensitive tasks, including online content moderation. As of December 31, 2019, we had over 90 clients spanning numerous industry segments within the Digital Economy, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ride sharing, HiTech, FinTech and HealthTech. Between 2019 and 2023, the verticals we prioritize are projected to grow at a CAGR of 18%.

As our clients grow, we are the beneficiary of increased outsourcing volumes and incremental revenue as we enable our clients to focus on their core businesses. Between 2017 and 2019, our current clients with publicly disclosed financials grew their revenue at an estimated unweighted average CAGR of 37%. Over the same period, TaskUs achieved a revenue CAGR of 75% as we grew with our existing clients and added several new clients.

Our global, omni-channel delivery model is focused on providing our clients three key services – Digital Customer Experience, Content Security and AI Operations. 85% of our revenue in 2019 was delivered from non-voice, digital channels. Non-voice channels allow us to utilize resources efficiently, thereby driving higher profitability.

 

LOGO

 

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Our differentiated set of digitally focused service offerings are leveraged by many of the world’s most iconic technology brands, including Zoom, Netflix, Uber, Coinbase and Oscar.

Our Digital Customer Experience offerings serve the needs of the modern consumer, whose habits have drastically changed in the past decade and revolve around the smartphone. Whether it’s an app being used to deliver food instantly, securely buy and sell stocks or stream their favorite shows, it is easy to forget that these pocket luxuries were nascent or nonexistent ten years ago. Each of these are examples of emerging industries that have become strategic growth drivers for TaskUs. In particular, Zoom, Netflix, Uber, Coinbase and Oscar are representative clients in HiTech, streaming media, food delivery and ride sharing, FinTech and HealthTech verticals, each of which turned to us when it faced logistical challenges during its rapid growth cycle.

With the explosive growth of user-generated content and social media, issues of censorship, community moderation and foreign interference in democratic election processes have become some of the most important socio-political issues of our time. Our Content Security offerings include content monitoring and moderation services, the need for which is increasingly critical to protect the sanctity of the open internet. Our AI Operations offerings include providing high quality, human-annotated data sets and algorithm training services to our clients as they navigate significant increases in the prevalence of disruptive AI technology.

We have a track record of using thesis-led prospecting strategies to identify attractive and emerging industry segments in their infancy, win marquee clients and establish thought leadership and operating best practices. For example, our clients include three of the top four social media sites, the top audio and top video streaming service provider, three of the top four food delivery apps and twelve disruptive FinTech companies. Our early-mover position and the willingness of our clients to serve as references have had a snowball effect in winning additional new clients, which continues to reinforce our market leadership.

Our agile and responsive operational model allows us to selectively target high-potential clients who have never outsourced before. Since 2017, over 50 of our clients trusted TaskUs to be their first outsourcer in our areas of service, driven by their understanding that we have the rare ability to support clients on their journey from startup to global enterprise.

Our delivery model is tailored to meet the needs of high-growth companies. Our cloud-based technology infrastructure is designed to enable clients to set up operations quickly and seamlessly and allows clients to outsource many of their core processes at earlier stages of their company lifecycle. We prioritize data science and process automation to achieve technology-driven efficiency gains. We continually analyze massive amounts of data obtained from customer interactions we manage for our clients. We leverage these insights and end customer-driven feedback to drive workflow efficiencies, deliver insights on predictive behaviors that lead to lower customer churn and help our clients innovate their core product offerings and develop new product features.

At TaskUs, culture is at the heart of everything we do.

Our Co-Founders, who started TaskUs twelve years ago and still lead us today, believe that serving frontline employees helps us better serve our clients. As we have expanded across the globe, we strive to champion our Co-Founders’ vision of operational excellence through an employee-centric culture at every site. As of September 30, 2020, we had approximately 20,300 employees across eighteen locations in seven countries. In 2019, our employee net promoter score (eNPS) was 61, and 71% of our employees who participated rated us 9 or 10 on a scale of 10. Glassdoor ranked us number 40 on their 2019 Best Places to Work list among U.S. employers with at least 1,000 employees and we held a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0 as of September 30, 2020.

Many of the companies operating in the Digital Economy are well-known for their obsession with creating a world-class employee experience. We believe clients choose TaskUs in part because they view our company culture as aligned with their own, which enables us to act as a natural extension of their brands and gives us an

 

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advantage in the recruitment of highly engaged frontline teammates who produce better results. We use eNPS and client net promoter scores (cNPS) to measure the satisfaction each group has with TaskUs. In December 2019, our cNPS was 67. We believe both our eNPS and cNPS metrics to be industry-leading. For example, our eNPS score of 61 is over four times higher than the average organization based on a 2019 survey by QuestionPro Workforce and our cNPS of 67 is over 2.5 times higher than the average IT service provider based on a 2019 industry benchmark study by ClearlyRated.

Recurring revenue model with a track record of high growth and profitability at scale.

 

 

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*

2018 refers to Full Year 2018 (as defined above).

We believe that we have delivered industry-leading growth and profitability. In 2019, over 97% of our revenues came from recurring revenue contracts and we achieved a net revenue retention rate of 139% in 2019. In 2019, we delivered revenue of $360 million, net income of $34 million at a net income margin of 9.4%, Adjusted Net Income of $53 million at an Adjusted Net Income Margin of 14.7% and Adjusted EBITDA of $74 million at an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 20.6%. From 2017 to 2019, our revenue grew organically at a 75% CAGR, our net income grew at a 94% CAGR, and our Adjusted EBITDA grew at a 88% CAGR. In addition, the number of clients who generated $500,000 or more in annual revenue during a fiscal year and who were our clients at the end of that fiscal year also increased over this period from 40 clients in 2017, to 49 clients in 2018 and 57 clients in 2019, representing 89%, 95% and 96% of our total revenue for 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. This represents growth due to both existing and new clients.

For reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income Margin to the most directly comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, information about why we consider such measures useful and a discussion of the material risks and limitations of these measures, please see “Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Market Opportunity

The aggregate size of our market opportunity is over $100 billion, and consists of the following service offerings:

Digital Customer Experience: IDC estimates that global customer care outsourcing services spend will be $77 billion in 2020. Unlike many traditional outsourced providers, whose voice-based solutions largely cater to telecommunications, cable and financial services companies, we focus on the fast growing digitally enabled consumer brands and traditional players catering to their customers in multiple channels. According to Everest Group, the digital customer experience market is projected to grow at a 20-25% CAGR from 2018 to 2021 and will continue to drive overall industry growth.

 

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Content Security: According to Domo, every minute, Facebook users upload 147,000 photos, Instagram users post 347,222 stories and YouTube users upload 500 hours of video. JC Market Research estimates that the content moderation solutions market is $5.3 billion in 2020. Further, Everest Group estimates that the market will grow at a CAGR of 40-50% from 2016 to 2021.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Operations: The development of Artificial Intelligence technology often requires massive amounts of data that has been annotated by human experts and must be refined through ongoing manual training. These factors have significantly contributed to the growth of the AI services market, which includes data labelling and algorithm training. IDC predicts that the worldwide AI services market will grow from $18.4 billion in 2020 to $37.8 billion in 2024 at a CAGR of 20% over the four year period.

 

 

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Sources:

Everest Group (Digital CX and Content Security); IDC, Worldwide Artificial Intelligence Services Forecast, 4 year CAGR from 2020-2024, August 2020 (AI Services).

Our strategy is to target the intersection of these high growth service offerings across attractive vertical markets in the Digital Economy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Digital Economy accounted for 9% of U.S. gross domestic product in 2018, or $1.8 trillion, and grew at four times the rate of overall U.S. economic growth from 2006 to 2018.

 

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The vertical markets we prioritize are projected to grow at an unweighted average CAGR of 18% from 2019 to 2023.

 

 

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Sources:

The Business Research Company; TechSci Research; Technavio; Allied Market Research; and eMarketer.

Key Industry Trends

As technology and the internet have fundamentally transformed the way consumers seek to engage with their favorite brands, a number of trends have emerged that benefit our clients and increase their demand for our solutions, including:

Rapid growth in the Digital Economy: New and emerging digital trends such as IoT, cloud computing, mobile web services and AI are radically changing the business ecosystem and creating new opportunities for economic growth. Their success is evidenced by the rise in the volume of technology initial public offerings along with venture capital and private equity investments over the past 10 years. These companies have leveraged technology and low barriers to entry to disrupt traditional markets and experience rapid growth. For some companies, this growth has been further accelerated by COVID-19.

Technology companies are outsourcing at an accelerating pace: As technology companies scale, they must dedicate resources across product development and operations. However, they often lack the physical capacity or desire to develop operational infrastructure internally as they focus on growing their core offerings. As a result, we believe technology companies are increasingly willing to outsource at earlier stages of their lifecycles and are driving outsized growth within the overall outsourcing industry. Additionally, many technology companies have adapted to COVID-19 by allowing employees to work remotely, which we believe has increased their comfort with a less structured work environment and resulted in increased outsourcing opportunities.

Alignment of vendor company culture: We believe that vendor company culture is the number one selection criteria when digital economy companies evaluate outsourcing vendors. Companies understand that consumers increasingly want to feel a personal connection to the brands they interact with. This trend accelerates the need for next-generation outsourcers to act as extensions of their clients’ brands so that end customers receive the personal experiences they desire.

Customer experience is a critical retention and growth lever, rather than a cost center: According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers study on customer experience, 59% of Americans will walk away from a brand they

 

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love after several bad experiences and 17% after just one bad experience. This direct impact of negative experiences on brand affinity coupled with relatively high customer acquisition costs for new economy companies, underscores the importance of active customer retention efforts.

Significant increase in user and advertiser generated content and the need for content moderation: According to Technavio, there were nearly four billion social media users worldwide as of 2020, leading to unprecedented amounts of user generated content. As a result, social media platforms have attracted billions of advertising dollars from a significant number of advertisers. There are regulatory and reputational risks, as well as billions of dollars of revenue streams at stake, for these platforms if sensitive content is not properly moderated with human intervention.

Advancement of AI technologies requires large sets of annotated data: AI use cases are growing quickly and the success of AI companies will be determined in large part by the accuracy of their algorithms, which are inextricably linked to the quality of underlying data sets which must be manually annotated by trained experts. We believe that as AI continues to grow, so too will outsourcing opportunities.

Competitive Strengths

We have distinguished ourselves as a leader in next-generation technology-enabled outsourced services by leveraging several competitive strengths, including:

High Growth Technology Is Not a Segment of Our Business, It Is Our Business: We view technology as a macro trend that transcends all industries, whereas we believe most of our competitors view technology as one of their many client verticals. We have been able to develop deep expertise across several sub-verticals that comprise this high growth market, including food delivery, e-commerce, FinTech and social media. We facilitate millions of interactions between our clients and their respective end customers on a daily basis. We leverage insights from this constant flow of activity to better understand the particular challenges and trends in each niche market, which enables us to drive best practices across our client base. We believe each additional satisfied client enhances our brand’s reputation as the top provider of outsourced services for high growth technology companies.

The following chart shows our percentage of clients by vertical, as of December 31, 2019:

 

 

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Digitally Native: Being a 12-year-old outsourcer means we were “born on the web and grew up in the cloud”, allowing us to enter the market without investing in legacy infrastructure. We are adept at executing work in digital channels such as chat, native in-app messaging, short message service (“SMS”), and social channels. 85% of our revenue in 2019 was delivered from non-voice, digital channels, and our technology infrastructure is cloud-based.

Agility and Responsiveness at Scale: We know how to get the job done—quickly. We move swiftly and we think differently. From the pre-contract engagement of our Project Management Organization to our decentralized “Site ‘CEO’ Model,” we are purposely built for speed to support clients with ever-changing needs. We believe these characteristics provide a differentiated ability to thrive in high growth and large-scale environments. We reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic swiftly, enabling over 90% of our workforce to work-from-home soon after the commencement of lockdowns.

Leadership in Content Security: The growth of social media platforms and the need to secure the user and advertiser generated content on these platforms has led to an explosion in demand for content moderation services. According to JC Market Research, TaskUs is a top five provider by market share in the Global Content Moderation Solutions market. As of September 30, 2020, we had 3,200 front line teammates performing work in Content Security dealing with misinformation, offensive content, and critical policy issues. To care for their health and wellbeing, we have developed the TaskUs Resiliency Studio, a clinician-led and evidence-based psychological health and safety program. We couple this with advanced policy management expertise and an agile product development team focused on tools and innovation. We believe our revenue CAGR of 273% in this service offering from 2017 to 2019 is evidence that our clients view this offering as critical and differentiated.

Employer of Choice: Our culture has been recognized internationally, with accolades such as number 40 on Glassdoor’s 2019 Best Places to Work among large U.S. employers and Platinum Employer of the Year in 2018, according to Investors in People. We believe our eNPS of 61 in 2019 is higher than any other tech-enabled service provider with over 1,000 employees. We believe this not only drives higher quality work and lower attrition, but also enables us to nimbly recruit additional employees to accommodate growth. For example in 2019, 48% of our new hires came from internal referrals, helping us achieve a 99.1% fill rate.

 

 

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Founder-Led, Organic Growth Engine: Our Co-Founders and seasoned management team have meticulously built our employer brand and the agile operating model we rely upon to deliver for high growth clients. They have brought together a world class leadership team of service industry professionals who bring deep domain expertise to support their vision of a next generation services company; one that puts people at the center of its strategy to drive exceptional and sustainable growth. We believe we are the only company in our sector with over $250 million in annual revenues that has grown 100% organically, leading to consistency in operations and culture which provides a strong foundation for future potential growth, organic or inorganic. This strategy has helped TaskUs deliver 75% CAGR in revenues from 2017 to 2019.

 

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Growth Strategy

We intend to continue our accelerated growth trajectory through several attractive and actionable opportunities, including:

Growing with our Current Clients: As of December 31, 2019 we served over 90 of the world’s leading technology companies, and between 2017 and 2019, our current clients with publicly disclosed financials grew their revenue at an estimated unweighted average CAGR of 37%. As our clients’ revenue and scale have grown at rapid rates, so have our outsourcing volumes, revenue and service relationships. Revenue from TaskUs clients who have been with us since 2017 grew by 171% through the end of 2019, based on 40 clients who generated $500,000 or more in revenue for each of those years. In addition, our average annual net revenue retention rate between 2017 and 2019 was 123% and our cNPS score has increased from 37 in 2017 to 67 in December 2019.

Extending Solutions with Current Clients: We have a significant opportunity to enhance the penetration of current services as well as cross-sell new services. As our clients grow in size and the complexity of their outsourcing needs increases, we believe we have an opportunity to increase the addressable spend available to TaskUs. In 2019, our largest client leveraged all three of our primary service offerings and 42 current clients signed new statements of work with us.

We aim to bolster our portfolio of highly complementary service capabilities by integrating consultative expertise, process automation, and technology that further expand our value proposition to clients. Services such as Content Security, which grew at a CAGR of 273% between 2017 and 2019, anti-money laundering, fraud prevention and data science are areas we believe are particularly attractive and highly relevant for our forward-leaning technology client base.

We invest heavily in strategic account management and planning through our Client Services organization to capture this opportunity. We have organized our Client Services organization around our strategic vertical markets to deliver domain expertise, industry insight, and best practices to expand our growth long term and ensure success. These investments more than quadrupled our existing client ACV signings from $21 million in 2017 to $93 million in 2019.

New Client Wins: We are well positioned within multi-billion dollar commercial markets with massive addressable spend opportunities where we focus on culturally aligned, agile companies that plan to scale rapidly. From 2017 to 2019, 40% of our new client wins came from referrals or inbound inquiries. We believe a brand associated with high growth digital disruptors is desired by enterprise-class technology companies wishing to be more agile and looking for a different breed of partner. We plan to take advantage of our brand position and highly effective sales team, modeled after SaaS industry practices, to continue to diversify our client base and add more enterprise-class technology brands to our client list.

Our world-class sales team is organized around new economy industry verticals such as FinTech, On Demand Travel + Transportation, Entertainment + Gaming, Social Media, HiTech, HealthTech and Retail + e-Commerce. We identify emerging industry and funding trends to engage early and work with future market leaders and enterprise-class clients. We engage at the founder and C-suite level and use our experience and references to win new peer clients. We believe this cycle approach establishes credibility, expertise, and scale within a vertical niche, as we found with food delivery. We intend to continue to utilize these tactics to expand and move up-market across current and newly identified industry verticals, or sub-verticals, we consider to have attractive growth prospects.

We had a total of seventeen new clients in 2019, and win rates of 40%. Our new client win rate from 2017-2019 was 36%. We generated an average of approximately $95 million in new client ACV signings annually between 2017 and 2019.    

 

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Expanding Geographically: Global presence and multilingual capabilities are of increasing importance to our multinational clients and potential clients. The number of clients working with TaskUs in multiple geographies more than doubled from 2017 to 2019. In many cases our geographic expansion is driven by specific client requests, such as an online gaming client leading us to Taiwan, supporting a European market launch in Greece, and two social media clients in Ireland and Atlanta, Georgia, respectively. New geographies mean new languages and/or capabilities to offer to our clients and increasing opportunities to win new business. We plan to continue expanding our geographic footprint to drive growth in both existing and new clients.

 

Year

  

Total Sites

  

Countries Entered

  

Total Countries

2017

     9    1 (Mexico)    3

2018

   14    1 (Taiwan )    4

2019

   13    1 (India)    5

2020

   18    2 (Greece, Ireland)    7

Pursuing Opportunistic M&A: We intend to continue to evaluate M&A opportunities to expand into higher value services and add additional capabilities to support our teammates in delivering exceptional service. We intend to opportunistically add technical capabilities, including cognitive AI, process automation and efficiency tools that increase teammate effectiveness. Additionally, we will evaluate opportunities to expand to more premium services and end markets such as anti-money laundering, data and analytics and fraud detection platforms.

Solutions and Services

We work with disruptive technology companies in different stages of their life cycle ranging from high-growth venture capital-backed companies to innovative global public companies. The TaskUs platform is purpose-built and organized around the following three service offerings:

 

   

Digital Customer Experience: Principally consists of omni-channel customer care services primarily delivered through digital (non-voice) channels. Other solutions include customer care services for new product or market launches, trust & safety solutions and customer acquisition solutions.

 

   

Content Security: Principally consists of review and disposition of user and advertiser generated content for purposes which include removal or labeling of policy violating, offensive or misleading content. We are developing and enforcing Content Security policies in several areas including intellectual property, job and commerce postings, objectionable material and political advertising.

 

   

Artificial Intelligence Operations: Principally consists of data labeling, annotation and transcription services performed for the purpose of training and tuning AI algorithms through the process of machine learning.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, Digital Customer Experience, Content Security and Artificial Intelligence Operations represented 57%, 29% and 14%, respectively, of our total service revenue of $359.7 million for the year.

Digital Customer Experience

Our clients in Digital Customer Experience (“Digital CX”) are predominantly online or app-based businesses transforming industries such as ride-sharing, e-commerce, food and grocery delivery, streaming media, and online digital marketplaces. Our digitally native service offerings enable us to utilize lower cost non-voice channels. We leverage chat, social, in-app support, SMS, and in-platform solutions and apply an “automation first” mentality to our client engagements.

 

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Engagement Lifecycle: When we begin a Digital CX engagement, we often lead with our consulting team. They bring deep expertise in channel strategy, tool selection, talent enablement and operations optimization. Once we have established an operating framework, our Implementations and Operations teams are brought in to build the project plan and execute the strategy. We identify the critical key performance indicators (“KPIs”) which define success and provide a roadmap for continuous improvement and implement them in real-time management dashboards. We execute these solutions through our team of highly-trained and dedicated omni-channel service experts, whom we call teammates. We create a deep connection between our teammates and our clients—we become brand ambassadors for our clients and are deeply integrated in their workflows. Their success is our success.

Our Digital Customer Experience solutions include:

Omni-Channel Customer Care: Protecting and maintaining our clients’ brands makes up a significant portion of our Digital CX services. In 2019, 74% of our Digital CX revenues were generated from non-voice channels (compared to 18% and 8% for omni-channel and voice channels, respectively); even our pure voice work is supported by cloud-based infrastructure. This scale and breadth of over a decade of experience gives us a differentiated and mature perspective on how to tailor these channels to our clients. We customize the support experience to the specific client and channel we operate within, across account management, billing and technical support. When built correctly, digital channel support can deliver higher satisfaction, lower cost, and be easier to operate. We use the following operational levers to differentiate our performance for clients:

 

   

Automating for Efficiency in Operations: We are maniacal about driving efficiency; both in our clients’ and our own business. We continually seek opportunities to eliminate simple, rote work so our teammates can deliver higher value services where our clients need them most. For one on-demand transportation client we reviewed thousands of refund requests weekly, increasing costs to our client while creating friction for their customers. After a deep analysis, TaskUs recommended product and business rule changes to allow customers to receive automatic refunds for 100% of the top concession drivers. This allowed the team to focus on those issue types most likely to be unapproved or fraudulent. This ultimately led to a 51% drop in the overall refund rate. We were able to save our client money, improve the end customer experience and repurpose our teammates for higher value work.

 

   

Innovation and Insights: TaskUs has developed a differentiated insights and innovation governance model to help deliver frontline insights and advanced analytics and propose efficiencies through automation. We use data science, near-real-time dashboards and leadership insights—replacing static monthly reporting—to manage the continuous improvement of our programs and create alignment and transparency.

 

   

Culture Builders: Our clients select us in part because of the culture we maintain; specifically, the culture of employee engagement that exists in our operational sites around the world. Evolving marketplace, subscription, and SaaS models have resulted in a clear understanding of customer lifetime value. High-growth technology companies are cognizant that the customer experience they provide is a differentiator and our teammates are an extension of our clients’ respective brands. Tenured and engaged employees deliver better and more consistent results.

New Product or Market Launches: Our clients are often in a high-stakes race to get a new product launched or enter a new market. Through the dozens of clients we have supported in these efforts, we have designed a value-added framework of product and market launch playbooks. This gives us an edge as the go-to-partner for critical new growth initiatives. We operate as an extension of our clients’ in-house teams delivering key market insights, speed and agility, and frontline feedback on the true customer experience so they can adapt and win quickly in new initiatives.

 

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Trust & Safety: Industries including ride-sharing, gaming, online dating, FinTech, and streaming media are forced to spend time addressing bad-actors on their platforms. We position our most skilled teammates to perform the critical support needed to protect end users, detect and eliminate fraud, address unwanted user activity, and manage regulatory compliance. We believe Trust & Safety work allows us to move up-market with our clients, creating greater stickiness and increasing the value of our partnerships.

Customer Acquisition: TaskUs also helps digital disruptors acquire customers. TaskUs supports lead research, lead generation, appointment setting, new customer outreach and activation, retention, and advanced customer conversion from free and low cost subscription/product offerings to one of higher value and profitability. TaskUs’ approach to these services matches our clients’ new economy business models. We are customer experience focused and consultative, looking to add value to the user and secure our clients’ brand perception.

Voice of the Customer: TaskUs leverages its access to a wealth of internal and external customer experience data to provide insights and feedback on customer, process and product operations and policies. Our data science and analytics team assist by building data models for decision making on items such as customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Third-party tools are also utilized to gain additional insights from data outside of day-to-day operations items including social media feedback, product reviews, and industry trends. This service area delivers a more robust 360º view of customer sentiment to uncover strategies to improve the overall experience not often seen from traditional metrics such as customer satisfaction surveys.

TaskUs Digital CX Consulting: In 2016, TaskUs launched its internal consulting arm, TaskUs Consulting Group. The purpose of the initiative was to be able to provide a broader suite of services to our growth-stage clients beyond our day-to-day operational expertise. Clients often need assistance designing their customer experience programs and optimizing their operating environments; many skills they do not have in-house during the early part of their growth journeys. Consulting allows TaskUs to engage early and begin solving problems for clients without a long-term contract.    It also helps us win new clients through deeper understanding of client pain points and desired outcomes. TaskUs Consulting Group offers the following areas of consulting expertise:

 

   

Digital Customer Experience Strategy: customer journey mapping, channel strategy, chat bot and automation strategy.

 

   

Human Capital and Talent Enablement: recruitment profile management, training redesign, knowledge base optimization and re-design.

 

   

Operational Excellence: workflow and process mapping, best practice analysis on workforce, quality and analytics.

 

   

Technology Assessment & Recommendations: Tool evaluation, selection and implementation services.

Digital CX Service Examples:

 

   

Appeasing “hangry” customers across multiple channels to ensure restaurants include the hot sauce, drivers have the gate code, and customers get their Pad Thai before it gets cold.

 

   

Upselling to an advanced package to allow upgraded analytics, promo codes, and automated shipping calculation on one of the world’s leading e-commerce platforms.

 

   

Acquiring advertising customers for a leading music streaming platform, including transaction sizes up to approximately $100,000.

 

   

Resolving billing issues so a dating app power user continues to receive more views of his profile.

 

   

White-glove technical, billing, and account management support for cord-cutting streamers.

 

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Content Security

The rise of apps and social networks has led to an explosion of user-generated content and advertising. According to Domo, every minute, Facebook users upload 147,000 photos, Instagram users post 347,222 stories and YouTube users upload 500 hours of video. To comply with government regulations and advertiser standards, social networks maintain complex platform policies to define what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable content and advertisements. These policies need to be constantly refined in response to emerging threats, evolving vernacular and increasing regulations.

 

   

Government Regulation: For major social networks, not reviewing and removing inappropriate content is simply not an option. There is an ethical and moral imperative, which in recent years has become a legal obligation in some jurisdictions. For example, Germany’s “NetzDG” law imposes massive fines for failing to remove hate speech and extremist content within 24 hours. Other countries, such as France, have instituted similar laws (AVIA Law in 2019).

 

   

Advertiser Sentiment: Advertisers have on multiple occasions pulled advertising dollars from social websites that fail to remove user-generated content they felt endangered their brand image. The “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign saw major advertisers including Unilever, Verizon, Adidas, and Ford pause advertising on Facebook in July 2020, calling for the company to take action to address racism, hate, and disinformation on its platforms.

Content Security Services

Content Security services rely on a combination of AI and human experts to review and remove offensive content. At TaskUs, our Content Security professionals support the development of client AI systems and leverage these systems in many workflows. We have also developed proprietary technology that our Content Security teams use to improve their efficiency and accuracy.

AI can be leveraged effectively to remove text that is commonly understood to be objectionable and images that have previously been marked as offensive. Human Content Security experts step in to discern context, parse novel slang, and identify images that have been modified to intentionally avoid detection. Some forms of content violations can be successfully moderated using AI in the majority of cases, while other forms of violations require significant manual intervention. Sexual images or clearly offensive text is mostly removed in an automated fashion, whereas political advertising manipulation, bullying and hate speech mostly requires manual intervention. As a result of increasingly complex and nuanced policies, decisions are often ambiguous and nuanced, requiring Content Security experts to possess deep domain knowledge as well as broad cultural and market expertise.

As of September 30, 2020, we had 3,200 teammates who together moderated tens of millions of pieces of content each month. We are developing and enforcing Content Security policies in several areas, including intellectual property, job and commerce postings, objectionable material, and political advertising. Our operational leadership teams develop a deep understanding of our clients’ processes and how to apply those policies efficiently and with high accuracy. We have a deep sense of purpose to protect our global society and we believe that content review is an integral part of a safe and open internet.

Highlights of our Content Security service offering include:

TaskUs Resiliency Studio: We view our employees who provide Content Security services as “Digital First Responders.” Most of the content our employees review is not offensive, but even constantly viewing misinformation or conspiracy theories can be challenging. To care for our employees’ well-being, we have developed the TaskUs Resiliency Studio, a clinician-led and evidence-based psychological health and safety program. This approach shapes every step of the employee life cycle:

 

   

Our recruitment process provides transparency about the role and responsibilities, our interview process screens for psychological resiliency.

 

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Our training process prepares employees to recognize the signs of emotional burnout.

 

   

On the job support resources include one-to-one and group counseling sessions.

 

   

Post-employment support that makes these counseling resources available to any former teammate who needs them.

As of September 30, 2020, we had a staff of over 70 clinicians, licensed counselors and wellness professionals who have developed this approach and are responsible for the daily delivery of these services to our employees. We design our Content Security workspaces using advanced neurofeedback techniques to support employee wellbeing and reduce workplace stress. This is in addition to the benefits that TaskUs provides to most of its employees, including healthcare, onsite gyms, onsite daycare, free or subsidized meals, and more.

The area of wellness is of critical importance to our clients, many of whom select vendors in large part based on their wellness and resiliency programs. They score us regularly on the robustness of our programs and our consistency of implementing them versus our competitors.

Global Policy Management: Our Content Security organization partners with our clients to apply best practices to policy development and distribution, product design, quality, and training. As a result of government regulations and cultural norms, major social networks must maintain increasingly distinct content policies in different geographies. These policies are dynamically updated in response to the latest threats and evolving bad actor behavior. TaskUs advises and supports clients’ policy development, and provides distribution and policy training.

Tools and Innovation: The tools used by employees providing Content Security services have a significant impact on efficiency, accuracy and quality. We partner with our clients to customize these toolsets and have developed proprietary technology to improve our own productivity and accuracy. Finally, our quality and training organization reviews employee decisions in an ongoing fashion, in order to close the feedback loop through coaching and performance management.

We intend to continue devoting significant resources to these dedicated Content Security and wellness teams. Our Content Security expertise has helped us to grow our Content Security services revenue from $7.5 million in 2017 to $104.3 million in 2019 at a CAGR of 273%.

Content Security Service Examples:

 

   

Categorizing dozens of different types of political ads, and reviewing the ad landing pages, with greater than 90% accuracy so users know what’s behind the ads they’re seeing.

 

   

Real time monitoring of highly visible live streams to ensure inappropriate content is removed swiftly.

 

   

Reviewing and banning fake “bot” accounts on a dating application.

 

   

Reviewing third party job postings for a hiring site and tagging them for easy searchability.

Artificial Intelligence Operations

Intelligent applications based on Artificial Intelligence are core to the digital economy. AI applications are created by annotating datasets to train an algorithm in a process called Machine Learning. We first began supporting AI applications over a decade ago, including next-generation product development efforts such as transcribing voicemail messages for visual voicemail solutions and manually scoring the sentiment of social media posts for social listening tools. Today, our services have increased in sophistication and complexity as AI applications have evolved.

 

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Our Artificial Intelligence Operations solutions include:

Data Annotation: We build large sets of training data for our clients by annotating videos, photos, audio clips and text based on their policy specifications. The quality of this training data is based on the accuracy of our annotation and plays a large role in the success of the resulting AI algorithm. As AI becomes more sophisticated and its applications become more global it can require data sets that are annotated by people who speak various languages and come from varying backgrounds and cultures. Examples of the applications that Data Annotation powers include:

Computer Vision: Algorithms which allow a computer to “see” the world require millions of labeled images. For mission critical applications such as autonomous vehicles these images often must be labeled down to a single pixel.

Natural Language Processing: To understand the meaning of phrases, algorithms are trained with large sets of written text that has been annotated based on parts of speech, meaning and sentiment.

Video Processing: Understanding videos requires the segmentation and recombination of two distinct training data sets—audio and visual. The audio file must be transcribed and annotated to enable Natural Language Processing and objects in the image files must be tagged to enable Computer Vision.

Sensor Processing: Refining algorithms which make decisions based on sensor data requires annotated sets of sensor data from sources such as the LiDAR systems of autonomous vehicles.

We group our algorithm training services into three phases: learning, generalizing, and predicting. Each of the three phases of development requires distinct support methodologies including quality, training, and knowledge management.

An example of our AI Operations solutions includes the work we do for an autonomous vehicle client. Our team trains AI systems to read common road hazards, such as double-parked cars and slow-moving vehicles, by tagging and labeling millions of data sets. We define clear performance standards within complex data sets to drive efficiency in the process. At the same time, we create a quality review process to quickly identify labeling issues before data is uploaded to the AI to improve our accuracy. With these improvements implemented, tasks can be tracked and monitored for feedback in real-time, driving improved efficiency and cost savings.

Our future vision includes supporting algorithms for facial recognition, teaching new autonomous vehicles like drones to fly, identifying bullying in real-time on live gaming platforms, reading MRIs and x-rays accurately and helping to automatically detect cyber-security attacks; among many others.

AI Operations Service Examples:

 

   

Reviewing images of price tags and stock keeping unit placement on grocery shelves, teaching store-roaming robots to identify items that are out of place

 

   

Tracing and tagging scooters on sidewalks as non-harmful objects to be identified by a LiDAR scanner in a self-driving vehicle

 

   

Tagging and identifying Spanish slang in user posts to better identify cultural trends

 

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Sales and Marketing

 

 

LOGO

  (1)

Deal duration reflects the number of days between the creation of an opportunity in our opportunity management system and when a contract is signed.

In Silicon Valley, Alley, and Beach, we believe TaskUs is known for its work with iconic technology companies. This differentiated brand position has been carefully crafted over the past decade. From our founding days, our sales team has walked the halls of TechCrunch Disrupt, Websummit, and SXSW to meet the seed stage disruptors who could ultimately become growth stage category leaders. We scour funding sources and backchannel through our venture capital and private equity relationships, keeping our finger to the pulse of what’s happening on the ground floor in emerging technology.

With this knowledge, we develop thesis-led prospecting strategies, and apply a multi-faceted pipeline generation process to have conversations with emerging companies, even if they are years away from being ready to engage us. We invite them to our conferences, share value added content and host them at Founders’ Dinners and events in an effort to build genuine relationships as their trusted advisors. We believe our perseverance and dedication have positioned us to be the first call for emerging consumer technology companies on the verge of hyper growth.

The TaskUs sales strategy delivers within our targeted industry verticals through the following methodology:

Verticalized sales approach: We align the sales team to industry verticals for solution consistency, case studies, references, common pain points and industry insight. By focusing on industry verticals, we develop deep domain expertise to better engage with our clients, understand their pain points, and provide superior solutions. Once on-boarded, the client relationship is handed off to our account management organization, known as Client Services, which is organized in a consistent verticalized approach.

We focus on the disruptive tech-based, high-growth industry verticals of large commercial markets. We approach the lifecycle of a vertical by identifying the market, engaging in opportunities, winning marquee clients, expanding within the industry, and moving up-market. In 2019, we achieved a 40% new client win rate for every dollar of ACV we pursued. TaskUs thoughtfully enters new industry verticals, or sub-verticals, when we identify emerging trends. We learn from each client we win and use this knowledge to further refine our sales strategy.

 

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Case study: In 2017, we identified FinTech/digital banking as a major driver of digital outsourcing growth. The sector was expanding rapidly and was largely focused on providing millennials with a digital focused user experience and disrupting legacy methods of financial services. Given our similar digital and disruptive focus, we knew TaskUs was the perfect partner to complement their offerings. We attended industry conferences, engaged leaders in the FinTech space and cultivated C-suite level relationships.

Our efforts bore fruit when a leading crypto currency exchange trusted us with managing their digital customer experience. We have since expanded to multiple digital banks, online lenders and an online brokerage. From the initial digital customer experience work, we have also expanded our portfolio to include up-market, high value work streams like anti-money laundering, know your customer, fraud detection and mitigation and loan processing. Between 2017 and 2019, we achieved a FinTech revenue CAGR of 88%, a testament to our client value proposition.

Franchise Client Focus: We have always been aspirational about working with the biggest and the best in technology. In 2018 we built a focused top prospect list of “Franchises” who we believed were destined to be future leaders in their markets or large enterprises we felt were cultural fits for our services; frankly brands we loved.

In 2018 we won three of the top ten Franchises we identified and landed our first client over $50 million in ACV. In 2019 we won four more of our top ten, including household names such as Netflix. We expanded the list to 22 Franchises in 2020 and have won three of these additional Franchises through September 2020.

Penetrate and Radiate: Excellence in operations earns us trust and the right to take on additional work. Our cNPS score has increased from 37 in 2017 to 67 in 2019, which, based on a 2019 industry benchmark study by ClearlyRated, is over 2.5 times higher than the average IT service provider. Using data science and insights gives us an understanding of new problems to solve for clients. We present proactive proposals in our quarterly business reviews and bring in our consulting teams to look for opportunities for continuous improvement. We believe these approaches unlock additional opportunities for work of greater complexity and importance.

We invest heavily in strategic account management and planning through our Client Services organization to capture this opportunity. We have organized our Client Services organization around our strategic vertical markets to deliver domain expertise, industry insight, and best practices to expand our growth long term with these clients and ensure success. These investments more than quadrupled our existing client ACV signings, from $21 million in 2017 to $93 million in 2019.

 

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LOGO

Community Driven Marketing: Our marketing efforts are focused on leveraging our community and creating an ecosystem where prospects can engage with us and learn about our value proposition.

 

   

CX Summit: Twice a year, we host a conference with hundreds of customer experience professionals, both clients and future clients of TaskUs. The summit features keynote speakers sharing their experiences and best practices, and roundtable discussions where leaders can connect with other leaders.

 

   

Ridiculously Good Dinners: For the past eight years, our Co-Founders have hosted a series of dinners bringing together around 15 founders and C-suite level executives of notable technology companies. We have hosted over 60 dinners with hundreds of high profile attendees.

 

   

Ridiculously Good Events: Events like taking helicopters to SpaceX for a private tour from its Chief Financial Officer or Dallas Cowboys Field Passes are hard to say no to. We invite VIPs in our community to get to know us and each other through unique experiences. We believe these events contribute to significant new opportunities and goodwill with our prospects.

Effective and Highly-Efficient: We maintain an effective and efficient sales operating model by using industry-leading tools and a highly leveraged offshore sales support model.

 

   

World-class sales operations, lead and demand generation, using Salesforce Sales Cloud and Pardot. The TaskUs sales approach is based on modern SaaS industry sales models versus classic outsourcing models which tend to be “top heavy,” with numerous highly paid sales executives that are responsible for all parts of the sales process (demand generation through deal closure) and generally close only one or two deals per year. We believe we have created a scalable sales engine that doesn’t rely on these “rainmakers,” alone, but leverages junior level sales talent developed in-house to create effective sales teams. These teams take advantage of skilled proposal, marketing and demand generation resources offshore for support. We believe this approach lowers the total cost of sales, per dollar of ACV signed, and creates repeatability and sustainability by maintaining the entire sales funnel at all times.

 

   

All non-client facing resources in sales, client services (account management), and marketing are based offshore. Our graphic design, video-editing, proposal management, and lead research teams tap into the immense creative talent and process expertise of the Philippines and India.

 

   

Vertically aligned Business Development Representatives (“BDRs,” also known as inside sales) triage marketing qualified leads, perform outbound outreach to prospects, and generate pipeline while our

 

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Sales Executives and Vice Presidents operate as “capture execs” focusing on deal closure and value delivery. These BDRs have also become the “bench-strength” of our sales and client services teams moving up into more senior roles over time and aligning to our team-based sales culture.

Delivery and Operations

Operations

TaskUs operations are designed to scale rapidly with perpetual experimentation and iteration and a devotion to data-driven decision making. Many of our clients have little to no outsourcing experience. Over 50 of our clients since 2017 turned to TaskUs to be their first outsourcer in our area of service. Given the rapid scale required to keep up with the growth of their businesses, they choose to outsource certain services. Unlike more mature buyers of outsourced services, our clients rarely deliver us a prescriptive playbook for how to run our operations. We understand their objectives and design the most efficient process to meet and exceed these goals. In our June 2020 cNPS Survey, 83% of all respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their programs’ operational performance expectations are regularly met. To deliver to these standards we offer:

 

   

Subject Matter Expertise: We have “SME” teams in each of our primary services—Digital Customer Experience, Content Security and Artificial Intelligence Operations. These SMEs partner with clients to define their objectives, produce product roadmaps, develop policy, training and hiring profiles, calibrate KPIs and spec out data visualization dashboards.

 

   

Project Management Organization: Our “PMO” is the linchpin between sales and operations to ensure client success. TaskUs maintains a dedicated senior team of PMP certified project managers with deep industry expertise who are assigned to every new client and all significant new business expansions with existing clients.

 

   

Modern Service Excellence: We deliver operational excellence to our clients through our differentiated culture of ownership and accountability. We use real-time dashboards and KPI management to meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. Our process discipline has allowed us to achieve multiple certifications and compliance standards including SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA and PCI. The culture and focus on people allows us to retain talent, continuously improve, and gives us an advantage on key people metrics of efficiency, client satisfaction, and low attrition.

 

   

Agile Automation: Our clients are some of the most advanced technology companies in the world. The vast majority of technologies we use are client developed or third party tools. With that said, there are often massive opportunities to improve our efficiency and quality with our own technology. Our Digital Innovation team focuses on rapid prototyping using lightweight technical solutions like browser based extensions, robotic process automation, and productivity and workflow analytics.

 

   

Data Science and Analytics: We build custom data dashboards for each client. These dashboards transparently reveal our metrics—productivity, quality, and employee engagement – down to the teammate level. Our Business Intelligence teams apply data science to client data to drive insights back into our operations in a cycle of continuous improvement.

At the core of our operations are scaled teams of employees, our TaskUs teammates. These individuals ultimately determine the quality of service we provide our clients and, as such, we are obsessive about the standard of our frontline teammates and our team leaders, the first level of management. We have organized our global operating model around individual office locations, referred to as sites. These sites are run by Vice Presidents of Operations, who act as “Site CEOs.”

 

   

Employee Experience and Employer Brand: At TaskUs, we hired approximately 12,000 new employees in 2019. Many of our larger competitors hire tens or even hundreds of thousands of people each year. To deliver to this number of hires many companies in our industry use “push” tactics like sign-on bonuses. At TaskUs we have chosen to invest in the employee experience to attract or “pull”

 

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employees to proactively apply to work at TaskUs. We make these investments strategically based on their anticipated impact to our employees and the likelihood they will be captured and shared on social media (“How Instagramable is this?”). These investments include:

 

   

Creatively designed sites

 

   

On-site gyms, child care facilities and medical clinics

 

   

On-site cafes, many of which provide free or subsidized healthy meals

 

   

On-site events and concerts

 

   

Award trips to tropical destinations (in lieu of cash bonuses)

As of September 30, 2020, we had approximately 821,000 likes of our Facebook page in the Philippines. Some of the media we produce goes viral, with 27 posts that had over 1 million views in 2019 including five posts with over 3 million views, helping create a lifestyle brand which attracts prospective employees to TaskUs. We believe this positions us to attract the best talent and reduces our cost per hire.

 

   

Frontline Teammates: At TaskUs, all leadership and support functions exist to support our Frontline teammates who are delivering for our clients.

 

   

Email the CEO: Our Chief Executive Officer gives out his email to all teammates and personally responds to every teammate email.

 

   

A Day on the Frontline: Our senior leaders embrace spending at least one day a year working on the frontline, performing the job with a teammate.

 

   

Connect15: In response to COVID-19 we have rolled out this platform which connects senior leaders with frontline teammates for serendipitous fifteen minute conversations via video conference.

This matters because simple, repeatable tasks are being automated, while demand for sophisticated workflows is increasing. Our employer brand and frontline focus help us to attract skilled talent that enables us to deliver on demand for increasingly sophisticated workflows.

 

   

Team Leaders: We believe that the most important position in our business is the first level manager, which we call team leaders. Each team leader manages a team of eight to 15 teammates. Their ability to understand business objectives, drive KPI compliance and coach to individual teammate development plans will make or break a client engagement. We have a comprehensive leadership screening that we apply to all external hires and internal promotions into this role. Believing in cultivating talent from within, we have developed the Team Lead Academy, a program our teammates can opt into that provides rigorous leadership training. People who have graduated from the Team Lead Academy form a pool of potential Team Leads that we tap as we grow.

 

   

Site “CEO” Model: We are a global company that believes the best relationships are formed face to face. As a result we have organized our operations regionally. Team leaders report to onsite Operations Managers, who report to onsite Operations Directors, who report to an onsite Vice President of Operations. Every site is run by the Vice President of Operations. Vice Presidents of Operations are accountable for their performance. They must also compete with other site Vice Presidents to attract growth to their sites. Our Sales and Client Services leaders are acutely aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each site, and are empowered to choose to place work in one site over another, or even to pull work from a site and give it to another. This network of Site CEOs creates healthy competitive tension that drives operational excellence and maintains a “low center of gravity” which increases accountability to drive client satisfaction.

 

   

Automation and Efficiency: We enable our people with a suite of automation tools to help improve their efficiency. Our data science teams use operational data to mine for points of friction and wasted effort.

 

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Our Digital Innovation teams engage to deploy our toolsets to eliminate re-keying, toggling between applications, looking up data, and notify teammates of their real-time metrics. These operational controls and support allow us to raise the performance of all employees and focus our efforts on the most complicated and value-added work.

 

   

Teammate led Innovation: Our mission is to empower people to deliver ridiculously good innovation for the world’s best clients. We believe that if we invest in our teammates, by providing them additional tools, training, and opportunity, they can and will accomplish amazing things. The frontline teammate sees work in a different way than management, so we identify a diverse pilot team based on tenure, personality profile and functional competency and provide them training on creativity, ideation, design thinking and agile methodology. We enable them with low-code application platforms (LCAP) and robotic process automation (RPA) tools, and provide them a sandbox environment to automate and refine our business processes. We believe this approach to fostering innovation is distinct from our competitors.

Our operations are supported by centralized shared services based in the Philippines and India. Each site has at least one leader on-site from each of our support functions, including Human Resources, Workforce Management and Information Technology. The combination of onsite leadership with scaled shared services allows us to support our Site CEO model in a cost effective manner and execute processes with the appropriate consistency globally while accounting for local nuance.

We leverage technology to deliver coaching, training, and support services at scale. Our proprietary coaching platform, Boost, is used daily by our frontline team leaders to coach their teammates and for our entire executive team to manage weekly one-to-ones and quarterly performance appraisals. Our learning-management-system, ACE, is used to enable self-paced client specific training and certification. Our Global Knowledge Support Center, Glowstick, is an employee engagement platform used to provide self service and support ticketing for all areas of our business.

Global Delivery Model

Utilizing primarily offshore and near-shore markets is a central tenet of our service delivery strategy; 86% of our employees were located in these markets as of September 30, 2020. Since 85% of our revenue in 2019 was delivered from non-voice, digital channels, we are particularly well positioned to leverage an off-shore / near-shore model.

Furthermore, we have a “provincial strategy,” meaning the vast majority of our offshore sites are not located in the major “Tier 1” cities or business districts such as Makati, Philippines or Mumbai, India. We locate offices near where employees live, significantly reducing commute times in most sites, and we believe this strategy offers numerous additional advantages, including:

 

   

Less competition for talent;

 

   

Lower salary and rent costs and lower cost of living;

 

   

Higher employee retention; and

 

   

Favorable incentives with local municipalities.

This all contributes to a superior employee experience and lower costs. We expect that improvements in the availability of high-speed internet and in general infrastructure and the acceptance of work from home models make this approach even more attractive over time.

As of September 30, 2020, we provided our services through a network of eighteen locations in seven countries and employed approximately 20,300 people worldwide. The Philippines is our largest off-shore market with approximately 15,230 employees, or 75% of total employees.

 

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LOGO

In addition to our on-site operations, we utilize an internally developed cloud-based platform, Cirrus, which enables our employees to deliver services remotely on behalf of our clients. Given the recent shift to work-from-home at TaskUs during COVID-19, we expect our Cirrus Work@Home platform to be a meaningful part of our future delivery model.

Culture

The number one reason job candidates choose one job over another is company culture—Korn Ferry.

We continually work on our company culture like it is a product we sell in the market, listening to our employees, similar to how we listen to our clients. We leverage this feedback to drive continuous improvement, conduct quality control to ensure global consistency, and award bonuses to our executives based on achieving their culture-related goals. Our primary culture-related goal metric is eNPS, the single most important barometer we use to measure employee engagement. Our executive team reviews the survey score and thousands of verbatim comments. We take the feedback and create specific and measurable goals we believe will impact parts of our culture.

Our ability to maintain high eNPS scores enables us to drive real business impact. We believe it drives improved attendance as our teammates show up on time and excited to work. We believe happy employees deliver better results and higher retention. In 2019, our annualized attrition rate for employees who were employed by TaskUs for more than 180 days was 32%. In 2019, 48% of our new hires came through referrals, which we believe yields higher quality candidates at a lower cost to recruit than candidates hired through traditional channels.

The culmination of our employee efforts drove our eNPS score of 61 in 2019 and 71% of respondents were promoters. Based on a 2019 survey by QuestionPro Workforce, our eNPS of 61 is over four times higher than the average organization.

 

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Not only does our focus on culture drive internal metrics, but it boosts our public profile and our ability to attract talent. According to a 2019 Glassdoor analysis, having a 1-star higher overall higher rating on Glassdoor attracts talent to a company at about six times the rate of paying a $10,000 per year higher salary. The differentiated culture we have created is validated by the following metrics, each as of September 30, 2020:

 

 

LOGO

These public reviews of our company are backed up by numerous awards related to our culture, such as being number 40 on Glassdoor’s 2019 Best Places to Work list among large U.S. employers and winning Investors in People’s 2018 Platinum Employer of the Year and 2019 Social Responsibility Award.

There is no one thing that drives eNPS and culture, but we believe the top three factors are leadership, work environment and benefits. Some examples of programs in these areas include:

 

   

The Human Project offers employees incremental financial benefits to serve their local communities and find their passions;

 

   

Food Forward offers our employees working in sites in the Philippines a free, healthy meal daily to improve health and wellness in return for a suggested nominal donation to a local charity;

 

   

TaskUs Resiliency Studio offers employees one-to-one and group counseling sessions supported by our clinician-led and evidence-based well-being framework;

 

   

Industry-leading benefits tailored to market expectations, such as our Philippine policy of HMO coverage for LGBTQ dependents and 120 days maternity leave; and

 

   

Imaginative, inspiring, and “Instagram-able” office spaces.

Our philosophy is simple: treat people well and they will deliver a better end customer experience which leads to happy clients and a thriving business.

Our Clients

As of December 31, 2019, we served over 90 clients, the majority of which are disruptive technology companies in attractive, high growth industry verticals, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ride sharing, HiTech, FinTech and HealthTech. For example, our clients include three of the top four social media sites, the top audio and top video streaming service provider, three of the top four food delivery apps and twelve disruptive FinTech companies. We work with a broad range of clients in different stages of their lifecycle, ranging from start-up companies to well-capitalized and established public

companies with scaled operations. Our top ten and twenty clients accounted for 74% and 84% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, respectively. Our largest client, Facebook, generated 35% and 23% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and the Full Year 2018, respectively. Our second largest client, DoorDash, generated 11% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. We have multiple agreements across several lines of business with these clients, which generally include a description of the services provided by TaskUs, invoicing and payment terms, the number of TaskUs employees to be assigned

 

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to a given campaign in each location in which the work is performed, client obligations for providing headcount forecasting and notice in the event of an increase or decrease in volume, and renewal and termination provisions, including termination for convenience subject to advance notice requirements of varying length. Under these agreements, our service fees are generally subject to minimums and maximums, depending on whether the actual volume of services provided falls below or exceeds periodic volume forecasts provided by these clients.

The case studies below illustrates the results our clients have achieved by using our services and solutions.

Zoom—Scaling Unexpectedly

In December of 2019, Zoom had roughly 10 million daily meeting participants, and a few months later they had an estimated 300 million. While the global COVID-19 pandemic changed and accelerated Zoom’s business plans, it also introduced a host of new customer support challenges. Support queries increased more than 30 fold and were coming in globally. To deliver the resources required to handle this surge, Zoom called TaskUs. TaskUs had 89 people in training within 10 days from Zoom’s initial call—all working remotely from home—and ultimately mobilized a team of over 700 customer experience professionals to tackle ongoing billing and technical support.

“TaskUs flexibility and ability to scale rapidly was critical to keep up with our demand this year”—Nick Chong, Head of Global Support and Services

Uber—Supporting Hyper Growth

In 2013, Uber was growing exponentially and could not onboard driver partners fast enough. One significant bottleneck was the review of driver’s licenses and registration documents. Uber selected TaskUs to design and execute a streamlined driver onboarding process, leveraging our team in the Philippines to rapidly review and onboard new drivers. In 2014, Uber needed to scale their global support operations. They again turned to TaskUs as their first vendor partner for rider and driver support. Over the course of the next year, we grew to over 2,000 teammates supporting Uber globally.

“TaskUs was Uber’s first outsourced partner and in many ways grew up with Uber. Today, with a large network of global vendor partners, we rely on TaskUs to support some of our most critical markets.” -Lisa Stoner, Global Head of Support Operations

Coinbase—Crypto Craze

When Coinbase called us in its early days we advised that at their early stage of growth, outsourcing didn’t yet make sense. However, during the bull run of 2017, bitcoin became a mainstream obsession, and support volumes spiked through the roof. We partnered with them to build a team in the US and quickly started working through the backlog of support requests. Given they had never outsourced at any scale, our initial launch required us to create nearly everything from scratch; operating procedures, workforce scheduling to meet the crazy demand, and updated knowledge articles as policies were changing rapidly in almost every area. As demand fluctuated, so did Coinbase’s needs. We built out two additional sites and started taking on more complex workflows supporting their fraud and compliance needs and keeping customers safe

“TaskUs is a real partner. They’ve been able to interpret data from customer interactions and deliver back valuable insights that help improve our operations and core product.” -Casper Sorensen, VP, Customer Experience

Oscar—Insuring CX

When Oscar, a leading direct-to-consumer health insurance company, was expanding from operating in two states to many, they were looking for ways to scale operations outside of their Soho, NY office. They needed a

 

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partner with HIPAA compliance who also understood the dynamic nature of their business. TaskUs built a team of just 10 people to start, handling a number of workflows related to Provider data. Over time, TaskUs scaled to support direct Provider services in Claims and Benefits, along with multiple provider data quality workflows. The TaskUs team has grown each year and is well into the triple digits, operating from two different countries

“When we were small, TaskUs still gave us the attention of a big customer. Our companies have grown together, and they’ve supported all of our needs throughout the journey.”—Katherine Lynch, Chief of Staff to the COO

Our Competition

We compete in a large and fragmented market. We believe the principal competitive factors in our business include:

 

   

vendor company culture;

 

   

ability to act as partners and support innovation;

 

   

quality of personnel and service;

 

   

breadth of offering;

 

   

scalability and global coverage;

 

   

ability to apply technology to improve efficiency and quality; and

 

   

pricing.

We primarily compete with:

 

   

next generation digital outsourcers such as 24/7 Intouch, Appen and TDCX;

 

   

technology service firms with outsourcing offerings such as Accenture, Genpact, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Cognizant; and

 

   

traditional call center providers such as Teleperformance, Telus International, TTEC, VXI and Sutherland.

TaskUs is exclusively focused on the Digital Economy. We identify emerging industry verticals, and attractive sub-segments, and have a demonstrated track record of rapidly scaling in the industries we target. Unlike traditional outsourced providers, whose voice-based solutions largely cater to telecommunications, cable and financial services companies, we provide a global, omni-channel delivery model focused on supporting digital solutions.

We believe technology disruptors ranging from startups to market leaders choose TaskUs because of our:

 

   

deep expertise in working with companies in the Digital Economy;

 

   

corporate culture that resembles their own;

 

   

leading employee wellness programs;

 

   

high quality agents and strong employee engagement;

 

   

differentiated tech-enabled offerings combined with value added consulting services; and

 

   

proven ability to rapidly scale.

Intellectual Property

The success of our business depends, in part, on our proprietary technology and intellectual property, including our proprietary processes and know-how. We have invested, and will continue to invest, in research

 

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and development to enhance our knowledge and capabilities, and to create specialized solutions for our clients. We rely on a combination of laws, security and confidentiality procedures, and contractual provisions to protect our intellectual property and proprietary information.

We require our employees to enter into written agreements upon the commencement of their relationships with us, which assign to us all deliverables and work product made, developed or conceived by them in connection with their employment or provision of services, including the intellectual property rights therein. These agreements also provide that any confidential or proprietary information disclosed or otherwise made available by us remains confidential.

We also enter into confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements with our clients. These customary agreements cover our use of our clients’ software systems and platforms as our clients often own the intellectual property in the products we develop for them. Furthermore, we sometimes grant a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive, transferable and non-revocable license to our clients to use our pre-existing intellectual property, but only to the extent necessary in order to use the software or systems we develop for them.

We have registered or are registering various trademarks and service marks in the United States and other countries, including for TaskUs. In some countries we also have common law rights to certain trademarks and service marks, including Ridiculously Good Outsourcing. Our ability to obtain trademark registrations varies from country to country, as does the duration of trademark and service mark registrations, which may generally be renewed indefinitely as long as the marks are in use and their registrations are properly maintained.

We also have and maintain certain trade secrets arising out of the authorship or creation of proprietary applications, systems and business practices. Confidentiality is maintained primarily through contractual clauses, and in the case of computer programs and information maintained in our electronic systems and networks, system access controls, tracking and authorization processes.

Our Technology

We maintain an innovative, flexible, scalable, resilient, and reliable technology infrastructure that helps us deliver our services and solutions to our clients. We utilize what we believe are industry-leading hardware and software components to provide for and enable the rapid growth of our business. We employ virtual desktop infrastructure in some of our solutions, facilitating secure remote access from anywhere and promoting efficiency. We constantly evaluate new technology to further reduce our costs, maintain our system integrity and security, and improve our services and efficiency. We are continuously investing in applications, tools and infrastructure to manage all aspects of our business, while maintaining control, adaptability, and visibility, both internally and to our clients.

Maintaining the integrity and security of our technology infrastructure is critical to our business, and as such we leverage what we believe are industry-leading and sophisticated security and monitoring tools to promote security and continued performance across our network. We maintain processes and tools to protect our and our clients’ and their customers’ confidential and other sensitive information, and allocate necessary resources to promote information security and data privacy, both on our and our clients’ platforms. We have made significant investments in the appropriate people, training, processes and technology to establish and manage compliance with confidentiality policies, obligations contained in our client contracts and laws and regulations governing our activities, such as the European Union data protection legal framework referred to as the GDPR, CCPA, and others.

The cloud-based technology supporting our services and solutions is flexible and scalable, and designed according to our clients’ needs. We also integrate with our clients’ existing platforms where required in order to deliver our services and solutions anywhere our clients need them. Our Project Management Organization mobilizes quickly to minimize our clients’ time-to-market. Our technology supporting millions of interactions in fiscal year 2019 consisted of eighteen delivery sites and 11,533 seats distributed globally, as of September 30, 2020.

 

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Our strong operational standards and metrics emphasize operational excellence and data analytics to improve our performance and provide better results for our clients. For example, we build custom dashboards for our clients to provide real-time data insights, removing the need to wait for monthly reports. Our custom dashboards are one way we use technology to differentiate ourselves from competitors and to drive efficiency and build trust with our clients.

Our physical network is maintained by a high-quality infrastructure and networking organization, which consisted of 51 people around the world who are dedicated to seamless, uninterrupted service delivery to our clients as of September 30, 2020. In addition, we had over 50 dedicated security and compliance professionals responsible for cyber security, fraud, and compliance as of September 30, 2020.

Regulation

We are subject to a number of U.S. federal and state and foreign laws and regulations that involve matters central to our business. These laws and regulations may involve privacy, data protection, intellectual property, competition, consumer protection, export taxation and other subjects. Many of the laws and regulations to which we are subject are still evolving and being tested in courts and could be interpreted in ways that could harm our business. In addition, the terms of our service contracts typically require that we comply with applicable laws and regulations. In some of our service contracts, we are contractually required to comply even if such laws and regulations apply to our clients, but not to us, and sometimes our clients require us to take specific steps intended to make it easier for our clients to comply with requirements that are applicable to them. If we fail to comply with any applicable laws and regulations, we may be restricted in our ability to provide services, and may also be the subject of civil or criminal actions involving penalties, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our operations. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Our business is subject to a variety of U.S. and international laws and regulations, including those regarding privacy and data security, and we or our clients may be subject to regulations related to the handling and transfer of certain types of sensitive and confidential information. Any failure to comply with applicable privacy and data security laws and regulations could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.”

Tax

Several of our sites located within special economic zones in the Philippines benefit from favorable tax treatment provided by registrations with PEZA. These benefits vary from site to site and may include income tax holidays, reduced income taxes, and reduced VAT. Under the PEZA registrations, favorable tax treatment for some of our PEZA-registered sites expires at the end of 2020, but may be renewed for subsequent periods.

Data Privacy and Security

We are subject to state and federal laws and regulations that require us to maintain the privacy and security of Personally Identifiable Information that we collect from consumers. Our legal team and information security team monitor our compliance with federal and state laws related to privacy and data security. These teams also manage, implement, and oversee internal privacy policies and security measures, including, the regular monitoring and testing of systems and equipment. We are also subject to the GDPR, HIPAA and the CCPA. We have processes in place to deal with requests from individuals under both the GDPR and CCPA, and we believe that we comply with these laws. The TaskUs legal team and information security team are responsible for overseeing our data protection strategy and implementation to ensure compliance with GDPR and CCPA.

We use leading products for network and security monitoring, including McAfee and Palo Alto Networks, as well as two-factor authentication, mobile device management (“MDM”) administration, and a virtual desktop infrastructure (“VDI)” for remote access. We focus on establishing stringent security standards and internal controls. A number of our sites are compliant with multiple standards and frameworks for service availability and information security management including ISO 27001:2013, PCI-DSS and SOC 2 Type II. These certifications, along with others we hold, provide our clients with independent third-party verification of our information security, quality management and general controls practices. Our robust physical and logical controls meet the compliance and security requirements across our client base.

 

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HIPAA and PCI-DSS

Certain of our clients require solutions that ensure security given the nature of the content being distributed and associated applicable regulatory requirements. In particular, our employees may access protected health information in compliance with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, and related regulations (collectively, “HIPAA”). HIPAA imposes privacy, security and breach notification obligations on certain health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses, known as covered entities, as well as their business associates that perform certain services that involve creating, receiving, maintaining or transmitting protected health information for or on behalf of such covered entities. Entities that are found to be in violation of HIPAA may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative fines and penalties and/or additional reporting and oversight obligations if required to enter into a resolution agreement and corrective action plan with HHS to settle allegations of HIPAA non-compliance. Further, entities that knowingly obtain, use, or disclose protected health information maintained by a HIPAA covered entity in a manner that is not authorized or permitted by HIPAA may be subject to criminal penalties. As a “business associate,” we are directly liable for compliance with HIPAA’s privacy and security requirements. We also have obligations under the business associate agreements that we are required to enter into with certain clients that are covered by HIPAA and certain subcontractors that we engage in connection with our business operations.

In addition, we are subject to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (“PCI-DSS”) a self-regulatory standard that requires companies that process payment card data to implement certain data security measures. Failure to comply with the PCI-DSS may result in significant fines or liability, the loss of access to major payment card systems, or a violation of certain contractual obligations to our clients. Industry groups may in the future adopt additional self-regulatory standards by which we are legally or contractually bound.

Content Moderation

Certain laws may apply to content moderation, such as laws regulating hate speech on the internet. In the United States, the Communications Decency Act (“CDA”) Section 230 shields “interactive computer services” (e.g., websites, social media platforms) from liability for the speech of their users (with certain exceptions). CDA Section 230, and other laws related to hate speech on the internet, are currently the topic of significant debate. We expect that these laws will continue to evolve and change over time.

Anti-Corruption

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) prohibits U.S. businesses and their representatives from offering to pay, paying, promising to pay or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official in order to influence any act or decision of the foreign official in his or her official capacity or to secure any other improper advantage in order to obtain or retain business. The FCPA also obligates companies whose securities are listed in the United States to comply with accounting provisions requiring us to maintain books and records, which in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the corporation, including international subsidiaries, if any, and to devise and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements.

 

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Globally, other countries in which we operate have enacted anti-bribery laws and/or regulations similar to the FCPA, such as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in the Philippines and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, all of which prohibit companies and their intermediaries from bribing government officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business or otherwise obtaining favorable treatment. We operate in many parts of the world that have experienced government corruption to some degree, and, in certain circumstances, strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices, although adherence to local customs and practices is generally not a defense under U.S. and other anti-bribery laws. We maintain a Global Code of Conduct and various other policies against bribery and corruption, and train and monitor our employees to act in accordance with these policies.

Human Capital Resources

Our employees are the core of our business. Our success depends on our ability to attract, hire, train and retain sufficient numbers of employees in a timely fashion at our sites to support our operations. Our employee-centric culture, our focus on employee wellness and satisfaction and our employee-centric site selection enable us to meet that challenge and motivate our employees to stay for the long term. Our happy, motivated and hardworking employees in turn produce high-quality work for our clients.

As of September 30, 2020, we had approximately 20,300 employees worldwide. The following table sets forth the approximate number of employees by country:

 

Country

   Number of
Employees
     Percent of Total  

United States

     2,720        13.4

Philippines

     15,230        75.0

India

     1,680        8.3

Mexico

     330        1.6

Taiwan

     240        1.2

Greece

     70        0.3

Ireland

     30        0.1
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     20,300        100

None of our employees belong to a labor union and we have never suffered a material interruption of business as a result of a labor dispute. We consider our relations with our employees worldwide to be good.

Delivery Sites

As of September 30, 2020, we operated 18 delivery sites. Our sites are in the following countries:

 

Country

   Number of
Sites
     Number of
Seats
 

United States

     4        1,783  

Philippines

     9        8,176  

India

     1        962  

Mexico

     1        250  

Taiwan

     1        312  

Ireland(1)

     1        —    

Greece

     1        50  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     18        11,533  

 

(1)

Delivery site at a client location.

 

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Leases for our delivery sites usually have a range of expiration dates from two to five years, and typically include a renewal option for an additional term.

Our designated corporate headquarters is located in New Braunfels, Texas and is leased.

We operate from time to time in temporary sites to accommodate growth before new sites are available.

We lease all of our sites and do not own any real property. We intend to procure additional space in the future as we continue to add employees and expand geographically.

Corporate and Social Responsibility

At TaskUs we believe in doing well by doing good. We are committed to integrating positive social, environmental and ethical practices into our business, and giving back to the local communities that have afforded us incredible opportunity. We give back as a company, but also encourage our local sites to give back and volunteer. We even provide our clients and potential clients, opportunities to get involved in our social responsibility initiatives, as we believe this develops deeper ties when they know we are a company that prioritizes giving back.

We think of Corporate and Social Responsibility as an extension of our culture, and through our focused efforts in the areas of education, environment, and diversity and inclusion we create positive change while strengthening our business.

Our efforts have been recognized, including winning the Social Responsibility Award by Investors in People for 2019.

Community

The following are some of our initiatives we offer to build community:

 

   

Food Forward: TaskUs’ program to encourage employees to eat healthy (care for self), help the less fortunate (care for others), and live the company’s core values (care for the company). We do this by providing a daily, fresh healthy meal in many of our sites in the Philippines. The meals are free of charge to employees, but we do have a suggested donation, where 100% of donations are pooled by each site who decides what local organization to support.

 

   

TaskUs for Texans: We joined the Central Texas Food Bank to pack 1,000 food boxes for families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

   

Project Stark: A COVID-19 response launched to aid employees and communities affected by the pandemic. Funds were pooled to distribute to employees as a one-time financial aid, and Food Forward Funds were redirected to support frontline health workers, public hospitals, and partner-communities.

 

   

Community Partnerships with military programs and universities for career development.

 

   

Exploring Environmental Sustainability through efforts like paperless offices, Solar Home Kits given to over 200 indigent families in Rizal, Philippines, beach clean ups and coral planting.

 

   

TaskUs Next-Gen Scholarship has provided 600+ TaskUs employees’ children access to private education in 2020, our biggest cohort in the history of the program.

Diversity

Our diversity strategy is rooted in education and action. We source Teammates from marginalized and disadvantaged groups, educate our workforce via diversity and inclusion (“D&I”) resources and employee-led groups, encourage conversation and action around racial and social justice issues, and make contributions to our local communities.

 

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We owe it to everyone to achieve collaborative solidarity – that is, create safe spaces where more advanced opportunities are made available to people from marginalized communities, allowing them to thrive.

TaskUs encourages individuals of all walks of life regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, or social standing to join our team and add to the richness of our diverse culture. Specifically, our D&I initiatives include:

 

   

Sourcing and social partnerships with public schools and universities, military veteran communities, and various non-government organizations across geographies.

 

   

Employee D&I Resources which empower employees to take on racial & social justice issues and offer mandatory unconscious bias training for leaders, recruiters, and hiring managers.

 

   

Global Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are employee-led to educate, drive change & foster collaboration in the workplace while making contributions to local communities through our George Floyd Memorial Fund.

 

   

TaskUs Supplier Diversity Program partners with minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, service disability-owned, and LGBTQIA+-owned businesses.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we may become subject to legal proceedings, claims, and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings, nor are we aware of any pending or threatened litigation that would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results, or cash flows should such litigation be resolved unfavorably.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Directors and Executive Officers

The following table sets forth the names, ages and positions of our directors and executive officers as of the date of this prospectus.

 

Name    Age      Position

Directors

     

Bryce Maddock

     34      Director and Chief Executive Officer

Jaspar Weir

     34      Director and President

Amit Dixit

     47      Director

Susir Kumar

     54      Director

Mukesh Mehta

     39      Director

Jacqueline Reses

     51      Director

Executive Officers(1)

     

Jarrod Johnson

     43      Chief Customer Officer

Balaji Sekar

     44      Chief Financial Officer

 

Note:

(1)

Other than directors who are also executive officers.

Bryce Maddock. Mr. Maddock co-founded TaskUs with Jaspar Weir in 2008. He has served as our Chief Executive Officer since 2008 and as a member of our board of directors since October 2018. In his role as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Maddock leads our global operations. Mr. Maddock received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Business from New York University.

Jaspar Weir. Mr. Weir co-founded TaskUs with Bryce Maddock in 2008. He has served as our President since 2008 and as a member of our board of directors since October 2018. In his role as President, Mr. Weir is focused on leading our transformational growth and corporate development. Mr. Weir received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from the University of Southern California.

Jarrod Johnson. Mr. Johnson has served as our Chief Customer Officer since January 2018 and Senior Vice President of Business Development from October 2016 through December 2017. Prior to joining us, Mr. Johnson held the position of Senior Vice President, Business Development at FacilitySource, a facility management company, from 2014 to August 2016, Senior Vice President and Group President at Xerox Business Services (formerly Affiliated Computer Services), an enterprises services company, from 2008 to 2014, and multiple positions over 10 years at IBM Corporation from 1999 to 2008. Mr. Johnson received a Master’s of Business Administration, Fuqua School of Business, at Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts from Gustavus Adolphus College.

Balaji Sekar. Mr. Sekar has served as our Chief Financial Officer since August 2016. Prior to joining us, Mr. Sekar held the position of Chief Financial Officer of PatientSafe Solutions from August 2015 to July 2016, Chief Financial Officer of Sutherland Healthcare Solutions from July 2013 to July 2015, as well as other senior-level positions at Sutherland Global Services. Mr. Sekar received a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, is a Chartered Accountant from India, and received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Madras in India.

Amit Dixit. Mr. Dixit has served as a member of our board of directors since October 2018. Mr. Dixit is a Senior Managing Director, Co-Head of Asia Acquisitions and Head of Private Equity, India, of Blackstone. Since joining Blackstone in 2007, Mr. Dixit has been involved in various investments and investment opportunities in India and South Asia. Prior to that, he held the position of Principal at Warburg Pincus, a private equity firm. Mr. Dixit holds a Bachelor’s degree in Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai in India, a

 

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Master’s degree in Engineering from Stanford University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

Susir Kumar. Mr. Kumar has served as a member of our board of directors since July 2019. Mr. Kumar founded Ingroup Consulting Services LLP, a transformation consulting firm, in May 2019 and serves as its Managing Partner. Prior to that, Mr. Kumar served as Chief Executive Officer of Intelenet Global Services, a Business Process Management company, from 2000 to August 2015 and as its Chairman from September 2015 through September 2018. Prior to his service in Intelenet Global Services, Mr. Kumar held a senior leadership position in HDFC. He is currently a board member of KOOH Sports and Hygienic Research Institute Pvt Ltd. Mr. Kumar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Mangalore University and a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Mumbai University and is a member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.

Mukesh Mehta. Mr. Mehta has served as a non-executive Director since October 2018. Mr. Mehta serves as a Managing Director in the Private Equity Group of Blackstone. Prior to joining Blackstone in August 2016, Mr. Mehta was a Vice President in the Private Equity division of The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm, from May 2006 to July 2016. Prior to Carlyle Mr. Mehta worked in the Investment Banking Division at Citigroup from January 2004 to May 2006 and in the Assurance & Business Advisory Group at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Mr. Mehta is a Chartered Accountant in India and holds a Master’s Degree in Commerce from Mumbai University. Mr. Mehta received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Mumbai.

Jacqueline D. Reses. Ms. Reses has served as a member of our board of directors since July 2019. Ms. Reses served as the Square Capital Lead of Square, Inc. (“Square”), and Executive Chairman of its proposed bank, Square Financial Services, from October 2015 to October 2020. From September 2012 to October 2015, Ms. Reses served as Chief Development Officer of Yahoo! Inc. Prior to Yahoo, Ms. Reses served as the head of the U.S. media group at Apax Partners Worldwide LLP, a private equity firm, which she joined in 2001. Ms. Reses also spent seven years at Goldman Sachs in mergers and acquisitions and the principal investment area. Ms Reses is currently on the board of Pershing Square Tontine Holdings, Ltd. and Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. III. She previously served on the board of directors of Alibaba Group Holdings Limited, and Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. Ms. Reses is also the Chair of the Economic Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and sits on the Undergraduate Executive Board of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Board of Directors of National Public Radio (NPR). Ms. Reses received a bachelor’s degree in economics with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers and directors.

Composition of the Board of Directors After this Offering

Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors. In connection with this offering, we will amend and restate our certificate of incorporation to provide for a classified board of directors, with                directors in Class I (expected to be                ),                directors in Class II (expected to be                    ) and                directors in Class III (expected to be                ). See “Description of Capital Stock—Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws and Certain Provisions of Delaware Law—Classified Board of Directors.” In addition, we intend to enter into a stockholders agreement with certain affiliates of our Sponsor and our Co-Founders in connection with this offering. This agreement will grant our Sponsor and our Co-Founders the right to designate nominees to our board of directors subject to the maintenance of certain ownership requirements in us. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Stockholders Agreement.”

Director Independence

Our board of directors has affirmatively determined that each of                 ,                 , and                 qualify as independent directors under the                 listing standards.

 

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Background and Experience of Directors

When considering whether directors and nominees have the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills, taken as a whole, to enable our board of directors to satisfy its oversight responsibilities effectively in light of our business and structure, the board of directors focuses primarily on each person’s background and experience as reflected in the information discussed in each of the directors’ individual biographies set forth above. We believe that our directors provide an appropriate mix of experience and skills relevant to the size and nature of our business. In particular, the members of our board of directors considered the following important characteristics, among others:

 

   

Mr. Maddock—our board of directors considered Mr. Maddock’s leadership skills, perspective and the experience he brings as our co-founder and Chief Executive Officer.

 

   

Mr. Weir—our board of directors considered Mr. Weir’s leadership and core business skills, including strategic planning, and the experience he brings as our co-founder and President.

 

   

Mr. Dixit—our board of directors considered Mr. Dixit’s significant core business and leadership skills, including financial and strategic planning, and many years of management experience at portfolio companies through his involvement with Blackstone.

 

   

Mr. Kumar—our board of directors considered Mr. Kumar’s extensive knowledge and experience in our industry and roles in various leadership positions, including his experience as Chief Executive Officer of Intelenet Global Services and in senior leadership positions at HDFC.

 

   

Mr. Mehta—our board of directors considered Mr. Mehta’s extensive financial, accounting and strategic planning experience, and management and investment experiences through his involvement with Blackstone and Carlyle.

 

   

Ms. Reses—our board of directors considered Ms. Reses’ deep connections in the technology sector, financial experience and extensive management experiences in senior leadership positions with technology companies, including her experiences at Square, Yahoo! Inc. and as a director of Alibaba Group Holdings.

Controlled Company Exception

After the completion of this offering, our Sponsor and our Co-Founders will be party to a stockholders agreement, described in “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Stockholders Agreement” and will continue to beneficially own more than a majority of the voting power of our common stock eligible to vote in the election of our directors. As a result, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of corporate governance standards. Under these corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance standards, including the requirements (1) that a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors, (2) that our board of directors have a compensation committee that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities and (3) that our board of directors have a nominating and corporate governance committee that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities. For at least some period following this offering, we intend to utilize certain of these exemptions. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of these corporate governance requirements. In the event that we cease to be a “controlled company” and our shares continue to be listed on the                 , we will be required to comply with these provisions within the applicable transition periods.

Board Committees

We anticipate that, prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors will establish the following committees: an audit committee; a compensation committee; and a nominating and corporate

 

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governance committee. The composition and responsibilities of each committee are described below. Our board of directors may also establish from time to time any other committees that it deems necessary or desirable. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our board.

Audit Committee

Upon completion of this offering, we expect our audit committee will consist of                 ,                  and                         , with             serving as chair. Our audit committee will be responsible for, among other things:

 

   

selecting and hiring our independent auditors, and approving the audit and non-audit services to be performed by our independent auditors;

 

   

assisting the board of directors in evaluating the qualifications, performance and independence of our independent auditors;

 

   

assisting the board of directors in monitoring the quality and integrity of our financial statements and our accounting and financial reporting;

 

   

assisting the board of directors in monitoring our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;

 

   

reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting processes;

 

   

assisting the board of directors in monitoring the performance of our internal audit function;

 

   

monitoring the performance of our internal audit function;

 

   

reviewing with management and our independent auditors our annual and quarterly financial statements;

 

   

establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters and the confidential, anonymous submission by our employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters; and

 

   

preparing the audit committee report that the rules and regulations of the SEC require to be included in our annual proxy statement.

The SEC rules and                 rules require us to have one independent audit committee member upon the listing of our common stock on the                , a majority of independent directors within 90 days of the effective date of the registration statement and all independent audit committee members within one year of the effective date of the registration statement, and                    qualify as independent directors under the                listing standards and the independence standards of Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act.

Compensation Committee

Upon completion of this offering, we expect our compensation committee will consist of                  ,                  and                 , with                 serving as chair. The compensation committee will be responsible for, among other things:

 

   

reviewing and approving corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our CEO, evaluating our CEO’s performance in light of those goals and objectives, and, either as a committee or together with the other independent directors (as directed by the board of directors), determining and approving, or making recommendations to the board of directors with respect to, our CEO’s compensation level based on such evaluation;

 

   

reviewing and approving, or making recommendations to the board of directors with respect to, the compensation of our other executive officers, including annual base salary, bonus and equity-based incentives and other benefits;

 

   

reviewing and recommending the compensation of our directors;

 

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reviewing and discussing annually with management our “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” disclosure required by SEC rules;

 

   

preparing the compensation committee report required by the SEC to be included in our annual proxy statement; and

 

   

reviewing and making recommendations with respect to our equity compensation plans.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Upon completion of this offering, we expect our nominating and corporate governance committee will consist of                 ,                  and                 , with                 serving as chair. The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for, among other things:

 

   

assisting our board of directors in identifying prospective director nominees and recommending nominees to the board of directors;

 

   

overseeing the evaluation of the board of directors and management;

 

   

reviewing developments in corporate governance practices and developing and recommending a set of corporate governance guidelines; and

 

   

recommending members for each committee of our board of directors.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

Decisions regarding the compensation of our executive officers have historically been made by our full board of directors. Our Co-Founders, as members of our board of directors, generally participate in discussions and deliberations of the board of directors regarding executive compensation, including during the last completed fiscal year. Other than our Co-Founders, no member of our board of directors was at any time during the last completed fiscal year, or at any other time, one of our officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serves or has served during the last completed fiscal year as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee (or other committee performing equivalent functions) of any entity that has one or more of its executive officers serving on our board of directors or compensation committee. We are party to certain transactions with affiliates of our Sponsor described in “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions.”

Code of Ethics

We will adopt a new Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all of our officers, directors and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer and controller, or persons performing similar functions, which will be posted on our website. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is a “code of ethics,” as defined in Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K. We will make any legally required disclosures regarding amendments to, or waivers of, provisions of our code of ethics on our website. The information contained on, or accessible from, our website is not part of this prospectus by reference or otherwise.

 

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EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Executive Compensation

Summary Compensation Table

The following table provides summary information concerning compensation earned by our principal executive officer and our two other most highly-compensated executive officers as of December 31, 2020 for services rendered for the year ended December 31, 2020. These individuals are referred to as our named executive officers.

 

Name and

Principal Position

  Year     Salary
($)(1)
    Bonus
($)
    Stock
Awards
($)
    Option
Awards
($)
    Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(2)
    Non-Qualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings ($)
    All Other
Compensation
($)(3)
    Total ($)  

Bryce Maddock

    2020       107,500       —         —         —         175,000       —         10,142       292,642  

Chief Executive

Officer

                 

Balaji Sekar

    2020       335,273       —         —         —         175,000       —         11,400       521,673  

Chief Financial

Officer

                 

Jarrod Johnson

    2020       287,377       —         —         —         300,000       —         11,400       598,777  

Chief Customer

Officer

                 

 

(1)

The amounts reported represent the named executive officer’s base salary earned during the fiscal year covered. Effective March 16, 2020, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, Mr. Maddock agreed to a reduction in his annual base salary from $350,000 to $45,000. In addition, Messrs. Sekar and Johnson agreed to a reduction in their annual base salaries from $350,000 to $315,000 and from $300,000 to $270,000, respectively, effective March 30, 2020. Messrs. Sekar’s and Johnson’s base salaries were restored to their previous levels effective August 31, 2020.

(2)

The amounts reported represent payouts earned pursuant to our annual incentive plan. See “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Annual Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation”.

(3)

The amounts reported represent 401(k) matching contributions.

Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table

Employment Agreements

We have entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Maddock. The material provisions of Mr. Maddock’s employment agreement are set forth below. In addition, we have entered into an offer letter with Mr. Johnson that contains a severance provision. We do not have an employment agreement with Mr. Sekar.

Mr. Maddock. TaskUs Holdings, Inc. entered into an Employment Agreement with Mr. Maddock on June 2, 2015 (the “Maddock Employment Agreement”) pursuant to which Mr. Maddock serves as our Chief Executive Officer. In connection with this offering, the Maddock Employment Agreement will be assigned to, and assumed by, the Company with all determinations to be made by the board of directors of TaskUs Holdings, Inc. thereunder to be made by our board of directors. The Maddock Employment Agreement is effective through the date on which Mr. Maddock’s employment terminates, which termination may be made by either us or Mr. Maddock at any time, with or without notice, for any reason whatsoever. Pursuant to the Maddock Employment Agreement, each year, our board of directors will determine in good faith (i) an annual base salary increase and (ii) an annual performance bonus plan, in each case, in line with market compensation packages for executive of companies equivalent to us. Pursuant to the Maddock Employment Agreement, Mr. Maddock’s performance bonus plan will be tied to a balanced scorecard that represents our and our subsidiaries’ overall

 

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performance, and in order for him to receive a bonus under such plan, he must be employed through the end of the applicable fiscal year. During his employment, the Maddock Employment Agreement prohibits Mr. Maddock from competing with our business and from soliciting our employees during such period and for two years following the termination of Mr. Maddock’s employment.

Mr. Maddock is also party to a confidential information and invention assignment agreement which contains a perpetual confidentiality covenant and an intellectual property assignment provision in favor of TaskUs Holdings, Inc.

Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson’s offer letter, dated October 28, 2016, sets forth his title as Senior Vice President of Sales, his base salary and his entitlement to receive bonus payments based on his and TaskUs Holdings, Inc.’s sales performance pursuant to a separate sales bonus plan. In the event Mr. Johnson’s employment is terminated without cause (other than pursuant to a Liquidity Event, as defined in the Phantom Stock Plan), he is entitled to receive separation pay in an amount equal to the greater of either (i) two months of his annual salary or (ii) one month of his annual salary multiplied by the number of full years of employment with TaskUs Holdings, Inc. Since his initial offer letter, Mr. Johnson has been elevated to the position of Chief Customer Officer.

Additionally, Mr. Johnson’s offer letter required him to enter into an employee invention assignment, confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement, which includes (i) an indefinite confidentiality covenant, (ii) an IP assignment provision in favor of TaskUs Holdings, Inc. and (iii) a covenant not to solicit the clients and employees of TaskUs Holdings, Inc. during the term of employment and for the one-year period following a termination of employment.

Base Salary

We provide each named executive officer with a base salary for the services that the executive officer performs for us. This compensation component constitutes a stable element of compensation while other compensation elements are variable. Base salaries are reviewed annually and may be increased based on the individual performance of the named executive officer, company performance, any change in the executive’s position within our business, the scope of his or her responsibilities and any changes thereto.

In 2020, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, our named executive officers agreed to temporary reductions in their base salaries. Mr. Maddock agreed to a reduction in his base salary from $350,000 to $45,000 effective March 16, 2020. Messrs. Sekar and Johnson agreed to reductions in their base salaries from $350,000 to $315,000 and from $300,000 to $270,000, respectively, effective March 30, 2020. Messrs. Sekar’s and Johnson’s base salaries were restored to their previous levels effective August 31, 2020.

Annual Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation

In order to motivate our employees, including our named executive officers, to pursue short term financial goals that contribute to our long-term strategy, we provide them the opportunity to participate in an annual cash incentive plan, (“AIP”). Target amounts our named executive officers are eligible to earn under the AIP are expressed as a percentage of base salary. In 2020, Messrs. Maddock and Sekar were eligible to earn a target amount of 50% of their respective base salaries and Mr. Johnson was eligible to earn a target amount of 100% of his base salary, in each case without giving effect to any temporary reduction in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. Payouts under the 2020 AIP were based on our performance against annual revenue and Adjusted EBITDA targets. Targets were first set in December 2019 and were revised in April 2020 in light of the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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Except as noted below, 2020 payouts under the AIP could range from 25% of target to 100% of target and were determined based on the grid set forth below.

 

                Revenue - % of Target
                89.0%   92.5%   95.0%   97.5%   100%
                Payout %
             

Adjusted EBITDA

- % of Target

   84.0%      25%   30%   38%   45%   50%
   92.5%      30%   36%   45%   54%   60%
   95.0%      38%   45%   56%   68%   75%
   97.5%      45%   54%   68%   81%   90%
   100.0%      50%   60%   75%   90%   100%

If our Adjusted EBITDA performance for 2020 was below 84.0% of target or our revenue performance for 2020 was below 89.0% of target, Messrs. Maddock, Sekar and Johnson would receive no payout. If our Adjusted EBITDA performance for 2020 was below 92.5% of target, the maximum payout Messrs. Maddock, Sekar and Johnson could receive was $25,000, regardless of our revenue performance. If performance fell between the specified thresholds, the payout would be determined by rounding down to the nearest specified threshold. If Adjusted EBITDA for 2020 and revenue exceeded the targets initially set in December 2019, Messrs. Maddock, Sekar and Johnson could have earned more than 100% of their target bonus amounts. In the event these metrics exceeded the targets initially set in December 2019, payouts could range from 116% of their target bonus amounts to 200% of their target bonus amounts and would be determined based on the grid set forth below.

 

               Revenue - % of December 2019 Target
               102.5%   105%   110%
               Payout %

Adjusted EBITDA

- % of December 2019

Target

  102.5%      116%   121%   132%
  105%      147%   154%   168%
  110%      175%   183%   200%

Because our revenue and Adjusted EBITDA performance for 2020 met or exceeded 100% of the targets set in April 2020 but did not exceed the targets initially set in December 2019, each of our named executive officers earned a cash bonus for 2020 pursuant to the AIP equal to 100% of his target bonus amount, as illustrated in the table set forth below.

 

Name

   Base Salary ($)      Target Bonus %     Target Bonus
Amount ($)
     Achievement
Factor
    Bonus Paid ($)  

Bryce Maddock

     350,000        50     175,000        100     175,000  

Balaji Sekar

     350,000        50     175,000        100     175,000  

Jarrod Johnson

     300,000        100     300,000        100     300,000  

Equity Awards

Prior to this offering, our board of directors determined to grant to certain of our employees, including our named executive officers (other than Mr. Maddock), long-term incentive awards in the form of phantom shares under the TaskUs, Inc. Amended and Restated Phantom Stock Plan (the “Phantom Stock Plan”) as a replacement for phantom shares issued by TaskUs Holdings, Inc. that were not cashed out in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition. A phantom share offers the right to a cash payment in the event of an initial public offering, including this offering, as calculated pursuant to the Phantom Stock Plan.

 

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As a condition to receiving his phantom shares, each named executive officer who received phantom shares was required to enter into a phantom share agreement with us that governs such named executive officer’s rights with respect to the phantom shares. These award agreements provide that one-fourth of the phantom shares vest on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date and the remainder vest in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter such that they will be fully vested on the fourth anniversary of the vesting commencement date, subject to continuous service through each vesting date. The vesting commencement date for the phantom shares awarded to each of Messrs. Sekar and Johnson is October 1, 2018.

Vested phantom shares remain outstanding until the earlier of (i) a liquidity event (i.e., a change in control or an initial public offering, including this offering) and (ii) a termination of the named executive officer’s employment for “Cause” (as defined in the Phantom Stock Plan). Unvested phantom shares will be forfeited immediately upon the earliest to occur of (i) a liquidity event (unless otherwise determined by our board of directors in connection with a partial sale) and (ii) the date of termination of employment.

In connection with this offering, each named executive officer who holds phantom shares will be entitled to receive a payment in cash equal to the difference between (i) the initial offering price for a share of our common stock in the initial public offering and (ii) the base value, if any, for each vested phantom share, plus an additional dividend equivalent amount of $14.71 per vested phantom share in respect of a distribution made to our stockholders in October 2019. The base value for each phantom share held by the named executive officers is $0. Payment made in settlement of vested phantom shares is to be paid on the 30th day following the closing of the initial public offering.

As a condition to earning phantom shares and receiving payment in settlement thereof, the named executive officer must execute and allow to become effective a general release of claims in a form satisfactory to us within 30 days after the closing of the initial public offering. In the event the named executive officer refuses to execute the release, such named executive officer will not eligible to earn any payment in respect of vested phantom shares and such phantom shares will be forfeited.

Retirement and Other Benefits

Our named executive officers are eligible to receive the same benefits we provide, and to participate in all plans we offer, to other full-time employees, including health and dental insurance, group term life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, other health and welfare benefits, our 401(k) Savings Plan and other voluntary benefits.

 

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Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2020

The following table provides information regarding outstanding equity awards made to our named executive officers as of December 31, 2020.

 

    Option Awards     Stock Awards  

Name

  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
    Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
    Equity
Incentive Plan
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options
(#)
    Option
Exercise
Price
($)
    Option
Expiration
Date
    Number
of
Shares
or Units
of Stock
That
Have
Not
Vested
(#)
    Market
Value of
Shares
or Units
of Stock
That
Have
Not
Vested
($)
    Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number
of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That
Have Not
Vested
(#)
    Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Market
or Payout
Value
of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That
Have Not
Vested
($)
 

Bryce Maddock

    —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —         —    

Balaji Sekar

    —         70,531 (1)      —         0       (3  )      —         —         —         —    

Jarrod Johnson

    —         70,530 (2)      —         0       (3  )      —         —         —         —    

 

(1)

Represents phantom shares of which 38,204 are vested and 32,327 vest in 22 equal monthly installments from January 1, 2021 through October 1, 2022. See “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Equity Awards.

(2)

Represents phantom shares of which 38,203 are vested and 32,327 vest in 22 equal monthly installments from January 1, 2021 through October 1, 2022. See “Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Equity Awards.

(3)

Vested phantom shares will remain outstanding until the earlier of (i) a liquidity event (i.e., a change in control or an initial public offering, including this offering) and (ii) a termination of the named executive officer’s employment for “Cause” (as defined in the Phantom Stock Plan). Unvested phantom shares will be forfeited on the earlier of (i) a liquidity event (unless otherwise determined by our board of directors in connection with a partial sale), or (ii) the date of termination of employment.

Termination and Change in Control Provisions

Severance Arrangements

In the event Mr. Johnson’s employment is terminated without cause (other than pursuant to a Liquidity Event, as defined in the Phantom Stock Plan), he is entitled to receive separation pay in an amount equal to the greater of either (i) two months of his annual salary or (ii) one month of his annual salary multiplied by the number of full years of employment with TaskUs Holdings, Inc. We do not have any severance arrangements with Messrs. Maddock or Sekar.

Compensation Arrangements to be Adopted in Connection with this Offering

In connection with this offering, our board of directors expects to adopt, and we expect our stockholders to approve, our Omnibus Incentive Plan, which will allow us to implement a new market-based long-term incentive program to align our executive compensation package with similarly situated public companies. See “—Omnibus Incentive Plan.”

Director Compensation

For the year ended December 31, 2020, we did not pay compensation or grant equity awards to directors for their service on our board of directors.

 

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Phantom Stock Plan

On October 1, 2018, we adopted the Phantom Stock Plan. The Phantom Stock Plan and all grants of phantom shares made thereunder will terminate in connection with this offering.

Purpose. The purpose of the Phantom Stock Plan was to provide a means through which we could attract and retain key employees, directors and consultants who provided services to us by providing participants with the opportunity to receive cash upon an IPO or in a similar form as the method of purchase used by a future acquirer upon an occurrence of a change in control (each as defined in the Phantom Stock Plan).

Awards. The Phantom Stock Plan provided for grants of phantom shares which are the right to a cash payment upon an IPO or in a similar form as the method of purchase used by a future acquirer upon an occurrence of a change in control as calculated pursuant to the Phantom Stock Plan. Phantom shares have no participation in dividends or other non-liquidating distributions paid to our stockholders and do not represent actual equity in us. The number of phantom shares subject to the Phantom Stock Plan was 828,652.

Administration. The Phantom Stock Plan was administered by our Board of Directors (for purposes of the Phantom Stock Plan, the “Board”), which had the discretion and authority to designate grantees of phantom shares and makes all decisions and determinations on matters relating to the Phantom Stock Plan.

Adjustment Upon Changes in Capital Structure. In the event of a change to our capital structure without the receipt of consideration by us through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, incorporation, change in state or organization, distribution (whether in property or cash), equity split, reverse equity split, liquidating distribution, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in form of organization or structure, or any similar equity restructuring transaction (as used in FASB ASC Topic 718), the Board will make proportionate adjustments to the Phantom Stock Plan and outstanding awards thereunder, which will be final, binding and conclusive.

Nontransferability of Awards. Phantom shares may not be assigned or transferred except by will or under the laws of descent and distribution. During the lifetime of a participant, payout for vested phantom shares will only be made to the participant or his or her legal guardian. A participant may designate a third party who, in the event of the participant’s death, will be entitled to receive payment (if any) by delivery of written notice to us in a form satisfactory to the Board.

Termination of the Plan. The Phantom Stock Plan will automatically terminate on the date when all phantom shares have been paid or forfeited following the closing of the first liquidity event (i.e., a change in control or initial public offering, including this offering). Upon payment with respect to a phantom share following the closing of such liquidity event, such phantom share will immediately terminate and no subsequent transaction will be deemed a liquidity event with respect to such phantom share. Unvested phantom shares will be forfeited immediately without consideration or further payments due upon the consummation of this offering.

2019 TaskUs, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan

On April 16, 2019, we adopted the 2019 TaskUs, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan, referred to herein as the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan. None of our named executive officers have received awards pursuant to the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan. Following this offering, it is not expected that any equity awards will be issued under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.

Purpose. The purpose of the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan was to provide a means through which we and our affiliates could recruit and retain key employees, directors, other service providers, or independent contractors and to motivate such employees, directors, other service providers, or independent contractors to exert their best efforts on behalf of us and our affiliates by providing incentives through the granting of awards. We further

 

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expected that we would benefit from the added interest such key employees, directors, other service providers, or independent contractors will have in our success as a result of their proprietary interest in the equity-based awards granted under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.

Awards. The 2019 Stock Incentive Plan provided for the grants of options, stock appreciation rights or other stock-based awards (including restricted stock awards or restricted stock units) (collectively, “Awards”). Only options were granted under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan. The number of shares of our common stock subject to the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan was 1,111,373.

Administration. The 2019 Stock Incentive Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors (for purposes of the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, the “Committee”), which had the discretion and authority to designate grantees of Awards and makes all decisions and determinations on matters relating to the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan. Notwithstanding the delegation of authority to the Committee, our Board of Directors had reserved all authority and responsibility granted to the Committee in the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.

Adjustments Upon Certain Events. In the event of either (i) any dividend or other distribution, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of our common stock or other of our securities, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire shares of our common stock or other of our securities, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a change of control) that affects the shares of common stock, or (ii) unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, a change of control) affecting us or any subsidiary or affiliate, or the financial statements of us or any subsidiary or affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system, accounting principles or law, the Committee will make certain adjustments as it deems necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion in such manner as it may deem equitable, including, without limitation, any or all of the following: (A) adjusting any or all of (x) the number of shares or other of our securities (or number and kind of other securities or property) which may be delivered in respect of Awards granted under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan and (y) the terms of any outstanding Award (including, without limitation, the number of shares or other of our securities (or number and kind of other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, the exercise price or strike price of an Award and/or any applicable performance measures); (B) providing for substitution or assumption of Awards, acceleration of the exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards, or a period of time for participants to exercise outstanding awards prior to the occurrence of such event; and (C) cancelling any one or more outstanding Awards and paying to the holders of vested Awards (including any Awards which would vest as a result of the occurrence of such event but for cancellation) the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which value, if applicable may be based upon the price per share of common stock received or to be received by stockholders in such event), including, without limitation, in the case of options or stock appreciation rights, a cash payment equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of shares of common stock subject to the option or stock appreciation right over the aggregate exercise price or strike price thereof; provided, that in the case of any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of FASB ASC Topic 718 (or any successor thereto)) the Committee will make an equitable or proportional adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such equity restructuring.

Nontransferability of Awards. Unless otherwise provided in an award agreement or the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, no Award may be sold, exchanged, transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed of or hedged, in any manner, whether voluntarily or involuntarily and whether by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. All Awards will be exercisable during the life of the participant only by the participant or the participant’s legal representative. However, the Committee may permit, under terms and conditions it deems appropriate in its sole discretion, a participant to transfer any Award to any person or entity that the Committee so determines.

 

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Amendments or Termination. The 2019 Stock Incentive Plan provides that our Board of Directors may amend, suspend, alter or discontinue the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided, that no such amendment, suspension, alteration or discontinuance may be made (i) after an initial public offering, without the approval of shareholders if such action would materially increase the number of shares reserved under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan or materially modify the requirements for participation in the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan or (ii) without the consent of either the affected participant or the affected participants holding a majority in the economic interests, if such action would materially diminish the economic rights of any participant under the Awards theretofore granted to such participants under the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.

The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable award agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award granted or the associated award agreement, prospectively or retroactively (including after a termination); provided, that, any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any participant with respect to such Award will not to that extent be effective without such individual’s consent or the consent of a majority in interest of such affected participants; provided, further, that following this offering, except as otherwise permitted in the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the exercise price of any option or the strike price of any stock appreciation right; (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding option or stock appreciation right and replace it with a new option or stock appreciation right (with a lower exercise price or strike price, as the case may be) or other Award or cash payment that is greater than the value of the cancelled option or stock appreciation right; and (iii) the Committee may not take any other action which is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which our securities are listed or quoted.

Clawback/Forfeiture. The 2019 Stock Incentive Plan provides that the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide, in an award agreement or otherwise, that the Committee may cancel an Award if the participant has engaged in or engages in any detrimental activity, as defined in the 2019 Stock Incentive Plan. The 2019 Stock Incentive Plan also permits the Committee to provide, in its sole discretion, that (i) if a participant has engaged in or engages in any detrimental activity while employed by us or any of our subsidiaries or during the post-termination restrictive covenant period (as set forth in the award agreement), and such activity is, or could reasonably be expected to be, injurious to the financial condition or business reputation of us or any of our subsidiaries or affiliates, such participant will forfeit any gain realized on the vesting or exercise of such Award and must repay the gain to us and (ii) if a participant receives any amount in excess of what such participant should have received under the terms of the Award for any reason (including, without limitation, by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), the participant will be required to repay any such excess amount. All Awards are subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law.

Omnibus Incentive Plan

In connection with this offering, our Board of Directors expects to adopt, and we expect our stockholders to approve, the TaskUs, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan (our “Omnibus Incentive Plan”) prior to the completion of the offering. The term “Board of Directors” as used in this “Omnibus Incentive Plan” section refers to the Board of Directors of TaskUs, Inc.

Purpose. The purpose of our Omnibus Incentive Plan is to provide a means through which to attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means whereby our directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors can acquire and maintain an equity interest in us, or be paid incentive compensation, including incentive compensation measured by reference to the value of our shares of common stock, thereby strengthening their commitment to our welfare and aligning their interests with those of our stockholders.

Eligibility. Eligible participants are any (i) individual employed by TaskUs or any of its subsidiaries; provided, however, that no employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement will be eligible to receive

 

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awards under the Omnibus Incentive Plan unless and to the extent that such eligibility is set forth in such collective bargaining agreement or in an agreement or instrument relating thereto; (ii) director or officer of TaskUs or any of its subsidiaries; or (iii) consultant or advisor to TaskUs or any of its subsidiaries who may be offered securities registrable pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act, who, in the case of each of clauses (i) through (iii) above, has entered into an award agreement or who has received written notification from the Committee or its designee that they have been selected to participate in the Omnibus Incentive Plan.

Administration. Our Omnibus Incentive Plan will be administered by the compensation committee of our Board of Directors, or such other committee of our Board of Directors to which it has properly delegated power, or if no such committee or subcommittee exists, our Board of Directors (such administering body referred to herein, for purposes of this description of the Omnibus Incentive Plan, as the “Committee”). Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law, the Committee may allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any person or persons selected by it in accordance with the terms of our Omnibus Incentive Plan. The Committee is authorized to: (i) designate participants; (ii) determine the type or types of awards to be granted to a participant; (iii) determine the number of shares of common stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any award; (v) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances awards may be settled in, or exercised for, cash, shares of common stock, other securities, other awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited or suspended and the method or methods by which awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, shares of common stock, other securities, other awards, or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an award will be deferred either automatically or at the election of the participant or of the Committee; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in, and/or supply any omission in our Omnibus Incentive Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or award granted under, our Omnibus Incentive Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee may deem appropriate for the proper administration of our Omnibus Incentive Plan; (ix) adopt sub-plans; and (x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of our Omnibus Incentive Plan. Unless otherwise expressly provided in our Omnibus Incentive Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations and other decisions under or with respect to our Omnibus Incentive Plan or any award or any documents evidencing awards granted pursuant to our Omnibus Incentive Plan are within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time, and are final, conclusive and binding upon all persons or entities, including, without limitation, us, any participant, any holder or beneficiary of any award and any of our stockholders.

Awards Subject to our Omnibus Incentive Plan. Our Omnibus Incentive Plan provides that the total number of shares of common stock that may be issued under our Omnibus Incentive Plan is                 , or the “Absolute Share Limit”; provided, however, that the Absolute Share Limit shall be increased on the first day of each fiscal year beginning with the 2022 fiscal year in an amount equal to the least of (x)                 shares of common stock, (y)     % of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year, and (z) a lower number of shares of common stock as determined by our Board of Directors. Of this amount, the maximum number of shares of common stock for which incentive stock options may be granted is                ; and during a single fiscal year, each non-employee director shall be granted a number of shares of common stock subject to awards, taken together with any cash fees paid to such non-employee director during the fiscal year, equal to a total value of $             or such lower amount as determined by our Board of Directors. Except for “Substitute Awards” (as described below), to the extent that an award expires or is canceled, forfeited, terminated, settled in cash, or otherwise is settled without issuance to the participant of the full number of shares of common stock to which the award related, the unissued shares will again be available for grant under our Omnibus Incentive Plan. Shares of common stock withheld in payment of the exercise price, or taxes relating to an award, and shares equal to the number of shares surrendered in payment of any exercise price, or taxes relating to an award, shall be deemed to constitute shares not issued; provided, however, that such shares shall

 

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not become available for issuance if either: (i) the applicable shares are withheld or surrendered following the termination of our Omnibus Incentive Plan or (ii) at the time the applicable shares are withheld or surrendered, it would constitute a material revision of our Omnibus Incentive Plan subject to stockholder approval under any then-applicable rules of the national securities exchange on which the common stock is listed. No award may be granted under our Omnibus Incentive Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date (as defined in our Omnibus Incentive Plan), but awards granted before then may extend beyond that date. Awards may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, be granted in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity directly or indirectly acquired by us or with which we combine, or Substitute Awards, and such Substitute Awards will not be counted against the Absolute Share Limit, except that Substitute Awards intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” will count against the limit on incentive stock options described above.

Grants. All awards granted under our Omnibus Incentive Plan will vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee, including, without limitation, attainment of Performance Conditions. For purposes of this proxy statement, “Performance Conditions” means specific levels of performance of TaskUs (and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments, administrative departments, or any combination of the foregoing), which may be determined in accordance with GAAP or on a non-GAAP basis on, without limitation, the following measures: (i) net earnings, net income (before or after taxes), or consolidated net income; (ii) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (iii) net revenue or net revenue growth; (iv) gross revenue or gross revenue growth, gross profit or gross profit growth; (v) net operating profit (before or after taxes); (vi) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on investment, assets, capital, employed capital, invested capital, equity, or sales); (vii) cash flow measures (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, or cash flow return on capital), which may be but are not required to be measured on a per share basis; (viii) actual or adjusted earnings before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, and/or amortization (including EBIT and EBITDA); (ix) gross or net operating margins; (x) productivity ratios; (xi) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total stockholder return); (xii) expense targets or cost reduction goals, general and administrative expense savings; (xiii) operating efficiency; (xiv) objective measures of customer/client satisfaction; (xv) working capital targets; (xvi) measures of economic value added or other ‘value creation’ metrics; (xvii) enterprise value; (xviii) sales; (xix) stockholder return; (xx) customer/client retention; (xxi) competitive market metrics; (xxii) employee retention; (xxiii) objective measures of personal targets, goals, or completion of projects (including, but not limited to, succession and hiring projects, completion of specific acquisitions, dispositions, reorganizations, or other corporate transactions or capital-raising transactions, expansions of specific business operations, and meeting divisional or project budgets); (xxiv) comparisons of continuing operations to other operations; (xxv) market share; (xxvi) cost of capital, debt leverage, year-end cash position or book value; (xxvii) strategic objectives; or (xxviii) any combination of the foregoing. Any one or more of the aforementioned performance criteria may be stated as a percentage of another performance criteria, or used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of one or more of TaskUs or its subsidiaries as a whole or any divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments, or administrative departments of TaskUs and/or one or more of its subsidiaries or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above performance criteria may be compared to the performance of a selected group of comparison companies, or a published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices.

Options. Under our Omnibus Incentive Plan, the Committee may grant non-qualified stock options and incentive stock options with terms and conditions determined by the Committee that are not inconsistent with our Omnibus Incentive Plan; provided, that all stock options granted under our Omnibus Incentive Plan are required to have a per share exercise price that is not less than 100% of the fair market value of our shares of common stock underlying such stock options on the date such stock options are granted (other than in the case of options that are Substitute Awards), and all stock options that are intended to qualify as incentive stock options must be granted pursuant to an award agreement expressly stating that the options are intended to qualify as incentive stock options, and will be subject to the terms and conditions that comply with the rules as may be prescribed by

 

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Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The maximum term for stock options granted under our Omnibus Incentive Plan will be 10 years from the initial date of grant, or with respect to any stock options intended to qualify as incentive stock options, such shorter period as prescribed by Section 422 of the Code. However, if a non-qualified stock option would expire at a time when trading of our shares of common stock is prohibited by our insider trading policy (or “blackout period” imposed by us), the term will automatically be extended to the 30th day following the end of such period. The purchase price for the shares of common stock as to which a stock option is exercised may be paid to us, to the extent permitted by law (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or shares of common stock valued at the fair market value at the time the option is exercised; provided, that such shares of common stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and have been held by the participant for at least six months (or such other period as established from time to time by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment applying generally accepted accounting principles or (ii) by such other method as the Committee may permit in its sole discretion, including, without limitation: (a) in other property having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the exercise price, (b) if there is a public market for the shares of common stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which we are delivered (including telephonically to the extent permitted by the Committee) a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the shares of common stock otherwise issuable upon the exercise of the option and to deliver promptly to us an amount equal to the exercise price or (c) a “net exercise” procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of shares of common stock otherwise issuable in respect of an option that is needed to pay the exercise price. Any fractional shares of common stock shall be settled in cash.

Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee may grant stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) under our Omnibus Incentive Plan, with terms and conditions determined by the Committee that are not inconsistent with our Omnibus Incentive Plan. The Committee may also award SARs independent of any option. Generally, each SAR will entitle the participant upon exercise to an amount (in cash, shares of common stock or a combination of cash and shares, as determined by the Committee) equal to the product of (i) the excess of (a) the fair market value on the exercise date of one share of common stock over (b) the strike price per share of common stock covered by the SAR, times (ii) the number of shares of common stock covered by the SAR, less any taxes required to be withheld. The strike price per share of common stock covered by a SAR will be determined by the Committee at the time of grant but in no event may such amount be less than 100% of the fair market value of an share of common stock on the date the SAR is granted (other than in the case of SARs granted in substitution of previously granted awards).

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. The Committee may grant restricted shares of our shares of common stock or restricted stock units (“RSUs”), representing the right to receive, upon vesting and the expiration of any applicable restricted period, one share of common stock for each RSU, or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, the cash value thereof (or any combination thereof). As to restricted shares of our shares of common stock, subject to the other provisions of our Omnibus Incentive Plan, the holder will generally have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to such restricted shares of common stock, including, without limitation, the right to vote such restricted shares of common stock.

Other Equity-Based Awards and Other Cash-Based Awards. The Committee may grant other equity-based or cash-based awards under the Omnibus Incentive Plan, with terms and conditions determined by the Committee that are not inconsistent with the Omnibus Incentive Plan.

Effect of Certain Events on the Omnibus Incentive Plan and Awards. In the event of (i) any dividend (other than regular cash dividends) or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of common stock, other of our securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of common stock or other securities, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire shares of common stock or other of our securities, or other similar corporate transaction or event that affects the shares of common stock (including a “Change in Control,” as defined in the Omnibus Incentive Plan); or (ii) unusual or nonrecurring events affecting us,

 

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including changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations, or other requirements, that the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, could result in substantial dilution or enlargement of the rights intended to be granted to, or available for, participants (any event in (i) or (ii), an “Adjustment Event”), the Committee will, in respect of any such Adjustment Event, make such proportionate substitution or adjustment, if any, as it deems equitable, to any or all of (a) the Absolute Share Limit, or any other limit applicable under the Omnibus Incentive Plan with respect to the number of awards which may be granted thereunder; (b) the number of our shares of common stock or other of our securities (or number and kind of other securities or other property) which may be issued in respect of awards or with respect to which awards may be granted under the Omnibus Incentive Plan; and (c) the terms of any outstanding award, including, without limitation, (x) the number of our shares of common stock or other of our securities (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding awards or to which outstanding awards relate; (y) the exercise price or strike price with respect to any award; or (z) any applicable performance measures; provided, that in the case of any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the FASB ASC Topic 718 (or any successor pronouncement thereto)), the Committee will make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding awards to reflect such equity restructuring. In connection with any Adjustment Event, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for any one or more of the following: (i) substitution or assumption of awards, acceleration of the exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, awards or a period of time for participants to exercise outstanding awards prior to the occurrence of such event (and any such award not so exercised will terminate upon the occurrence of such event); and (ii) subject to any limitations or reductions as may be necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, cancellation of any one or more outstanding awards and payment to the holders of such awards that are vested as of such cancellation (including, without limitation, any awards that would vest as a result of the occurrence of such event but for such cancellation or for which vesting is accelerated by the Committee in connection with such event) the value of such awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which value, if applicable, may be based upon the price per share of common stock received or to be received by other holders of our shares of common stock in such event), including, without limitation, in the case of stock options and SARs, a cash payment equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares of common stock subject to the option or SAR over the aggregate exercise price or strike price thereof, or, in the case of restricted stock, restricted stock units, or other equity-based awards that are not vested as of such cancellation, a cash payment or equity subject to deferred vesting and delivery consistent with the vesting restrictions applicable to such award prior to cancellation of the underlying shares in respect thereof.

Amendment and Termination. Our Board of Directors may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate our Omnibus Incentive Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided, that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination may be made without stockholder approval if (i) such approval is required under applicable law; (ii) it would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under our Omnibus Incentive Plan (except for adjustments in connection with certain corporate events); or (iii) it would materially modify the requirements for participation in our Omnibus Incentive Plan; provided, further, that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any participant or any holder or beneficiary of any award will not to that extent be effective without such individual’s consent.

The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable award agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any award granted or the associated award agreement, prospectively or retroactively (including after a Termination, as defined in our Omnibus Incentive Plan); provided, that, except as otherwise permitted in our Omnibus Incentive Plan, any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any participant with respect to such award will not to that extent be effective without such individual’s consent; provided, further, that without stockholder approval, except as otherwise permitted in our Omnibus Incentive Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the exercise price of any option or the strike price of any SAR; (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding option or SAR and replace it with a new option or SAR (with a lower exercise price or strike price, as the case may be) or other award or cash payment that is greater than the value of the cancelled option or SAR; and (iii) the

 

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Committee may not take any other action which is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which our securities are listed or quoted.

Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. The Committee in its sole discretion may provide as part of an award dividends or dividend equivalents, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Any dividends payable in respect of restricted stock awards that remain subject to vesting conditions shall be retained by the Company and delivered to the participant within 15 days following the date on which such restrictions on such restricted stock awards lapse and, if such restricted stock is forfeited, the participant shall have no right to such dividends. Dividends attributable to RSUs shall be distributed to the participant in cash or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of common stock having a fair market value equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the settlement of the RSUs and, if such RSUs are forfeited, the participant shall have no right to such dividends.

Clawback/Repayment. All awards are subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment to the extent necessary to comply with (i) any clawback, forfeiture or other similar policy adopted by our Board of Directors or the Committee and as in effect from time to time and (ii) applicable law. To the extent that a participant receives any amount in excess of the amount that the participant should otherwise have received under the terms of the award for any reason (including, without limitation, by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), the participant will be required to repay us any such excess amount.

Detrimental Activity. If a participant has engaged in any detrimental activity, as defined in our Omnibus Incentive Plan, as determined by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for one or more of the following: (i) cancellation of any or all of such participant’s outstanding awards or (ii) forfeiture and repayment to us on any gain realized on the vesting, exercise or settlement of any awards previously granted to such participant.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

The agreements described in this section, or forms of such agreements as they will be in effect at the time of this offering, are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and the following descriptions are qualified by reference thereto.

Stockholders Agreement

In connection with this offering, we intend to enter into a stockholders agreement with our Sponsor and our Co-Founders granting them certain board designation and other rights so long as they maintain a certain percentage of ownership of our outstanding common stock. We intend to describe the material terms of this agreement in a subsequent pre-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Registration Rights Agreement

In connection with this offering, we expect to enter into a registration rights agreement with our Sponsor and our Co-Founders, which will provide for customary “demand” registrations and “piggyback” registration rights. The registration rights agreement will also provide that we will pay certain expenses relating to such registrations and indemnify the registration rights holders against (or make contributions in respect of) certain liabilities which may arise under the Securities Act.

Support and Services Agreement

In connection with the closing of the Blackstone Acquisition, TaskUs and TaskUs Holdings entered into a support and services agreement (the “Support and Services Agreement”) with Blackstone Capital Partners VII L.P. and Blackstone Capital Partners Asia L.P. and Blackstone Management Partners L.L.C. (“BMP”), an affiliate of our Sponsor. Under the Support and Services Agreement, we reimburse BMP and its affiliates for expenses related to support services customarily provided by Blackstone’s portfolio operations group to Blackstone’s portfolio companies, as well as healthcare-related services provided by Blackstone’s Equity Healthcare group and Blackstone’s group purchasing program. The Support and Services Agreement also requires us to, among other things, make certain information, including tax-related information, books and records of TaskUs and its subsidiaries, and access to officers, directors and auditors, available to Blackstone and to indemnify BMP and its affiliates against certain claims.

We made no payments pursuant to the Support and Services Agreement in the year ended December 31, 2019 or the period from October 1, 2018 through December 2018. We made payments of $            pursuant to the Support and Services Agreement in the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

Commercial Transactions with Sponsor Portfolio Companies

Our Sponsor and its affiliates have ownership interests in a broad range of companies. We have entered and may in the future enter into commercial transactions in the ordinary course of our business with some of these companies, including the sale of goods and services and the purchase of goods and services. None of these transactions or arrangements has been or is expected to be material to us.

Statement of Policy Regarding Transactions with Related Persons

Prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors will adopt a written statement of policy regarding transactions with related persons, which we refer to as our “related person policy.” Our related person policy requires that a “related person” (as defined in paragraph (a) of Item 404 of Regulation S-K) must promptly disclose to our general counsel any “related person transaction” (defined as any transaction that is anticipated

 

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would be reportable by us under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K in which we were or are to be a participant and the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and in which any related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest) and all material facts with respect thereto. Our general counsel will then promptly communicate that information to our board of directors. No related person transaction entered into following this offering will be executed without the approval or ratification of our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of our board of directors composed entirely of independent members of our board of directors.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that our directors will not be liable for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.

There is no pending litigation or proceeding naming any of our directors or officers to which indemnification is being sought, and we are not aware of any pending or threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification by any director or officer.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our Co-Founders and we intend to enter into indemnification agreements with our other directors and executive officers. These agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors or executive officers, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy and is therefore unenforceable.

 

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock as of                     , 20         by (1) each person known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding common stock, (2) each of our directors and named executive officers and (3) all of our directors and executive officers as a group.

The amounts and percentages of shares beneficially owned are reported on the basis of SEC regulations governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under SEC rules, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares voting power or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Securities that can be so acquired are deemed to be outstanding for purposes of computing such person’s ownership percentage, but not for purposes of computing any other person’s percentage. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities and a person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which such person has no economic interest.

Except as otherwise indicated in the footnotes below, each of the beneficial owners has, to our knowledge, sole voting and investment power with respect to the indicated shares. Unless otherwise noted, the address of each beneficial owner is 1650 Independence Drive, Suite 100, New Braunfels, Texas 78132.

As of                     , 2020, there were                holders of record of our common stock.

 

    Common Stock
Beneficially
Owned Prior to this
Offering
    Percentage of Shares Beneficially
Owned After the Offering
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Number(1)     %     Assuming
Underwriters’ Option
is Not Exercised
    Assuming
Underwriters’
Option is Exercised
in Full
 

Principal Stockholders:

       

Our Sponsor(1)

       

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

       

Bryce Maddock

       

Jaspar Weir

       

Amit Dixit

       

Susir Kumar

       

Mukesh Mehta

       

Jacqueline Reses

       

Jarrod Johnson

       

Balaji Sekar

       

Directors and executive officers as a group (eight persons)

       

 

(1)

Reflects securities held directly by BCP FC Aggregator L.P. The general partner of BCP FC Aggregator L.P. is BCP VII/BCP Asia Holdings Manager (Cayman) L.L.C. The managing members of BCP VII/BCP Asia Holdings Manager (Cayman) L.L.C. are Blackstone Management Associates Asia L.P. and Blackstone Management Associates (Cayman) VII L.P. The general partners of Blackstone Management Associates Asia L.P. are BMA Asia L.L.C. and BMA Asia Ltd. The general partners of Blackstone Management Associates (Cayman) VII L.P. are BCP VII GP L.L.C. and Blackstone LR Associates (Cayman) VII Ltd. Blackstone Holdings III L.P. is the managing member of BMA Asia L.L.C., the sole member of BCP VII GP L.L.C., and the controlling shareholder of each of BMA Asia Ltd. and Blackstone LR Associates (Cayman) VII Ltd. Blackstone Holdings III GP L.P. is the general partner of Blackstone Holdings III L.P.

 

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  Blackstone Holdings III GP Management L.L.C. is the general partner of Blackstone Holdings III GP L.P. The Blackstone Group Inc. is the sole member of Blackstone Holdings III GP Management L.L.C. The sole holder of the Class C common stock of The Blackstone Group Inc. is Blackstone Group Management L.L.C. Blackstone Group Management L.L.C. is wholly-owned by Blackstone’s senior managing directors and controlled by its founder, Stephen A. Schwarzman.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INDEBTEDNESS

The following is a summary of the material terms of certain indebtedness of us and our subsidiaries. The summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the agreements governing the terms of such indebtedness, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Senior Secured Credit Facilities

On September 25, 2019, our subsidiaries TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation, entered into the Credit Agreement (the “2019 Credit Agreement”) providing for the credit facilities consisting of (i) a $210.0 million term loan facility which matures on September 25, 2024 (the “Term Loan Facility”) and (ii) a $40.0 million revolving credit facility which matures on September 25, 2024 (the “Revolving Credit Facility”; together with the Term Loan Facility, the “2019 Credit Facilities”). The Revolving Credit Facility is available for general corporate purposes and includes a letter of credit sub-facility of up to $15.0 million. The 2019 Credit Facilities include an uncommitted incremental facility, which, subject to certain conditions, would provide for additional term loan facilities, an increase in commitments under the Term Loan Facility and/or an increase in commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility, in an aggregate amount of up to $75.0 million (which may increase based on consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the 2019 Credit Agreement)) plus additional amounts based on achievement of a certain consolidated total net leverage ratio.

As of December 31, 2019, we had $207.3 million of total outstanding debt, net of deferred debt issuance costs, under the 2019 Credit Facilities.

Interest Rate and Fees

The Term Loan Facility and the Revolving Credit Facility each bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof at a rate per annum equal to, at our option, either (a) LIBOR plus 2.25%, subject to a LIBOR floor of 0% per annum or (b) a base rate plus 1.25%,subject to a LIBOR floor of 1% per annum . The 2019 Credit Agreement provides for the use of an alternate rate to LIBOR in the event LIBOR is phased-out.

We are required to repay the Term Loan Facility, in equal quarterly installments in an aggregate annual amount equal to (i) 1.0% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the first year, (ii) 2.5% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the second year, (iii) 5.0% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the third year, (iv) 7.5% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the fourth year and (v) 10.0% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the fifth year, with the balance payable on the maturity date.

In addition to paying interest on outstanding principal amounts under the 2019 Credit Facilities, we are required to pay a commitment fee equal to 0.40% of the average daily amount of the undrawn commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility. We are also required to pay a fronting fee equal to 0.125% of the aggregate face amount of outstanding letters of credit, payable in arrears at the end of each quarter and upon the termination of the Revolving Credit Facility.

Mandatory Prepayments

Subject to certain exceptions and limitations, we are required to prepay the Term Loan Facility with: (a) 100% of the net cash proceeds from non-permitted debt incurrences and (b) 100% of the net cash proceeds, subject to a stepdown to 0% if our consolidated total net leverage ratio is equal to or less than 1.50 to 1.00, from certain non-ordinary course asset sales or from a casualty or condemnation recovery event, subject to customary exceptions and reinvestment rights.

 

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Security and Guarantees

Our obligations under the 2019 Credit Facilities are guaranteed by TU MidCo, Inc. and the material wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries of TU BidCo, Inc., subject to certain exceptions. All obligations under the 2019 Credit Facilities and the related guarantees are secured by a first priority lien on substantially all of the tangible and intangible assets of TU BidCo, Inc. and the guarantors under the 2019 Credit Agreement (including, without limitation, all of the equity interests in TU BidCo, Inc. held by TU MidCo, Inc.), in each case, subject to permitted liens and certain exceptions (including equity interests of first-tier foreign subsidiaries limited to 65% of the voting equity interests in such subsidiaries).

Covenants

The 2019 Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including limitations on indebtedness (including guarantee obligations); limitations on liens; limitations on restricted payments; limitations on acquisitions, investments, loans and advances; limitations on sales, dispositions or other transfers of assets; limitations on optional payments and modifications of subordinated debt in a manner that materially adversely affects the rights of the lenders; limitations on transactions with affiliates and a passive holding company covenant. In addition, the 2019 Credit Agreement contains a financial maintenance covenant, which is tested for each fiscal quarter, requiring us to comply with a maximum consolidated total net leverage ratio of 4.00 to 1.00, with step-downs to 3.75 to 1.00 on December 31, 2021 and 3.50 to 1.00 on December 31, 2022, calculated as the ratio of (i) consolidated total net debt (as defined in the 2019 Credit Agreement), net of unrestricted cash, to (ii) consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the 2019 Credit Agreement).

Events of Default

Events of default under the 2019 Credit Agreement include, among other things, nonpayment of principal when due; nonpayment of interest, fees or other amounts after a grace period; material inaccuracy of representations and warranties; violation of covenants (subject, in the case of certain affirmative covenants, to a grace period); cross payment default and cross-acceleration to material debt; bankruptcy events; certain ERISA events; material judgments; change of control; and actual or asserted invalidity of the 2019 Credit Agreement and non-perfection of the security interest on any material portion of the collateral.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

In connection with this offering, we will amend and restate our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws. The following is a description of the material terms of, and is qualified in its entirety by, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, each of which will be in effect upon the consummation of this offering, the forms of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Under “Description of Capital Stock,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “our company” refer to TaskUs, Inc. and not to any of its subsidiaries.

Our purpose is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may now or hereafter be organized under the DGCL. Upon the consummation of this offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of             shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and             shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. No shares of preferred stock will be issued or outstanding immediately after the public offering contemplated by this prospectus. Unless our board of directors determines otherwise, we will issue all shares of our capital stock in uncertificated form.

Common Stock

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters on which stockholders are entitled to vote generally, including the election or removal of directors elected by our stockholders generally. Holders of our common stock, however, are not entitled to vote upon any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of one or more series of our preferred stock are entitled to vote as a separate class on such amendment under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or applicable law. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Upon our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up and after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution. Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption, or conversion rights under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. The common stock will not be subject to further calls or assessment by us. There will be no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. All shares of our common stock that will be outstanding at the time of the completion of the offering will be fully paid and non-assessable. The rights, powers, preferences, and privileges of holders of our common stock will be subject to those of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock that we may authorize and issue in the future.

Preferred Stock

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred stock (including convertible preferred stock). Unless required by law or by any stock exchange, and subject to the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the authorized shares of preferred stock will be available for issuance without further action by holders of our common stock. Our board of directors is authorized to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, including, without limitation:

 

   

the designation of the series;

 

   

the number of shares of the series, which our board of directors may, except where otherwise provided in the preferred stock designation, increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares then outstanding);

 

   

whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or non-cumulative and the dividend rate of the series;

 

   

the dates at which dividends, if any, will be payable on shares of such series;

 

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the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;

 

   

the terms and amounts of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

 

   

the amounts payable on shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs or other event;

 

   

whether the shares of the series will be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of us or any other entity, and, if so, the specification of the other class or series or other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any rate adjustments, the date or dates as of which the shares will be convertible, and all other terms and conditions upon which the conversion may be made;

 

   

restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series of our capital stock; and

 

   

the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series.

We could issue a series of preferred stock that could, depending on the terms of the series, impede or discourage an acquisition attempt or other transaction that some, or a majority, of the holders of our common stock might believe to be in their best interests or in which the holders of our common stock might receive a premium over the market price of the shares of our common stock. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may adversely affect the rights of holders of our common stock by restricting dividends on the common stock, diluting the voting power of the common stock, or subordinating the rights of the common stock to distributions to the holders of preferred stock upon a liquidation, dissolution or winding up or other event. As a result of these or other factors, the issuance of preferred stock could have an adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.

Dividends

The DGCL permits the directors, subject to any restriction in the certificate of incorporation, to declare and pay dividends out of the corporation’s “surplus” or, if there is no “surplus,” out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year. “Surplus” is defined as the excess of the net assets of the corporation over the amount determined to be the capital of the corporation. The capital of the corporation is typically an amount equal to (and cannot be less than) the aggregate par value of all issued shares of capital stock. Net assets is calculated to be the amount by which the fair value of the total assets of the corporation exceeds its total liabilities, and capital and surplus are not liabilities for such purpose. The DGCL also provides that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the payment of the dividend, the remaining capital would be less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets. Declaration and payment of any dividend will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors.

We have no current plans to pay dividends on our common stock following this offering. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Because we are a holding company and have no direct operations, we will only be able to pay dividends from funds we receive from our subsidiaries. In addition, our ability to pay dividends will be limited by covenants in our existing indebtedness and may be limited by the agreements governing any indebtedness we or our subsidiaries may incur in the future. See “Dividend Policy.”

 

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Annual Stockholder Meetings

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that annual stockholder meetings will be held at a date, time, and place, if any, as exclusively selected by our board of directors. To the extent permitted under applicable law, we may conduct meetings by remote communications, including by webcast.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws and Certain Provisions of Delaware Law

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws, and the DGCL contain provisions which are summarized in the following paragraphs and that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile or abusive change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a merger or acquisition of the Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.

Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock

Delaware law does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of shares that are authorized and available for issuance. However, the listing requirements of the                , which would apply so long as our common stock remains listed on the                 , require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then outstanding voting power of our capital stock or then outstanding number of shares of common stock. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings, to raise additional capital, or to facilitate acquisitions.

Our board of directors may generally issue shares of one or more series of preferred stock on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of the Company or the removal of our management. Moreover, our authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock will be available for future issuances in one or more series without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, to facilitate acquisitions and employee benefit plans.

One of the effects of the existence of authorized and unissued and unreserved common stock or preferred stock may be to enable our board of directors to issue shares to persons friendly to current management, which issuance could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise, and thereby protect the continuity of our management and possibly deprive our stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.

Classified Board of Directors

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, subject to the right of holders of any series of preferred stock, our board of directors will be divided into three classes of directors, as nearly equal in number as possible, and with the directors serving staggered three-year terms, with only one class of directors being elected at each annual meeting of stockholders. As a result, approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected each year. The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that, subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances and the terms of our stockholders agreement, the number of directors will be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of directors.

 

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Business Combinations

We have opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL; however, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains similar provisions providing that we may not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

   

prior to such time, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

   

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or

 

   

at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 6623% of our outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock or is an affiliate or associate of us and was the owner of 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock at the date of termination, and their affiliates and associates. For purposes of this section only, “voting stock” has the meaning given to it in Section 203 of the DGCL.

Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with us for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction that results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our Sponsor and its affiliates, and any of their respective direct or indirect transferees, and any group as to which such persons are a party, do not constitute “interested stockholders” for purposes of this provision.

Removal of Directors; Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships

Under the DGCL, unless otherwise provided in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, directors serving on a classified board may be removed by the stockholders only for cause. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the directors divided into classes may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class; provided, however, at any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 30% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, directors may only be removed for cause, and only upon the affirmative vote of holders of at least 6623% of the voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class; provided further, however, that specified directors designated pursuant to the stockholders agreement may not be removed without cause without the consent of the designating party. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, subject to the rights granted to one or more series of preferred stock then outstanding or the rights granted under the stockholders agreement with our Sponsor, any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on our board of directors will be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even

 

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if less than a quorum, by a sole remaining director or by the stockholders; provided, however, at any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 30% of voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the board of directors may only be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by the stockholders).

No Cumulative Voting

Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority in voting power of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors will be able to elect all of our directors.

Special Stockholder Meetings

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors; provided, however, at any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least 30% in voting power of the stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, special meetings of our stockholders shall also be called by the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors at the request of our Sponsor and its affiliates. Our amended and restated bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deterring, delaying, or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of the Company.

Director Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

Our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions will not apply to our Sponsor and its affiliates so long as the stockholders agreement remains in effect. Our amended and restated bylaws allow the chairman of the meeting at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings that may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay, or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of the Company.

Stockholder Action by Written Consent

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice, and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the stockholder designated pursuant to our stockholders agreement and holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will prohibit stockholder action by written consent in lieu of a meeting of stockholders at any time our Sponsors and its affiliates own, in the aggregate, less than 30% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote

 

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generally in the election of directors; provided that any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of preferred stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable certificate of designation relating to such series of preferred stock.

Supermajority Provisions

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, amend, change, add to, rescind, or repeal, in whole or in part, our bylaws without a stockholder vote in any matter not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. For as long as our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least 30% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any amendment, alteration, change, addition, or repeal of our bylaws by our stockholders requires the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of our stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on such amendment, alteration, rescission or repeal. At any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 30% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any amendment, alteration, rescission, or repeal of our bylaws by our stockholders requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 6623% in voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.

The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, unless the certificate of incorporation requires a greater percentage.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that at any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 30% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, the following provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 6623% in voting power of all the then outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class:

 

   

the provision requiring a 6623% supermajority vote for stockholders to amend our amended and restated bylaws;

 

   

the provisions providing for a classified board of directors (the election and term of our directors);

 

   

the provisions regarding resignation and removal of directors;

 

   

the provisions regarding competition and corporate opportunities;

 

   

the provisions regarding entering into business combinations with interested stockholders;

 

   

the provisions regarding stockholder action by written consent;

 

   

the provisions regarding calling special meetings of stockholders;

 

   

the provisions regarding filling vacancies on our board of directors and newly created directorships;

 

   

the provisions eliminating monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty by a director;

 

   

the provisions regarding forum selection; and

 

   

the amendment provision requiring that the above provisions be amended only with a 6623% supermajority vote.

The combination of the classification of our board of directors, the lack of cumulative voting and the supermajority voting requirements will make it more difficult for our existing stockholders to replace our board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Because our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management.

 

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These provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying or preventing changes in control of us or our management, such as a merger, reorganization or tender offer. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened acquisition of the Company. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions are also intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in management.

Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment

Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders will have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation in which we are a constituent entity. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation will have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Stockholders’ Derivative Actions

Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law. To bring such an action, the stockholder must otherwise comply with Delaware law regarding derivative actions.

Exclusive Forum

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our Company, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, employee or stockholder of our Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (iii) action asserting a claim against the Company or any current or former director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, or (iv) action asserting a claim against the Company or any director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will further provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the federal securities laws of the United States of America. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Company shall be deemed to have notice of and to have provided consent to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. However, we note that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce our forum selection provisions and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Conflicts of Interest

Delaware law permits corporations to adopt provisions renouncing any interest or expectancy in certain opportunities that are presented to the corporation or its officers, directors or stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Delaware law, renounce any interest or expectancy that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in,

 

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specified business opportunities that are from time to time presented to our officers, directors or stockholders or their respective affiliates, other than those officers, directors, stockholders or affiliates who are our or our subsidiaries’ employees. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, none of our Sponsor or any of its affiliates or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (ii) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that our Sponsor or any non-employee director acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself, himself or herself or its, his or her affiliates or for us or our affiliates, such person will have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not renounce our interest in any business opportunity that is expressly offered to a non-employee director solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no business opportunity will be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for us unless we would be permitted to undertake the opportunity under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we have sufficient financial resources to undertake the opportunity and the opportunity would be in line with our business.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages to the corporation or its stockholders for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of these provisions is to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, whether directly or through a suit brought derivatively on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any director if the director has breached such director’s duty of loyalty, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized illegal dividends, redemptions or repurchases or derived an improper benefit from his or her actions as a director.

Our amended and restated bylaws generally provide that we must indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for shares of our common stock will be              .

 

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Listing

We intend to apply to have our common stock approved for listing on the            under the symbol “            .”

 

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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME AND ESTATE

TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS

The following is a summary of material United States federal income and estate tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock as of the date hereof. Except where noted, this summary deals only with common stock that is held as a capital asset by a non-U.S. holder (as defined below).

A “non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of our common stock (other than an entity treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) that is not, for United States federal income tax purposes, any of the following:

 

   

an individual citizen or resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation (or any other entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

   

an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.

This summary is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and regulations, rulings and judicial decisions as of the date hereof. Those authorities may be changed, perhaps retroactively, so as to result in United States federal income and estate tax consequences different from those summarized below. This summary does not address all aspects of United States federal income and estate taxes and does not deal with foreign, state, local or other tax considerations that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders in light of their particular circumstances. In addition, it does not represent a detailed description of the United States federal income and estate tax consequences applicable to you if you are subject to special treatment under the United States federal income tax laws (including if you are a United States expatriate, foreign pension fund, “controlled foreign corporation,” “passive foreign investment company” or a partnership or other pass-through entity for United States federal income tax purposes). We cannot assure you that a change in law will not alter significantly the tax considerations that we describe in this summary.

If a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership holding our common stock, you should consult your tax advisors.

This discussion is not tax advice. Investors should consult their tax advisors with respect to the application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to their particular situations as well as any tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock arising under the U.S. federal estate or gift tax laws or under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable income tax treaty.

Dividends

In the event that we make a distribution of cash or other property (other than certain pro rata distributions of our stock) in respect of our common stock, the distribution generally will be treated as a dividend for United States federal income tax purposes to the extent it is paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under United States federal income tax principles. Any portion of a distribution that exceeds our

 

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current and accumulated earnings and profits generally will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital, causing a reduction in the adjusted tax basis of a non-U.S. holder’s common stock, and to the extent the amount of the distribution exceeds a non-U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in our common stock, the excess will be treated as gain from the disposition of our common stock (the tax treatment of which is discussed below under “—Gain on Disposition of Common Stock”).

Dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to withholding of United States federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. However, dividends that are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business by the non-U.S. holder within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a United States permanent establishment or fixed base) are not subject to the withholding tax, provided certain certification and disclosure requirements are satisfied. Instead, such dividends are subject to United States federal income tax on a net income basis in the same manner as if the non-U.S. holder were a United States person as defined under the Code. Any such effectively connected dividends received by a foreign corporation may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

A non-U.S. holder who wishes to claim the benefit of an applicable treaty rate and avoid backup withholding, as discussed below, for dividends will be required (a) to provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable form) certifying under penalty of perjury that such holder is not a United States person as defined under the Code and is eligible for treaty benefits or (b) if our common stock is held through certain foreign intermediaries, to satisfy the relevant certification requirements of applicable United States Treasury regulations. Special certification and other requirements apply to certain non-U.S. holders that are pass-through entities rather than corporations or individuals.

A non-U.S. holder eligible for a reduced rate of United States federal withholding tax pursuant to an income tax treaty may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.

Gain on Disposition of Common Stock

Subject to the discussion of backup withholding below, any gain realized by a non-U.S. holder on the sale or other disposition of our common stock generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax unless:

 

   

the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business of the non-U.S. holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment or fixed base of the non-U.S. holder);

 

   

the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met; or

 

   

we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” for United States federal income tax purposes and certain other conditions are met.

A non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point immediately above will be subject to tax on the gain derived from the sale or other disposition in the same manner as if the non-U.S. holder were a United States person as defined under the Code. In addition, if any non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point immediately above is a foreign corporation, the gain realized by such non-U.S. holder may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. An individual non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point immediately above will be subject to a 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty) tax on the gain derived from the sale or other disposition, which gain may be offset by United States source capital losses even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States.

 

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Generally, a corporation is a “United States real property holding corporation” if the fair market value of its United States real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business (all as determined for United States federal income tax purposes). We believe we are not and do not anticipate becoming a “United States real property holding corporation” for United States federal income tax purposes.

Federal Estate Tax

Common stock held by an individual non-U.S. holder at the time of death will be included in such holder’s gross estate for United States federal estate tax purposes, unless an applicable estate tax treaty provides otherwise.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Distributions paid to a non-U.S. holder and the amount of any tax withheld with respect to such distributions generally will be reported to the IRS. Copies of the information returns reporting such distributions and any withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty.

A non-U.S. holder will not be subject to backup withholding on dividends received if such holder certifies under penalty of perjury that it is a non-U.S. holder (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a United States person as defined under the Code), or such holder otherwise establishes an exemption.

Information reporting and, depending on the circumstances, backup withholding will apply to the proceeds of a sale or other disposition of our common stock made within the United States or conducted through certain United States-related financial intermediaries, unless the beneficial owner certifies under penalty of perjury that it is a non-U.S. holder (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the beneficial owner is a United States person as defined under the Code), or such owner otherwise establishes an exemption.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a non-U.S. holder’s United States federal income tax liability provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Additional Withholding Requirements

Under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as “FATCA”), a 30% United States federal withholding tax may apply to any dividends paid on our common stock to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (as specifically defined in the Code) which does not provide sufficient documentation, typically on IRS Form W-8BEN-E, evidencing either (x) an exemption from FATCA, or (y) its compliance (or deemed compliance) with FATCA (which may alternatively be in the form of compliance with an intergovernmental agreement with the United States) in a manner which avoids withholding, or (ii) a “non-financial foreign entity” (as specifically defined in the Code) which does not provide sufficient documentation, typically on IRS Form W-8BEN-E, evidencing either (x) an exemption from FATCA, or (y) adequate information regarding certain substantial United States beneficial owners of such entity (if any). Under proposed U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated by the Treasury Department on December 13, 2018, which state that taxpayers may rely on the proposed Treasury regulations until final Treasury regulations are issued, this withholding tax will not apply to the gross proceeds from the sale or disposition of our common stock. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify these requirements. If a dividend payment is both subject to withholding under FATCA and subject to the withholding tax discussed above under “—Dividends,” the withholding under FATCA may be credited against, and therefore reduce, such other withholding tax. You should consult your own tax advisors regarding these requirements and whether they may be relevant to your ownership and disposition of our common stock.

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for shares of our common stock. We cannot predict the effect, if any, future sales of shares of common stock, or the availability for future sale of shares of common stock, will have on the market price of shares of our common stock prevailing from time to time. The sale of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could harm the prevailing market price of shares of our common stock and could impair our future ability to raise capital through the sale of our equity or equity-related securities at a time and price that we deem appropriate. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of our Common Stock—If we or our existing investors sell additional shares of our common stock after this offering, or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them, the market price of our common stock could decline.”

Upon completion of this offering, we will have a total of                    shares of our common stock outstanding. Of the outstanding shares, the                    shares sold in this offering (or                     shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except that any shares held by our affiliates, as that term is defined under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, may be sold only in compliance with the limitations described below. The remaining outstanding                    shares of common stock held by our pre-IPO owners and management after this offering (or                    shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) will be deemed restricted securities under Rule 144 and may be sold in the public market only if registered or if they qualify for an exemption from registration, including the exemption pursuant to Rule 144 which we summarize below.

We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our common stock issued pursuant to our 2019 Stock Incentive Plan and our Omnibus Incentive Plan. Any such Form S-8 registration statements will automatically become effective upon filing. Accordingly, shares registered under such registration statements will be available for sale in the open market. We expect that the initial registration statement on Form S-8 will cover                    shares of our common stock.

Registration Rights

In connection with this offering, we expect to enter into a registration rights agreement with our Sponsor and our Co-Founders, which will provide for customary “demand” registrations and “piggyback” registration rights. The registration rights agreement will also provide that we will pay certain expenses relating to such registrations and indemnify the registration rights holders against (or make contributions in respect of) certain liabilities which may arise under the Securities Act.. Securities registered under any such registration statement will be available for sale in the open market unless restrictions apply. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Registration Rights Agreement.”

Lock-Up Agreements

We have agreed, subject to enumerated exceptions, that we will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or publicly file with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus.

Our officers, directors and certain of our pre-IPO owners have agreed, subject to enumerated exceptions, that they will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common

 

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stock, enter into a transaction that would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our common stock, whether any of these transactions are to be settled by delivery of our common stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each case, the prior written consent of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus.

Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144, as currently in effect, a person who is not deemed to be our affiliate for purposes of Rule 144 or to have been one of our affiliates at any time during the three months preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned the shares of common stock proposed to be sold for at least six months, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, is entitled to sell those shares of common stock without complying with the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144, subject to compliance with the public information requirements of Rule 144. If such a person has beneficially owned the shares of common stock proposed to be sold for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, then that person is entitled to sell those shares of common stock without complying with any of the requirements of Rule 144. In general, six months after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, under Rule 144, as currently in effect, our affiliates or persons selling shares of common stock on behalf of our affiliates are entitled to sell, within any three-month period, a number of shares of common stock that does not exceed the greater of (1) 1% of the number of shares of common stock then outstanding and (2) the average weekly trading volume of the shares of common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to that sale. Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates or persons selling shares of common stock on behalf of our affiliates are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.

 

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UNDERWRITING

We and the underwriters named below have entered into an underwriting agreement with respect to the shares offered by us. Subject to certain conditions, each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase the number of shares indicated in the following table. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are the representatives of the underwriters.

 

Underwriters

   Number of Shares  

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

                   

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

                   

Total

                   
  

 

 

 

The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the shares offered by us, if any are taken, other than the shares covered by the option described below unless and until this option is exercised.

The underwriters have an option to buy up to an additional              shares of common stock from us to cover sales by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than the total number set forth in the table above. They may exercise that option for 30 days from the date of this prospectus. If any shares are purchased pursuant to this option, the underwriters will severally purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as set forth in the table above.

The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters by us. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase              additional shares.

 

     No Exercise      Full Exercise  

Per Share

   $                    $                

Total

   $        $    

Shares sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus. Any shares sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to $         per share from the initial public offering price. After the initial offering of the shares, the representatives may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

We and our officers, directors, and certain of our pre-IPO owners have agreed with the underwriters, subject to enumerated exceptions, not to offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common stock without the prior written consent of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC for a period 180 days after the date of this prospectus. The lock-up agreements are subject to specified exceptions.

See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” for a discussion of certain transfer restrictions.

Prior to the offering, there has been no public market for the shares. The initial public offering price has been negotiated among us and the representatives. Among the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price of the shares, in addition to prevailing market conditions, will be our historical performance, estimates of our business potential and earnings prospects, an assessment of our management and the consideration of the above factors in relation to market valuation of companies in related businesses.

We intend to apply to list our common stock on the                  under the symbol                 .

 

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In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell shares of common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering, and a short position represents the amount of such sales that have not been covered by subsequent purchases. A “covered short position” is a short position that is not greater than the amount of additional shares for which the underwriters’ option described above may be exercised. The underwriters may cover any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to cover the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase additional shares pursuant to the option described above. “Naked” short sales are any short sales that create a short position greater than the amount of additional shares for which the option described above may be exercised. The underwriters must cover any such naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of common stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased shares sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing transactions, as well as other purchases by the underwriters for their own accounts, may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock, and together with the imposition of the penalty bid, may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the common stock. As a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time. These transactions may be effected on the                 , in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

The underwriters do not expect sales to discretionary accounts to exceed 5% of the total number of securities offered.

We estimate that our share of the total expenses of the offering, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $        . We have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”)-related expenses incurred by them in connection with the offering in an amount up to $        .

We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include sales and trading, commercial and investment banking, advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, market making, brokerage and other financial and non-financial activities and services. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, a variety of these services to us and to persons and entities with relationships with us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. In addition, certain of the underwriters or their respective affiliates are lenders and act as administrative and collateral agents under our 2019 Credit Agreement.

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates, officers, directors and employees may purchase, sell or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade

 

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securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps and other financial instruments for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and trading activities may involve or relate to assets, securities and/or instruments of ours (directly, as collateral securing other obligations or otherwise) and/or persons and entities with relationships with us. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such assets, securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they should acquire, long and/or short positions in such assets, securities and instruments.

Selling Restrictions

European Economic Area and United Kingdom

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a “Relevant State”), no shares of our common stock have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to shares of our common stock which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that it may make an offer to the public in that Relevant State of any shares of our common stock at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

 

  (a)

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;

 

  (b)

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

 

  (c)

in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of shares of our common stock shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares of our common stock in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares of our common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares of our common stock, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

This European Economic Area selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions set out below.

United Kingdom

Each underwriter severally represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

  (a)

it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”)) in connection with the issue or sale of the shares of our common stock in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply to us; and

 

  (b)

it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the shares of our common stock in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

 

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Canada

The shares of our common stock may be sold in Canada only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions, and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares of our common stock must be made in accordance with an exemption form, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Hong Kong

The shares of our common stock may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the “Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance”) or which do not constitute an invitation to the public within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the “Securities and Futures Ordinance”), or (ii) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares of our common stock which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” in Hong Kong as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder.

Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares of our common stock may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined under Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”)) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA.

Where the shares of our common stock are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA))

 

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the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor, the securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation has acquired the shares under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer in that corporation’s securities pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore (“Regulation 32”)

Where the shares of our common stock are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an accredited investor, the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that trust has acquired the shares under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interest are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction (whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets), (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32.

Japan

The shares of our common stock have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEA. The shares of our common stock may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan (including any person resident in Japan or any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the FIEA and otherwise in compliance with any relevant laws and regulations of Japan.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock will be passed upon for us by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, New York. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York. An investment vehicle comprised of selected partners of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, members of their families, related persons and others owns an interest representing less than 1% of the capital commitments of funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group Inc.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of TU TopCo. Inc. as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and for the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and TaskUs, Inc. and its subsidiaries for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), have been included herein in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, appearing elsewhere herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit report covering the December 31, 2019 and 2018 consolidated financial statements refers to the adoption of Accounting Standard Update No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.”

In connection with this offering, we requested KPMG to affirm its independence relative to the rules and regulations of the SEC and of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”). During KPMG’s independence evaluation procedures, four impermissible services and a contingent fee arrangement associated with one of the services (hereinafter “services”) were identified that had been provided to affiliated entities under common control of one of our investors. The services provided for these engagements had no effect on KPMG’s audits of TaskUs and the fees for such services were insignificant to KPMG, the affiliated entities and TaskUs.

In the first engagement, a KPMG member firm outside of the U.S. provided legal and cash handling services to an affiliated entity of TaskUs from June 2016 through October 2018. In the second engagement, a KPMG member firm outside of the U.S. provided legal real estate tax appeal services subject to a contingent fee arrangement to an affiliated entity of TaskUs from November 2015 through February 2019. The third and fourth engagements were also legal services provided by a KPMG member firm outside of the U.S. to two different entities affiliated with TaskUs. The engagements were provided from March 2017 through February 2019 and from April 2016 through February 2019. The KPMG professionals participating in these four engagements do not participate in the audit engagements of TaskUs, are not members of the same office or KPMG member firm out of which the TaskUs audit is conducted and the work performed had no bearing on TaskUs’ financial accounting and reporting.

KPMG considered whether the matters noted above impacted its objectivity and ability to exercise impartial judgment with regard to its engagement as our auditor and has concluded that (i) there has been no impairment of KPMG’s objectivity and ability to exercise impartial judgment on all matters encompassed within its audits and (ii) a reasonable investor with knowledge of all of the relevant facts and circumstances would conclude that KPMG has been objective and is capable of exercising impartial judgment on all issues encompassed within its audits. After taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the above matters and KPMG’s determination, TaskUs’ audit committee concurred with KPMG’s conclusions.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, filed as part of the registration statement,

 

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does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules, portions of which have been omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information about us and shares of our common stock, we refer you to the registration statement and to its exhibits and schedules. Statements in this prospectus about the contents of any contract, agreement or other document are not necessarily complete and in each instance we refer you to the copy or form of such contract, agreement or document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, each statement being qualified in all respects by such reference. You may inspect these reports and other information without charge at a website maintained by the SEC. The address of this site is http://www.sec.gov.

We maintain an internet site at http://www.taskus.com. The information on, or accessible from, our website is not part of this prospectus by reference or otherwise.

Upon completion of this offering, we will become subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and will be required to file reports and other information with the SEC. You will be able to inspect these reports and other information without charge at the SEC’s website. We intend to make available to our common stockholders annual reports containing consolidated financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm.

 

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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

    

Page

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-2  

Consolidated Balance Sheets

     F-3  

Consolidated Statements of Operations

     F-4  

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

     F-5  

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

     F-6  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

     F-7  

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-8  

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors

TU Topco, Inc.:

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of TU Topco, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and TaskUs, Inc. and its subsidiaries for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period) and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the Successor periods and for the Predecessor period, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Change in Accounting Principle

As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has changed its method of accounting for revenue recognition in 2019 due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ KPMG LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2015.

Los Angeles, California

November 6, 2020

 

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TU TOPCO, INC.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except share data)

 

Assets    December 31,
2019
    December 31,
2018
 

Current assets:

    

Cash

   $ 37,541       25,281  

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $75 and $166, respectively

     57,981       45,000  

Other receivables

     112       113  

Prepaid expenses

     10,207       4,698  

Income tax receivable

     1,717       —    

Other current assets

     559       56  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     108,117       75,148  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Noncurrent assets:

    

Property and equipment, net

     45,076       34,038  

Deferred tax assets

     131       —    

Intangibles

     259,142       277,988  

Goodwill

     195,735       195,735  

Other noncurrent assets

     2,474       2,471  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total noncurrent assets

     502,558       510,232  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 610,675       585,380  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity             

Liabilities:

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

   $ 24,252       15,129  

Accrued payroll and employee-related liabilities

     17,106       13,871  

Current portion of long-term debt

     2,431       450  

Current portion of income tax payable

     —         1,746  

Deferred revenue

     2,108       2,292  

Deferred rent

     959       609  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     46,856       34,097  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Noncurrent liabilities:

    

Income tax payable

     1,704       1,884  

Long-term debt

     204,874       82,650  

Deferred rent

     1,772       1,799  

Other long-term payable

     466       —    

Deferred tax liabilities

     57,503       66,209  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total noncurrent liabilities

     266,319       152,542  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     313,175       186,639  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and Contingencies (See Note 9)

    

Shareholders’ equity:

    

Common stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized 10,000,000; 9,173,702 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018

     92       92  

Additional paid-in capital

     399,027       399,027  

Accumulated deficit

     (101,931     (871

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     312       493  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity

     297,500       398,741  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

   $ 610,675       585,380  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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TU TOPCO, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

 

     Successor     Predecessor  
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
     October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
    January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
 
 

Service Revenue

   $ 359,681        85,709       168,501  
 

Operating expenses:

       

Cost of services

     194,786        43,911       83,851  

Selling, general, and administrative expense

     90,630        29,161       49,751  

Depreciation

     16,329        3,653       8,583  

Amortization of intangible assets

     18,847        4,712       —    

Loss (gain) on disposal of assets

     2,227        582       (7
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses:

     322,819        82,019       142,178  
 

Operating income

     36,862        3,690       26,323  
 

Other (income) expense

     (2,013      (345     1,670  

Financing expenses

     9,346        1,527       511  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income before taxes

     29,529        2,508       24,142  
 

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

     (4,411      3,379       (8,952
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 33,940        (871     33,094  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
 

Net income (loss) per common share, basic and diluted

   $ 3.70        (0.09     3.02  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
 

Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, basic and diluted

     9,173,702        9,173,702       10,972,892  

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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TU TOPCO, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(in thousands)

 

     Successor     Predecessor  
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
     October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
    January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
 
 

Net income (loss)

   $ 33,940        (871     33,094  

Retirement benefit reserves

     45        (57     (51

Foreign currency translation adjustments

     (226      550       (938
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss)

   $ 33,759        (378     32,105  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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TU TOPCO, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

(in thousands, except share data)

 

     Capital stock and additional paid-in capital      Retained
earnings
(accumulated
deficit)
    Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income (loss)
    Total
shareholders’
equity
 
     Common stock      Additional
paid-in capital
 
     Shares      Amount  

Balance as of January 1, 2018 (Predecessor)

     10,972,892      $ 1        12,075        23,609       (544     35,141  

Net income

     —          —          —          33,094       —         33,094  

Other comprehensive loss

     —          —          —          —         (989     (989
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of September 30, 2018 (Predecessor)

     10,972,892      $ 1        12,075        56,703       (1,533     67,246  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
   

Balance as of October 1, 2018 (Successor)

     —        $ —          —          —         —         —    

Issuance of common stock

     9,173,702        92        399,027        —         —         399,119  

Net loss

     —          —          —          (871     —         (871

Other comprehensive income

     —          —          —          —         493       493  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2018 (Successor)

     9,173,702      $ 92        399,027        (871     493       398,741  

Distribution of dividends ($14.72 per share)

     —          —          —          (135,000     —         (135,000

Net income

     —          —          —          33,940       —         33,940  

Other comprehensive income

     —          —          —          —         (181     (181
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2019 (Successor)

     9,173,702      $ 92        399,027        (101,931     312       297,500  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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TU TOPCO, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

 

    Successor     Predecessor  
    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
    January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
 

Cash flows from operating activities:

     

Net income (loss)

  $ 33,940       ( 871     33,094  

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

     

Depreciation

    16,319       3,673       8,589  

Amortization of intangibles

    18,847       4,712       —    

Amortization of debt financing fees

    2,526       138       —    

Loss (gain) in disposal of property and equipment

    2,227       582       (7

Provision for losses on accounts receivable

    65       166       260  

Deferred taxes

    (8,838     3,225       108  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

     

Accounts receivables

    (13,046     (1,214     (18,609

Other receivables, prepaid expenses, and other current assets

    (4,771     (1,158     (211

Other noncurrent assets

    (457     878       (649

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

    (645     (8,653     3,773  

Accrued payroll and employee-related liabilities

    2,593       (44,889     8,876  

Income tax payable

    (3,652     (49     (519

Deferred revenue

    (184     (261     416  

Deferred rent

    280       124       319  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

    45,204       (43,597     35,440  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

     

Purchase of property and equipment

    (21,460     (6,362     (19,295

Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment

    —         —         13  

Payment for acquisition

    —         (298,889     —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

    (21,460     (305,251     (19,282
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

     

Proceeds from long-term debt

    210,000       85,000       —    

Payments on long-term debt

    (84,575     —         —    

Payment of loan fees

    (2,285     (2,000     —    

Payments on long-term debt

    (950     —         (1,111

Issuance of common stock

    —         268,598       —    

Distribution of dividends

    (135,000     —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

    (12,810     351,598       (1,111
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Increase in cash and cash equivalents

    10,934       2,750       15,047  

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

    1,326       821       (12,612

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

    25,281       21,710       19,275  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

  $ 37,541       25,281       21,710  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental cash flow information:

     

Cash paid for interest expense

  $ 6,820       1,372       465  

Cash paid for income taxes

    7,998       218       2,452  

Noncash operating, investing and financing activities:

     

Accrued capital expenditures

  $ 9,987       1,762       1,889  

Issuance of common stock to TaskUs shareholders

    —         130,521       —    

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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TU TOPCO, INC.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2019 and 2018

(1) Description of Business and Organization

TU TopCo, Inc. (“Topco” and, together with its subsidiaries, the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) was formed by investment funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group Inc. (formerly known as The Blackstone Group L.P.) (“Blackstone”) as a vehicle for the acquisition of TaskUs, Inc. (“TaskUs”) on October 1, 2018 (the “Blackstone Acquisition”). Prior to the Blackstone Acquisition, Topco had no operations and TaskUs operated as a standalone entity.

We are a digital outsourcer focused on serving high-growth technology companies to represent, protect and grow their brands. Our global, omni-channel delivery model is focused on Digital Customer Experience, Content Security and AI Operations. We have designed our platform to enable us to rapidly scale and benefit from our clients’ growth. Through our agile and responsive operational model, we deliver services from multiple delivery sites that span globally from the United States, Philippines, and other parts of the world.

The Company’s major service offerings described in more detail below:

 

   

Digital Customer Experience: Principally consists of omni-channel customer care and customer acquisition services, primarily delivered through digital (non-voice) channels.

 

   

Content Security: Principally consists of review and disposition of user and advertiser generated content for purposes which include removal or labeling of policy violating, offensive or misleading content.

 

   

AI Operations: Principally consists of data labeling, annotation and transcription services performed for the purpose of training and tuning AI algorithms through the process of machine learning.

(2) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

  (a)

Basis of Presentation

The accounting and reporting policies of the Company are in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”). As a result of the Blackstone Acquisition on October 1, 2018, described in Note 3, the Company applied the acquisition method of accounting and established a new basis of accounting.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements are presented as “Predecessor” or “Successor” to indicate whether they relate to periods preceding or succeeding the Blackstone Acquisition, respectively. The term “Successor” refers to TU Topco, Inc. following the Blackstone Acquisition and the term “Predecessor” refers to TaskUs, Inc. prior to the Blackstone Acquisition.

 

  (b)

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the determination of useful lives and impairment of fixed assets; allowances for doubtful accounts; the valuation of deferred tax assets; valuation of forward contracts receivable; valuation of equity based compensation; valuation and impairment of intangibles and goodwill and reserves for income tax uncertainties and other contingencies.

 

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  (c)

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company has no involvement with variable interest entities.

The Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries for the Successor periods include TU Midco, Inc., TU Bidco, Inc., TaskUs, Inc., LBTI, TaskUs PH, Inc. ROHQ (Philippines) (ROHQ), Ridiculously Good Outsourcing Inc. (TaskUs Canada), TaskUs USA, LLC (TaskUs San Antonio), TaskUs, S.A. de C.V. (TaskUs Mexico), TaskUs Limited (TaskUs United Kingdom), TaskUs, Inc. Taiwan Branch (TaskUs Taiwan), TaskUs India Private Limited (TaskUs India) and TaskUs Greece. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries for the Predecessor period includes LBTI, TUI (merged with LBTI effective June 2018), ROHQ, TaskUs Canada, TaskUs San Antonio, TaskUs Mexico, TaskUs United Kingdom and TaskUs Taiwan.

 

  (d)

Segments

Operating segments are components of a company for which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision-maker (“CODM”) in deciding on how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company’s CODM is the chief executive officer (“CEO”). The CEO reviews financial information presented on an entity level basis for purposes of making operating decisions and assessing financial performance. Therefore, the Company has determined that it operates in a single operating and reportable segment.

 

  (e)

Concentration Risk

Most of the Company’s customers are located in the United States. Customers outside of the United States are concentrated in Europe, Canada, and Australia.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), the following customers represented greater than 10% of the Company’s service revenue or accounts receivable:

 

     Service revenue percentage  
                        

Customer

   Year ended
December 31,
2019
(Successor)
    October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
(Successor)
        January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
(Predecessor)
 

A

     35     37       16

B

     11     Less than 10       Less than 10

C

     Less than 10     Less than 10       Less than 10
     Accounts receivable percentage  
                        

Customer

   Year ended
December 31,
2019
(Successor)
    October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
(Successor)
        January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
(Predecessor)
 

A

     15     26       18

B

     12     Less than 10       Less than 10

C

     10     Less than 10       Less than 10

The Company’s principal operations, including the majority of its employees and the fixed assets owned by its wholly owned subsidiaries, are located in the Philippines.

 

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  (f)

Translation of Non-U.S. Currency Amounts

We are subject to foreign currency exposure due to our principal operations being located in the Philippines and operations in various other international locations. Assets and liabilities of non-U.S. subsidiaries whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars at fiscal year-end exchange rates. Revenue and expense items are translated at weighted average foreign currency exchange rates prevailing during the fiscal year. Translation adjustments are included in other comprehensive income (loss). Gains and losses arising from foreign currency transactions are recognized in other expense as they are realized. For the year ended December 31, 2019 and the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), foreign currency losses were $1.5 million and $0.9 million, respectively. For the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), foreign currency gain was $1.2 million.

 

  (g)

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are recorded as revenue is recognized in accordance with our revenue recognition policy and bear interest. Most of our clients pay timely, which results in minimal interest. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses inherent in its accounts receivable portfolio. In establishing the required allowance, management considers historical losses adjusted to take into account current market conditions and customers’ financial condition, the amount of receivables in dispute, and the current receivables aging and current payment patterns. The Company reviews its allowance for doubtful accounts monthly. Past-due balances over 90 days and over a specified amount are reviewed individually for collectability. Account balances are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. Write-offs for the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period) were $0.2 million, $0.1 million, and $0.1 million, respectively.

 

  (h)

Debt Financing Fees

Debt financing fees include costs incurred in connection with obtaining debt financing and are amortized using the straight-line method over the term of the related credit agreement. Straight line amortization approximates amortization under the effective interest method. The amortization is included in financing expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. On the consolidated balance sheets, the debt financing fees related to the undrawn delayed draw loan and revolver loan are included in other noncurrent assets and the debt financing fees related to the term loan are classified as a discount against the associated debt.

As of December 31, 2019, amortization of debt financing fees for the next five fiscal years is expected to be as follows:

 

(in thousands)       

2020

   $ 457  

2021

     457  

2022

     457  

2023

     457  

2024

     343  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 2,171  
  

 

 

 

 

  (i)

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts, and hedging activities. It requires the recognition of all derivative

 

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instruments as assets or liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and measurement of those instruments at fair value. The accounting treatment of changes in fair value is dependent upon whether or not a derivative instrument is designated as a hedge and if so, the type of hedge. Gains and losses on derivative instruments not designated as hedges are included in earnings. The resulting cash flows are reported as cash from operating activities. During the Successor and Predecessor periods, the Company entered into nondeliverable foreign currency forward contract arrangements with two commercial banks which were not designated as a hedge.

 

  (j)

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue from our services in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Under ASC 606, the Company recognizes revenues for services for which control has transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those services. To determine revenue recognition for arrangements that are determined to be within the scope of ASC 606, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with the customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies its performance obligations.

The Company accounts for a contract with a customer when the contract is legally enforceable and when collectability is probable. The Company has executed contracts with customers which detail, among others, the contract terms, obligations and rights of both parties and payment terms. Certain of the Company’s contracts include termination clauses, which the Company evaluates when determining the contract term over which the parties have enforceable rights and obligations. A performance obligation is the unit of account under ASC 606 and represents the distinct services that are promised to the customer. Performance obligations are identified when the contract is created and based on agreed terms and business practices. The transaction price reflects the amount the Company expects to receive in exchange for services to the customer. The expected dollar amount is allocated to each performance obligation based on the standalone selling price agreed with the customer. The Company determines the standalone selling price based on the overall pricing objectives, taking into consideration market conditions, cost of performance obligations, and other factors including geographic locations. The Company’s performance obligations are related to providing services to its customers and its customers simultaneously receive and consume the benefits of those services. Therefore, revenue is recognized over time as performance obligations are satisfied.

Differences in timing between the delivery of services, billings, and receipt of payment from customers can result in the recognition of certain contract assets and contract liabilities. Revenue recognized in excess of billings is recorded as accrued revenue, and is reported under accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts on the consolidated balance sheet. Billings in excess of revenue recognized is recorded as deferred revenue until revenue recognition criteria are met. Client prepayments (even if nonrefundable) are recorded as deferred revenue on the consolidated balance sheet and recognized over future periods as services are delivered or performed.

ASC 340-40, Other Assets and Deferred Costs - Contracts with customers (“ASC 340”), provides guidance for incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer or costs incurred in fulfilling a contract with a customer. Incremental costs to obtain a contract with a customer are required to be capitalized if an entity expects to recover those costs. Signing commissions that are paid to sales employees are considered incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer. These commissions are deferred and then amortized on a straight-line basis over the contract period, which is typically one year. Amortization expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense on the consolidated statements of operations. The Company determines the period of benefit by taking into consideration our customer contracts, our technology, and other factors. Commissions paid to non-sales staff are also required to be capitalized if directly attributable to, and incremental from, obtaining a contract.

 

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  (k)

Advertising Expense

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and are included in selling, general, and administrative expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Advertising expense for the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), was $0.9 million, $0.3 million, and $0.6 million, respectively.

 

  (l)

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization and any impairment in value. The cost of an asset comprises its purchase price and directly attributable costs of bringing the asset to working condition for its intended use. Expenditures for additions, major improvements, and renewals are capitalized, while expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. Depreciation is computed on the straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the Company’s assets, generally three to five years or, for leasehold improvements, over the term of the lease, whichever is shorter. Construction in process represents property under construction and is stated at cost. This includes costs of construction and other direct costs. The account is not depreciated until such time that the assets are completed and available for use. Fully depreciated assets are retained in the accounts until they are no longer in use and no further depreciation is recognized in profit or loss. An item of property and equipment, including the related accumulated depreciation and amortization and any impairment losses, is derecognized upon disposal or when no future economic benefits are expected to arise from the continued use of the asset. Any gain or loss arising on derecognition of the asset (calculated as the difference between the net disposal proceeds and the carrying amount of the item) is included in profit or loss in the period the item is derecognized.

Long-lived assets, such as property and equipment, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Long-lived assets are grouped for recognition and measurement of impairment at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets. If circumstances require a long-lived asset or asset group be tested for possible impairment, the Company first compares undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by that asset or asset group to its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group is not recoverable on an undiscounted cash flow basis, an impairment is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. Fair value is determined through various valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow models, quoted market values, and third-party independent appraisals, as considered necessary. During the Successor and Predecessor periods, no impairment charges were recorded.

 

  (m)

Intangibles

Intangible assets consist of finite-lived intangible assets acquired through the Company’s business combination described in Note 3, Acquisition of TaskUs, Inc. Such amounts are initially recorded at fair value and subsequently amortized over their useful lives using the straight-line method, which reflects the pattern of benefit, and assumes no residual value.

Finite-lived intangibles are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Finite-lived intangibles are grouped for recognition and measurement of impairment at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets. If circumstances require an asset group be tested for possible impairment, the Company first compares undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by that asset group to its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the asset group is not recoverable on an undiscounted cash flow basis, an impairment is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. Fair value is determined through various valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow models, quoted market values, and third-party independent appraisals, as considered necessary. During the Successor and Predecessor periods, no impairment charges were recorded.

 

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  (n)

Goodwill

Goodwill is the amount by which the cost of the acquired net assets in a business combination exceeds the fair value of the identifiable net assets on the date of purchase. Goodwill is not amortized.

The Company reviews goodwill for impairment annually, or more frequently when events or circumstances indicate goodwill may be impaired. We initially assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more-likely-than-not that the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If determined that it is more-likely-than-not the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, a quantitative assessment is performed, whereby the fair value of reporting units is estimated using a combination of the income approach, using a discounted cash flow methodology, and a market approach. The determination of discounted cash flows is based on the Company’s strategic plans and market conditions. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill is not considered to be impaired. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment charge is recorded in an amount equal to that excess, but not more than the carrying value of goodwill. Under FASB Topic ASC 350 Intangibles—Goodwill and Other, entities have an unconditional option to bypass the qualitative assessment described in the preceding sentences for any reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to performing the quantitative goodwill impairment test. An entity may resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period.

 

  (o)

Other Assets

Other current assets and other noncurrent assets consist primarily of refundable security deposits and noncurrent portion of input value added tax.

 

  (p)

Share-based Compensation

The Company accounts for its stock-based awards in accordance with provisions of ASC 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). For equity awards, total compensation cost is based on the grant date fair value. For liability awards, total compensation cost is based on the fair value of the award on the date the award is granted and is remeasured at each reporting date until settlement. Awards to employees have been granted with service, performance and market conditions that affect vesting. For unvested awards with performance vesting features, the Company assesses the probability of attaining the performance trigger at each reporting period. Awards that are deemed probable of attainment are recognized in expense over the requisite service period of the grant using a graded vesting model. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.

 

  (q)

Employee Benefits

Retirement benefit reserves represent the cumulative amount of remeasurement of the defined benefit liability arising from actuarial gains and losses due to experience and demographic assumptions.

The Company also sponsors a 401(k) retirement plan in the US whereby contributions made by eligible employees to the 401(k) are matched by the Company up to 4.0% of compensation. Employer 401(k) expense is the amount of matching contributions and is recognized in expense. Expense recognized for the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), was $0.6 million, $0.0 million, and $0.1 million, respectively. There are no unfunded amounts recorded on the balance sheet.

 

  (r)

Commitments and Contingencies

Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines and penalties, and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Legal costs incurred in connection with loss contingencies are expensed as incurred.

 

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  (s)

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

The computation of basic net income (loss) per share of common stock (“EPS”) is based on the weighted average number of shares that were outstanding during the period, including shares of common stock that are issuable at the end of the reporting period. The computation of diluted EPS is based on the number of basic weighted-average shares outstanding plus the number of common shares that would be issued assuming the exercise of all potentially dilutive common stock equivalents. The Company did not have any potentially dilutive common stock equivalents for the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period) and therefore diluted EPS is equal to basic EPS for such periods.

 

  (t)

Income Taxes

Current tax liabilities and assets are recognized for the estimated taxes payable or refundable, respectively, on the tax returns for the current year. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The carrying value of the Company’s net deferred tax assets is based on whether it is more likely than not that the Company will generate sufficient future taxable income to realize the deferred tax assets. A valuation allowance is established for deferred tax assets, which the Company does not believe meet the “more likely than not” threshold. The Company’s judgments regarding future taxable income may change over time due to changes in market conditions, changes in tax laws, tax planning strategies, or other factors. If the Company’s assumptions and, consequently, its estimates, change in the future, the valuation allowance may materially increase or decrease, resulting in a decrease or increase, respectively, in income tax benefit and the related impact on the Company’s reported net income (loss).

The Company utilizes a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining whether the weight of available evidence indicates it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount which is more than likely of being realized and effectively settled. The Company considers many factors when evaluating and estimating its tax positions and tax benefits, which may require periodic adjustments, and that may not accurately forecast actual outcomes. The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits as additional income taxes.

 

  (u)

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

The Company currently qualifies as an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). Accordingly, the Company is provided the option to adopt new or revised accounting guidance either (i) within the same periods as those otherwise applicable to non-emerging growth companies or (ii) within the same time periods as private companies. The Company has elected to adopt new or revised accounting guidance within the same time period as private companies.

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The revised standard requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. An entity should also disclose sufficient quantitative and qualitative information to enable users of financial statements to understand the

 

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nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The Company adopted the new standard as of January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective method under which the cumulative effect of initially applying the new guidance to open contracts as of December 31, 2018 is recognized as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings as of January 1, 2019. In assessing the impact of the new standard to its financial statements, the Company analyzed revenue streams for all open contracts with customers, including by reviewing contracts and current accounting policies and practices to identify differences that would result from applying the requirements under the new standard. Based on the Company’s analysis of open contracts as of December 31, 2018, the adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements, including its opening balance sheet at the date of initial application, as the timing of revenue recognition under the new standard is not materially different from the Company’s previous revenue recognition policy.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income taxes (Topic 740), which simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes by requiring that deferred tax assets and liabilities be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. ASU 2015-17 does not affect the current requirement that deferred tax assets and liabilities within a particular tax jurisdiction of a tax-paying component of an entity be offset and presented as a single amount. ASU 2015-17 is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Earlier application is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2018. ASU 2015-17 is effective for all periods presented in these consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. This ASU addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted the standard on January 1, 2019 and the change did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350), which modifies the concept of impairment from the condition that exists when the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value to the condition that exists when the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. In order to reduce complexity, an entity no longer will determine goodwill impairment by calculating the implied fair value of goodwill by assigning the fair value of a reporting unit to all of its assets and liabilities as if that reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination. ASU 2017-04 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted the standard on January 1, 2019, and it did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Recently issued accounting pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which supersedes FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC), Leases (Topic 840). The standard is intended to increase the transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheets and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. In June 2020, the FASB postponed the effective date for ASC 842 for private companies. This ASU will be effective for the Company beginning in fiscal year 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-02 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The revised standard relates to measurement of credit losses on financial instruments, and requires financial assets measured at amortized cost to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The guidance replaces the incurred loss model with an

 

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expected loss model referred to as current expected credit loss (CECL). The CECL model requires us to measure lifetime expected credit losses for financial instruments held at the reporting date using historical experience, current conditions and reasonable supportable forecasts. The guidance expands the disclosure requirements regarding an entity’s assumptions, models, and methods for estimating credit losses and requires new disclosures of the amortized cost balance for each class of financial asset by credit quality indicator, disaggregated by the year of origination. This ASU will be effective for the Company beginning in fiscal year 2023 with early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-13 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740). The revised standard simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740. ASU 2019-12 also improves consistent application of and simplifies other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. The ASU will be effective for the Company beginning in fiscal year 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2019-12 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

(3) Acquisition of TaskUs, Inc.

On October 1, 2018, TU Bidco, Inc. (“Bidco”) acquired 100% of the outstanding shares of TaskUs, Inc. at a purchase price of $429.4 million (the “Transaction”). Bidco is a wholly owned subsidiary of Topco and was used as a vehicle to consummate Topco’s acquisition of TaskUs, Inc. Bidco is consolidated into Topco’s financial statements. The purchase price was funded by a combination of debt and equity. Upon the closing of the Transaction, Topco issued debt through Bidco to fund the acquisition (see Note 8, Long-Term Debt - TU Topco, Inc. (Successor)) and transferred cash and 3,000,000 shares of Topco to TaskUs shareholders. Topco determined the fair value of shares that it issued as consideration based on the fair value of TaskUs. Below is a breakdown of the consideration Topco transferred in exchange for the net assets of TaskUs (in thousands):

 

Cash paid to TaskUs shareholders

   $ 298,889  

Fair value of Topco shares transferred to TaskUs shareholders

     130,521  
  

 

 

 

Total consideration transferred

   $ 429,410  
  

 

 

 

Topco incurred acquisition-related expenses of $5.4 million, which are mostly recognized within selling, general, and administrative expense on the consolidated statements of operations for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor period). Additionally, Topco incurred debt financing fees totaling $2.6 million associated with the debt issued to fund the Transaction. These fees, less any amortized portion, are capitalized and recorded as other noncurrent assets for fees related to the revolver loan and delayed draw term loan commitments amounting to $0.5 million and as discount on short term debt and long term debt for fees related to the term loan amounting to $1.9 million on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2018. Transaction costs incurred by TaskUs related to the Transaction totaled $12.2 million, including $8.5 million of costs that were contingent upon the closing of the Transaction, and therefore are not recognized as an expense in the Predecessor or Successor periods. The remaining transaction costs attributable to TaskUs are recognized within professional fees and services on the consolidated statements of operations for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period).

In connection with the Transaction, Topco settled preexisting TaskUs debt in the amount of $10.4 million. Additionally, TaskUs paid bonuses totaling $0.3 million to certain employees for services rendered in connection with the Transaction. It was determined that these bonuses were primarily for the benefit of Topco. As such, they are recognized within selling, general, and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of operations for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor period).

 

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The Transaction was accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations. In accordance with this accounting standard, since there was a change in control, the Company recorded the acquired assets and liabilities assumed of TaskUs at fair value.

The consideration paid has been allocated to the fair value of TaskUs’ assets acquired and liabilities assumed as follows (in thousands):

 

Cash paid to TaskUs shareholders

   $ 298,889  

Fair value of Topco shares transferred to TaskUs shareholders

     130,521  
  

 

 

 

Total consideration transferred

   $ 429,410  
  

 

 

 

Assets acquired

  

Cash

   $ 21,710  

Accounts receivable, net

     43,952  

Other receivables

     423  

Prepaid expense and other current assets

     3,239  

Property and equipment, net

     30,182  

Intangible assets, net

     282,700  

Goodwill

     195,735  

Other noncurrent assets

     14,861  
  

 

 

 

Total assets acquired

     592,802  

Liabilities assumed

  

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

     21,827  

Accrued payroll and employee-related liabilities

     58,549  

Deferred revenue

     2,553  

Current portion of long-term debt

     —    

Current portion of income tax payable

     1,788  

Current portion of deferred rent

     400  

Income tax payable

     1,884  

Long-term debt

     —    

Deferred rent

     1,857  

Deferred tax liabilities

     74,534  
  

 

 

 

Total liabilities assumed

     163,392  
  

 

 

 

Fair value of net assets acquired

   $ 429,410  
  

 

 

 

The Company hired a third party valuation firm to assist in determining the fair value of the identifiable intangible assets. The fair values of all other assets acquired and liabilities assumed were determined to approximate their carrying values as of the closing of the Transaction. Intangible assets acquired consisted of customer relationships valued at $240.8 million and a trade name valued at $41.9 million. The fair value of the customer relationships was determined using the multi period excess earnings method. The fair value of the trade name was determined using the relief-from-royalty method. Both of these methods are income approaches and are considered to be Level 3 inputs in the fair value hierarchy. Significant assumptions used in the valuation include projected revenue over the period of expected cash flows, royalty rate based on market participant royalty rates, and discount rates based on an assessment of the relative risk of the cash flows and the Company’s overall cost of capital.

The acquired assets include trade accounts receivable with a fair value of $44.0 million (the expected collection amount) and a gross contractual value of $44.2 million and other receivables with a fair value of $0.4 million (the expected collection amount), which is also the gross contractual value.

 

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The resulting goodwill from the Transaction of $195.7 million is calculated as the excess of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired and represents the value associated with the workforce and future customers.

(4) Revenue

Disaggregation of Revenue

Our revenues are derived from contracts with customers related to business outsourcing services that we provide. The following table presents the breakdown of the Company’s revenues by service offering:

 

     Successor     Predecessor  
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
     October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
    January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
 
(in thousands)                    

Digital Customer Experience

   $ 206,471        47,862       119,555  

Content Security

     104,259        27,729       25,765  

AI Operations

     48,951        10,118       23,181  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Service revenue

   $ 359,681        85,709       168,501  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

The majority of the Company’s revenues are derived from contracts with customers who are located in the United States. However, we deliver our services from geographies outside of the United States. The following table presents the breakdown of the Company’s revenues by geographical location, based on where the services are provided from:

 

     Successor     Predecessor  
     Year ended
December 31,
2019
     October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
    January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
 
(in thousands)                    

Philippines

   $ 208,983        47,555       122,246  

United States

     132,962        32,898       39,887  

Rest of World

     17,736        5,256       6,368  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Service revenue

   $ 359,681        85,709       168,501  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Contract Balances

Accounts receivable, net of allowances includes $32.1 million and $26.6 million, of unbilled revenues as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(5) Forward Contract Receivable

The Company transacts business in various foreign currencies and has international sales and expenses denominated in foreign currencies, subjecting the Company to foreign currency exchange rate risk. During 2019 and 2018, the Company entered into foreign currency exchange rate forward contracts, with a commercial bank as the counterparty, with maturities of generally 12 months or less, to reduce the volatility of cash flows primarily related to forecasted costs denominated in Philippine pesos. In addition, the Company utilizes foreign currency exchange rate contracts to mitigate foreign currency exchange rate risk associated with foreign currency-denominated assets and liabilities, primarily intercompany balances. The Company does not use foreign currency exchange rate contracts for trading purposes. The exchange rate

 

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forward contracts entered into by the Company are not designated as hedging instruments. Any gains or losses resulting from changes in the fair value of these contracts are recognized in other expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), the Company settled forward contracts with total notional amounts of approximately $61.0 million, $13.8 million, and $37.8 million, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), realized gains of approximately $2.5 million, $0.5 million and $0.9 million, respectively, resulting from the settlement of forward contracts were included within other expense.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), the Company had outstanding forward contracts with notional amounts of approximately $82.0 million, $55.0 million, and $28.8 million, respectively. The forward contract receivable resulting from change in fair value was recorded under other current assets. For the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), the unrealized gains on the forward contracts of $1.1 million, $1.8 million, and $2.0 million, respectively, were included within other expense.

By entering into derivative contracts, the Company is exposed to counterparty credit risk, or the failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract. For the periods presented, the non-performance risk of the Company and the counterparties did not have a material impact on the fair value of the derivative instruments

The Company has implemented the fair value accounting standard for those assets that are re-measured and reported at fair value at each reporting period. This standard establishes a single authoritative definition of fair value, sets out a framework for measuring fair value based on inputs used, and requires additional disclosures about fair value measurements. This standard applies to fair value measurements already required or permitted by existing standards.

In general, fair values determined by Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets. Fair values determined by Level 2 inputs utilize data points that are observable such as quoted prices, interest rates and yield curves. Fair values determined by Level 3 inputs are unobservable data points for the asset and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset.

The following table presents information about the Company’s assets that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2019 and 2018 and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques utilized to determine such fair value.

 

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     Successor  
     Fair value measurements using  
     As of
December 31,
2019
     Quoted prices
in active
markets for
identical
assets
(Level 1)
     Significant
other
observable
inputs
(Level 2)
     Significant
unobservable
inputs
(Level 3)
 
(in thousands)                            

Forward contract receivable

   $ 1,864           1,864     
     Successor  
     Fair value measurements using  
     As of
December 31,
2019
     Quoted prices
in active
markets for
identical
assets
(Level 1)
     Significant
other
observable
inputs
(Level 2)
     Significant
unobservable
inputs
(Level 3)
 
(in thousands)                            

Forward contract receivable

   $ 795           795     

The Company’s derivatives are carried at fair value using various pricing models that incorporate observable market inputs, such as interest rate yield curves and currency rates, which are Level 2 inputs. Derivative valuations incorporate credit risk adjustments that are necessary to reflect the probability of default by the counterparty or by the Company.

(6) Property and Equipment, net

The components of Property and equipment, net at December 31, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

 

     Successor  
     December 31,
2019
     December 31,
2018
 
(in thousands)              

Leasehold improvements

   $ 21,850      $ 15,596  

Technology and computers

     23,402        15,146  

Furniture and fixtures

     3,551        2,775  

Construction in process

     12,877        2,662  

Other property and equipment

     2,469        1,512  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Property and equipment, gross

     64,149        37,691  

Accumulated depreciation

     (19,073      (3,653
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Property and equipment, net

   $ 45,076      $ 34,038  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Depreciation expense for the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), was $16.3 million, $3.7 million, and $8.6 million, respectively.

The Company had disposals of Property and equipment totaling $2.2 million and $0.6 million during 2019 and 2018, respectively, related to temporary sites that were vacated as we moved to permanent locations in Tijuana, San Antonio and Santa Monica. We recognized losses from disposal of assets during the year ended December 31, 2019 (Successor) and the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor) of $2.2 and $0.6 million, respectively.

 

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The Company’s principal operations are in the Philippines where the majority of property and equipment, reside under its wholly owned subsidiaries. The table below presents the Company’s total property and equipment by the geographic location as of December 31, 2019 and 2018:

 

     Successor  
     December 31,
2019
     December 31,
2018
 
(in thousands)              

Philippines

     25,938        16,389  

United States

     12,967        15,829  

Rest of World

     6,171        1,820  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Property and equipment, net

     45,076        34,038  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

(7) Goodwill and Intangibles (Successor)

The carrying amount of goodwill as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $195.7 million.

The Company performed a qualitative assessment as of December 31, 2018 and determined that there were no changes in circumstances compared to purchase accounting applied on October 1, 2018 that would indicate the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeded fair value. The Company performed a qualitative assessment as of December 31, 2019 and determined that there were no changes in circumstances compared to purchase accounting applied on October 1, 2018 that would indicate the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeded fair value. Therefore, no impairment losses were recognized as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

Intangible assets consisted of the following as of December 31, 2019 and 2018:

 

     Intangibles,
Gross
     Life
(Years)
     Accumulated
Amortization
     Intangibles,
Net
 
(in thousands)                            

Customer relationships

   $ 240,800        15        (20,067      220,733  

Trade name

     41,900        15        (3,491      38,409  
  

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2019

   $ 282,700           (23,558      259,142  
  

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 
     Intangibles,
Gross
     Life
(Years)
     Accumulated
Amortization
     Intangibles,
Net
 
(in thousands)                            

Customer relationships

   $ 240,800        15        (4,014      236,786  

Trade name

     41,900        15        (698      41,202  
  

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2018

   $ 282,700           (4,712      277,988  
  

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

Amortization expense of the above intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2019 and for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 was $18.8 million and $4.7 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2019, the remaining weighted average amortization period of the above intangible assets was approximately 14 years.

 

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Future amortization expense for intangible assets subject to amortization is:

 

(in thousands)       

2020

   $ 18,847  

2021

     18,847  

2022

     18,847  

2023

     18,847  

2024

     18,847  

Thereafter

     164,908  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 259,142  
  

 

 

 

No goodwill or intangible assets existed in the Predecessor period.

(8) Long-Term Debt (Successor)

The balances of current and non-current portions of long-term debt consist of the following as of December 31, 2019:

 

(in thousands)    Current      Noncurrent      Total  

Term Loan

   $ 2,888        206,588        209,476  

Less: Debt financing fees

     (457      (1,714      (2,171
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 2,431        204,874        207,305  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

2018 Credit Agreement

On October 1, 2018, the Company entered into a credit agreement with respect to an $85.0 million term loan facility, $15.0 million delayed draw term loan commitments, and a $20.0 million revolving credit facility (the “2018 Credit Agreement”). Principal payments on the term loan were due quarterly in arrears in installments of $0.2 million with the remaining principal due in a lump sum at the maturity date of October 1, 2023. Interest was, at the Company’s option, either based on the base rate or Eurocurrency interest rate. The Company elected the Eurocurrency rate option as of December 31, 2018. Interest under this option was at the rate of LIBO Screen Rate (with a floor of 1.00%) plus 3.75%, with step ups to 4.00%, or 4.25% based on the Company’s total net leverage ratio. Voluntary principal prepayments were permitted. If a prepayment were to be made within the first six months of the credit agreement in connection with certain repricing transactions, then it would have been subject to a prepayment fee of 1.00% of the amount prepaid. As of December 31, 2018, the Company has made no prepayments. The credit agreement also allowed for additional debt to be issued under the delayed draw term loan commitments. These additional debt commitments were available for 24 months after the closing of the credit agreement subject to the same terms as the term loan. The delayed draw term loan commitments were subject to a 1.0% ticking fee on the average daily undrawn commitments to be paid quarterly in arrears. As of December 31, 2018, no borrowing had been made under the delayed draw term loan commitment. The revolver provided the Company with access to a $15.0 million letter of credit facility and a $5.0 million swing line facility, each of which, to the extent used, reduces borrowing availability under the revolver. The revolver was scheduled to expire on October 1, 2023. Interest on borrowing under the revolver was, at the Company’s option, either based on the base rate or a Eurocurrency interest rate, with the exception of swing line borrowings, which were always at the base rate. The Company elected the Eurocurrency rate option, and was subject to the same interest rate that applied to the term loan. Interest for a swing line loan was at the base rate (with a floor of 2.00%) plus 2.75%, with step ups to 3.00% or 3.25% based on the Company’s total net leverage ratio. The revolver also required a commitment fee of 0.5% of undrawn commitments to be paid quarterly in arrears. There were no borrowings outstanding under the revolver facility as of December 31, 2018.

The Company incurred $2.6 million of debt financing fees related to the issuance of the term loans, which were amortized to interest expense using the straight-line method over the term of the related debt facility.

 

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Prior to the extinguishment of the 2018 Credit Agreement, the Company recorded interest expense related to the amortization of these debt financing fees of $0.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 and $0.1 million for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor period). The carrying amount of the Company’s total outstanding debt, net of discounts, was $83.1 million as of December 31, 2018.

As of September 25, 2019, the total outstanding debt under the 2018 Credit Agreement of $84.6 million was fully repaid and the remaining $2.0 million of unamortized debt financing fees were charged to interest expense.

2019 Credit Agreement

On September 25, 2019, the Company entered into a credit agreement with new lenders with respect to a $210.0 million term loan facility and a $40.0 million revolving credit facility (collectively, the “2019 Credit Facility”). Principal payments on the term loan are due quarterly in arrears equal to installments in an aggregate annual amount equal to (i) 1.0% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the first year, (ii) 2.5% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the second year, (iii) 5.0% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the third year, (iv) 7.5% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the fourth year and (v) 10.0% per annum of the original principal amount of the initial term loan in the fifth year, with the remaining principal due in a lump sum at the maturity date of September 25, 2024. Voluntary principal prepayments are permitted. Interest is, at the Company’s option, either based on the base rate or Eurocurrency interest rate. The Company elected the Eurocurrency rate option as of December 31, 2019. Interest under this option is at the rate of LIBO Screen Rate plus 2.25% (with a floor of 0.0%). The revolver provides the Company with access to a $15.0 million letter of credit facility and a $5.0 million swing line facility, each of which, to the extent used, reduces borrowing availability under the revolver. The revolver expires on September 25, 2024. Interest on borrowing under the revolver is, at the Company’s option based on the base rate or Eurocurrency interest rate, with the exception of swing line borrowings, which are always based on the base rate. The Company elected the Eurocurrency rate option, and is subject to the same interest rate that applies to the term loan. Interest for a swing line loan is at the base rate. The revolver also requires a commitment fee of 0.4% of undrawn commitments to be paid quarterly in arrears. There were no borrowings outstanding on the revolver facility as of December 31, 2019.

The company incurred $2.3 million of debt financing fees related to the issuance of the term loans, which are being amortized to interest expense using the straight-line method over the term of the related debt facility. The Company recorded interest expense related to the amortization of these debt financing fees of $0.1 million for the period from September 25, 2019 through December 31, 2019. The carrying amount of the Company’s total outstanding debt, net of discounts, was $207.3 million as of December 31, 2019.

The credit agreement contains certain restrictive financial covenants and also limits additional borrowings, capital expenditures, and distributions. The Company was in compliance with these covenants as of December 31, 2019. Substantially all assets of the Company are pledged as collateral under this agreement, subject to certain customary exceptions.

Principal maturities of the outstanding debt as of December 31, 2019 are as follows:

 

(in thousands)       

2020

   $ 2,888  

2021

     6,563  

2022

     11,813  

2023

     17,062  

2024

     171,150  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 209,476  
  

 

 

 

 

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(9) Commitments and Contingencies

 

  (a)

Operating Leases

Leases that do not transfer to the Company substantially all the risks and benefits of ownership of the asset are classified as operating leases. Operating lease payments (net of any incentive received from the lessor) are recognized as expense in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Associated costs, such as repairs, maintenance, and insurance, are expensed as incurred. The Company determines whether an arrangement is, or contains, a lease based on the substance of the arrangement. It makes an assessment of whether the fulfillment of the arrangement is dependent on the use of a specific asset or assets and the arrangement conveys a right to use the asset. The Company has various leases for office spaces under noncancelable operating lease agreements.

Minimum rent payments under operating leases are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, including any periods of free rent. Rental expense for year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period) was $8.9 million, $1.8 million, and $4.1 million, respectively.

Future minimum rental commitments under noncancelable operating leases as of December 31, 2019:

 

(in thousands)       

2020

   $ 9,144  

2021

     7,772  

2022

     6,374  

2023

     2,728  

2024

     1,502  

Thereafter

     —    
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 27,520  
  

 

 

 

 

  (b)

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company may become subject to legal proceedings, claims, and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company is not currently a party to any material legal proceedings, nor is the Company aware of any pending or threatened litigation that would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, operating results, cash flows, or financial condition should such litigation be resolved unfavorably.

(10) Employee Compensation

Phantom Stock Plan

On June 19, 2015, TaskUs’ board of directors officially adopted a companywide phantom stock plan and related phantom share agreements. The plan and agreements establish key terms and conditions of the grants, including amount of shares reserved for the grant, amount granted to an employee, vesting, and forfeiture terms. The phantom stock awards are to be settled in cash upon an initial public offering (“IPO”) or in a similar form as the method of purchase used by a future acquirer upon an occurrence of a change in control (each as defined in such plan). Employees are permitted to retain vested phantom shares in the case of employment termination, except in cases of termination for cause.

In connection with the Blackstone Acquisition discussed in Note 3, Acquisition of TaskUs Inc., the phantom stock awards associated with the plan were settled partially in cash and partially in rollover shares in accordance with the terms of the plan. Because the change in control became probable immediately prior to the business combination, TaskUs Inc. recognized a liability for the amount of the cash settlement, which was assumed by Topco in the acquisition. The settlement of these awards was contingent upon the

 

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Table of Contents

successful consummation of the business combination. As such, the associated expense of $46.5 million is not attributable to either the Predecessor or Successor period and is therefore not reflected in the consolidated statements of operations. Rather, the expense is disclosed “on the line.” Cash payouts related to these awards during the Successor period totaled $43.2 million, a portion of which was funded by Topco and included in purchase consideration. The remainder was recorded as a liability in accrued payroll and employee-related liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2018 and fully paid as of December 31, 2019.

Additionally as a result of the Blackstone Transaction, holders of phantom stock awards were eligible to receive rollover phantom stock in the Company. The contractual lives and the vesting conditions for the rollover phantom stock vary depending on the employment status of the holder at the acquisition date. Former employees who held vested phantom shares in TaskUs at the date of the Blackstone Acquisition received rollover phantom shares in Topco that vested immediately and have an expiration date of June 19, 2022. Phantom stock held by those employed by the Company at the date of the Blackstone Acquisition received rollover phantom shares that vest 25% per annum, with monthly vesting after the first year anniversary of the Blackstone Acquisition, and have an expiration date of October 1, 2025. All other terms are substantially the same as the plan and the agreements as discussed above and will be settled in cash upon an IPO or in a similar form as the method of purchase used by a future acquirer upon an occurrence of a change in control. Management determined that these triggering events were not probable, and as such no liability or expense was recorded for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods) related to the rollover shares.

The number of outstanding phantom shares at January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019 were 702,399 and 662,309, respectively. There were 30,770 phantom shares granted and 70,860 phantom shares forfeited during the year ended December 31, 2019. Of the outstanding phantom shares, 165,054 are contractually vested but can only be settled upon an occurrence of a change in control or an IPO as discussed above.

The fair value of the vested and unvested phantom share awards that represents unrecognized expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods) and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor) will be equal to management’s best estimate at each period of the cash settlement that would be paid upon change in control or IPO. When an IPO or change in control occurs, the Company will recognize expense equal to the amount of settlement.

Stock Incentive Plan

On April 16, 2019, the Company established an equity incentive plan pursuant to which the Company has granted option awards to selected executives and other key employees. The option awards contain service, market and performance conditions. Stock options under this plan contingently vest over a period of two years in the event of a change in control and over a period of three years in the event of an IPO (each as defined in such plan), with the vesting period beginning on the date of the performance event so long as the holder remains employed. The amount of options eligible for vesting is contingent upon Blackstone’s return on invested capital in the Company. These options have contractual lives of 10 years. The Company reserves 1,111,373 common shares for issuance pursuant to these options.

The following shows the stock option activity for the years ended at December 31, 2019:

 

     Number of
options
     Weighted -
average grant
date fair value
     Weighted -
average
exercise price
 

Nonvested at January 1, 2019

     —          —          —    

Granted

     616,714      $  3.79      $  34.19  

Forfeited

     (84,634      2.90        28.80  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Nonvested at December 31, 2019

     532,080      $ 3.93      $ 35.05  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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For the year ended December 31, 2019 and for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), no change in control, IPO or liquidity event actually occurred or was imminent. Therefore, none of the options are vested nor currently exercisable, and no expense was recorded for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods) given the performance condition was not probable. For the year ended December 31, 2019, there was $2.3 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to the Company’s nonvested stock options. Upon the occurrence of an IPO or change in control, the grant date fair value for the awards will begin to be expensed using a graded vesting method. At the time of the IPO or change in control, a portion of the unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested stock options granted to employees is expected to be recognized immediately based on the service already provided by the employee at the time of such event. The remaining unrecognized compensation expense will be recognized over the next 2 years following a change in control, or over the next 3 years in the case of an IPO, again based on the proportion of service provided.

The fair value of the stock options were estimated under an option pricing framework, using a combination of Monte Carlo simulation analysis and a Black-Scholes option pricing method. A Monte Carlo simulation was first used to determine the number of options eligible for vesting, then a Black-Scholes model was used to estimate the value for the vested options given the simulated scenario, with the assumption that vested options will be exercised at the mid-point from the vesting date to its maturity date. Key assumptions in performing the option valuation include the expected time to liquidity event, total equity value, value per common share, discount for lack of marketability to be applied to the common shares, and volatility of the common shares. The volatility of the common shares was estimated based on the observed equity volatility of publicly traded comparable companies. For options granted during the year ended December 31, 2019, management assumed an expected time to liquidity of 5 years, with equal likelihood for an IPO or a Change in Control event.

(11) Income Taxes

For the years ended December 31, 2019, December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, domestic and foreign pretax income from continuing operations were $14.5 million and $15.0 million, $0.9 million and $1.6 million, and ($0.5) million and $24.6 million, respectively.

The provision for (benefit from) income taxes consists of the following for the year ended December 31, 2019, for the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor period), and for the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period):

 

     December 31,
2019
(Successor)
     October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
(Successor)
    January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
(Predecessor)
 

Current:

       

Federal

   $ 2,836      $ —         1,530  

State

     567        —         1,091  

Foreign

     1,024        115       879  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
     4,427        115       3,500  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Deferred:

       

Federal

     2,871        3,292       (8,899

State

     (11,578      (36     (3,569

Foreign

     (131      8       16  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
     (8,838      3,264       (12,452
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   $ (4,411    $ 3,379       (8,952
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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The following table presents the tax effects of temporary differences that gives rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities as of the dates indicated:

 

     Year ended
December 31,
2019
(Successor)
     Year ended
December 31,
2018
(Successor)
 

Deferred Tax Assets

     

Accruals

   $ 328      $ 1,246  

Deferred Rent

     118        122  

Allowances and reserves

     41        46  

Intercompany payable

     658        1,814  

Foreign Tax Credit

     338        —    

State taxes

     1,018        3,292  

Deferred Revenue

     482        612  

Net operating loss carryforward

     —          5,956  

Charitable contribution carryforward

     —          5  

Section 163(j) interest limitation

     —          316  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Deferred Tax Assets

   $ 2,983      $ 13,409  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Deferred Tax Liabilities

     

Intangibles

     (59,310      (77,254

Fixed Assets

     (663      (2,155

Unrealized foreign exchange gain

     (382      (209
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Deferred Tax Liabilities

   $ (60,355    $ (79,618
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net deferred tax (liability) asset

   $ (57,372    $ (66,209
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

In connection with the acquisition, the Company recorded an intangibles deferred tax liability in the amount of $74 million.

As of December 31, 2019, the Company had foreign tax credits of $0.3 million. Foreign tax credits will begin to expire in 2028 if not utilized.

The following is a reconciliation stated as a percentage of pretax income of the federal income tax effective rate (21%) to the Company’s effective tax rate:

 

     Year ended
December 31,
2019
(Successor)
    October 1,
2018

through
December 31,
2018
(Successor)
    January 1,
2018

through
September 30,
2018
(Predecessor)
 

Federal tax rate

     21     21     21

State taxes, net of federal benefit

     (28     (1     6  

Other permanent differences

     2       1       —    

GILTI Inclusion

     5       107       —    

FDII

     (1     —         —    

RTP

     (1     1       —    

Transaction costs

     —         —         (3

Foreign jurisdiction income tax holiday

     (11     (24     7  

Foreign tax credit

     (2     —         —    

Foreign tax rate differential

     —         20       (2

Deferred True-Up

     (1     —         —    

Other adjustments

     1       (7     (1
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Effective tax rate

     (15 )%      118     28
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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For the year ended December 31, 2019, the state rate is attributable to the revaluation of net state deferred tax assets and liabilities related to the decrease in a state rate from 6.8% to 1.9% for the tax year 2018 and 2019, respectively. The decrease in the state rate is driven by refining the Company’s revenue sourcing methodologies in key state tax jurisdictions reducing state apportionment.

The Company evaluates its tax positions for all income tax items based on their technical merits to determine whether each position satisfies the “more likely than not to be sustained upon examination” test. The tax benefits are then measured as the largest amount of benefit, determined on a cumulative basis, that is “more likely than not” to be realized upon ultimate settlement. As a result of this evaluation, the Company determined there were no uncertain tax positions that required recognition and measurement for the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018 (Successor period), and for the period from January 1, 2018, through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period) within the scope of FASB ASC 740, Income taxes.

The Company assessed the available positive and negative evidence to estimate whether it was more likely than not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax assets would be realized. Evidence of sources of taxable income and the pattern and timing of the reversal of the temporary differences were sufficient to support a conclusion that a valuation allowance was not needed. Therefore, the Company determined that it was more likely than not that the deferred tax assets would be realized.

We operate under tax holiday in the Philippines, which is effective through December 31, 2019, and may be extended if certain additional requirements are satisfied. The tax holidays are conditional upon our meeting certain employment and investment thresholds. The impact of these tax holidays decreased foreign taxes by $4.3 million, $0.7 million, and $2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018, through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), respectively. The benefit of the tax holidays on net income per share (diluted) was $0.46, $0.08, and $0.22 for the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and for the period from January 1, 2018, through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period), respectively.

As of December 31, 2019, unremitted earnings of the subsidiaries outside of the U.S. are approximately $63.2 million, which the Company has not made a provision for U.S. or additional foreign withholding taxes and state taxes. The Company’s practice and intention are to indefinitely reinvest these earnings outside the U.S. Determination of the amount of any unrecognized deferred income tax liability on this temporary difference is not practicable because of the complexities of the hypothetical calculation.

The Company files income tax returns in US federal and state jurisdictions, as well as in the Philippines and Canada. During 2019, the Company established business operations in India, Greece, Mexico, and the UK for which the Company will be subject to tax. As of December 31, 2019, the tax years 2016 to 2019 are subject to examination by federal tax authorities (including the Philippines and Canada) and the tax years 2015 to 2019 are subject to examination by state taxing jurisdictions.

The Company recorded an estimated one-time deemed repatriation tax of $3.6 million on its foreign subsidiaries’ estimated net accumulated earnings of $10.6 million in 2017. This additional income tax expense was partially offset by foreign tax credits of $1.3 million that were generated by the deemed repatriation. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Act”) increased the Company’s U.S. estimated tax liability by $2.3 million. The Company has elected to pay this estimated tax liability over eight years in interest free installments. As of December 31, 2019, the Company recorded $0.2 million of current income tax liabilities and $1.7 million of noncurrent income tax liabilities for the remaining installments.

The Tax Act also included a new provision designed to tax global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) and the Foreign-Derived Intangible Income (“FDII”) provision, a tax incentive to earn income abroad. The Company is subject to a tax on GILTI. GILTI is a tax on foreign income in excess of a deemed return on tangible assets of foreign corporations. Companies subject to GILTI have the option to account for the tax as a period cost if and when incurred or factor such amounts into the measurement of deferred taxes. The Company has elected to account for GILTI as a period cost. For the year ended December 31, 2019, the

 

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Table of Contents

Company had a $1.6 million net tax provision related to GILTI and $0.2 million net tax benefit related to FDII.

As of December 31, 2019, the Company did not have any additional adjustments related to the Tax Act.

(12) Stockholders’ Equity (Successor)

Authorized capital stock of Topco consisted of 10,000,000 shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2018, except pursuant to the Incentive Plan (see Note 10, Employee Compensation), there were no options, warrants or similar rights to purchase capital stock of Topco issued or required to be issued. Topco had 9,173,702 shares of $0.01 par value Common Stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and 2018. Topco common stock entitles holders to participate in all matters requiring votes of shareholders, receive dividends when declared, and is not convertible.

On October 2, 2019, TaskUs, Inc. made a cash distribution of $12.0 million to Bidco which was declared by the Board of Directors as dividend payment.

On October 2, 2019, Bidco made a cash distribution of $135.0 million to Midco, then from Midco to Topco, then from Topco to its shareholders as declared by the Board of Directors as dividend payment.

(13) Earnings (Loss) Per Share

The following table summarized the computation of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share for the year ended December 31, 2019, the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Successor periods), and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Predecessor period):

 

     Successor      Successor     Predecessor  
(in thousands, except share data)    Year ended
December 31,
2019
     October 1,
2018 through
December 31,
2018
    January 1,
2018 through
September 30,
2018
 

Numerator:

       

Net Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations Available to Common Shareholders

   $ 33,940        (871     33,094  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
 

Denominator:

       

Weighted-average common stock outstanding - basic and diluted

     9,173,702        9,173,702       10,972,892  
 

Net income (loss) per share:

       

Basic and diluted

   $ 3.70      $ (0.09   $ 3.02  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

(14) Subsequent Events

During the first quarter of 2020, there was a global outbreak of a novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”), which has spread to over 200 countries and territories, including all states in the United States. The global impact of the outbreak has been rapidly evolving and many countries have reacted by instituting quarantines and restrictions on travel, closing financial markets and/or restricting trading, and limiting operations of non-essential businesses. Such actions are creating disruption in global supply chains, increasing rates of unemployment and adversely impacting many industries. The outbreak could have a continued adverse impact on economic and market conditions and trigger a period of global economic slowdown. The full extent of the impact and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will depend on future developments, including, among other factors, the duration and spread of the outbreak, along with related travel advisories, quarantines and restrictions, the recovery time of the disrupted supply chains and industries, the impact of labor market interruptions, the impact of government interventions, and uncertainty with respect to the duration of the global economic slowdown.

 

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In early March, 2020, our business faced challenges in operational enablement across our locations. We mobilized a centralized crisis response team to implement a fully virtual operating model, with a focus on the health and safety of our employees, and continued service for our clients. The shift entailed significant challenges including reconfiguring IT infrastructure and delivering over 14,000 personal computers, laptops and wireless internet cards to a majority of our employees’ homes, under stringent transport restrictions. In addition, we have paused certain on-site amenities for our employees, such as free on site meals, until all our normal operations can be safely resumed.

On March 27, 2020, in the United States, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act, among other things, permits net operating loss (“NOL”) carryovers and carrybacks to offset 100% of taxable income for taxable years beginning before 2021 and the deferral of employer taxes. We have chosen to avail ourselves of these CARES Act provisions for NOL carryover and carrybacks and the deferral of employer taxes.

In addition to the operating interventions and CARES Act provisions discussed above, we also conducted a comprehensive review of our cost structure in order to build efficiencies across functions and implemented robust working capital controls to maintain cash conversion and compliance with covenants. While there were costs associated with the transformations mentioned above and certain customer receivables were written-off, we do not currently expect a significant impact to our liquidity or our ability to continue as a going concern. We continue to closely monitor the outbreak and the impact on our operations and liquidity.

(15) Subsequent Events (unaudited)

In connection with the Company’s election under the CARES Act, we have carried back net operating losses originating in the period from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 to claim a refund for taxes paid in fiscal 2015, 2016, 2017, and the period from January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 resulting in an expected benefit of approximately $5.2 million.

TaskUs, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware on July 27, 2018, under the name TU TopCo, Inc. On December 14, 2020, we changed our name to TaskUs, Inc.

 

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Table of Contents

 

 

            Shares

 

 

LOGO

TaskUs, Inc.

Common Stock

 

 

Prospectus

 

 

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC    J.P. Morgan

Through and including the 25th day after the date of this prospectus, all dealers that effect transactions in shares of our common stock, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligations to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

                    ,

 

 

 


Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.

The following table sets forth the expenses payable by the Registrant expected to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the shares of common stock being registered hereby (other than underwriting discounts and commissions). All of such expenses are estimates, other than the filing and listing fees payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. and the             .

 

Filing Fee—Securities and Exchange Commission

   $         *  

Fee—Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

     *  

Listing Fee—

     *  

Fees and Expenses of Counsel

     *  

Printing Expenses

     *  

Fees and Expenses of Accountants

     *  

Transfer Agent and Registrar’s Fees

     *  

Miscellaneous Expenses

     *  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ *  
  

 

 

 

 

*

To be provided by amendment.

ITEM 14. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL, allows a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation will not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached the duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock redemption or repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide for this exculpation against liability for breach of fiduciary duty to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Section 145 of the DGCL, or Section 145, provides, among other things, that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was, is or is threatened to be made, party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. Section 145 also provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were or are a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, provided further that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the

 

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officer, director, employee or agent is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Section 145 further provides that, where directors and specified officers are successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify them against the expenses they have actually and reasonably incurred.

Section 145 provides that expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a current officer or director of the corporation in defending against any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking if it shall ultimately be determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized under Section 145. Such expenses incurred by a former officer or director or other employees and agents of the corporation or by persons serving at the request of the corporation in specified capacities for other enterprises may be paid upon terms and conditions as the corporation deems appropriate.

Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to indemnify him or her under Section 145.

Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL (subject to certain limited circumstances) and must also pay expenses incurred by them in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition upon delivery of an undertaking, by or on behalf of an indemnified person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it should be determined ultimately that such person is not entitled to be indemnified under our amended and restated bylaws or otherwise.

The rights to indemnification and advancement set forth above shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

We expect to maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (1) to our directors and officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to us with respect to indemnification payments that we may make to such directors and officers.

We intend to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers. These agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors or executive officers, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy and is therefore unenforceable

The proposed form of Underwriting Agreement to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement provides for indemnification to our directors and officers by the underwriters against certain liabilities.

ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.

On October 1, 2018, in connection with the Blackstone Acquisition, the Registrant issued 6,173,702 shares of the Registrant’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “common stock”), to Blackstone, 1,500,000 shares of common stock to Bryce Maddock and his affiliates and 1,500,000 shares of common stock to Jaspar Weir and his affiliates in a transaction not involving any public offering and exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

 

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ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.

(a) Exhibits. See the Exhibit Index immediately preceding the signature pages hereto, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

(b) Financial Statement Schedules. None.

ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS

 

(1)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

 

(2)

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

(3)

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

  (A)

For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

  (B)

For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(4)

The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  (A)

Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act;

 

  (B)

Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;

 

  (C)

The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

 

  (D)

Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement*
  3.1    Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant*
  3.2    Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant*
  5.1    Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP regarding validity of shares of common stock registered*
10.1    Form of Stockholders Agreement*
10.2    Form of Registration Rights Agreement*
10.3    2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan*†
10.4    TaskUs, Inc. Amended and Restated Phantom Stock Plan†
10.5    Form of Phantom Share Agreement under the TaskUs, Inc. Amended and Restated Phantom Stock Plan†
10.6    2019 TaskUs, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan†
10.7    Founder Employment Agreement, dated as of June 2, 2015, by and between Bryce Maddock and TaskUs Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as TaskUs, Inc.)†
10.8    Pay Change Memo, dated March 26, 2020, for Bryce Maddock†
10.9    Offer of Employment Letter, dated as of October 28, 2016, by and between TaskUs Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as TaskUs, Inc.) and Jarrod Johnson†
10.10    Form of Indemnification Agreement*
10.11    Credit Agreement, dated as September  25, 2019, among TU MidCo, Inc., TU BidCo, Inc., the guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, collateral agent, swing line lender and an L/C issuer, and the lenders and L/C issuers party thereto from time to time
10.12    Security Agreement, dated as September 25, 2019, among the grantors party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as collateral agent
10.13    Support and Services Agreement, dated as of October  1, 2018, among TaskUs, Inc. (formerly known as TU TopCo, Inc.), TaskUs Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as TaskUs, Inc.), Blackstone Capital Partners VII L.P., Blackstone Capital Partners Asia L.P., and Blackstone Management Partners L.L.C.
21.1    Subsidiaries of the Registrant
23.1    Consent of KPMG LLP*
23.4    Consent of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)*
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on signature pages to this Registration Statement)*

 

*

To be filed by amendment.

Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New Braunfels, State of Texas, on the                day of                ,                .

 

TASKUS, INC.

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Title:

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Bryce Maddock, Jaspar Weir and Balaji Sekar, and each of them, any of whom may act without joinder of the other, the individual’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for the person and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this Registration Statement and any or all amendments, including post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, including a prospectus or an amended prospectus therein and any Registration Statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act, and all other documents in connection therewith to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact as agents or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement and Power of Attorney have been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the                day of                ,                .

 

Signature

  

Title

     

Bryce Maddock

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(principal executive officer)

     

Jaspar Weir

   President and Director

     

Amit Dixit

   Director

     

Susir Kumar

   Director

     

Mukesh Mehta

   Director

     

Jacqueline Reses

   Director


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Signature

  

Title

     

Balaji Sekar

  

Chief Financial Officer

(principal financial officer)

     

Steven Amaya

  

Vice President—Finance

(principal accounting officer)

EX-10.4

Exhibit 10.4

TaskUs, Inc.

AMENDED AND RESTATED PHANTOM STOCK PLAN

(previously the TaskUs Holdings, Inc. Phantom Stock Plan)

ADOPTED BY THE BOARD: October 1, 2018

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2018

1. PURPOSE. In order to attract and retain key employees, directors and consultants who are and will be providing services to TaskUs, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Company desires to establish this Amended and Restated Phantom Stock Plan (the “Plan”), under which participants will have the opportunity to receive cash or stock bonuses upon a Change in Control (as defined herein). This Plan amends and restates in its entirety, effective as of the Effective Date set forth above, the TaskUs Holdings, Inc. Phantom Stock Plan (the “Predecessor Plan”) and shall govern the terms of all Phantom Shares that remain outstanding following the Effective Date.

2. DEFINITIONS.

(a) “Affiliate” means, at the time of determination, any “parent” or “majority-owned subsidiary” of the Company, as such terms are defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The Board will have the authority to determine the time or times at which “parent” or “majority-owned subsidiary” status is determined within the foregoing definition.

(b) “Applicable Preferences” means, in the event the Company issues preferred stock in the future, the preferential return (if any) of capital and return on investment to the holders of such preferred stock.

(c) “Base Value” means, with respect to each Phantom Share granted hereunder, the Base Value (which may be zero) set for such Phantom Share in the applicable Phantom Share Agreement.

(d) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) “Cause” means, with respect to any specified Participant, such Participant’s (i) conviction of a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude or dishonesty; (ii) attempted commission of, or participation in, a fraud or act of dishonesty against the Company; (iii) intentional, material violation of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company or of any statutory duty owed to the Company; (iv) unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets; or (v) gross misconduct.

(f) “Change in Control” means the first to occur of any of the following events that is also a change in the ownership of the Company, a change in the effective control of the Company, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company (as these events are defined in Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-3(i)(5), or as these definitions may later be modified by other regulatory pronouncements): (i) a dissolution or liquidation of the Company; (ii) a merger, reverse merger (including, without limitation, a reverse merger where the Company


is the surviving entity), consolidation or similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the Company where, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (B) fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction; (iii) a sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Company other than a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to an entity, fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which is owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such sale; (iv) any other capital reorganization in which fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Company are exchanged; or (v) any Stock Sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing definition or any other provision of this Plan, the term Change in Control will not include (x) a transaction the primary purpose of which is to raise capital for the Company, or (y) a transaction effected to change the type of entity or jurisdiction of organization of the Company.

(g) “Closing” means, (i) in the case of a Change in Control, the initial closing of the Change in Control as defined in the definitive agreement executed in connection with the Change in Control, and (ii) in the case of an IPO, the date at which the Common Stock is first made available for public purchase pursuant to the IPO. In the case of a series of transactions constituting a Change in Control, “Closing” means the first closing that satisfies the threshold of the definition for a Change in Control.

(h) “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(i) “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.

(j) “Contingent Consideration” means the sum of any cash and the Fair Market Value of any securities or other property (after the payment of transaction fees and expenses, including, without limitation, payments to investment bankers and attorneys and net of any debt or other liabilities payable or otherwise assumed and deducted from the proceeds to the Company and the Securityholders in connection with a Change in Control) that would be, but for the existence of the Plan, received by the Company or the Securityholders in respect of equity securities of the Company in connection with a Change in Control after the Closing, the receipt of which is contingent upon the passage of time or the occurrence or non-occurrence of some future event(s) or circumstance(s), including, without limitation, amounts of consideration paid at a subsequent closing, and amounts of consideration subject to an escrow, a purchase price adjustment, an earn-out or indemnity claims.

(k) “Continuous Service” means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an employee, director or consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an employee, director or consultant or a change in the entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s service


with the Company or an Affiliate, will not terminate a Participant’s Continuous Service; provided, however, that if the entity for which a Participant is rendering services ceases to qualify as an Affiliate, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, such Participant’s Continuous Service will be considered to have terminated on the date such entity ceases to qualify as an Affiliate. For example, a change in status from an employee of the Company to a consultant of an Affiliate or to a director will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service. To the extent permitted by law, the Board, in its sole discretion, will determine whether Continuous Service is interrupted in the case of any leave of absence approved by the Board, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave.

(l) “Derivative Securities” means any securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for (in each case, directly or indirectly), capital stock of the Company, including options and warrants.

(m) “Fair Market Value” will be the value determined by the Board as of the applicable date in its sole discretion in accordance with Section 409A of the Code to the extent applicable, and such determination will be final and binding.

(n) “Initial Consideration” means the sum of any cash and the Fair Market Value of any securities or other property to be received by the Company or the Securityholders in respect of equity securities of the Company upon the Closing of the Change in Control (net of any cash received pursuant to the payment of any stock option or warrant exercise price in connection with the Change in Control) after the payment of transaction fees and expenses (including, without limitation, payments to investment bankers and attorneys and net of any debt or other liabilities payable or otherwise assumed and deducted from the proceeds to the Company and the Securityholders in connection with a Change in Control) that would be, but for the existence of the Plan, legally available for payment or distribution to the Company and the Securityholders at the Closing. Initial Consideration does not include any Contingent Consideration.

(o) “IPO” means the Company’s first underwritten public offering of its Common Stock registered under the Securities Act.

(p) “IPO Price” means the initial offering price for the Common Stock in the IPO, as provided in the underwriting agreement in connection with the IPO.

(q) “Liquidity Event” means either a Change in Control or an IPO.

(r) “Liquidity Event Deadline” means a date contained in a Participant’s Phantom Share Award Agreement, upon which a Phantom Share expires and terminates prior to settlement.

(s) “Partial Sale” means a Change in Control that occurs prior to an IPO in which a Person, or a group of related Persons, acquires less than one hundred percent (100%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the Company, directly and indirectly (other than transactions the primary purpose of which is to raise capital for the Company).


(t) “Participant” means a person to whom a Phantom Share is granted under the Plan, and who has signed and returned a valid Phantom Share Agreement to the Company by the deadline, if any, indicated in such Phantom Share Agreement.

(u) “Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association, limited liability company, trust or any other entity.

(v) “Phantom Share” means a right to a cash or stock payment as calculated pursuant to either Section 8 or Section 9 of the Plan. Phantom Shares have no participation in dividends or other nonliquidating distributions paid to stockholders of the Company. A Phantom Share does not represent actual equity in the Company.

(w) “Phantom Share Agreement” means an agreement evidencing the terms of a Phantom Share granted under the Plan.

(x) “Plan Expiration Date” means the date on which the Plan terminates pursuant to Section 17.

(y) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(z) “Securityholders” means holders of capital stock and any Derivative Securities of the Company, as applicable.

(aa) “Stock Sale” means a transaction or series of related transactions in which a Person, or a group of related Persons, acquires from stockholders of the Company shares of capital stock representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the Company.

(bb) “Total Consideration” means the sum of the Initial Consideration and the Contingent Consideration.

(cc) “Vested Common Equivalent” means, as of or immediately prior to the Closing of any Change in Control, the aggregate number of Vested Phantom Shares that are outstanding under the Plan, plus the aggregate number of shares of vested capital stock of the Company (including any vested Derivative Securities) entitled to participate in residual distributions or payments to stockholders after satisfaction of Applicable Preferences.

(dd) “Vested Phantom Share” means a Phantom Share which has vested pursuant to the vesting requirements of a Participant’s Phantom Share Agreement.

3. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN.

(a) The Board will administer the Plan.

(b) The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:


(i) To determine (A) who will be granted Phantom Shares; (B) the number of Phantom Shares granted to each such person; (C) the time or times when Phantom Shares are to be granted; (D) the provisions of each Phantom Share (which need not be identical), including the conditions subject to which Phantom Shares may vest; and (E) the Base Value of each Phantom Share.

(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Phantom Shares granted under the Plan, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for administration of the Plan and Phantom Shares. The Board, in the exercise of these powers, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Phantom Share Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it will deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan or a Phantom Share fully effective.

(iii) To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Phantom Shares granted under it.

(iv) To accelerate, in whole or in part, the time at which a Phantom Share may vest.

(v) To suspend or terminate the Plan at any time or to amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable, including, without limitation, by adopting amendments relating to certain nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code and/or to make the Plan or Phantom Shares granted under the Plan exempt from or compliant with the requirements for nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, subject to the limitations, if any, of applicable law. However, if required by applicable law, and except as provided in Section 13 relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the Company will seek stockholder approval of any amendment of the Plan that (A) materially increases the number of Phantom Shares available for issuance under the Plan, (B) materially expands the class of individuals eligible to receive Phantom Shares under the Plan, (C) materially increases the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan, (D) materially extends the term of the Plan, or (E) materially expands the types of awards available for issuance under the Plan. Except as provided in the Plan or a Phantom Share Agreement, no suspension, termination, or amendment of the Plan will impair a Participant’s rights under an outstanding Phantom Share unless (1) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (2) such Participant consents in writing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Participant’s rights will not be deemed to have been impaired by any such amendment if the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that the amendment, taken as a whole, does not materially impair the Participant’s rights. In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the limitations of applicable law, if any, the Board may amend the terms of any one or more Phantom Shares without the affected Participant’s consent to clarify the manner of exemption from, or to bring the Phantom Shares into compliance with, Section 409A of the Code, or to comply with any other applicable laws.

(vi) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan or any of the Phantom Shares.


4. ELIGIBILITY. The Board will designate the current and former employees, directors and consultants of the Company who are eligible to participate in the Plan. A Participant may be granted more than one Phantom Share under the Plan.

5. PHANTOM SHARES RESERVED FOR GRANT. Subject to Section 13 relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate number of Phantom Shares that may be issued under the Plan is 828,652. The number of Phantom Shares may not be increased absent approval by the Board and any required stockholder approval. Phantom Shares will be diluted if the Company issues additional shares of capital stock or Derivative Securities, subject to adjustment as provided by Section 13. The total number of Phantom Shares reserved for grant may be decreased in the Board’s discretion. If any Phantom Share were for any reason to be forfeited prior to the Expiration Date, such forfeited Phantom Share will revert to and again become available for grant under the Plan.

6. TERMS OF PHANTOM SHARES.

(a) Awards under the Plan will be in the form of Phantom Shares, which will entitle the holder to receive a payment from the Company in respect of Vested Phantom Shares at the times and under the conditions determined pursuant to either Section 8 or Section 9 below on the first Liquidity Event to occur in full settlement of all Phantom Shares then held by a Participant (unless otherwise determined by the Board in connection with a Partial Sale). Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan, a Participant will not earn or be entitled to any portion of the payments provided under the Plan until the Closing of the applicable Liquidity Event.

(b) Each Phantom Share Agreement will specify the vesting terms of the Phantom Shares granted thereby and the conditions, if any, under which such vesting may be accelerated. No Phantom Share will vest following the expiration of its specified term. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Board will have the power, in its sole discretion, to accelerate the time of vesting for any Participant. Vesting under this Plan is independent of payout.

7. FORFEITURE. Unvested Phantom Shares will be forfeited immediately without consideration or further payments due upon the earliest to occur of (a) a Liquidity Event (unless otherwise determined by the Board in connection with a Partial Sale), (b) the date of termination of the applicable Participant’s Continuous Service, and (c) the Liquidity Event Deadline contained in the Phantom Share Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, unvested Phantom Shares do not include Phantom Shares which vested upon a Liquidity Event. Vested Phantom Shares will remain outstanding until the expiration of the period provided in the applicable Phantom Share Agreement.

8. SETTLEMENT ON AN IPO.

(a) Amount of Payment. The payment due, if any, to a Participant with respect to each Vested Phantom Share held by a Participant upon an IPO (including Phantom Shares that vest as a result of the IPO, if any) that occurs prior to a Change in Control will be equal to the product of (i) the IPO Price minus (y) the Base Value, if any.

(b) Timing of Payment. A Participant will be paid in settlement of his or her Vested Phantom Shares on the 30th day following the Closing of the IPO.


(c) Form of Payment. Payments made in settlement of Vested Phantom Shares if the first Liquidity Event is an IPO will be in cash.

9. SETTLEMENT ON A CHANGE IN CONTROL.

(a) Amount of Payment. The payment due, if any, to a Participant in full settlement of each Vested Phantom Share held by a Participant upon a Change in Control (including Phantom Shares that vest as a result of the Change in Control, if any) that occurs prior to an IPO will be equal to the product of the following formula:

((Total Consideration – Applicable Preferences) / Vested Common Equivalents) – Base Value,

determined with respect to the date of such Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all applicable income and employment taxes will be deducted from any payment hereunder. A Participant is not entitled to receive any payment with respect to unvested Phantom Shares. A Participant is not entitled to share in dividends or other nonliquidiating distributions paid to stockholders of the Company.

(b) Timing of Payment.

(i) A Participant will be paid in settlement of his or her Vested Phantom Shares on the 30th day following the Closing, except as set forth in Section 9(b)(ii) below.

(ii) To the extent the Total Consideration includes any Contingent Consideration, the portion of the payment in respect of Vested Phantom Shares that may be earned and payable in respect of such amounts of Contingent Consideration will be subject to the same conditions (including but not limited to any subsequent closing, escrow arrangement, indemnity obligation, or earn-out) (the “Conditions”) on payment imposed on all other Securityholders and the Company with respect to their rights to the Contingent Consideration to the same extent the Conditions are imposed on the Contingent Consideration (i.e., on a pro-rata basis) (such portion of payment in respect of the Vested Phantom Shares subject to the Conditions, the “Unvested Consideration”). The Unvested Consideration will be paid as, if and when the Contingent Consideration is paid to the Securityholders and the Company, but in no event later than thirty (30) days following the date on which the applicable Condition is satisfied.

(iii) To the extent that a Condition, when applied to payment in respect of the Vested Phantom Shares, would not either (x) constitute a “substantial risk of forfeiture” (as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(d)), or (y) be reasonably likely to be payable in compliance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(iv)(A), or (z) otherwise be payable in compliance with or under an exemption from Section 409A of the Code, the Board in its discretion may provide that either (i) Participant will not be paid the Unvested Consideration related to such Condition, or (ii) Participant will be paid the Unvested Consideration related to such condition, subject to reduction determined by the Board in its sole and absolute discretion as a result of the existence of the Condition (that is, the present value of the payment in respect of Vested Phantom Shares that may be earned upon satisfaction of the Condition, taking into account both the time value of money and risk associated with the payment), in a lump sum on the thirtieth (30th) day following the effective date of the Change in Control.


(c) Treatment on Partial Sale. In the event of a Partial Sale, a Participant will be paid an amount in settlement of all of his or her Phantom Shares equal to the amount that would be payable pursuant to Section 9(a) multiplied by a percentage, with the percentage equal to a percentage selected by the Board in its sole discretion, but no less than the lesser of (x) the percentage of Vested Phantom Shares relative to all Phantom Shares held by such Participant and (y) the percentage of combined outstanding voting power of the Company transferred by shareholders in the transaction giving rise to the Partial Sale. The payment shall otherwise be upon the same terms and subject to the same conditions, as holders of shares of Common Stock. Following such payment, all remaining Phantom Shares shall be automatically canceled unless otherwise determined by the Board.

(d) Form of Payment.

(i) Unless otherwise determined by the Board prior to the Closing, payments made in settlement of Vested Phantom Shares if the first Liquidity Event is a Change in Control will be in the same forms and in the same proportions as the Total Consideration is paid by the acquirer to the Securityholders or the Company (as applicable). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any Phantom Share Agreement, if the Board determines that the form of payment with respect to a Phantom Share will be equity of either the Company, its successor, or another entity, no such equity will be issued to any Participant unless such equity is then registered under the Securities Act or, if such equity is not then so registered, the Company has determined that such issuance would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

(ii) In addition to any other restrictions imposed on the payments to be made pursuant to the Plan, any securities that are issued to the Participants under the Plan will be subject to the same or similar restrictions as imposed by the acquiring company on the securities distributed to the Securityholders or the Company (as applicable) as part of the Total Consideration on the terms set forth in the agreement pursuant to which the Change in Control occurs.

10. RELEASE. As a further condition to earning Phantom Shares and receiving a payment in settlement of the Phantom Shares pursuant to the terms of the Plan, a Participant must execute and allow to become effective a general release of claims in a form satisfactory to the Company within thirty (30) days after the Closing. If any Participant refuses to execute such release and allow it to become effective within such time period, then such Participant will not be eligible to earn a payment in respect of Vested Phantom Shares and such Participant’s Phantom Shares will be forfeited.

11. WITHHOLDING OF COMPENSATION. The Company or the acquirer in a Change in Control will withhold from any payments under the Plan and from any other amounts payable to a Participant by the Company or such acquirer any amount required to satisfy the income and employment tax withholding obligations arising under applicable federal and state laws in respect of the Phantom Shares. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company or such acquirer may, in its sole discretion, satisfy the tax withholding obligations by withholding from any securities otherwise issuable to a Participant pursuant to the Plan a number of whole shares of such issuable capital stock having a Fair Market Value as of the date of payment, not in excess of the minimum


amount of tax required to be withheld by law. The Company or such acquirer may require the Participant to satisfy any remaining amount of the tax withholding obligations by tendering a cash payment. Each Participant is encouraged to contact his or her personal legal or tax advisors with respect to the benefits provided by the Plan. Neither the Company nor any of its employees, directors, officers or agents are authorized to provide any tax advice to Participants with respect to the benefits provided under the Plan.

12. SECTION 409A. The Plan and each award of Phantom Shares is intended to comply, to the greatest extent possible, with the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is determined that the Plan or an award of Phantom Shares fails to satisfy the requirements of the short-term deferral rule and is otherwise deferred compensation subject to Section 409A, then the Plan and all awards of Phantom Shares hereunder shall be interpreted to the greatest extent possible as consistent, with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-3(i)(1)(i) in connection with settlement of Phantom Shares on an IPO, and 1.409A-3(i)(5)(iv)(A) in connection with settlement of Phantom Shares on a Change in Control. Each installment of Phantom Shares that vests is intended to constitute a separate “payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(i).

13. ADJUSTMENT UPON CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE. If any change is made in the capital structure of the Company without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, incorporation, change in state or organization, distribution (whether in property or cash), equity split, reverse equity split, liquidating distribution, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in form of organization or structure, or any similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto) (a “Capitalization Adjustment”), then the Plan and the outstanding awards thereunder will be appropriately and proportionately adjusted. Such adjustments will be made by the Board, the determination of which will be final, binding and conclusive.

14. NO GUARANTEE OF EMPLOYMENT. The Plan is intended to provide a financial incentive to Participants and is not intended to confer any rights to continued employment or service upon Participants whose employment will remain at-will and subject to termination by either the Company or Participant at any time, with or without cause or notice.

15. NO EQUITY INTEREST; STATUS AS CREDITOR. Neither the Plan nor the allocation of Phantom Shares hereunder creates or conveys any equity or ownership interest in the Company or any rights commonly associated with any such interest, including, but not limited to, the right to vote on any matters put before the Company’s stockholders. The Phantom Shares do not constitute “securities” of the Company. A Participant’s sole right under the Plan will be as a general unsecured creditor of the Company and the acquiring or surviving corporation.

16. NO ASSIGNMENT OR TRANSFER BY PARTICIPANT. A Phantom Share may not be assigned or transferred by any Participant except by will or under the laws of descent and distribution. Any purported assignment or transfer by any such Participant will be void. During the lifetime of a Participant, payout pursuant to Vested Phantom Shares will be made only to such Participant or his or her legal guardian. A Participant may, by delivery written notice to


the Company in a form satisfactory to the Board, designate a third party who, in the event of the death of the Participant, will be entitled to receive a payment (if any) due the Participant hereunder.

17. TERMINATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan will automatically terminate on the date when all Phantom Shares have been paid or forfeited following the Closing of the first Liquidity Event (not including a Partial Sale). Upon payment with respect to a Phantom Share following the Closing, such Phantom Share shall immediately terminate and no subsequent transaction will be deemed a Liquidity Event with respect to such Phantom Share.

18. EFFECTIVE DATE. The Plan will become effective on the later of (i) the date the Plan is first approved by the Company’s stockholders, and (ii) the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.

19. UNFUNDED OBLIGATION. The benefits provided under the Plan will be unfunded. All amounts payable, if any, under the Plan to Participants will be paid from the general assets of the Company. Nothing contained herein shall require the Company to set aside or hold in trust any amounts or assets for the purpose of paying benefits to Participants.

20. GOVERNING LAW. The rights and obligations of a Participant under the Plan will be governed by and interpreted, construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its or any other jurisdiction’s conflicts of laws principles.

21. NOTICE. Any notice required to be given hereunder by the Company will be considered given and received by the addressee on the date the Company mails such notice by common carrier to such addressee.

22. ASSUMPTION BY ACQUIROR. The Company’s obligations to make payments in respect of the Vested Phantom Shares to Participants hereunder will be deemed to have been appropriately satisfied if the acquiring or surviving corporation in a Change in Control assumes such obligations and makes payments in respect of the Vested Phantom Shares as provided hereunder.

23. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of the Plan is held invalid or unenforceable, its invalidity or unenforceability will not affect any other provision of the Plan, and the Plan will be construed and enforced as if such provision had not been included.

24. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. The Plan and the executed Phantom Share Agreements set forth all of the agreements and understandings between the Company and Participants with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes and terminates all prior agreements and understandings between the Company and Participants with respect to the subject matter hereof.

EX-10.5

Exhibit 10.5

TaskUs, Inc.

FORM OF PHANTOM SHARE AGREEMENT

TaskUs, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to its Phantom Stock Plan (the “Plan”), hereby grants to the Participant named below the number of Phantom Shares set forth below in exchange, conversion, substitution and/or replacement of that number of phantom shares issued by TaskUs, Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation, that were not cashed out in connection with the transactions (the “Transactions”) contemplated by the Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”), dated as of August 4, 2018, among the Company and the other parties thereto. This Phantom Share Agreement (this “Agreement”) is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth herein and in the Plan, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein in its entirety. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein will have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Plan.

Participant: [NAME]

Date of Grant: Date of the Transactions

Vesting Commencement Date: Date of Grant

Number of Phantom Shares: [NUMBER]

Base Value Per Phantom Share: $0.00

Liquidity Event Deadline: 7 year anniversary of the Date of Grant

*See Section 13 of the Plan regarding possible changes in the number of Phantom Shares subject to this Agreement.

Expiration Date: The Expiration Date for each Phantom Share depends on whether it has vested. Where the Phantom Share has not vested pursuant to the Vesting Schedule below, the Expiration Date is the earlier of: (i) the Liquidity Event Deadline or (ii) the date of termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. Where a particular Phantom Share has vested pursuant to the Vesting Schedule below, the Expiration Date is the Liquidity Event Deadline.

Vesting Terms: One-fourth (1/4th) of the Phantom Shares will vest on the first anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, and the balance of the Phantom Shares will vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments thereafter on the same day of the month as the Vesting Commencement Date (and if there is no corresponding day, on the last day of the month), such that all of the Phantom Shares will be vested on the fourth anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, subject to Participant’s Continuous Service as of each such date.

Vested Phantom Shares will remain outstanding until the earlier of: (i) the Expiration Date, (ii) a Liquidity Event, and (iii) a termination of Participant’s Continuous Service for Cause. If the Vested Phantom Shares terminate for any of the foregoing reasons other than pursuant to a Liquidity Event, such Vested Phantom Shares will be forfeited to the Company and no payment therefor will be made at any time.

Confirmation and Waiver: Participant confirms that the award of Phantom Shares set forth in this Phantom Share Agreement is in full satisfaction of any obligation by the Company to issue an award under a phantom stock plan to Participant as set forth in an employee offer letter or otherwise. Participant hereby irrevocably waives any right to receive any other equity or phantom equity in connection with Participant’s prior services to the Company.

Additional Terms/Acknowledgements: The undersigned Participant acknowledges receipt of, and understands and agrees to, this Agreement and the Plan. Participant further acknowledges that as of the Date of Grant, this Agreement and the Plan set forth the entire understanding between Participant and the


Company regarding the Phantom Shares granted hereunder and supersede all prior oral and written agreements on that subject. Participant further acknowledges and understands that, in the event the Company determines that the form of payment hereunder will be in equity of the Company or any other entity, Participant may be required, as a condition of receiving such payment, to make certain representations and execute other documentation, including, without limitation, an agreement not to sell such equity in the event no securities law exemption is available or for a referenced period of time.

Participant further consents to receive any documents related to the Plan by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.

The Plan and this award of Phantom Shares is intended to comply, to the greatest extent possible, with the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is determined that the Plan or an award of Phantom Shares fails to satisfy the requirements of the short-term deferral rule and is otherwise deferred compensation subject to Section 409A, then the Plan and the Phantom Shares hereunder shall be interpreted to the greatest extent possible as consistent, with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-3(i)(1)(i) and 1.409A-3(i)(5)(iv)(A). Each installment of Phantom Shares that vest is intended to constitute a separate “payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(i). Notwithstanding any contrary provision of the Plan or of this Agreement, under no circumstances will the Company reimburse Participant for any taxes or other costs under Section 409A or any other tax law or rule. All such taxes and costs are solely the responsibility of Participant.


To indicate your acceptance of your designation as a Participant in the Plan, please sign a copy of this Agreement in the space indicated below and return it to Bryce Maddock on or before the one month anniversary of the Date of Grant.

 

TaskUs, INC.     PARTICIPANT
By:  

 

   

 

Name:   Bryce Maddock     Signature
Title:   Chief Executive Officer    
Date:                       , 2018     Date:                           , 2018

ATTACHMENT: Phantom Stock Plan

EX-10.6

Exhibit 10.6

2019 TASKUS, INC.

STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.

Purpose of the Plan

The purpose of the Plan (as defined below) is to aid the Company (as defined below) and its Affiliates (as defined below) in recruiting and retaining key employees, directors, other service providers, or independent contractors and to motivate such employees, directors, other service providers, or independent contractors to exert their best efforts on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates by providing incentives through the granting of Awards (as defined below). The Company expects that it will benefit from the added interest which such key employees, directors, other service providers, or independent contractors will have in the welfare of the Company as a result of their proprietary interest in the Company’s success.

 

2.

Definitions

The following capitalized terms used in the Plan have the respective meanings set forth in this Section:

(a) Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.

(b) Affiliate: With respect to any entity, any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, such entity. As used herein, the term “control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, as trustee or executor, by contract or otherwise, including the ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities having the power to elect a majority of the board of directors or similar body governing the affairs of such Person.

(c) Award: Individually or collectively, any Option, Stock Appreciation Right or Other Stock-Based Award (including a Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Units) granted pursuant to the Plan.

(d) Award Agreement: shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3(b) hereof.

(e) Beneficial Owner: A “beneficial owner”, as such term is defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Act (or any successor rule thereto).

(f) Board: The Board of Directors of the Company.

(g) Cause: Unless otherwise defined in an applicable Award Agreement, “Cause” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in any employment, consulting or severance agreement then in effect between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates or, if


no such agreement containing a definition of “Cause” is then in effect or if such term is not defined therein, “Cause” shall mean (A) the Participant’s continued failure substantially to perform the Participant’s duties (other than as a result of total or partial incapacity due to physical or mental illness) for a period of 10 days following written notice by the Company to the Participant of such failure, (B) an act or acts on the Participant’s part constituting (x) a felony under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or any jurisdiction in which the Participant provides services to the Company or its Affiliates or any indictable offense or crime which could result in imprisonment or (y) a misdemeanor or other violation or offense involving moral turpitude, (C) the Participant’s dishonesty, willful malfeasance or willful misconduct in connection with the Participant’s duties or any act or omission which is injurious to the financial condition or business reputation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or (D) the Participant’s material breach of any provision of this Agreement or any other agreement between the Participant and the Company or its Affiliates.

(h) Change in Control: (i) the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as a whole, to any Person or Group other than the Sponsor or the Company or (ii) any Person or Group, other than the Sponsor, is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the voting stock of the Company, including by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, and the Sponsor ceases to control the Board.

(i) Code: The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, regulations or guidance.

(j) Committee: The Compensation Committee of the Board (or a subcommittee thereof), or such other committee of the Board (including, without limitation, the full Board) to which the Board has delegated power to act under or pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, and if no such Committee has been created, the Board.

(k) Company: TaskUs, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

(l) Detrimental Activity: The term “Detrimental Activity” means any of the following: (i) unauthorized disclosure of any confidential or proprietary information of the Company or any of its Affiliates; (ii) any activity that results in the termination of the Participant’s Employment with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for Cause or any resignation by the Participant at a time when grounds exist for a termination by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for Cause; (iii) the breach of any non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or other similar restrictive covenants in any agreement with the Company or its Affiliates; or (iv) fraud or other intentional misconduct, directly or indirectly, contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities, in each case, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

(m) Disability: Unless otherwise defined in an applicable Award Agreement, “Disability” shall have the same meaning ascribed to such term in any employment, consulting or severance agreement then in effect between the Participant and the Company or any of its

 

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Affiliates, or, if no such agreement containing a definition of “Disability” is then in effect or if such term is not defined therein, “Disability” shall mean the inability of the Participant to perform Participant’s material duties, with or without reasonable accommodation, due to a physical or mental injury, infirmity or incapacity for the greater of 90 days in any 365-day period or the period of time required to qualify for long-term disability benefits under any long-term disability plan or policy maintained by the Company or any of its Affiliates under which the Participant is covered, if any. Any question as to the existence, extent, or potentiality of the Participant’s Disability upon which such Participant and the Company cannot agree shall be determined by a qualified, independent physician selected in good faith by the Company. The determination of any such physician shall be final and conclusive for all purposes.

(n) Effective Date: The date the Board approves the Plan, or such later date as is designated by the Board.

(o) Exercise Price: The purchase price per Share of an Option, as determined pursuant to Sections 6(a) and (b) of the Plan.

(p) Employment: The term “Employment” as used herein and/or in an Award Agreement shall be deemed to refer to (i) a Participant’s employment if the Participant is an employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (ii) a Participant’s services as a consultant or independent contractor, if the Participant is a consultant to or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Affiliates or Subsidiaries and (iii) a Participant’s services as a non-employee director, if the Participant is a non-employee member of the Board. The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall exclusively determine the Employment status of a Participant.

(q) Fair Market Value: The term “Fair Market Value” shall mean, on a given date, (i) if there should be a public market for the Shares on such date, the closing price of the Shares as reported on such date on the principal national securities exchange on which such Shares are listed or admitted to trading, or, if no sale of Shares shall have been reported on any national securities exchange, then the immediately preceding date on which sales of the Shares have been so reported or quoted shall be used, and (ii) if there should not be a public market for the Shares on such date, the Fair Market Value shall be the value of the Shares determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and with respect to Awards that are subject to Section 409A, in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A.

(r) Group: A “group” as such term is used for purposes of Section 13(d) or Section 14(d) of the Act (or any successor section thereto).

(s) IPO: A sale of Shares, shares of any parent entity owning 100% of the Shares, or shares of any Subsidiary of the Company owning all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to the public the first underwritten offering pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (or any successor thereto); provided, that an IPO shall not include an offering made in connection with a business acquisition or combination or an employee benefit plan.

 

3


(t) Option: An option to purchase Shares granted pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan.

(u) Other Stock-Based Awards: Awards granted pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

(v) Participant: An employee, director, other service provider, or independent contractor of the Company or its Affiliates who is selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan.

(w) Person: A “person”, as such term is used for purposes of Section 13(d) or Section 14(d) of the Act (or any successor section thereto).

(x) Plan: The 2019 TaskUs, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

(y) Restricted Stock Award: A share of restricted stock granted pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

(z) Restricted Stock Unit: Restricted stock units granted pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

(aa) Section 409A: Section 409A of the Code.

(bb) Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.

(cc) Share or Shares: A share of the common stock of the Company, par value of $0.01 per share (and any stock or other securities into which such share of common stock may be converted or into which it may be exchanged).

(dd) Sponsor: The Blackstone Group L.P. and its Affiliates.

(ee) Stock Appreciation Right: A stock appreciation right granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan.

(ff) Subsidiary: With respect to an entity, a subsidiary corporation, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code, of such entity.

 

3.

Shares Subject to the Plan

(a) Subject to Section 9, the total number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan is 1,111,373 (the “Share Pool”). The Shares may consist, in whole or in part, of unissued Shares or treasury Shares. The issuance of Shares or the payment of cash upon the exercise of an Award or in consideration of the settlement, cancellation, or termination of an Award, or the withholding or “net-settling” of Shares in payment of the Exercise Price or strike price or applicable withholding or other applicable taxes relating to an Award, shall reduce the total

 

4


number of Shares available under the Plan, as applicable (with any Awards settled in cash reducing the total number of Shares by the number of Shares determined by dividing the cash amount to be paid thereunder by the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of payment). Shares which are subject to Awards or portions of Awards which are canceled, forfeited or terminated, otherwise expire by their terms without being exercised, or terminate or lapse without the payment of consideration may be granted again subject to Awards under the Plan.

(b) Agreements Evidencing Awards. Each Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement (the “Award Agreement”) that shall contain such provisions and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate; provided, that, except as otherwise expressly provided in an Award Agreement, if there is any conflict between any provision of the Plan and an Award Agreement, the provisions of the Plan shall govern. Unless otherwise provided herein, the Committee may grant Awards in tandem with or in substitution for any other Award or Awards granted under the Plan. By accepting an Award pursuant to the Plan, a Participant thereby agrees that the Award shall be subject to all of the terms and provisions of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

 

4.

Administration

(a) Generally. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which may delegate its duties and powers in whole or in part to any subcommittee thereof. Additionally, the Committee may delegate the authority to grant Awards under the Plan to any employee or group of employees of the Company or an Affiliate; provided, that such delegation and grants are consistent with applicable law and guidelines established by the Board from time to time. Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be made under the Plan in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by the Company or its Affiliates or a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines. The number of Shares underlying such substitute awards shall not be counted against the aggregate number of Shares available for Awards under the Plan.

(b) Powers. The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or Award Agreement in the manner and to the extent the Committee deems necessary or desirable, without the consent of any Participant. Any decision of the Committee in the interpretation and administration of the Plan, as described herein, shall lie within its sole and absolute discretion and shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties concerned (including, but not limited to, Participants and their beneficiaries or successors). The Committee shall have the full power and authority in its sole discretion to make any determinations that it deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in particular, the Committee shall have the authority in its sole discretion to:

(i) exercise all of the powers granted to it under the Plan;

(ii) construe and interpret the Plan and any Award Agreement;

(iii) amend the Plan to reflect changes in applicable law, subject to the limitations imposed by Sections 13 and 18 of the Plan;

 

5


(iv) grant Awards and determine who shall receive Awards, when such Awards shall be granted and establish the terms and conditions of such Awards, consistent with the Plan, including to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each such Award so granted, to approve forms of Award Agreement for such Awards, setting forth provisions with regard to the effect of a termination of Employment on such Awards, and waive any such terms or conditions at any time;

(v) instruct (or cause the Company to instruct) the registered office provider of the Company to make the appropriate entries in the register of members of the Company in respect of issuances of Shares pursuant to Awards or otherwise under the Plan;

(vi) amend any outstanding Award Agreement in any respect, including, without limitation, to (A) accelerate the time or times at which the Award becomes vested, unrestricted or may be exercised (and, in connection with such acceleration, the Committee may provide that any Shares acquired pursuant to such Award shall be restricted shares, which are subject to vesting, transfer, forfeiture or repayment provisions similar to those in the Participant’s underlying Award Agreement), (B) accelerate the time or times at which Shares are delivered under the Award (and, without limitation on the Committee’s rights, in connection with such acceleration, the Committee may provide that any Shares delivered pursuant to such Award shall be restricted shares, which are subject to vesting, transfer, forfeiture or repayment provisions similar to those in the Participant’s underlying Award Agreement), (C) waive or amend any goals, restrictions or conditions set forth in such Award Agreement, or impose new goals, restrictions and conditions, or (D) reflect a change in the Participant’s circumstances (e.g., a change to part-time employment status or a change in position, duties or responsibilities), but, subject to Section 13 or as otherwise specifically provided herein, no such amendment shall materially adversely impair the rights of a Participant under an outstanding Award without such Participant’s consent; and

(vii) to establish, amend and rescind any rules and regulations relating to the Plan, including, without limitation, to determine, at any time, in accordance with Section 13, whether, to what extent and under what circumstances and method or methods:

(A) Awards may be (1) settled in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property (in which event, the Committee may specify what other effects such settlement shall have on the Participant’s Award, including the effect on any repayment provisions under the Plan or Award Agreement), in all cases subject to Sections 6(c) and 7(b) of the Plan, (2) exercised or (3) canceled, forfeited or suspended;

(B) Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award may be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant or of the Committee;

(C) to the extent permitted under applicable law, loans (whether or not secured by Shares) may be extended by the Company with respect to any Awards; and

(D) Awards may be settled by the Company or its Affiliates or any of its or their designees.

 

6


(c) Taxes.

(i) A Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or one or more of its Affiliates, as applicable, an amount in cash (by check or wire transfer) equal to the aggregate amount of any income, employment and/or other applicable taxes that are statutorily required to be withheld in respect of an Award. Alternatively, the Company or any of its Affiliates may elect, in its sole discretion, to satisfy this requirement by withholding such amount from any cash compensation or other cash amounts owing to a Participant.

(ii) Without limiting the foregoing, the Committee may (but is not obligated to), in its sole discretion, permit or require a Participant to satisfy, all or any portion of the minimum income, employment and/or other applicable taxes that are statutorily required to be withheld with respect to an Award by: (A) the delivery of Shares (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) that have been both held by the Participant and vested for at least 6 months (or such other period as established from time to time by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment under applicable accounting standards) having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to such minimum statutorily required withholding liability (or portion thereof); or (B) having the Company withhold from the Shares otherwise issuable or deliverable to, or that would otherwise be retained by, the Participant upon the grant, exercise, vesting or settlement of the Award, as applicable, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to an amount, subject to clause (iii) below, not in excess of such minimum statutorily required withholding liability (or portion thereof).

(iii) The Committee, subject to its having considered the applicable accounting impact of any such determination, has full discretion to allow Participants to satisfy, pursuant to an Award Agreement or otherwise, in whole or in part, any additional income, employment and/or other applicable taxes payable by them with respect to an Award by electing to have the Company withhold from the Shares otherwise issuable or deliverable to, or that would otherwise be retained by, a Participant upon the grant, exercise, vesting or settlement of the Award, as applicable, Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value that is greater than the applicable minimum required statutory withholding liability.

(d) Actions. Actions of the Committee, when acting through a committee may be taken by the vote of a majority of its members present at a meeting (which may be held telephonically). Any action may be taken by a written instrument signed by a majority of such committee’s members, and action so taken shall be fully as effective as if it had been taken by a vote at a meeting.

 

7


(e) Final and Binding Decisions. The Committee shall make all determinations necessary or advisable in administering the Plan. Any decision of the Committee in the interpretation and administration of the Plan, as described herein, shall lie within its sole and absolute discretion and shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties concerned (including, but not limited to, Participants and their beneficiaries and successors).

(f) Actions of the Board. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein (including the delegation of authority to the Committee by the Board), the Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards or administer the Plan. In any such case, the Board shall have all of the authority and responsibility granted to the Committee herein.

(g) Exculpation and Indemnification. No member of the Board or the Committee (each such Person, a “Covered Person”) shall have any liability to any Person (including any Participant) for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder (unless constituting fraud or a willful criminal act or omission). Each Covered Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from (i) any loss, cost, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Covered Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Covered Person may be a party or in which such Covered Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken or determination made under the Plan or any Award Agreement and (ii) any and all amounts paid by such Covered Person, with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Covered Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Covered Person, and the Company shall advance to such Covered Person any such expenses promptly upon written request (which request shall include an undertaking by the Covered Person to repay the amount of such advance if it shall ultimately be determined as provided below that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified); provided, that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding and, once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to a Covered Person to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in either case, not subject to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions or determinations of such Covered Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Covered Person’s fraud or willful criminal act or omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as it may be further amended and/or restated from time to time). The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of or otherwise supersede any other rights of indemnification to which Covered Persons may be entitled under the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as it may be further amended and/or restated from time to time), as a matter of law, individual indemnification agreement or contract or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Covered Persons or hold them harmless.

 

5.

Limitations

No Award may be granted under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, but Awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date.

 

8


6.

Terms and Conditions of Options

(a) General. The Committee shall have the right and power to grant to any Participant, subject to the limitation of Section 5, an Option to purchase Shares at such price, on such terms and subject to such conditions that are consistent with the Plan and established by the Committee. Options granted under the Plan shall be non-qualified stock options for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as evidenced by the related Award Agreements, and shall be subject to the terms and conditions hereof and to such other terms and conditions, not inconsistent therewith, as the Committee shall determine.

(b) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price per Share shall be determined by the Committee; provided, that, if required by the applicable law of the jurisdiction of a Participant, for the purposes of an Option granted under the Plan to such Participant, (including, for the avoidance of doubt, each such Participant who is a U.S. or Canadian taxpayer), in no event will (i) the Exercise Price be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date an Option is granted (other than in the case of Options granted in substitution of previously granted awards, as described in Section 4(a), or if the Award Agreement governing such Option provides that such Option must be exercised on a date, selected by the Company, within 30 days following the date on which such Option vests and becomes exercisable) and (ii) any Option be granted unless the Share on which it is granted constitutes “service recipient stock” (within the meaning of Section 409A) with respect to the applicable Participant.

(c) Exercisability. No Shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Exercise Price therefor is received by the Company and the Participant has paid to the Company an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld in accordance with Section 4(c) hereof. Options granted under the Plan shall be exercisable at such time and upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee, but in no event shall an Option be exercisable more than 10 years after the date it is granted (the “Option Period”); provided, that if following an IPO, the Option Period would expire at a time when trading in the Shares is prohibited by the Company’s insider trading policy (or Company-imposed “blackout period”), the Option Period shall be automatically extended until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition.

(d) Exercise of Options.

(i) Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or in an Award Agreement, an Option may be exercised for all, or from time to time any part, of the Shares for which it is then exercisable.

(ii) For purposes of Section 6 of the Plan, the exercise date of an Option shall be the later of the date a notice of exercise is received by the Company and, if applicable, the date payment is received by the Company pursuant to clause (A) or (B) in the following sentence. The purchase price for the Shares as to which an Option is exercised shall be paid to the Company as designated by the Committee, pursuant to one or more of the following methods: (A) in cash or its equivalent (e.g., by check or, if permitted by the Committee, a full-recourse promissory note) or (B) to the extent

 

9


specified in an Award Agreement or otherwise permitted by the Committee in its sole discretion, (i) in Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased and satisfying such other requirements as may be imposed by the Committee; provided, that such Shares have been held by the Participant for any period as established from time to time by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment applying generally accepted accounting principles, (ii) if there is a public market for the Shares at such time, subject to such rules as may be established by the Committee, through the delivery of irrevocable instructions to a broker to sell Shares obtained upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount out of the proceeds of such sale equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased, (iii) using a net settlement mechanism whereby the number of Shares delivered upon the exercise of the Option will be reduced by a number of Shares that has a Fair Market Value equal to the Exercise Price, or (iv) using any combination of the permitted exercise methods; provided, in each case, that the Participant tenders cash or its equivalent to pay any applicable withholding or other applicable taxes (unless otherwise permitted by the Committee).

(iii) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, no Participant shall have any rights to dividends or other rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to an Option until the Participant has given written notice of exercise of the Option, paid in full for such Shares and, if applicable, has satisfied any other conditions imposed by the Committee pursuant to the Plan or specified in the applicable Award Agreement, including the requirement that the Participant tender cash or its equivalent to pay any applicable withholding or other applicable taxes.

(iv) In addition, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for or make any entries in the Company’s register of members with respect to Shares purchased upon the exercise of any Option or portion thereof prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions:

(A) The admission of such Shares to listing on all stock exchanges on which such class of stock is then listed, if applicable;

(B) The completion of any registration or other qualification of such Options or Shares under any applicable law, or under the rulings or regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory body which the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, deem necessary or advisable;

(C) The obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any applicable governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable;

(D) The lapse of such reasonable period of time following the exercise of the Option as the Committee may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience; and

 

10


(E) The receipt by the Company of full payment for such Shares subject to the Option, including payment of any applicable withholding or other applicable tax.

(e) Attestation. Wherever in this Plan or any Award Agreement a Participant is permitted to pay the Exercise Price of an Option or taxes relating to the exercise of an Option by delivering Shares, the Participant may, subject to procedures satisfactory to the Committee, satisfy such delivery requirement by presenting proof of beneficial ownership of such Shares, in which case the Company shall treat the Option as exercised without further payment and/or shall withhold such number of Shares from the Shares acquired by the exercise of the Option, as appropriate.

(f) Buyout Provisions. The Committee may at any time offer to buy out for payment in cash or Shares an Option previously granted, based on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall establish and communicate to the Participant at the time that such offer is made.

 

7.

Terms and Conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights

(a) Grants. The Committee may grant (i) a Stock Appreciation Right independent of an Option or (ii) a Stock Appreciation Right in connection with an Option, or a portion thereof. A Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to clause (ii) of the preceding sentence (A) may be granted at the time the related Option is granted or at any time prior to the exercise or cancellation of the related Option, (B) shall cover the same number of Shares covered by such Option (or such lesser number of Shares as the Committee may determine), and (C) shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as such Option except for such additional limitations as are contemplated by this Section 7 (or such additional limitations as may be included in an Award Agreement).

(b) Strike Price. The strike price per Share under a Stock Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Committee; provided, that for the purposes of a Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan to a Participant who is a U.S. or Canadian taxpayer, in no event will (i) the strike price be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Stock Appreciation Right is granted (other than in the case of a Stock Appreciation Right granted in substitution of previously granted awards, as described in Section 4(a), or if the Award Agreement governing such Stock Appreciation Right provides that such Stock Appreciation Right must be exercised on a date, selected by the Company, within 30 days following the date on which such Stock Appreciation Right vests and becomes exercisable) and (ii) any Stock Appreciation Right be granted unless the Share in respect of which it is granted constitutes “service recipient stock” (within the meaning of Section 409A) with respect to the applicable Participant.

(c) Terms of Grant. Each Stock Appreciation Right granted independent of an Option shall entitle a Participant upon exercise to a number of Shares equal to (i) the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the exercise date over (B) the strike price per Share, times (ii) the number of Shares covered by the Stock Appreciation Right or the portion thereof that is being exercised, less an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld. Each Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with an Option, or a portion thereof, shall entitle a Participant to surrender to the Company the

 

11


unexercised Option, or any portion thereof, and to receive from the Company in exchange therefor a number of Shares equal to (i) the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the exercise date over (B) the Exercise Price per Share, times (ii) the number of Shares covered by the Option, or portion thereof, which is surrendered, less an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld. Payment to the Participant shall be made in Shares or in cash, or partly in Shares and partly in cash (any such Shares valued at such Fair Market Value), all as shall be determined by the Committee.

(d) Exercisability. Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised from time to time upon actual receipt by the Company of written notice of exercise stating the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is being exercised. The date a notice of exercise is received by the Company shall be the exercise date. No fractional Shares will be issued in payment for Stock Appreciation Rights, but instead cash will be paid for a fraction or, if the Committee should so determine, the number of Shares will be rounded downward to the next whole Share.

(e) Limitations. The Committee may impose, in its discretion, such conditions upon the exercisability or transferability of Stock Appreciation Rights as it may deem fit, but in no event shall a Stock Appreciation Right be exercisable more than 10 years after the date it is granted (the “SAR Period”); provided, that if following an IPO, the SAR Period would expire at a time when trading in the Shares is prohibited by the Company’s insider trading policy (or Company-imposed “blackout period”), the SAR Period shall be automatically extended until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, no Participant shall have any rights to dividends or other rights of a stockholder with respect to any Stock Appreciation Right. In addition, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for Shares subject to any Stock Appreciation Right prior to the fulfillment of all the conditions of Sections 6(d)(iv)(A), (B), (C), (D), and (E).

 

8.

Other Stock-Based Awards

The Committee, in its sole discretion, may grant or sell Awards of Shares, Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units, and Awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on the Fair Market Value of, Shares (“Other Stock-Based Awards”). Such Other Stock-Based Awards shall be in such form, and dependent on such conditions, as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, the right to receive, or vest with respect to, one or more Shares (or the equivalent cash value of such Shares) upon the completion of a specified period of service, the occurrence of an event and/or the attainment of performance objectives. Other Stock-Based Awards may be granted alone or in addition to any other Awards granted under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine to whom and when Other Stock-Based Awards will be made, the number of Shares to be awarded under (or otherwise related to) such Other Stock-Based Awards; whether such Other Stock-Based Awards shall be settled in cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares; and all other terms and conditions of such Awards (including, without limitation, the vesting provisions thereof and provisions ensuring that all Shares so awarded and issued shall be fully paid and non-assessable).

 

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9.

Adjustments Upon Certain Events

In the event of (a) any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property and excluding any dividend or distribution used to satisfy indebtedness of the Company and/or its Affiliates and Subsidiaries), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the Shares, or (b) unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system, accounting principles or law, such that in either case an adjustment is determined by the Committee in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate, then the Committee shall make any such adjustments in such manner as it may deem equitable, including without limitation, any or all of the following:

(i) adjusting any or all of (A) the Share Pool, or any other limit applicable under the Plan with respect to the number of Awards which may be granted hereunder, (B) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) which may be delivered in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, without limitation, adjusting any or all of the limitations under Section 3 of the Plan) and (C) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (1) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, (2) the Exercise Price or strike price, as the case may be, with respect to any Award or (3) any applicable performance measures;

(ii) providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards (or awards of an acquiring company), accelerating the exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time (which shall not be required to be more than 10 days) for Participants to exercise outstanding Awards prior to the occurrence of such event (and any such Award not so exercised shall terminate upon the occurrence of such event); and

(iii) cancelling any one or more outstanding Awards and causing to be paid to the holders holding vested Awards (including any Awards that would vest as a result of the occurrence of such event but for such cancellation) the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which if applicable may be based upon the price per Share received or to be received by other stockholders of the Company in such event), including without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the Shares subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right over the aggregate Exercise Price or strike price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or Stock

 

13


Appreciation Right having a per share Exercise Price or strike price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a Share subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor);

provided, however, that in the case of any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor pronouncement thereto)), the Committee shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such equity restructuring. Any such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes. Payments to holders pursuant to clause (iii) above shall be made in cash or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in the form of such other consideration necessary for a Participant to receive property, cash, or securities (or combination thereof) as such Participant would have been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of the transaction if the Participant had been, immediately prior to such transaction, the holder of the number of Shares covered by the Award at such time (less any applicable Exercise Price or strike price). In addition, prior to any payment or adjustment contemplated under this Section 9, the Committee may require a Participant to (A) represent and warrant as to the unencumbered title to his Awards, (B) bear such Participant’s pro rata share of any post-closing indemnity obligations, and be subject to the same post-closing purchase price adjustments, escrow terms, offset rights, holdback terms, and similar conditions as the other holders of Shares, and (C) deliver customary transfer documentation as reasonably determined by the Committee. Any adjustment provided under this Section 9 may provide for the elimination of any fractional share that might otherwise become subject to an Award.

 

10.

No Right to Employment or Awards

The granting of an Award under the Plan shall impose no obligation on the Company or any Affiliate to continue the Employment of a Participant and shall not lessen or affect the Company’s or any Affiliate’s right to terminate the Employment of such Participant. No Participant or other Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award.

 

11.

Successors and Assigns

The Plan and any applicable Award Agreement shall be binding on all successors and assigns of the Company and a Participant, including, without limitation, the estate of such Participant and the executor, administrator or trustee of such estate, or any receiver or trustee in bankruptcy or representative of the Participant’s creditors.

 

12.

Nontransferability of Awards

Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement or the Plan, no Award (or any rights and obligations thereunder) granted to any Person under the Plan may be sold, exchanged, transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed of or hedged, in any manner (including through the use of any cash-settled instrument), whether voluntarily or involuntarily and whether by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and all Awards (and any rights thereunder) shall be exercisable during the life of the Participant only by the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may permit, under such terms and conditions that it deems appropriate

 

14


in its sole discretion, a Participant to transfer any Award to any Person or entity that the Committee so determines. Any sale, exchange, transfer, assignment, pledge, hypothecation, other disposition or hedge in violation of the provisions of this Section 12 shall be null and void.

 

13.

Amendments or Termination

(a) The Board may amend, suspend, alter or discontinue the Plan or any portion thereof at any time, but no amendment, suspension, alteration or discontinuation shall be made, (i) after an IPO, without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, if such action would (except as is provided in Section 9 of the Plan), materially increase the total number of Shares reserved for the purposes of the Plan or materially modify the requirements for participation in the Plan or (ii) without the consent of either the affected Participant or the affected Participants holding a majority in the economic interests, if such action would materially diminish the economic rights of any Participant under the Awards theretofore granted to such Participants under the Plan; provided, however, that the Committee may amend the Plan in such manner as it deems necessary to permit the granting of Awards meeting the requirements of the Code or other applicable laws (including, without limitation, to avoid adverse tax consequences to the Company or to Participants).

(b) The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable Award Agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award Agreement, prospectively or retroactively (including after a Participant’s termination of Employment or service with the Company); provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of either (x) the affected Participant or (y) a majority in interest of such affected Participants; provided, further, that following an IPO, without stockholder approval, except as otherwise permitted under Section 9 of the Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the Exercise Price of any Option or the strike price of any Stock Appreciation Right, (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right and replace it with a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right (with a lower Exercise Price or strike price, as the case may be) or other Award or cash payment that is greater than the value of the cancelled Option or Stock Appreciation Right, and (iii) the Committee may not take any other action which is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or quoted.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that the Committee determines that any amounts payable hereunder will be taxable to a Participant under Section 409A prior to payment to such Participant of such amount, the Company may (i) adopt such amendments to the Plan and Awards and appropriate policies and procedures, including amendments and policies with retroactive effect, that the Committee determines necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided by the Plan and Awards hereunder and/or (ii) take such other actions as the Committee determines necessary or appropriate to avoid the imposition of an additional tax under Section 409A of the Code.

 

15


14.

International Participants

With respect to Participants who reside or work outside the United States of America, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend the terms of the Plan or Awards with respect to such Participants in order to conform such terms with the requirements of local law or to obtain more favorable tax or other treatment for a Participant, the Company or its Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

 

15.

Choice of Law

The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Delaware applicable to contracts made and performed wholly within Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of law provisions thereof that would direct the application of the law of any other jurisdiction. Any suit, action or proceeding with respect to this Plan, or any judgment entered by any court in respect of any thereof, shall be brought exclusively in any court of competent jurisdiction in Delaware, and each of the Company and each Participant hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts for the purpose of any such suit, action, proceeding or judgment. Each of the Participants and the Company hereby irrevocably waives (i) any objections which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Plan brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in Delaware, (ii) any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in any inconvenient forum and (iii) any right to a jury trial.

 

16.

Other Laws; Restrictions on Transfer of Shares

The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Shares or other consideration under an Award if, acting in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Shares or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation or entitle the Company to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Act, as amended, and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no Award granted hereunder shall be construed as an offer to sell securities of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and no such offer shall be outstanding, unless and until the Committee in its sole discretion has determined that any such offer, if made, would be in compliance with all applicable requirements of the United States federal and any other applicable securities laws. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the Shares to be offered or sold under the Plan. The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all Shares or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, the federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or quoted and any other applicable federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, rules, regulations and other requirements, and, without limiting the generality of Section 19(t) of the Plan, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on certificates representing Shares Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan to make appropriate reference to such restrictions or may cause

 

16


such Shares or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan in book-entry form to be held subject to the Company’s instructions or subject to appropriate stop-transfer orders. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.

 

17.

Effectiveness of the Plan

The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date.

 

18.

Section 409A of the Code

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, it is intended that the provisions of this Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code, and all provisions of this Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. Each Participant is solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on or in respect of such Participant in connection with this Plan or any other plan maintained by the Company (including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code), and neither the Company nor any Affiliate or Subsidiary shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold such Participant (or any beneficiary) harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties. With respect to any Award that is considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, references in the Plan to “termination of employment” (and substantially similar phrases) shall mean “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each of the payments that may be made in respect of any Award granted under the Plan is designated as separate payments.

(b) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if a Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, no payments in respect of any Awards that are “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code and which would otherwise be payable upon the Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code) shall be made to such Participant prior to the date that is 6 months after the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” or, if earlier, the Participant’s date of death. Following any applicable 6 month delay, all such delayed payments will be paid in a single lump sum on the earliest date permitted under Section 409A of the Code that is also a business day.

(c) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, in the event that the timing of payments in respect of any Award (that would otherwise be considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code) would be accelerated upon the occurrence of (A) a Change in Control, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the event giving rise to the Change in Control satisfies the definition of a change in the ownership or effective control of a corporation, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of a corporation pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and any Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder or (B) a Disability, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the Disability also satisfies the definition of “Disability” pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and any Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

17


19.

Miscellaneous.

(a) Transfers and Leaves of Absence. For purposes of the Plan, unless the Committee determines otherwise: (i) a transfer of a Participant’s Employment without an intervening period of separation among the Company and any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company shall not be deemed a termination of Employment; and (ii) a Participant who is granted a leave of absence in writing or who is entitled to a statutory leave of absence shall be deemed to have remained in the employ of the Company (or such Subsidiary or Affiliate, as applicable) during such leave of absence.

(b) Right of Offset. The Company shall have the right to offset against its obligation to deliver Shares (or other property or cash) under the Plan or any Award Agreement any outstanding amounts (including, without limitation, travel and entertainment or advance account balances, loans, repayment obligations under any Awards or amounts repayable to the Company pursuant to tax equalization, housing, automobile or other employee programs) that the Participant then owes to the Company and any amounts the Committee otherwise deems appropriate pursuant to any tax equalization policy or agreement; provided, that the Participant is first offered the opportunity to pay cash for such outstanding amounts. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee shall have no right to offset against its obligation to deliver Shares (or other property or cash) under the Plan, in respect of any Award, or in respect of any non-qualified deferred compensation amounts if such offset would subject the Participant to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A in respect of such offset Award or non-qualified deferred compensation amount.

(c) Dividends and Dividend Equivalents.

(i) The Committee in its sole discretion may provide a Participant as part of an Award with dividends or dividend equivalents, payable in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, on a current or deferred basis, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, including without limitation, payment directly to the Participant, withholding of such amounts by the Company subject to vesting of the Award or reinvestment in additional shares of Shares, Restricted Stock or other Awards; provided, that no dividends or dividend equivalents shall be payable in respect of outstanding (i) Options or Stock Appreciation Rights (unless expressly provided for in the Award Agreement governing such Options or Stock Appreciation Rights) or (ii) unearned subject to performance vesting conditions (other than or in addition to the passage of time) (although dividends and dividend equivalents may be accumulated in respect of unearned Awards and paid within 15 days after such Awards are earned and become payable or distributable).

(ii) Dividends, if any, that may have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in Shares having a Fair Market Value (on the date of distribution) equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on such Share and, if such Share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends.

 

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(iii) Without limiting the foregoing, unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, any dividend otherwise payable in respect of any share of Restricted Stock that remains subject to vesting conditions at the time of payment of such dividend shall be retained by the Company, remain subject to the same vesting conditions as the share of Restricted Stock to which the dividend relates and shall be delivered (without interest) to the Participant within 15 days following the date on which such restrictions on such Restricted Stock lapse (and the right to any such accumulated dividends shall be forfeited upon the forfeiture of the Restricted Stock to which such dividends relate).

(iv) To the extent provided in an Award Agreement, the holder of outstanding Restricted Stock Units shall be entitled to be credited with dividend equivalent payments (upon the payment by the Company of dividends on Shares) either in cash or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends (and interest may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, be credited on the amount of cash dividend equivalents at a rate and subject to such terms as determined by the Committee), which accumulated dividend equivalents (and interest thereon, if applicable) shall be payable at the same time as the underlying Restricted Stock Units are settled following the date on which the restrictions on such Restricted Stock Units lapse, and if such Restricted Stock Units are forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividend equivalent payments (or interest thereon, if applicable).

(d) Waiver of Claims. Each Participant who receives an Award recognizes and agrees that before being selected by the Committee to receive an Award he or she has no right to any benefits under such Award. Accordingly, in consideration of the Participant’s receipt of any Award hereunder, he or she expressly waives any right to contest the amount of any Award, the terms of any Award Agreement, any determination, action or omission hereunder or under any Award Agreement by the Committee, the Company, its Subsidiaries, and Affiliates, or the Board, or any amendment to the Plan or any Award Agreement (other than an amendment to the Award Agreement for which his or her consent is expressly required by the express terms of the Award Agreement or the Plan).

(e) Nature of Payments. Any and all grants of Awards and deliveries of cash, securities or other property under the Plan shall be in consideration of services performed or to be performed for the Company by the Participant. Awards under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be made in substitution in whole or in part for cash or other compensation otherwise payable to a Participant. Only whole Shares shall be delivered under the Plan. Awards shall, to the extent reasonably practicable, be aggregated in order to eliminate any fractional Shares. Fractional Shares may, in the discretion of the Committee, be forfeited or be settled in cash or otherwise as the Committee may determine. All grants and deliveries of Shares, cash, securities or other property under the Plan shall constitute a special discretionary incentive payment to the Participant and shall not be required to be taken into account in computing the amount of salary or compensation of the Participant for the purpose of determining any contributions to or any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit-sharing, bonus, life insurance, severance or other benefit plan of the Company or under any agreement with the Participant, unless the Company specifically provides otherwise.

 

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(f) Designation and Change of Beneficiary. Each Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of one or more Persons as the beneficiary(ies) who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under the Plan upon his or her death. A Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change his or her beneficiary designation without the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation with the Committee. The last such designation received by the Committee shall be controlling; provided, however, that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Committee prior to the Participant’s death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior to such receipt. If no beneficiary designation is filed by a Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death, his or her estate.

(g) Shares Covered by Plan. For purposes of Section 3, a Share will be considered to be “covered by” the Plan if (i) if it is available for issuance pursuant to the Plan but is not subject to an outstanding Award or (ii) it is subject to an outstanding Award. For purposes of Section 3, (A) an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that has been granted under the Plan will be considered to be an “outstanding” Award until is it exercised or terminates, is forfeited or cancelled or otherwise expires by its terms, (B) a Share that has been granted as an Award under the Plan that is subject to vesting conditions will be considered an “outstanding” Award until the vesting conditions have been satisfied or the Award terminates, is forfeited or cancelled or otherwise expires unvested by its terms and (C) any Award other than an Option, Stock Appreciation Right or Share that is subject to vesting conditions will be considered to be an “outstanding” Award until it has been settled.

(h) Data Protection. By participating in the Plan or accepting any rights granted under it, each Participant consents to the collection and processing of personal data relating to the Participant so that the Company and its Affiliates can fulfill their obligations and exercise their rights under the Plan and generally administer and manage the Plan. This data will include, but may not be limited to, data about participation in the Plan and Shares offered or received, purchased, or sold under the Plan from time to time and other appropriate financial and other data (such as the date on which the Awards were granted) about the Participant and the Participant’s participation in the Plan.

(i) Non-Uniform Determinations. The Committee’s determinations under the Plan and Award Agreements need not be uniform and any such determinations may be made by it selectively among Participants who receive, or Persons in the Employment of the Company, its Subsidiaries, or its Affiliates who are eligible to receive, Awards under the Plan (whether or not such Persons are similarly situated). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall be entitled, among other things, to make non-uniform and selective determinations under Award Agreements, and to enter into non-uniform and selective Award Agreements, as to (i) the Persons to receive Awards, (ii) the terms and provisions of Awards and (iii) whether a Participant’s Employment has been terminated for purposes of the Plan.

(j) Reliance on Reports. Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent public accountant of the Company and its Affiliates and/or any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any agent of the Company or the Committee or the Board, other than himself.

 

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(k) No Section 83(b) Elections Without Consent of Company. No election under Section 83(b) of the Code or under a similar provision of law may be made unless expressly permitted by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement or by action of the Committee in writing prior to the making of such election. If a Participant, in connection with the acquisition of Shares under the Plan or otherwise, is expressly permitted to make such election and the Participant makes the election, the Participant shall notify the Company of such election within 10 days of filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service or other governmental authority, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code or other applicable provision.

(l) Payments to Persons Other Than Participants. If the Committee shall find that any Person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for his or her affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such Person or his or her estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to his or her spouse, child, relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such Person, or any other Person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such Person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.

(m) Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission of this Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

(n) No Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or any Award Agreement, no Person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of Shares which are subject to Awards hereunder until such Shares have been issued or delivered to that Person.

(o) No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate, on the one hand, and a Participant or other Person, on the other hand. No provision of the Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other employees under general law.

 

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(p) No Third Party Beneficiaries. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or an Award Agreement, neither the Plan nor any Award Agreement shall confer on any Person other than the Company and the Participant receiving any Award any rights or remedies thereunder.

(q) Other Payments or Awards. Nothing contained in the Plan shall be deemed in any way to limit or restrict the Company from making any award or payment to any Person under any other plan, arrangement or understanding, whether now existing or hereafter in effect.

(r) Gender; Plan Headings. Masculine pronouns and other words of masculine gender shall refer to both men and women. The headings in the Plan are for the purpose of convenience only and are not intended to define or limit the construction of the provisions hereof.

(s) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award or Award Agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be construed or deemed stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

(t) Participant Representations. The Company may require a Participant, as a condition to the grant or exercise of, or acquisition of Shares under, any Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (A) to give written representations satisfactory to the Company as to the Participant’s knowledge and experience in financial and business matters, and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters, and to give written representations satisfactory to the Company that he or she is capable of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (B) to give written representations satisfactory to the Company stating that the Participant is acquiring the Shares subject to the Option or Stock Appreciation Right for the Participant’s own account and not with any present intention of selling or otherwise distributing the Shares, and (C) to give such other written representations as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the Company and its counsel. The foregoing requirements, and any representations given pursuant to such requirements, shall be inoperative if (1) the issuance of the Shares upon the exercise or acquisition of Shares under the applicable Option or Stock Appreciation Right has been registered under a then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act or (2) as to any particular requirement, a determination is made by counsel for the Company that such requirement need not be met in the circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the Shares.

(u) Clawback; Forfeiture. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide in an Award Agreement or otherwise that the Committee may cancel such Award if the Participant has engaged in or engages in any

 

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Detrimental Activity. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, also provide in an Award Agreement or otherwise that (i) if the Participant otherwise has engaged in or engages in any Detrimental Activity (for these purposes, clause (i) of such definition shall be subject to materiality) while employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or during the Post-Termination Period (as such term is defined in a nonqualified stock option agreement between the Company and the Participant) and such activity is, or could reasonably be expected to be, injurious to the financial condition or business reputation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, the Participant will forfeit any gain realized on the vesting or exercise of such Award, and must repay the gain to the Company and (ii) if the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received under the terms of the Award for any reason (including, without limitation, by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion or by the Company’s independent auditors, then the Participant shall be required to repay any such excess amount to the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, all Awards shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law.

 

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EX-10.7

Exhibit 10.7

TASKUS, INC.

FOUNDER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS FOUNDER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of the 2nd day of June, 2015, by and between Bryce Maddock (the “Executive”) and TASKUS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).

RECITALS

A. The Company desires to compensate the Executive for his services to the Company.

B. The Executive wishes to be employed by the Company and provide services to the Company in return for certain compensation.

AGREEMENT

In consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained in this Agreement, the parties agree to the following:

1. EMPLOYMENT BY THE COMPANY.

1.1 Effective Date; Term. The effective date of this Agreement will be the date first set forth above (the “Effective Date”). This Agreement will continue in effect through the date on which this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 6 (the “Term”).

1.2 Position. Subject to terms set forth in this Agreement, the Company agrees to employ Executive in the position of [Chief Executive Officer][President] and the Executive hereby accepts such employment under the terms of this Agreement effective as of the Effective Date. During the term of his employment with the Company and except as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, the Executive will devote his best efforts and all of his business time and attention (except for vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies) to the business of the Company.

1.3 Duties. The Executive will serve in an executive capacity and will perform such duties as are assigned to the Executive by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”).

1.4 Other Employment Policies. The employment relationship between the parties will also be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, including those relating to protection of confidential information and assignment of inventions, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement will control.

 

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2. COMPENSATION.

2.1 Base Salary.

(a) The Executive will receive an initial annualized base salary for fiscal year 2015 of $175,000, subject to standard federal and state withholding requirements, payable in accordance with Company’s standard payroll practices.

(b) The Executive’s annualized base salary for fiscal year 2016 will increase to $250,000 in the event that (i) the consolidated revenues of the Company (including its predecessor TaskUs, LLC) and its subsidiaries for fiscal year 2015 (“2015 Revenue”) are at least $30,000,000 (“Revenue Target”) and (ii) the consolidated revenues minus consolidated expenses of the Company (including its predecessor TaskUs, LLC) and its subsidiaries, excluding tax, interest, depreciation and amortization expenses, for fiscal year 2015 (“2015 EBITDA”) are at least $3,000,000 (“EBITDA Target”), in each case as measured in United States dollars, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles of the United States, consistently applied, and as reflected in the Company’s 2015 audited financial statements. For the avoidance of doubt, any value-added tax incurred by the subsidiaries of the Company that is expensed in the 2015 audited financial statements shall be excluded from the calculation of consolidated expenses of the Company for purposes of clause (ii) of this Section 2.1(b).

(c) Effective January 1, 2017, and every year thereafter in which the Executive is employed by the Company, the Board will approve in good faith an appropriate base salary increase in line with market compensation packages for executives of companies equivalent to the Company.

2.2 Performance Bonus.

(a) The Executive will be eligible for an annual performance bonus for fiscal year 2015 in the form of a cash payment in an amount of up to 50% of the Executive’s base salary based on the achievement of performance goals set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto.

(b) The Executive will be eligible for an annual performance bonus for fiscal year 2016, in the form of a cash payment in an amount of up to 50% of the Executive’s base salary then in effect, based on the achievement of mutually agreed upon performance goals tied to a balanced scorecard that represents the overall performance of the Company and its subsidiaries, which will be set forth in a separate written performance plan prior to January 1, 2016.

(c) Prior to January 1, 2017, and every year thereafter in which the Executive is employed by the Company, the Board will approve in good faith an appropriate performance bonus plan for the subsequent fiscal year in line with market compensation packages for executives of companies equivalent to the Company. Such performance bonus plan will be tied to a balanced scorecard that represents the overall performance of the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

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(d) The Board will determine in good faith whether, and to what extent, the Executive has achieved the performance goals upon which the Executive’s bonus is based. The bonus for each fiscal year, if earned, will be paid to the Executive within the time period set forth in the written performance plan, or if no such time period was established, within the first thirty (30) days after the close of the applicable fiscal year (and in no event later than March 15 of the following calendar year). In order to earn a performance bonus for any given fiscal year, the Executive must remain an employee through the end of the applicable fiscal year. The Executive will not be eligible for, and will not earn, any performance bonus (including any partial or prorated bonus) if his employment ends for any reason, including but not limited to voluntary termination by the Executive or involuntary termination by the Company, before the end of the fiscal year.

2.3 Standard Company Benefits. The Executive will be entitled to all rights and benefits for which he is eligible under the terms and conditions of the standard Company benefits and compensation practices which may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its employees generally.

2.4 Expense Reimbursement. The Company will reimburse the Executive for reasonable business expenses in accordance with the Company’s standard reimbursement policy.

3. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND INVENTIONS OBLIGATIONS. The Executive agrees to execute and abide by the Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

4. OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES.

4.1 Other Employment/Enterprise. Except with the prior written consent of the Board, the Executive will not, while employed by the Company, undertake or engage in any other employment, occupation or business enterprise, other than ones in which the Executive is a passive investor and any services performed by the Executive do not materially interfere with the performance of his duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive may (a) engage in civic and not-for-profit activities and (b) accept board, advisor or similar positions with other companies, in each case so long as such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of his duties under this Agreement.

4.2 Conflicting Interests. Except as permitted by Section 4.3, while employed by the Company, Executive agrees not to acquire, assume or participate in, directly or indirectly, any position, investment or interest known by him to be adverse or antagonistic to the Company, its business or prospects, financial or otherwise.

4.3 Competing Enterprises. While employed by the Company, except on behalf of the Company, the Executive will not directly or indirectly, whether as an officer, director, stockholder, partner, proprietor, associate, representative, consultant, or in any capacity whatsoever engage in, become financially interested in, be employed by or have any business connection with any other person, corporation, firm, partnership or other entity whatsoever which were known by him to compete directly with the Company, throughout the world, in any

 

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line of business engaged in (or planned to be engaged in) by the Company; provided, however, that anything above to the contrary notwithstanding, the Executive may own, as a passive investor, securities of any public competitor corporation, so long as his direct holdings in any one such corporation will not in the aggregate constitute more than 1% of the voting stock of such corporation.

4.4 Non-Solicitation. While employed by the Company and for two (2) years following termination of the Executive’s employment, except on behalf of the Company, the Executive will not, directly or indirectly, solicit or attempt to solicit any employee, independent contractor or consultant of the Company to terminate his, her or its relationship with Company in order to become an employee, consultant, or independent contractor to or for any other person or entity.

5. FORMER EMPLOYMENT.

5.1 No Conflict With Existing Obligations. The Executive represents that his performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an employee of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement or obligation of any kind made prior to his employment by the Company, including agreements or obligations he may have with prior employers or entities for which he has provided services. The Executive has not entered into, and agrees he will not enter into, any agreement or obligation either written or oral in conflict with this Agreement.

5.2 No Disclosure of Confidential Information. If, in spite of the second sentence of Section 5.1, the Executive should find that confidential information belonging to any former employer might be usable in connection with the Company’s business, the Executive will not intentionally disclose to the Company or use on behalf of the Company any confidential information belonging to any of the Executive’s former employers (except in accordance with agreements between the Company and any such former employer); but during the Executive’s employment by the Company he will use in the performance of his duties all information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to his own and all information which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain.

6. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.

6.1 At-Will Employment. The parties acknowledge that the Executive’s employment with the Company is at-will, such that either party may terminate the Executive’s employment with the Company at any time, with or without advance notice, and for any reason whatsoever. The provisions of this Agreement do not alter this at-will status.

6.2 Cooperation With the Company After Termination of Employment. Following termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason, he will fully cooperate with the Company in all matters relating to the winding up of his pending work including, but not limited to, any litigation in which the Company is involved, and the orderly transfer of any such pending work to such other employees as may be designated by the Company.

 

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7. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

7.1 Notices. Any notices provided under this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed effective upon the earlier of (a) personal delivery (including personal delivery by hand or telecopier); (b) email (with confirmation of receipt) or (iii) the third day after mailing by first class mail, to the Company at its primary office location and to the Executive at his address as listed on the Company payroll.

7.2 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions had never been contained in this Agreement.

7.3 Waiver. If either party should waive any breach of any provisions of this Agreement, he or it will not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

7.4 Complete Agreement. This Agreement and its Exhibit constitute the entire agreement between Executive and the Company. This Agreement is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of their agreement with regard to this subject matter and supersedes any prior oral discussions or written communications and agreements. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation other than those expressly contained in this Agreement, and it cannot be modified or amended except in writing signed by an authorized officer of the Company.

7.5 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

7.6 Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and will not be deemed to constitute a part of this Agreement nor to affect the meaning thereof.

7.7 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, except that Executive may not assign any of his duties under this Agreement and he may not assign any of his rights under this Agreement.

7.8 Attorney Fees. If either party brings any action to enforce its rights under this Agreement, it will be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in connection with such action should it prevail in the action.

7.9 Choice of Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the law of the State of California. The Executive expressly consents to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in Los Angeles, California, for all actions arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

 

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7.10 Independent Counsel. The Executive has been provided with an opportunity to consult with the Executive’s own counsel with respect to this Agreement. The Executive acknowledges that Cooley LLP did not represent the Executive with respect to this Agreement.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

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The parties have executed this Agreement on the day and year first above written.

 

TASKUS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Jaspar Weir

Name:   Jaspar Weir
Title:   Principal

Accepted and agreed this

27 day of May, 2015

 

/s/ Bryce Maddock

Bryce Maddock

 

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EXHIBIT A

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND INVENTIONS ASSIGNMENT

AGREEMENT

Attached


EMPLOYEE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND INVENTIONS ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT

In consideration of my employment or continued employment by TaskUs, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and the compensation paid to me now and during my employment with the Company, I agree to the terms of this Agreement as follows:

 

1. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION PROTECTIONS.

1.1 Nondisclosure; Recognition of Company’s Rights. At all times during and after my employment, I will hold in confidence and will not disclose, use, lecture upon, or publish any of Company’s Confidential Information (defined below), except as may be required in connection with my work for Company, or as expressly authorized by the Board of Directors of Company (the “Board”). I will obtain the Board’s written approval before publishing or submitting for publication any material (written, oral, or otherwise) that relates to my work at Company and/or incorporates any Confidential Information. I hereby assign to Company any rights I may have or acquire in any and all Confidential Information and recognize that all Confidential Information shall be the sole and exclusive property of Company and its assigns.

1.2 Confidential Information. The term “Confidential Information” shall mean any and all confidential knowledge, data or information related to Company’s business or its actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, including without limitation (a) trade secrets, inventions, ideas, processes, computer source and object code, data, formulae, programs, other works of authorship, know-how, improvements, discoveries, developments, designs, and techniques; (b) information regarding products, services, plans for research and development, marketing and business plans, budgets, financial statements, contracts, prices, suppliers, and customers; (c) information regarding the skills and compensation of Company’s employees, contractors, and any other service providers of Company; and (d) the existence of any business discussions, negotiations, or agreements between Company and any third party.

1.3 Third Party Information. I understand that Company has received and in the future will receive from third parties confidential or proprietary information (Third Party Information) subject to a duty on Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited purposes. During and after the term of my employment, I will hold Third Party Information in strict confidence and will not disclose to anyone (other than Company personnel who need to know such information in connection with their work for Company) or use, Third Party Information, except in connection with my work for Company or unless expressly authorized by an officer of Company in writing.

1.4 No Improper Use of Information of Prior Employers and Others. I represent that my employment by Company does not and will not breach any agreement with any former employer, including any noncompete agreement or any agreement to keep in confidence or refrain from using information acquired by me prior to my employment by

Company. I further represent that I have not entered into, and will not enter into, any agreement, either written or oral, in conflict with my obligations under this Agreement. During my employment by Company, I will not improperly make use of, or disclose, any information or trade secrets of any former employer or other third party, nor will I bring onto the premises of Company or use any unpublished documents or any property belonging to any former employer or other third party, in violation of any lawful agreements with that former employer or third party. I will use in the performance of my duties only information that is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to my own, is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or is otherwise provided or developed by Company.

2. INVENTIONS.

2.1 Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the term Inventionmeans any ideas, concepts, information, materials, processes, data, programs, know-how, improvements, discoveries, developments, designs, artwork, formulae, other copyrightable works, and techniques and all Intellectual Property Rights in any of the items listed above. The term Intellectual Property Rightsmeans all trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks, mask work rights, patents and other intellectual property rights recognized by the laws of any jurisdiction or country. The term Moral Rightsmeans all paternity, integrity, disclosure, withdrawal, special and any other similar rights recognized by the laws of any jurisdiction or country.

2.2 Prior Inventions. I have disclosed on Exhibit A a complete list of all Inventions that (a) I have, or I have caused to be, alone or jointly with others, conceived, developed, or reduced to practice prior to the commencement of my employment by Company; (b) in which I have an ownership interest or which I have a license to use; (c) and that I wish to have excluded from the scope of this Agreement (collectively referred to as “Prior Inventions”). If no Prior Inventions are listed in Exhibit A, I warrant that there are no Prior Inventions. I agree that I will not incorporate, or permit to be incorporated, Prior Inventions in any Company Inventions (defined below) without Company’s prior written consent. If, in the course of my employment with Company, I incorporate a Prior Invention into a Company process, machine or other work, I hereby grant Company a non-exclusive, perpetual, fully-paid and royalty-free, irrevocable and worldwide license, with rights to sublicense through multiple levels of sublicensees, to reproduce, make derivative works of, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display in any form or medium, whether now known or later developed, make, have made, use, sell, import, offer for sale, and exercise any and all present or future rights in, such Prior Invention.

 

 

1


2.3 Assignment of Company Inventions. Inventions assigned to the Company or to a third party as directed by the Company pursuant to the subsection titled Government or Third Party are referred to in this Agreement as “Company Inventions.” Subject to the subsection titled Government or Third Party and except for Inventions that I can prove qualify fully under the provisions of California Labor Code section 2870 and I have set forth in Exhibit A, I hereby assign and agree to assign in the future (when any such Inventions or Intellectual Property Rights are first reduced to practice or first fixed in a tangible medium, as applicable) to Company all my right, title, and interest in and to any and all Inventions (and all Intellectual Property Rights with respect thereto) made, conceived, reduced to practice, or learned by me, either alone or with others, during the period of my employment by Company. Any assignment of Inventions (and all Intellectual Property Rights with respect thereto) hereunder includes an assignment of all Moral Rights. To the extent such Moral Rights cannot be assigned to Company and to the extent the following is allowed by the laws in any country where Moral Rights exist, I hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waive the enforcement of such Moral Rights, and all claims and causes of action of any kind against Company or related to Company’s customers, with respect to such rights. I further acknowledge and agree that neither my successors-in-interest nor legal heirs retain any Moral Rights in any Inventions (and any Intellectual Property Rights with respect thereto).

2.4 Obligation to Keep Company Informed. During the period of my employment and for one (1) year after my employment ends, I will promptly and fully disclose to Company in writing (a) all Inventions authored, conceived, or reduced to practice by me, either alone or with others, including any that might be covered under California Labor Code section 2870, and (b) all patent applications filed by me or in which I am named as an inventor or co-inventor.

2.5 Government or Third Party. I agree that, as directed by the Company, I will assign to a third party, including without limitation the United States, all my right, title, and interest in and to any particular Company Invention.

2.6 Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights and Assistance. During and after the period of my employment and at Company’s request and expense, I will assist Company in every proper way, including consenting to and joining in any action, to obtain and enforce United States and foreign Intellectual Property Rights and Moral Rights relating to Company Inventions in all countries. If the Company is unable to secure my signature on any document needed in connection with such purposes, I hereby irrevocably designate and appoint Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as my agent and attorney in fact, which appointment is coupled with an interest, to act on my behalf to execute and file any such documents and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further such purposes with the same legal force and effect as if executed by me.

2.7 Incorporation of Software Code. I agree that I will not incorporate into any Company software or otherwise deliver to Company any software code licensed under the GNU General Public License or Lesser General Public License or any other license that, by its terms, requires or conditions the use or distribution of such code on the disclosure, licensing, or distribution of any source code owned or licensed by Company except as expressly authorized by the Company or in strict compliance with the Company’s policies regarding the use of such software.

3. RECORDS. I agree to keep and maintain adequate and current records (in the form of notes, sketches, drawings and in any other form that is required by the Company) of all Inventions made by me during the period of my employment by the Company, which records shall be available to, and remain the sole property of, the Company at all times.

4. RETURN OF COMPANY PROPERTY. Upon termination of my employment or upon Company’s request at any other time, I will deliver to Company all of Company’s property, equipment, and documents, together with all copies thereof, and any other material containing or disclosing any Inventions, Third Party Information or Confidential Information and certify in writing that I have fully complied with the foregoing obligation. I agree that I will not copy, delete, or alter any information contained upon my Company computer or Company equipment before I return it to Company. In addition, if I have used any personal computer, server, or e-mail system to receive, store, review, prepare or transmit any Company information, including but not limited to, Confidential Information, I agree to provide the Company with a computer-useable copy of all such Confidential Information and then permanently delete and expunge such Confidential Information from those systems; and I agree to provide the Company access to my system as reasonably requested to verify that the necessary copying and/or deletion is completed. I further agree that any property situated on Company’s premises and owned by Company is subject to inspection by Company’s personnel at any time with or without notice. Prior to the termination of my employment or promptly after termination of my employment, I will cooperate with Company in attending an exit interview and certify in writing that I have complied with the requirements of this section.

5. NOTIFICATION OF NEW EMPLOYER. If I leave the employ of Company, I consent to the notification of my new employer of my rights and obligations under this Agreement, by Company providing a copy of this Agreement or otherwise.

6. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

6.1 Governing Law and Venue. This Agreement and any action related thereto will be governed and interpreted by and under the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to any conflicts of laws principles that require the application of the law of a different state. I expressly consent to personal jurisdiction and venue in the state

 

 

2


and federal courts for the county in which Company’s principal place of business is located for any lawsuit filed there against me by Company arising from or related to this Agreement.

6.2 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is, for any reason, held to be invalid or unenforceable, the other provisions of this Agreement will remain enforceable and the invalid or unenforceable provision will be deemed modified so that it is valid and enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by law.

6.3 Survival. This Agreement shall survive the termination of my employment and the assignment of this Agreement by Company to any successor or other assignee and shall be binding upon my heirs and legal representatives.

6.4 Employment. I agree and understand that nothing in this Agreement shall give me any right to continued employment by Company, and it will not interfere in any way with my right or Company’s right to terminate my employment at any time, with or without cause and with or without advance notice.

6.5 Notices. Each party must deliver all notices or other communications required or permitted under this Agreement in writing to the other party at the address listed on the signature page, by courier, by certified or registered mail (postage prepaid and return receipt requested), or by a nationally-recognized express mail service. Notice will be effective upon receipt or refusal of delivery. If delivered by certified or registered mail, notice will be considered to have been given five (5) business days after it was mailed, as evidenced by the postmark. If delivered by courier or express mail service, notice will be considered to have been given on the delivery date reflected by the courier or express mail service receipt. Each party may change its address for receipt of notice by giving notice of the change to the other party.

6.6 Injunctive Relief. I acknowledge that, because my services are personal and unique and because I will have access to the Confidential Information of Company, any

breach of this Agreement by me would cause irreparable injury to Company for which monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy and, therefore, will entitle Company to injunctive relief (including specific performance). The rights and remedies provided to each party in this Agreement are cumulative and in addition to any other rights and remedies available to such party at law or in equity.

6.7 Waiver. Any waiver or failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement on one occasion will not be deemed a waiver of that provision or any other provision on any other occasion.

6.8 Export. I agree not to export, reexport, or transfer, directly or indirectly, any U.S. technical data acquired from Company or any products utilizing such data, in violation of the United States export laws or regulations.

6.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which shall be taken together and deemed to be one instrument.

6.10 Entire Agreement. If no other agreement governs nondisclosure and assignment of inventions during any period in which I was previously employed or am in the future employed by Company as an independent contractor, the obligations pursuant to sections of this Agreement titled Confidential Information Protections and Inventions shall apply. This Agreement is the final, complete and exclusive agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and merges all prior communications between us with respect to such matters. No modification of or amendment to this Agreement, or any waiver of any rights under this Agreement, will be effective unless in writing and signed by me and an officer of the Company authorized by the Board. Any subsequent change or changes in my duties, salary or compensation will not affect the validity or scope of this Agreement.

 

 

3


This Agreement shall be effective as of the first day of my employment with Company.

 

COMPANY:
ACCEPTED AND AGREED
TaskUs, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Jaspar Weir

  Name:  

Jaspar Weir

  Title:  

Principal

Address:  

3233 donald douglass loop s

 

EMPLOYEE:
I HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND, AND ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT WITH INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL.

/s/ Bryce Maddock

(Signature)

Bryce Maddock

Name (Please Print)

5/26/2015

Date
Address:      

2621 33rd Street

 

Santa Monica, CA 90405


EXHIBIT A

INVENTIONS

1. Prior Inventions Disclosure. The following is a complete list of all Prior Inventions (as provided in Subsection 2.2 of the attached Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement, defined herein as the “Agreement”):

 

 

None

 

 

See immediately below:

 

 

 

 

2. Limited Exclusion Notification.

THIS IS TO NOTIFY you in accordance with Section 2872 of the California Labor Code that the foregoing Agreement between you and Company does not require you to assign or offer to assign to Company any Invention that you develop entirely on your own time without using Company’s equipment, supplies, facilities or trade secret information, except for those Inventions that either:

a. Relate at the time of conception or reduction to practice to Company’s business, or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development; or

b. Result from any work performed by you for Company.

To the extent a provision in the foregoing Agreement purports to require you to assign an Invention otherwise excluded from the preceding paragraph, the provision is against the public policy of this state and is unenforceable.

This limited exclusion does not apply to any patent or Invention covered by a contract between Company and the United States or any of its agencies requiring full title to such patent or Invention to be in the United States.


EXHIBIT B

2015 PERFORMANCE BONUS PLAN

The Executive shall receive the following bonuses for fiscal year 2015:

 

  1.

Revenue Bonus:

 

  a.

The Executive shall receive a bonus of 25% of his base salary if the 2015 Revenue is at least the Revenue Target.

 

  b.

If the 2015 Revenue is less than the Revenue Target, the Executive shall receive a bonus equal to 25% of his base salary multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall equal the 2015 Revenue and the denominator of which shall equal the Revenue Target.

 

  2.

EBITDA Bonus:

 

  a.

The Executive shall receive a bonus of 25% of his base salary if the 2015 EBITDA is at least the EBITDA Target.

 

  b.

If the 2015 EBITDA is less than the EBITDA Target, the Executive shall receive a bonus equal to 25% of his base salary multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall equal the 2015 EBITDA and the denominator of which shall equal the EBITDA Target.

EX-10.8

Exhibit 10.8

 

LOGO

CONFIDENTIAL

March 26, 2020

Pay Change Memo

Dear Bryce,

Effective 3/16/2020, you have agreed to reduce your base compensation in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Your base pay for the remainder for 2020 will be $45,000. Below you will find details of this change:

 

Title

     CEO  

Current Base Salary

   $ 350,000.00  

Effective as of 3/16/2020

   $ 45,000.00  

This memo only affects your base pay for 2020. You will be paid in accordance with TaskUs’ standard payroll practices and subject to all withholdings and deductions as required by law. All other terms and conditions of your employment remain the same.

I have read and understand the provisions of this memo.

Agreed to and accepted by:

 

/s/ Bryce Maddock

     

3/27/2020

Bryce Maddock     Date
EX-10.9

Exhibit 10.9

 

LOGO

3233-C Donald Douglas Loop South

Santa Monica CA 90405

October 28, 2016

Jarrod Johnson

Offer of Employment

Dear Jarrod,

I am pleased to offer you a position with TaskUs, Inc., (“Company”), as Senior Vice President of Sales!

Location & Travel Schedule

The position is full-time and will be based remotely. Your work schedule shall include domestic and international travel up to 75% of the time (not including the travel time itself), in connection with your role.

Compensation

Annual Salary

You will receive an annual salary of $250,000.00, less required deductions and withholdings, which will be paid every two weeks in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll procedures.

Sales Bonus Plan

In addition to the salary figure stated above, you are eligible to receive bonus payments based on your and the Company’s sales performance (the “Sales Bonus”). Terms and conditions for the Sales Bonus shall be set forth under a separate agreement (the “Sales Bonus Plan”).

Non-Discretionary Year End Bonus

For services performed during 2016 only, you shall receive a guaranteed minimum bonus in the amount of $41,677.00 (the “Year End Bonus”), calculated for 2 months of full service, at 100% of your annual salary. The Bonus shall be awarded to you no later than the last day of February.

Severance Agreement & Release

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in a separation agreement and general release, if, during your first year of employment with the Company, your employment is separated without cause, such as the result of a lay-off or reduction in force, except if pursuant to a Liquidity Event as defined in the Company’s Phantom Share Plan, or otherwise without cause, you shall be offered separation pay in the amount equivalent to 6 months of your current annual salary, for a total of $125,000.00, less required deductions and withholdings.

 

Page 1 of 4


LOGO

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in a separation agreement and general release, if, during any point after your first year of employment with the Company, your employment is separated without cause, such as the result of a lay-off or reduction in force, except if pursuant to a Liquidity Event, you shall receive separation pay in an amount equal to the greater of either (i) 2 months of your annual salary or (ii) 1 month of your annual salary multiplied by the number of full years of employment with the Company.

Terms for payment of any Sales Bonus upon separation of employment shall be set forth in the

Sales Bonus Plan.

Phantom Shares

Contingent upon approval by the Board of Directors and in accordance with the Company’s Phantom Stock Plan (the “Plan”), and under a separate agreement, you will also be offered 131,000 phantom shares, vesting over a (4) year period, with a one (1) year cliff shall apply.

Benefits

During the term of your employment, you will be eligible to participate in certain benefits offered by the Company. A summary of benefits and medical enrollment eligibility has been attached hereto for your reference, but if you have any additional questions regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact our Manager of Human Resources, Lauren Miller, at lauren@taskus.com. Please note that this is a summary of the current benefits afforded, however the Company may modify or eliminate any such benefits from time to time as it deems necessary.

Job Duties

Your initial employment duties will include, but not be limited to those set forth below and articulated in your Role Scorecard, attached hereto:

 

   

Report on revenue growth and sales activity to board

 

   

Oversee all new logo business development including outside sales, inside sales and demand generation

 

   

90 day rolling forecast with +- 10% accuracy

 

   

Deal support for reps including travel to prospects, help on presentations and strategy and account mapping

 

   

Enforce Salesforce best practices and adherence

 

   

Conduct 1:1s with all direct reports weekly

 

   

Run weekly sales meetings

 

   

Conduct sales training and onboarding programs

 

   

Review all new service agreements

 

Page 2 of 4


LOGO

 

You will discharge your duties with the care, skill, prudence and diligence that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of a like enterprise of like character and with like aims.

Other Conditions for Employment

The Company is excited about the prospect of you joining our team, and we look forward to a beneficial and fruitful relationship. Nevertheless, you should be aware that your employment with the Company is for no specified period and constitutes at-will employment. Therefore, the Company is free to conclude its employment relationship with you at any time, with or without cause, and with or without advance notice. Similarly, you are free to resign at any time, for any reason or for no reason. Although not required due to the at-will nature of your employment, as a professional courtesy, we request that, in the event of resignation, you give the Company at least two week’s notice.

The Company conducts background investigations and reference checks on all of its potential employees. Your job offer, and employment, are contingent upon the successful clearance of such a background investigation and reference checks.

For purposes of federal immigration law, you will be required to provide to the Company documentary evidence of your identity and eligibility for employment in the United States. Such documentation must be provided to us within three (3) business days of your date of hire, or our employment relationship with you may be terminated.

We also ask that, if you have not already done so, you disclose to the Company any and all agreements relating to your prior employment that may affect your eligibility to be employed by the Company or limit the manner in which you may be employed. It is the Company’s understanding that any such agreements will not prevent you from performing the duties of your position and you represent that such is the case. Moreover, you agree that, during the term of your employment with the Company, you will not engage in any other employment, occupation, consulting or other business activity directly related to the business in which the Company is now involved or becomes involved during the term of your employment, nor will you engage in any other activities that conflict with your obligations to the Company. Similarly, you agree not to bring any third-party confidential information, including that of your former employer, to the Company, and that in performing your duties for the Company, you will not in any way utilize any such information.

As you know, the Company is involved in an industry that is highly competitive and that changes quickly. Thus, although the position we are offering you is as a SVP of Sales, the Company may change your position and/or your duties at any time, with or without cause or advance notice.

As a condition of your employment, you will also be required to sign and comply with an Employee Inventions Assignment, Confidentiality and Non-Solicitation Agreement, which requires you to, among other things, (a) assign to us any intellectual property that you may invent on our behalf during your employment at the Company, (b) protect our trade secrets and other confidential information and (c) refrain from soliciting our customers and employees for a period of one year after your employment term ends.

 

Page 3 of 4


LOGO

 

To indicate your acceptance of the Company’s offer, please sign and date this letter. Keep a copy for yourself and provide a copy to the Company. If you accept our offer, your first day of employment shall be October 31, 2016. This letter, along with the Inventions Assignment Agreement and our Employee Manual, a copy of which will be provided to you upon acceptance of this offer, sets forth the entire terms of your employment with the Company and supersedes any prior representations or agreements including, but not limited to, any representations made during your interviews or relocation negotiations, as applicable, whether written or oral. This letter, including, but not limited to, its at-will employment provision, may not be modified or amended except by a written agreement signed by an officer of the Company and you. This offer of employment will terminate if it is not accepted, signed and returned by close of business on October 28, 2016.

We look forward to your favorable reply and to working with you at TaskUs!

Sincerely,

/s/ Bryce Maddock

Bryce Maddock, CEO

I have read and understand the forgoing provisions of this offer of employment, and the offer is herewith accepted.

I understand that my employment with the Company is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check, employment references, and the execution of additional agreements, including but not limited to arbitration, confidentiality, employee-inventions, non-solicitation and any agreement deemed necessary by the Company at any time.

I agree that I am not bound by any restrictive covenants, contractual commitment, or any other legal obligation that would prohibit me from performing my duties for the Company, or that would prohibit my anticipated employment with TaskUs in any way.

Agreed to and accepted by:

 

Signature:  

/s/ Jarrod Johnson

    Dated:  

10/28/2016

 

Page 4 of 4

EX-10.11

Exhibit 10.11

Execution Version

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of September 25, 2019,

among

TU MIDCO, INC.,

as Holdings,

TU BIDCO, INC.,

as the Borrower,

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO FROM TIME TO TIME,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer,

and

THE LENDERS AND L/C ISSUERS PARTY HERETO FROM TIME TO TIME

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

BOFA SECURITIES, INC. and

TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         PAGE  

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

  
Section 1.01.  

Defined Terms

     1  
Section 1.02.  

Other Interpretive Provisions

     79  
Section 1.03.  

Accounting Terms

     81  
Section 1.04.  

Rounding

     82  
Section 1.05.  

References to Agreements, Laws, Etc.

     82  
Section 1.06.  

Times of Day

     82  
Section 1.07.  

Timing of Payment or Performance

     82  
Section 1.08.  

Cumulative Credit Transactions

     82  
Section 1.09.  

Additional Approved Currencies

     82  

ARTICLE 2

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

  
Section 2.01.  

The Loans

     83  
Section 2.02.  

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans

     84  
Section 2.03.  

Letters of Credit

     86  
Section 2.04.  

Swing Line Loans

     98  
Section 2.05.  

Prepayments

     102  
Section 2.06.  

Termination or Reduction of Commitments

     116  
Section 2.07.  

Repayment of Loans

     116  
Section 2.08.  

Interest

     117  
Section 2.09.  

Fees

     118  
Section 2.10.  

Computation of Interest and Fees

     118  
Section 2.11.  

Evidence of Indebtedness

     119  
Section 2.12.  

Payments Generally

     119  
Section 2.13.  

Sharing of Payments

     122  
Section 2.14.  

Incremental Credit Extensions

     123  
Section 2.15.  

Refinancing Amendments

     130  
Section 2.16.  

Extension of Term Loans; Extension of Revolving Credit Loans

     132  
Section 2.17.  

Defaulting Lenders

     136  

ARTICLE 3

TAXES, INCREASED COSTS PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

  
Section 3.01.  

Taxes

     138  
Section 3.02.  

Illegality

     142  
Section 3.03.  

Inability to Determine Rates

     142  
Section 3.04.  

Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurocurrency Rate Loans

     143  
Section 3.05.  

Funding Losses

     144  
Section 3.06.  

Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation

     145  

 

i


Section 3.07.  

Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances

     146  
Section 3.08.  

Survival

     148  

ARTICLE 4

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

  
Section 4.01.  

Conditions to Initial Credit Extension

     148  
Section 4.02.  

Conditions to All Credit Extensions

     150  

ARTICLE 5

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

  
Section 5.01.  

Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws

     151  
Section 5.02.  

Authorization; No Contravention

     151  
Section 5.03.  

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

     152  
Section 5.04.  

Execution, Delivery and Enforceability

     152  
Section 5.05.  

Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect

     152  
Section 5.06.  

Litigation

     153  
Section 5.07.  

Ownership of Property; Liens; Real Property

     153  
Section 5.08.  

Environmental Matters

     153  
Section 5.09.  

Taxes

     154  
Section 5.10.  

ERISA Compliance

     154  
Section 5.11.  

Subsidiaries; Equity Interests

     155  
Section 5.12.  

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act

     155  
Section 5.13.  

Disclosure

     155  
Section 5.14.  

Labor Matters

     155  
Section 5.15.  

Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.

     156  
Section 5.16.  

Solvency

     156  
Section 5.17.  

Subordination of Junior Financing

     156  
Section 5.18.  

OFAC; USA PATRIOT Act; FCPA

     156  
Section 5.19.  

Security Documents

     157  

ARTICLE 6

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

  
Section 6.01.  

Financial Statements

     158  
Section 6.02.  

Certificates; Other Information

     160  
Section 6.03.  

Notices

     162  
Section 6.04.  

Payment of Taxes

     162  
Section 6.05.  

Preservation of Existence, Etc.

     162  
Section 6.06.  

Maintenance of Properties

     162  
Section 6.07.  

Maintenance of Insurance

     163  
Section 6.08.  

Compliance with Laws

     163  
Section 6.09.  

Books and Records

     163  
Section 6.10.  

Inspection Rights

     163  
Section 6.11.  

Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors

     164  

 

ii


Section 6.12.  

Compliance with Environmental Laws

     165  
Section 6.13.  

Further Assurances

     165  
Section 6.14.  

Designation of Subsidiaries

     165  
Section 6.15.  

[Reserved]

     166  
Section 6.16.  

Post-Closing Covenants

     166  
Section 6.17.  

Change in Nature of Business

     166  
Section 6.18.  

Use of Proceeds

     166  
Section 6.19.  

Accounting Changes

     166  

ARTICLE 7

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

  
Section 7.01.  

Liens

     167  
Section 7.02.  

Investments

     173  
Section 7.03.  

Indebtedness

     177  
Section 7.04.  

Fundamental Changes

     183  
Section 7.05.  

Dispositions

     185  
Section 7.06.  

Restricted Payments

     188  
Section 7.07.  

[Reserved]

     193  
Section 7.08.  

Transactions with Affiliates

     193  
Section 7.09.  

Burdensome Agreements

     194  
Section 7.10.  

[Reserved]

     195  
Section 7.11.  

Financial Covenant

     195  
Section 7.12.  

[Reserved]

     196  
Section 7.13.  

Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness

     196  
Section 7.14.  

Permitted Activities

     197  

ARTICLE 8

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

  
Section 8.01.  

Events of Default

     198  
Section 8.02.  

Remedies Upon Event of Default

     200  
Section 8.03.  

Exclusion of Immaterial Subsidiaries

     201  
Section 8.04.  

Application of Funds

     201  
Section 8.05.  

Borrower’s Right to Cure

     202  

ARTICLE 9

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND OTHER AGENTS

  
Section 9.01.  

Appointment and Authorization of Agents

     203  
Section 9.02.  

Delegation of Duties

     205  
Section 9.03.  

Liability of Agents

     205  
Section 9.04.  

Reliance by Agents

     206  
Section 9.05.  

Notice of Default

     206  
Section 9.06.  

Credit Decision; Disclosure of Information by Agents

     207  
Section 9.07.  

Indemnification of Agents

     207  

 

iii


Section 9.08.  

Agents in Their Individual Capacities

     208  
Section 9.09.  

Successor Agents

     208  
Section 9.10.  

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

     210  
Section 9.11.  

Collateral and Guaranty Matters

     211  
Section 9.12.  

Other Agents; Arrangers and Managers

     213  
Section 9.13.  

Withholding Tax Indemnity

     213  
Section 9.14.  

Appointment of Supplemental Agents

     214  
Section 9.15.  

ERISA Representation

     215  

ARTICLE 10

MISCELLANEOUS

  
Section 10.01.  

Amendments, Etc.

     216  
Section 10.02.  

Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies

     220  
Section 10.03.  

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

     221  
Section 10.04.  

Attorney Costs and Expenses

     222  
Section 10.05.  

Indemnification by the Borrower

     222  
Section 10.06.  

Payments Set Aside

     224  
Section 10.07.  

Successors and Assigns

     224  
Section 10.08.  

Confidentiality

     235  
Section 10.09.  

Setoff

     237  
Section 10.10.  

Interest Rate Limitation

     237  
Section 10.11.  

Counterparts

     238  
Section 10.12.  

Integration; Termination

     238  
Section 10.13.  

Survival of Representations and Warranties

     238  
Section 10.14.  

Severability

     238  
Section 10.15.  

GOVERNING LAW

     238  
Section 10.16.  

WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY

     239  
Section 10.17.  

Binding Effect

     240  
Section 10.18.  

USA PATRIOT Act

     240  
Section 10.19.  

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

     240  
Section 10.20.  

Electronic Execution of Assignments

     241  
Section 10.21.  

Effect of Certain Inaccuracies

     241  
Section 10.22.  

Judgment Currency

     242  
Section 10.23.  

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions

     242  
Section 10.24.  

Cashless Rollovers

     243  
Section 10.25.  

Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs

     243  

ARTICLE 11

GUARANTY

  
Section 11.01.  

The Guaranty

     244  
Section 11.02.  

Obligations Unconditional

     245  
Section 11.03.  

Reinstatement

     246  
Section 11.04.  

Subrogation; Subordination

     246  

 

iv


Section 11.05.  

Remedies

     246  
Section 11.06.  

Instrument for the Payment of Money

     247  
Section 11.07.  

Continuing Guaranty

     247  
Section 11.08.  

General Limitation on Guarantee Obligations

     247  
Section 11.09.  

Information

     247  
Section 11.10.  

Release of Guarantors

     247  
Section 11.11.  

Right of Contribution

     248  
Section 11.12.  

Cross-Guaranty

     248  

 

v


SCHEDULES

 

1.01A

 

Commitments

 

1.01B

 

Collateral Documents

 

1.01C

 

Unrestricted Subsidiaries

 

1.01D

 

Existing Letters of Credit

 

5.05

 

Certain Liabilities

 

5.06

 

Litigation

 

5.07

 

Ownership of Property

 

5.09

 

Taxes

 

5.11

 

Subsidiaries and Other Equity Investments

 

6.16

 

Post-Closing Covenants

 

7.01(b)

 

Existing Liens

 

7.02(f)

 

Existing Investments

 

7.03(b)

 

Existing Indebtedness

 

7.05(f)

 

Dispositions

 

7.08

 

Transactions with Affiliates

 

7.09

 

Certain Contractual Obligations

 

10.02

 

Administrative Agent’s Office

 

10.02(a)

  Notice Information

EXHIBITS

 

Form of

 

A

 

Committed Loan Notice

 

B

 

Letter of Credit Issuance Request

 

C

 

Swing Line Loan Notice

 

D-1

 

Term Note

 

D-2

 

Revolving Credit Note

 

D-3

 

Swing Line Note

 

E-1

 

Compliance Certificate

 

E-2

 

Solvency Certificate

 

F

 

Assignment and Assumption

 

G

 

Security Agreement

 

H

 

Perfection Certificate

 

I

 

Intercompany Note

 

J-1

 

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement

 

J-2

 

Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement

 

K

 

[Reserved]

 

L-1

 

Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption

 

L-2

 

Affiliated Lender Notice

 

L-3

 

Acceptance and Prepayment Notice

 

L-4

 

Discount Range Prepayment Notice

 

L-5

 

Discount Range Prepayment Offer

 

vi


 

L-6

 

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice

 

L-7

 

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer

 

L-8

 

Specified Discount Prepayment Notice

 

L-9

 

Specified Discount Prepayment Response

 

M

 

United States Tax Compliance Certificate

 

vii


CREDIT AGREEMENT

This CREDIT AGREEMENT (as the same may be amended, modified, refinanced and/or restated from time to time, this “Agreement”) is entered into as of September 25, 2019, among Holdings (such term and any other capitalized terms used but not defined in this introductory paragraph and the Preliminary Statements below are defined in Section 1.01 below), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party hereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

The Borrower has requested that the applicable Lenders extend credit to the Borrower in the form of (i) the Initial Term Loans on the Closing Date in an initial aggregate principal amount of $210,000,000 and (ii) the Revolving Credit Facility in an initial aggregate principal amount of $40,000,000.

The proceeds of the Initial Term Loans will be used by the Borrower to directly or indirectly consummate the Transactions, to pay the costs and expenses related to the Transactions and to fund cash to the Borrower’s balance sheet.

The proceeds of the Revolving Credit Facility will also be used by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries to replace, backstop or cash collateralize existing Letters of Credit, for working capital and general corporate purposes (including permitted acquisitions) subject to the terms set forth herein.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

Section 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement (including in the Preliminary Statements hereto), the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Acceptable Discount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(2).

Acceptable Prepayment Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(3).

Acceptance and Prepayment Notice” means a notice of the Borrower’s acceptance of the Acceptable Discount in substantially the form of Exhibit L-3.

Acceptance Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(2).


Acquired EBITDA” means, with respect to any Acquired Entity or Business or any Converted Restricted Subsidiary for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary (determined as if references to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of Consolidated EBITDA were references to such Acquired Entity or Business and its Subsidiaries or to such Converted Restricted Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries), as applicable, all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable.

Acquired Entity or Business” has the meaning set forth in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA.”

Acquisition Agreement” means that certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 4, 2018, by and among TaskUs, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), TU TopCo, Inc., Holdings, the Borrower and the shareholders of the Company party thereto, as amended, supplemented or modified and in effect from time to time, and including all schedules and exhibits thereto, pursuant to which the Borrower acquired (“2018 Acquisition”) all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company.

Additional Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(c).

Additional Refinancing Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.15(a).

Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan, in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

Administrative Agents Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and 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.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in such form as may be supplied from time to time 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.

Affiliated Lender” means, at any time, any Lender that is a direct or indirect holding company of Holdings or an Investor (including portfolio companies of the Investors notwithstanding the exclusion in the definition of “Investors”) (other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and other than any Debt Fund Affiliate) or a Non-Debt Fund Affiliate of an Investor at such time.

 

2


Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(l)(i).

Affiliated Lender Cap” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(l)(iii).

Affiliated Lender Notice” means the notice substantially in the form of Exhibit L-2.

Agent-Related Persons” means the Agents, together with their respective Affiliates, and the officers, directors, employees, partners, agents, advisors, attorneys-in-fact and other representatives of such Persons and Affiliates.

Agents” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Supplemental Agents (if any).

Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Applicable Asset Sale Percentage” means, (a) 100.0% if the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters for which financial statements are internally available is greater than 1.50 to 1.00 and (b) 0.0% if the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters for which financial statements are internally available is equal to or less than 1.50 to 1.00, in each case, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis.

Applicable Discount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(2).

Applicable Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.21.

Applicable Proceeds” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(b)(ii).

Applicable Rate” means:

(a) with respect to the commitment fee for the unused Revolving Credit Commitments, a percentage per annum equal to 0.40%; and

(b) with respect to the Initial Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans, a percentage per annum equal to: (A) for Eurocurrency Rate Loans and Letter of Credit fees, 2.25% and (B) for Base Rate Loans, 1.25%.

Applicable Time” means, with respect to any Borrowings and payments in any Approved Foreign Currency, the local time in the place of settlement for such Approved Foreign Currency as shall be reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent or the applicable L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to be necessary for timely settlement on the relevant date in accordance with normal banking procedures in the place of payment. In advance of the initial borrowing of a Revolving

 

3


Credit Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit, in each case, in any Approved Foreign Currency, the Administrative Agent or the applicable L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall provide the Borrower and Revolving Credit Lenders with written notice of the Applicable Time for any borrowings and payments in such Approved Foreign Currency. In the event no such notice is delivered by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and any Revolving Credit Lender shall be required to make any borrowings and payments in accordance with the times specified herein for borrowings and payments in Dollars.

Appropriate Lender” means, at any time, (a) with respect to Loans of any Class, the Lenders of such Class, (b) with respect to Letters of Credit, (i) the relevant L/C Issuer (if applicable) and (ii) the Revolving Credit Lenders and (c) with respect to the Swing Line Facility, (i) the Swing Line Lender and (ii) if any Swing Line Loans are outstanding pursuant to Section 2.04(a), the Revolving Credit Lenders.

Approved Counterparty” means (i) any Agent, Lender or any Affiliate of an Agent or Lender (a) at the time it entered into a Swap Contract or a Treasury Services Agreement, as applicable, in its capacity as a party thereto or (b) as of the Closing Date, with respect to a Swap Contract or a Treasury Services Agreement, as applicable, in effect as of the Closing Date, in its capacity as a party thereto, and in the case of (a) or (b) notwithstanding whether such Approved Counterparty may cease to be an Agent, Lender or an Affiliate of an Agent or Lender thereafter and (ii) any other Person from time to time approved in writing by the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).

Approved Currency” means each of (i) Dollars, (ii) Euros and (iii) any other currency that is approved in accordance with Section 1.09.

Approved Foreign Currency” means any Approved Currency other than Dollars.

Approved Foreign Currency Sublimit” means $5,000,000.

Approved Fund” means, with respect to any Lender, any Fund that is administered, advised or managed by (a) such Lender, (b) an Affiliate of such Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers, advises or manages such Lender.

Assignees” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(b)(i).

Assignment and Assumption” means an Assignment and Assumption substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto.

Assignment Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(b).

Attorney Costs” means and includes the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of any law firm or other external legal counsel.

 

4


Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, in respect of any Financing Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP.

Auction Agent” means (a) the Administrative Agent or (b) any other financial institution or advisor employed by the Borrower (whether or not an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent) to act as an arranger in connection with any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v); provided that the Borrower shall not designate the Administrative Agent as the Auction Agent without the written consent of the Administrative Agent (it being understood that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to agree to act as the Auction Agent); provided, further, that neither the Borrower nor any of its Affiliates may act as the Auction Agent.

Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and the related consolidated statements of income and cash flows for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

Auto-Extension Letter of Credit” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(b)(iii).

Available Incremental Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(d)(v).

Available RP Capacity Amount” means (i) the amount of Restricted Payments that may be made at the time of determination pursuant to Sections 7.06(d), (g), (h), (l) and (p), minus (ii) the sum of the amount of the Available RP Capacity Amount utilized by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to (A) make Restricted Payments in reliance on Sections 7.06(g), (h), (l) or (p), (B) make Investments utilizing the Available RP Capacity Amount pursuant to Section 7.02(n)(z), (C) incur Indebtedness pursuant to Section 7.03(y) and (D) make prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings prior to their scheduled maturity utilizing the Available RP Capacity Amount pursuant to Section 7.13(a)(vi), plus (iii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness prepaid prior to or substantially concurrently at such time, solely to the extent such Indebtedness was incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(y) (it being understood that the amount under this clause (iii) shall only be available for use under Section 7.03(y).

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus 12 of 1% and (c) the Eurocurrency Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%; provided that for the purpose of this definition, the Eurocurrency Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate (or if the

 

5


LIBO Screen Rate is not available for such one month Interest Period, the Interpolated Rate) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day. Any change in the Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Eurocurrency Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Eurocurrency Rate, respectively. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Base Rate as determined pursuant to the foregoing would be less than 1.00%, such rate shall be deemed to be 1.00% for purposes of this Agreement.

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan denominated in Dollars that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

Blackstone Funds” means, individually or collectively, any investment fund, co-investment vehicles and/or other similar vehicles or accounts, in each case managed or advised by an Affiliate of The Blackstone Group L.P., or any of their respective successors.

Bona Fide Debt Fund” means any fund or investment vehicle that is primarily engaged in the making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans, bonds and other similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course.

Borrower” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereto.

Borrower Materials” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02.

Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment” means the offer by any Company Party to make a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans at a Specified Discount to par pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(B).

Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers” means the solicitation by any Company Party of offers for, and the corresponding acceptance by a Lender of, a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans at a specified range of discounts to par pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(C).

Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers” means the solicitation by any Company Party of offers for, and the subsequent acceptance, if any, by a Lender of, a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans at a discount to par pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(D).

 

6


Borrowing” means a Revolving Credit Borrowing, a Swing Line Borrowing or a Term Borrowing of a particular Class, 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 of New York or the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or any other dealings to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, means a day on which dealings in deposits in the applicable Approved Currency are conducted by and between banks in the applicable London interbank market.

Capitalized Software Expenditures” means, for any period, the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities) by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in respect of licensed or purchased software or internally developed software and software enhancements that, in conformity with GAAP, are or are required to be reflected as capitalized costs on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

Cash Collateral” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(g).

Cash Collateral Account” means a blocked account at a commercial bank specified by the Administrative Agent in the name of the Administrative Agent and under the sole dominion and control of the Administrative Agent, and otherwise established in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Cash Collateralize” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(g).

Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary:

(1) Dollars;

(2) (a) cash in such local currencies held by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from time to time in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice, (b) Canadian Dollars or (c) Sterling, Euros or any national currency of any participating member state of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU);

(3) securities issued or directly and fully and unconditionally guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality thereof the securities of which are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of such government with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(4) certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition, demand deposits, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding 24 months and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any domestic

 

7


or foreign commercial bank having capital and surplus of not less than $250,000,000 in the case of U.S. banks and $100,000,000 (or the dollar equivalent thereof in foreign currencies as of the date of determination) in the case of non-U.S. banks;

(5) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (3), (4), (7) and (8) entered into with any financial institution or recognized securities dealer meeting the qualifications specified in clause (4) above;

(6) commercial paper and variable or fixed rate notes rated at least P-2 by Moody’s, at least A-2 by S&P or at least F-2 by Fitch (or, if at any time none of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical Rating Agency) and in each case maturing within 24 months after the date of creation thereof;

(7) marketable short-term money market and similar funds having a rating of at least P-2, A-2 or F-2 from Moody’s, S&P or Fitch, respectively (or, if at any time none of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical Rating Agency);

(8) readily marketable direct obligations issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed by, any state, commonwealth or territory of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof, in each case, having an investment grade rating from Moody’s, S&P or Fitch (or, if at any time none of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical Rating Agency) with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(9) readily marketable direct obligations issued by any foreign government or any political subdivision or public instrumentality thereof, in each case having an investment grade rating from Moody’s, S&P or Fitch (or, if at any time none of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical Rating Agency) with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(10) Investments with average maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition in money market funds rated A (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P, A-2 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s or F-2 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Fitch (or, if at any time none of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical Rating Agency);

(11) securities with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition backed by standby letters of credit issued by any financial institution or recognized securities dealer meeting the qualifications specified in clause (4) above;

(12) Indebtedness or preferred stock issued by Persons with a rating of “A” or higher from S&P, “A-2” or higher from Moody’s or “F-2” or higher from Fitch with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition; and

 

8


(13) investment funds investing at least 90% of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (1) through (12) above.

In the case of Investments by any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary or Investments made in a country outside the United States of America, Cash Equivalents shall also include (a) investments of the type and maturity described in clauses (1) through (8) and clauses (10), (11), (12) and (13) above of foreign obligors, which Investments or obligors (or the parents of such obligors) have ratings described in such clauses or equivalent ratings from comparable foreign rating agencies and (b) other short-term investments utilized by Foreign Subsidiaries that are Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with normal investment practices for cash management in investments analogous to the foregoing investments in clauses (1) through (13) and in this paragraph.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cash Equivalents shall include amounts denominated in currencies other than those set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above; provided that such amounts are converted into any currency listed in clauses (1) and (2) as promptly as practicable and in any event within ten (10) Business Days following the receipt of such amounts.

For the avoidance of doubt, any items identified as Cash Equivalents under this definition will be deemed to be Cash Equivalents for all purposes regardless of the treatment of such items under GAAP.

Casualty Event” means any event that gives rise to the receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of any equipment, fixed assets or Real Property (including any improvements thereon) to replace or repair such equipment, fixed assets or Real Property.

CERCLA” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as subsequently amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

CFC” means a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957(a) of the Code.

Change of Control” shall be deemed to occur if:

(a) at any time prior to a Qualified IPO, any combination of the Permitted Holders shall fail to own beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act as in effect on the Closing Date), directly or indirectly, in the aggregate Equity Interests representing at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings;

(b) at any time after a Qualified IPO, any person or “group” (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act as in effect on the Closing Date), other than (i) any combination of the Investors and/or the Permitted Holders or (ii) any “group” including any Permitted Holders (provided that Permitted Holders beneficially own more than 50% of all voting interests beneficially owned by such “group”), shall have acquired beneficial ownership of more than 50%, on a fully diluted basis, of the voting interest in Holdings’ Equity Interests;

 

9


(c) a “change of control” (or similar event) shall occur under any Indebtedness for borrowed money permitted under Section 7.03 with an outstanding principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount or any Permitted Refinancing in respect of any of the foregoing with an outstanding principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

(d) Holdings shall cease to own directly 100% of the Equity Interests of the Borrower.

Notwithstanding the preceding or any provision of Section 13d-3 or 13d-5 of the Exchange Act, (i) a Person or group shall not be deemed to beneficially own Equity Interests subject to a stock or asset purchase agreement, merger agreement, option agreement, warrant agreement or similar agreement (or voting or option or similar agreement related thereto) until the consummation of the acquisition of the Equity Interests in connection with the transactions contemplated by such agreement, (ii) if any group (other than a Permitted Holder) includes one or more Permitted Holders, the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower owned, directly or indirectly, by any Permitted Holders that are part of such group shall not be treated as being beneficially owned by such group or any other member of such group for purposes of determining whether a Change of Control has occurred and (iii) a Person or group will not be deemed to beneficially own the Equity Interests of another Person as a result of its ownership of the Equity Interests or other securities of such other Person’s parent entity (or related contractual rights) unless it owns 50% or more of the total voting power of the Equity Interests entitled to vote for the election of directors of such parent entity having a majority of the aggregate votes on the board of directors (or similar body) of such parent entity.

City Code” has the definition in Section 1.02(h).

Class” (a) when used with respect to any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment with respect to a particular Class of Loans or Commitments, (b) when used with respect to Commitments, refers to whether such Commitments are Revolving Credit Commitments, Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Extension Series, Extended Term Loans of a given Extension Series, Revolving Commitment Increases, Other Revolving Credit Commitments, Initial Term Commitments, Incremental Term Commitments or Refinancing Term Commitments of a given Refinancing Series and (c) when used with respect to Loans or a Borrowing, refers to whether such Loans, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Credit Loans, Revolving Credit Loans under Revolving Commitment Increases, Revolving Credit Loans under Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Extension Series, Revolving Credit Loans under Other Revolving Credit Commitments, Initial Term Loans, Incremental Term Loans, Refinancing Term Loans of a given Refinancing Series or Extended Term Loans of a given Extension Series. Revolving Credit Commitments, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, Other Revolving Credit Commitments, Initial Term Commitments, Incremental Term Commitments or Refinancing Term Commitments (and in each case, the Loans made pursuant to such Commitments) that have different terms and conditions shall be construed to be in different Classes. Commitments (and, in each case, the Loans made

 

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pursuant to such Commitments) that have the same terms and conditions shall be construed to be in the same Class. There shall be no more than an aggregate of four Classes of revolving credit facilities and eight Classes of term loan facilities under this Agreement at any time outstanding under this Agreement.

Closing Date” means September 25, 2019, the first date on which all conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 4.01.

Closing Date Refinancing” means the repayment in full of all outstanding indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreement and the termination of all commitments thereunder and all security interests and guarantees in connection therewith.

Closing Fees” means those fees required to be paid on the Closing Date pursuant to the Fee Letter.

Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

Collateral” means (i) the “Collateral” as defined in the Security Agreement, (ii) all the “Collateral” or “Pledged Collateral” (or similar term) as defined in any other Collateral Document and (iii) any other assets pledged or in which a Lien is granted, in each case, pursuant to any Collateral Document.

Collateral Agent” means JPMorgan, in its capacity as collateral agent or pledgee in its own name under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor collateral agent.

Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” means, at any time, the requirement that:

(a) the Administrative Agent shall have received each Collateral Document required to be delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.01(a) or from time to time pursuant to Section 6.11, Section 6.13, Section 6.16 or the Security Agreement, subject to the limitations and exceptions of this Agreement, duly executed by each Loan Party party thereto;

(b) the Obligations shall have been guaranteed by Holdings and each Subsidiary of the Borrower (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) pursuant to the Guaranty;

(c) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured pursuant to the Security Agreement by a first-priority security interest in (i) all the Equity Interests of the Borrower and (ii) all Equity Interests of each Restricted Subsidiary that is not an Excluded Subsidiary (other than any Restricted Subsidiary that is an Excluded Subsidiary solely pursuant to clause (f) and/or (j)(y) of the definition thereof) directly owned by any Loan Party, subject to exceptions and limitations otherwise set forth in this Agreement and the Collateral Documents (to the extent appropriate in the applicable jurisdiction) (and the Collateral Agent shall have received certificates or other instruments representing all such Equity Interests (if any), together with undated stock powers or other instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank);

 

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(d) all Pledged Debt owing to any Loan Party that is evidenced by a promissory note with an aggregate principal amount in excess of $10,000,000 shall have been delivered to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement and the Collateral Agent shall have received all such promissory notes, together with undated instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank;

(e) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a perfected security interest in substantially all now owned or at any time hereafter acquired tangible and intangible assets of each Loan Party (including Equity Interests, intercompany debt, accounts, inventory, equipment, investment property, contract rights, IP Rights, other general intangibles and proceeds of the foregoing), in each case, subject to exceptions and limitations otherwise set forth in this Agreement and the Collateral Documents (to the extent appropriate in the applicable jurisdiction), in each case with the priority required by the Collateral Documents;

(f) [reserved];

(g) except as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or any Collateral Document, all certificates, agreements, documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and Intellectual Property Security Agreements, required by the Collateral Documents, applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent to be filed, delivered, registered or recorded to create the Liens intended to be created by the Collateral Documents and perfect such Liens to the extent required by, and with the priority required by, the Collateral Documents and the other provisions of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” shall have been filed, registered or recorded or delivered to the Collateral Agent for filing, registration or recording; and

(h) after the Closing Date, each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not then a Guarantor and not an Excluded Subsidiary shall become a Guarantor and signatory to this Agreement pursuant to a joinder agreement in accordance with Sections 6.11 or 6.13 and a party to the Collateral Documents in accordance with Section 6.11; provided that notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, any Subsidiary of the Borrower that Guarantees (other than Guarantees by a Foreign Subsidiary of Indebtedness of another Foreign Subsidiary) any Junior Financing with a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing shall be a Guarantor hereunder for so long as it Guarantees such Indebtedness.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this definition or anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary:

(A) the foregoing definition shall not require, unless otherwise stated in this clause (A), the creation or perfection of pledges of, security interests in, or taking other actions with respect to the following (collectively, the “Excluded Assets”): (i) any property or assets owned by any Foreign Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary (unless, in each case, such Subsidiary becomes a Guarantor) or any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party, (ii) any lease, license, contract, agreement or other general intangible (other than Equity Interests) or any property subject to a purchase money security interest, Financing Lease Obligation or similar arrangement, in each case

 

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permitted under this Agreement, to the extent that a grant of a security interest therein would violate or invalidate such lease, license, contract, agreement or other general intangible, Financing Lease Obligations or purchase money arrangement or create a right of termination in favor of any other party thereto (other than a Loan Party) after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable Law, other than proceeds and receivables thereof, the assignment of which is expressly deemed effective under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable Law notwithstanding such prohibition, (iii) any interest in fee-owned real property, (iv) any interest in leased real property (including any requirement to deliver landlord waivers, estoppels and collateral access letters), (v) motor vehicles, aircrafts, airframes, aircrafts engines or helicopters and other assets subject to certificates of title, (vi) Margin Stock and Equity Interests of any Person other than the Borrower and each wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Restricted Subsidiary (that is also not an Excluded Subsidiary (other than any Restricted Subsidiary that is an Excluded Subsidiary solely pursuant to clause (f) and/or (j)(y) of the definition thereof), (vii) any intent-to-use trademark application prior to the filing and acceptance of a “statement of use” or “Amendment to Allege Use” with respect thereto, to the extent, if any, that, and solely during the period, if any, that granting a security interest in such trademark application prior to such filing would impair the enforceability or validity, or result in the voiding, of such trademark application (or any registration that may issue therefrom) under applicable federal Law, (viii) any property or assets to the extent a security interest therein would result in material adverse tax consequences to Holdings, the Borrower, any direct or indirect parent entity of the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s direct or indirect Subsidiaries, as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, (ix) any governmental licenses or state or local franchises, charters and authorizations, to the extent a security in any such license, franchise, charter or authorization is prohibited or restricted thereby after giving effect to the anti-assignment provision of the Uniform Commercial Code and other applicable Law, other than proceeds and receivables thereof, the assignment of which is expressly deemed effective under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable Law notwithstanding such prohibition or restriction, (x) any assets to the extent pledges and security interests therein are prohibited or restricted by applicable Law whether on the Closing Date or thereafter (including any requirement to obtain the consent of any governmental authority or third party (other than a Loan Party)), (xi) all commercial tort claims, (xii) any deposit accounts, securities accounts or any similar accounts (including securities entitlements) (in each case, other than to the extent constituting proceeds of Collateral) and any other accounts used solely as payroll and other employee wage and benefit accounts, tax accounts (including, without limitation, sales tax accounts) and any tax benefits accounts, escrow accounts, fiduciary or trust accounts and any funds and other property held in or maintained in any such accounts, (xiii) letter of credit rights, except to the extent constituting a supporting obligation for other Collateral as to which perfection of the security interest in such other Collateral may be accomplished by the filing of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement (it being understood that no actions shall be required to perfect a security interest in letter of credit rights, other than the filing of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement), (xiv) cash and Cash Equivalents (other than cash and Cash Equivalents to the extent constituting proceeds of Collateral), (xv) any particular assets if the burden, cost or consequence of creating or perfecting such pledges or security interests in such assets is excessive in relation to the benefits to be obtained therefrom by the Lenders under the Loan Documents as mutually agreed by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and (xvi) voting Equity Interests in any Foreign

 

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Subsidiary, CFC or any FSHCO, in each case, representing more than 65% of the voting power of all outstanding Equity Interests of such Foreign Subsidiary, CFC or FSHCO; provided, however, that Excluded Assets shall not include any proceeds, substitutions or replacements of any and all of the foregoing assets described in clauses (i) through (xvi) above unless such proceeds, substitutions or replacements would otherwise constitute Excluded Assets pursuant to clauses (i) through (xvi) above;

(B) (i) the foregoing definition shall not require control agreements with respect to any cash, deposit accounts or securities accounts or any other assets requiring perfection through control agreements; (ii) no actions in any non-U.S. jurisdiction or required by the laws of any non-U.S. jurisdiction shall be required in order to create any security interests in assets located or titled outside of the U.S., including any intellectual property registered in any non-U.S. jurisdiction, or to perfect such security interests (it being understood that there shall be no security agreements or pledge agreements governed under the laws of any non-U.S. jurisdiction) and (iii) except to the extent that perfection and priority may be achieved by the filing of a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code with respect to the Borrower or a Guarantor, the Loan Documents shall not contain any requirements as to perfection or priority with respect to any assets or property described in clauses (i) or (ii) of this clause (B);

(C) the Collateral Agent in its discretion may grant extensions of time for the creation or perfection of security interests in, or taking other actions with respect to, particular assets (including extensions beyond the Closing Date) where it reasonably determines, in consultation with the Borrower, that the creation or perfection of security interests, or taking other actions, or any other compliance with the requirements of this definition cannot be accomplished without undue delay, burden or expense by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required by this Agreement or the Collateral Documents; provided that the Collateral Agent shall have received on or prior to the Closing Date (i) Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in appropriate form for filing under the Uniform Commercial Code in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of each Loan Party, (ii) the Intellectual Property Security Agreements and (iii) any certificates or instruments representing or evidencing Equity Interests of the Borrower and its Domestic Subsidiaries (other than Equity Interests constituting Excluded Assets) accompanied by instruments of transfer and stock powers undated and endorsed in blank (or confirmation in lieu thereof reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent or its counsel that such certificates, powers and instruments have been sent for overnight delivery to the Collateral Agent or its counsel); provided further that the Collateral Agent shall have received the items set forth on Schedule 6.16 on or prior to the date(s) set forth therein;

(D) in the event that a Foreign Subsidiary becomes a Guarantor, such Loan Party shall grant a perfected lien on substantially all of its assets pursuant to arrangements reasonably agreed between the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, pursuant to documentation and subject to customary limitations in such jurisdiction as may be reasonably agreed between the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, and nothing in the definition of “Excluded Asset” or other limitation in this Agreement shall in any way limit or restrict the pledge of assets and property by any such Foreign Subsidiary that is a Guarantor or the pledge of the Equity Interests of such Foreign Subsidiary by any other Loan Party that holds such Equity Interests; and

 

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(E) Liens required to be granted from time to time pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall be subject to exceptions and limitations (if any) set forth in this Agreement and the Collateral Documents.

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement, the Intellectual Property Security Agreements, collateral assignments, security agreements, pledge agreements or other similar agreements delivered to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 4.01, Section 6.11, Section 6.13 or Section 6.16 and each of the other agreements, instruments or documents that creates or purports to create a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

Commitment” means a Revolving Credit Commitment, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment, Extended Revolving Credit Commitment of a given Extension Series, Other Revolving Credit Commitment of a given Refinancing Series, Initial Term Commitment, Incremental Term Commitment or Refinancing Term Commitment of a given Refinancing Series, as the context may require.

Committed Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

Company Parties” means the collective reference to Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including the Borrower, and “Company Party” means any one of them.

Compensation Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.12(c)(ii).

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-1.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, the Consolidated Net Income for such period:

(1) increased (without duplication) by the following, in each case (and to the extent applicable) to the extent deducted (and not added back) in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period:

(a) (w) provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital, including, without limitation, federal, state and foreign franchise and similar taxes (such as the Delaware franchise tax, the Pennsylvania capital tax, Texas margin tax and provincial capital taxes paid in Canada) and withholding taxes (including any future taxes or other levies which replace or are intended to be in lieu of such taxes and any penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations), (x) the amount of distributions actually made to any direct or indirect parent

 

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company of the Borrower in respect of such period in accordance with Section 7.06(i)(iii), (y) the amount of distributions actually made to any recipient of payments under the Acquisition Agreement in respect of such period in accordance with Section 7.06(r) and (z) the net tax expense associated with any adjustments made pursuant to clauses (1) through (18) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income”; plus

(b) Fixed Charges for such period (including (w) non-cash rent expense, (x) net losses or any obligations on Swap Obligations or other derivative instruments, (y) bank fees and other financing fees and (z) costs of surety bonds in connection with financing activities, plus amounts excluded from Consolidated Interest Expense as set forth in clauses (1)(o) through (z) in the definition thereof); plus

(c) the total amount of depreciation and amortization expenses and capitalized fees, including, without limitation, the amortization of capitalized fees related to any Qualified Securitization Facility and the amortization of intangible assets, deferred financing costs, debt issuance costs, commissions, fees and expenses, and any Capitalized Software Expenditures of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP; plus

(d) the amount of any equity-based or non-cash compensation charges or expenses, including any such charges or expenses arising from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights; plus

(e) any other non-cash charges, expenses or losses, including non-cash losses on the sale of assets and any write-offs or write-downs reducing Consolidated Net Income for such period and any non-cash expense relating to the vesting of warrants (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (A) the Borrower may elect not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (B) to the extent the Borrower elects to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent), and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period; plus

(f) the amount of any non-controlling interest or minority interest expense consisting of Subsidiary income attributable to non-controlling or minority equity interests of third parties in any non-wholly owned Subsidiary; plus

(g) the amount of (x) board fees, management, monitoring, consulting, transaction, advisory and other fees (including termination fees) and indemnities, costs and expenses paid or accrued in such period to the Investors or otherwise to any member of the board of directors of Holdings, the Borrower, any Permitted Holder or any Affiliate of a Permitted Holder, in each case, to the extent permitted under Section 7.08, (y) payments made to option holders of the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect parent companies in connection with, or as a result of, any distribution being made to shareholders of such person or its direct or indirect parent companies, which payments are being made to compensate such option holders as though they were shareholders at the time of, and entitled to share in, such distribution, including any cash

 

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consideration for any repurchase of equity, in each case to the extent permitted in the Loan Documents and (z) any fees and other compensation paid to the members of the board of directors (or the equivalent thereof) of the Borrower or any of its parent entities; plus

(h) the amount of (x) pro forma “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies related to the 2018 Acquisition that are reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions that have been taken or with respect to which substantial steps have been taken or are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Borrower) within 24 months after the Closing Date (including from any actions taken in whole or in part prior to the Closing Date), net of the amount of actual benefits realized during such period from such actions, (y) pro forma “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies related to mergers and other business combinations, acquisitions, investments, dispositions, divestitures, restructurings, operating improvements, cost savings initiatives and other similar transactions or initiatives (including the modification and renegotiation of contracts and other arrangements) that are reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions that have been taken or with respect to which substantial steps have been taken (in each case, including any steps or actions taken in whole or in part prior to the Closing Date or the applicable consummation date of such transaction, initiative or event) or are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Borrower) within 24 months after any such transaction, initiative or event is consummated, net the amount of actual benefits realized during such period from such actions and (z) savings from business continuity plans and procurement strategies reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions that have been taken or with respect to which substantial steps have been taken or are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Borrower) within 24 months after such business continuity plans or procurement strategies is consummated, in each case net the amount of actual benefits realized during such period from such action, in each case, calculated on a pro forma basis as though such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies had been realized on the first day of such period for which Consolidated EBITDA is being determined and as if such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies were realized on the first day of the applicable period for the entirety of such period; provided that no cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies shall be added pursuant to this clause (h) to the extent duplicative of any expenses or charges otherwise added to Consolidated EBITDA, whether through a pro forma adjustment or otherwise, for such period; provided further that the amount added back under clauses (h)(y) and (h)(z), when taken together with the amount added back under clause (m) below, shall not exceed 25% of Consolidated EBITDA (calculated after giving effect to such addbacks) for such period; plus

(i) the amount of loss or discount on sale of receivables, Securitization Assets and related assets to any Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Securitization Facility; plus

(j) any costs or expense incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or a parent entity of the Borrower pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement, any severance agreement or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent that such cost or expenses are funded with

 

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cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) solely to the extent that such cash proceeds or net cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the Cumulative Credit; plus

(k) cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clause (2) below for any previous period and not added back; plus

(l) any net losses, charges, expenses, costs or other payments (including all fees, expenses or charges related thereto) (i) from closed, disposed, abandoned or discontinued operations, (ii) in respect of facilities no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, abandoned, closed, disposed or discontinued operations and any losses on disposal of abandoned, closed or discontinued operations and (iii) attributable to business dispositions or asset dispositions (other than in the ordinary course of business) as determined in good faith by the Borrower; plus

(m) costs, expenses and other related costs, expenses and adjustments resulting from the impact of new product introductions (including, but not limited to, labor costs, scrap costs, and lower absorption of costs (including due to decreased productivity and greater inefficiencies)) in respect of any plant, facility or location and expected to have a continuing impact on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the amount added back under this clause (m), when taken together with the amount added back under clauses (h)(y) and (h)(z) above, shall not exceed 25% of Consolidated EBITDA (calculated after giving effect to such addbacks) for such period; plus

(n) any other adjustments, exclusions and add-backs reflected in the Sponsor’s model delivered to the Lead Arrangers on or about August 8, 2019; plus

(o) [reserved]; plus

(p) compensation expense attributable to positive investment income with respect to funded deferred compensation account balances; plus

(q) the amount of any gains or losses arising from embedded derivatives in the customer contracts of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary and any gain or loss attributable to mark-to-market adjustments in the valuation of pension liabilities, including actuarial gain or loss on pension and post-retirement plans, curtailments and settlements;

(2) decreased (without duplication) by the following, in each case to the extent included in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period:

(a) non-cash gains (including non-cash gains on the sale of assets) increasing Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for such period, excluding any non-cash gains to the extent they represent the reversal of an accrual or reserve for a potential cash item that reduced

 

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Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period and any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period so long as such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period; plus

(b) any net income from disposed, abandoned, closed or discontinued operations or attributable to business dispositions or asset dispositions (other than in the ordinary course of business) as determined in good faith by the Borrower; plus

(c) the reduction in compensation expense attributable to investment loss with respect to funded deferred compensation account balances; and

(3) increased or decreased (without duplication) by, as applicable, any non-cash adjustments resulting from the application of FASB Interpretation No. 45 Guarantees.

There shall be included in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period, without duplication, (A) the Acquired EBITDA of any Person, property, business or asset acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (but not the Acquired EBITDA of any related Person, property, business or assets to the extent not so acquired), to the extent not subsequently sold, transferred or otherwise disposed by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each such Person, property, business or asset acquired and not subsequently so disposed of, an “Acquired Entity or Business”) and the Acquired EBITDA of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each, a “Converted Restricted Subsidiary”), based on the actual Acquired EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition) and (B) for the purposes of the definition of the term “Permitted Acquisition,” compliance with the covenant set forth in Section 7.11 and the calculation of the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio, an adjustment in respect of each Acquired Entity or Business equal to the amount of the Pro Forma Adjustment with respect to such Acquired Entity or Business for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition) as specified in a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer and delivered to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent. There shall be excluded in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period the Disposed EBITDA of any Person, property, business or asset (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of or, closed or classified as discontinued operations (but if such operations are classified as discontinued due to the fact that they are subject to an agreement to dispose of such operations, only when and to the extent such operations are actually disposed of) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each such Person, property, business or asset so sold or disposed of, a “Sold Entity or Business”) and the Disposed EBITDA of any Restricted Subsidiary that is converted into an Unrestricted Subsidiary during such period (each a “Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary”), based on the actual Disposed EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such sale, transfer or disposition).

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA under this Agreement for any period that includes any of the fiscal quarters

 

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ended on September 30, 2018, December 31, 2018, March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters shall be $19,400,000, $18,100,000, $17,200,000 and $16,700,000, respectively, in each case, as may be subject to any adjustment set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph for any four-quarter period with respect to any acquisitions, dispositions or conversions occurring after the Closing Date.

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the sum, without duplication,

of:

(1) consolidated interest expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent such expense was deducted (and not added back) in computing Consolidated Net Income, including (a) amortization of OID resulting from the issuance of Indebtedness at less than par, (b) all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit or bankers acceptances, (c) non-cash interest payments (but excluding any non-cash interest expense attributable to the movement in the mark to market valuation of Swap Obligations or other derivative instruments pursuant to GAAP), (d) the interest component of Financing Lease Obligations, and (e) net payments, if any made (less net payments, if any, received), pursuant to interest rate Swap Obligations with respect to Indebtedness, and excluding (o) annual agency or similar fees paid to the administrative agents and collateral agents and other agents under this Agreement or other credit facilities, (p) any additional interest with respect to failure to comply with any registration rights agreement owing with respect to any securities, (q) costs associated with obtaining Swap Obligations, (r) any expense resulting from the discounting of any Indebtedness in connection with the application of recapitalization accounting or, if applicable, purchase accounting in connection with the Transactions or any acquisition, (s) penalties and interest relating to taxes, (t) any “additional interest” or “liquidated damages” with respect to other securities for failure to timely comply with registration rights obligations, (u) amortization or expensing of deferred financing fees, amendment and consent fees, debt issuance costs, commissions, fees, expenses and discounted liabilities and any other amounts of non-cash interest, (v) any expensing of bridge, commitment and other financing fees and any other fees related to the Transactions or any acquisitions after the Closing Date, (w) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any Qualified Securitization Facility, (x) any accretion of accrued interest on discounted liabilities and any prepayment, make-whole or breakage premium, cost or penalty, (y) interest expense attributable to a parent entity resulting from push-down accounting, and (z) any lease, rental or other expense in connection with a Non-Financing Lease Obligation; plus

(2) consolidated capitalized interest of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued; less

(3) interest income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period.

 

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For purposes of this definition, interest on a Financing Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by the Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such Financing Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP (or, if not implicit, as otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP).

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income (loss) of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis, and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends; provided, however, that, without duplication,

(1) any after-Tax effect of extraordinary, exceptional, unusual or nonrecurring gains or losses less all fees and expenses relating thereto (including any extraordinary, exceptional, unusual or nonrecurring operating expenses directly attributable to the implementation of cost savings initiatives and any accruals or reserves in respect of any extraordinary, exceptional unusual or nonrecurring items, charges or expenses (including relating to any multi-year strategic initiatives) shall be excluded;

(2) Transaction Expenses, restructuring and duplicative running costs, restructuring charges or reserves, relocation costs, start-up or initial costs for any project or new production line, division or new line of business, integration and facilities opening costs, facility consolidation and closing costs, severance costs and expenses, one-time charges (including compensation charges), payments made pursuant to the terms of change-in-control agreements that the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or a parent entity of the Borrower had entered into with employees of the Borrower, a Restricted Subsidiary or a parent entity of the Borrower, costs relating to pre-opening, opening and conversion costs for facilities, losses, costs or cost inefficiencies related to facility or property disruptions or shutdowns, signing, retention and completion bonuses, recruiting costs, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, litigation and arbitration fees (whether or not recurring), costs and charges, expenses in connection with one-time rate changes, costs incurred in connection with acquisitions, investments and dispositions (including travel and out-of-pocket costs, professional fees for legal, accounting and other services, human resources costs (including relocation bonuses), litigation and arbitration costs (whether or not recurring), charges, fees and expenses (including related judgments and settlements), management transition costs, advertising costs, losses associated with temporary decreases in work volume and expenses related to maintaining underutilized personnel) and non-recurring product and intellectual property development, other business optimization expenses or reserves (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs and new systems design and costs or reserves associated with improvements to IT and accounting functions, retention charges (including charges or expenses in respect of incentive plans), system establishment costs and implementation costs) and operating expenses attributable to the implementation of cost-savings initiatives, and curtailments or modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefit plans shall be excluded;

 

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(3) at the election of the Borrower with respect to any quarterly period, the cumulative after-Tax effect of a change in accounting principles and changes as a result of the adoption or modification of accounting policies shall be excluded;

(4) any net after-Tax effect of gains or losses on disposal, abandonment or discontinuance of disposed, abandoned or discontinued operations, as applicable, shall be excluded;

(5) any net after-Tax effect of gains or losses (less all fees, expenses and charges relating thereto) attributable to asset dispositions or abandonments or the sale or other disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business shall be excluded;

(6) the net income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary of the Borrower, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting shall be excluded; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower shall be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash or Cash Equivalents (or to the extent converted, or having the ability to be converted, into cash or Cash Equivalents) to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period;

(7) solely for purposes of determining the amount of Excess Cash Flow, the net income for such period of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Guarantor) shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of its net income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (which has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by the operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders (other than restrictions in this Agreement), unless such restriction with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions has been legally waived or released (or such Person reasonably believes such restriction could be waived or released and is using commercially reasonable efforts to pursue such waiver or release); provided that the Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries will be increased by the amount of dividends or other distributions or other payments actually paid in cash or Cash Equivalents (or to the extent converted, or having the ability to be converted, into cash or Cash Equivalents) to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period, to the extent not already included therein;

(8) effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries) in the Borrower’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory (including any impact of changes to inventory valuation policy methods, including changes in capitalization of variances), property and equipment, software, loans and leases, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the

 

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case may be, in relation to the Transactions or any consummated acquisition or joint venture investment or the amortization or write-off or write-down of any amounts thereof, net of taxes, shall be excluded;

(9) any after-Tax effect of income (loss) from the extinguishment or conversion of (i) Indebtedness, (ii) Swap Obligations or (iii) other derivative instruments shall be excluded;

(10) any impairment charge or asset write-off or write-down, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities and investments recorded using the equity method or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case, pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded;

(11) any equity-based or non-cash compensation or similar charge or expense or reduction of revenue including any such charge, expense or amount arising from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock, profits interests or other rights or equity or equity-based incentive programs (“equity incentives”), any one-time cash charges associated with the equity incentives or other long-term incentive compensation plans (including under deferred compensation arrangements of the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect parent entities or subsidiaries), roll-over, acceleration, or payout of Equity Interests by management, future, present or former employees, directors, officers, managers, members, partners, independent contractors or consultants or business partners (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect parent entities or subsidiaries, and any cash awards granted to future, present or former employees, directors, officers, managers, members, partners, independent contractors or consultants or business partners (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in replacement for forfeited equity awards, shall be excluded;

(12) any fees, expenses or charges incurred during such period, or any amortization thereof for such period, in connection with any acquisition, recapitalization, investment, asset sale, disposition, incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness (including such fees, expenses or charges related to the offering and issuance of any securities and the syndication and incurrence of any Facility), issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower or its direct or indirect parent entities, refinancing transaction or amendment or modification of any debt instrument (including any amendment or other modification of any securities and any Facility) and including, in each case, any such transaction consummated on or prior to the Closing Date and any such transaction undertaken but not completed, and any charges or non-recurring merger costs incurred during such period as a result of any such transaction, in each case whether or not successful or consummated (including, for the avoidance of doubt the effects of expensing all transaction related expenses in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 805, Business Combinations), shall be excluded;

 

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(13) accruals and reserves that are established or adjusted in connection with the Transactions or within twenty-four months after the closing of any acquisition that are so required to be established or adjusted as a result of such acquisition in accordance with GAAP or changes as a result of modifications of accounting policies shall be excluded;

(14) any expenses, charges or losses to the extent covered by insurance or indemnity and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer or indemnifying party and only to the extent that such amount is in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of the insurable or indemnifiable event (net of any amount so added back in any prior period to the extent not so reimbursed within the applicable 365-day period), shall be excluded;

(15) any non-cash compensation expense resulting from the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, shall be excluded;

(16) any net pension or post-employment benefit costs representing amortization of unrecognized prior service costs, actuarial losses, including amortization of such amounts arising in prior periods, amortization of the unrecognized net obligation (and loss or cost) existing at the date of initial application of Statement on Financial Accounting Standards No. 87, 106 and 112; and any other items of a similar nature, shall be excluded;

(17) the following items shall be excluded:

(a) any unrealized net gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such period from Swap Obligations and the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging,

(b) any unrealized net gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses including those related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including any net gain or loss resulting from Swap Obligations for currency exchange risk) and any other foreign currency translation gains and losses to the extent such gains or losses are non-cash items,

(c) any adjustments resulting from the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 460, Guarantees, or any comparable regulation,

(d) at the election of the Borrower with respect to any quarterly period, effects of adjustments to accruals and reserves during a prior period relating to any change in the methodology of calculating reserves for returns, rebates and other chargebacks, and

(e) earn-out, non-compete and contingent consideration obligations (including to the extent accounted for as bonuses or otherwise) and adjustments thereof and purchase price adjustments; and

 

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(18) the amount of distributions actually made to any direct or indirect parent company of such Person in respect of such period in accordance with Section 7.06(i)(iii) shall be included in calculating Consolidated Net Income as though such amounts had been paid as taxes directly by such Person for such period.

In addition, to the extent not already included in the Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, Consolidated Net Income shall include the amount of proceeds received or due from business interruption insurance and reimbursements of any expenses and charges that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any acquisition, investment or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement.

Consolidated Total Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, in an amount that would be reflected on a balance sheet prepared as of such date on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase accounting in connection with the Transactions or other Investments and excluding any Indebtedness incurred by any other Person), consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, purchase money indebtedness, Attributable Indebtedness, and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes, bonds, debentures, loan agreements or similar instruments, minus the aggregate amount of all unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents on the balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date; provided that Consolidated Total Net Debt shall not include (i) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit (including Letters of Credit), except to the extent of unreimbursed amounts thereunder; provided that any unreimbursed amount under commercial letters of credit shall not be counted as Consolidated Total Net Debt until three Business Days after such amount is drawn, (ii) Non-Financing Lease Obligations and (iii) Indebtedness of Unrestricted Subsidiaries; it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that obligations under Swap Contracts do not constitute Consolidated Total Net Debt.

Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to any four-quarter period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Net Debt as of the last day of such period (or, solely with respect to the testing of actual compliance with Section 7.11, as of the Financial Covenant Testing Date) to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period.

Consolidated Working Capital” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at any date of determination, Current Assets at such date of determination minus Current Liabilities at such date of determination; provided that increases or decreases in Consolidated Working Capital shall be calculated without regard to any changes in Current Assets or Current Liabilities as a result of (a) any reclassification in accordance with GAAP of assets or liabilities, as applicable, between current and noncurrent or (b) the effects of purchase accounting.

 

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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 set forth in the definition of “Affiliate.”

Controlled Investment Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person, other than the Investors, which directly or indirectly is in Control of, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with such Person and is organized by such Person (or any Person Controlling such Person) primarily for making direct or indirect equity or debt investments in the Borrower and/or other companies.

Converted Restricted Subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA.”

Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA.”

Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” means (a) Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt, (b) Permitted Junior Lien Refinancing Debt, (c) Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt or (d) other Indebtedness incurred pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment, in each case, issued, incurred or otherwise obtained (including by means of the extension or renewal of existing Indebtedness) in exchange for, or to extend, renew, replace, repurchase, retire or refinance, in whole or part, existing Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans (or Commitments in respect to Revolving Credit Loans), or any then-existing Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness (“Refinanced Debt”); provided that (i) such Indebtedness has a maturity no earlier than, and, in the case of Refinancing Term Loans, a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Refinanced Debt, (ii) such Indebtedness shall not have a greater principal amount than the principal amount of the Refinanced Debt plus unused commitments in respect of the Refinanced Debt, accrued interest, fees, premiums (if any) and penalties thereon and reasonable fees and expenses associated with the refinancing, (iii) the other terms and conditions of such Indebtedness shall either, at the option of the Borrower (I) reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence or issuance (as determined by the Borrower) (provided that to the extent any more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, such more restrictive financial maintenance covenant shall be added for the benefit of each Facility that then benefits from a financial maintenance covenant and is remaining outstanding (except to the extent such more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date of each such Facility)) or (II) if not consistent with the terms of the Refinanced Debt being refinanced or replaced, be not materially more restrictive (taken as a whole) on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as determined by the Borrower) than those applicable to the Refinanced Debt being refinanced or replaced (except for (x) pricing, premiums, fees, rate floors and prepayment and redemption terms and (y) covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness and it being understood that to the extent any financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of such

 

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(A) Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in the form of Refinancing Term Loans or refinancing notes or other debt securities (whether issued in a public offering, Rule 144A, private placement or otherwise), no consent shall be required from the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders to the extent that such financial maintenance covenant is also added for the benefit of each Facility remaining outstanding after the incurrence or issuance of such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness or (B) Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in the form of Other Revolving Credit Commitments or Other Revolving Credit Loans, no consent shall be required from the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders to the extent that such financial maintenance covenant (x) is also added for the benefit of the Revolving Credit Facility that then benefits from a financial maintenance covenant and is remaining outstanding after the incurrence of such Other Revolving Credit Commitments or Other Revolving Credit Loans or (y) applies only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date of such Revolving Credit Facility) (provided that a certificate of a Responsible Officer delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the requirement of this clause (iii) shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy such requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees)), and (iv) such Refinanced Debt shall be repaid, repurchased, retired, defeased or satisfied and discharged, all accrued interest, fees, premiums (if any) and penalties in connection therewith shall be paid, and all commitments thereunder terminated, on the date such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness is issued, incurred or obtained.

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

Cumulative Credit” means, at any date, an amount, not less than zero in the aggregate, determined on a cumulative basis equal to, without duplication:

(a) the greater of (x) $25,000,000 and (y) 35% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA; plus

(b) the amount, not less than zero in the aggregate, determined on a cumulative basis, equal to the aggregate cumulative sum of 50% of the Excess Cash Flow calculated as of the last day of each fiscal year following the Closing Date beginning with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 (provided that with respect to the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019, such amount shall be for the period from the Closing Date until December 31, 2019); plus

(c) the Cumulative Retained Asset Sale Proceeds Amount at such time; plus

(d) the cumulative amount of cash and Cash Equivalent proceeds (other than Excluded Contributions) and/or the fair market value of assets received from (i) the sale or transfer of Equity Interests (other than any Disqualified Equity Interests and other than any Designated Equity Contribution) of Holdings, the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower after the Closing Date and on or prior to such time (including upon exercise of warrants or options) which

 

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proceeds or assets have been contributed as common equity to the capital of the Borrower or (ii) the common Equity Interests of the Borrower (or Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings) (other than Disqualified Equity Interests of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) and other than any Designated Equity Contribution) issued upon conversion of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness that is contractually subordinated to the Obligations) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower owed to a Person other than a Loan Party or a Restricted Subsidiary of a Loan Party, in each case, not previously applied for a purpose other than use in the Cumulative Credit; plus

(e) 100% of the aggregate amount of contributions to the common capital (other than from a Restricted Subsidiary and other than any Designated Equity Contribution) of the Borrower received after the Closing Date (other than Excluded Contributions), not previously applied for a purpose other than use in the Cumulative Credit; plus

(f) 100% of the aggregate amount received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower from:

(A) the sale or transfer (other than to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary) of the Equity Interests of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, joint venture or any minority investments, or

(B) any dividend or other distribution by an Unrestricted Subsidiary or received in respect of any minority investment (except to the extent increasing Consolidated Net Income and excluding Excluded Contributions), or

(C) any interest, returns of principal payments and similar payments by an Unrestricted Subsidiary or joint venture or received in respect of any minority investments (except to the extent increasing Consolidated Net Income); plus

(g) in the event any Unrestricted Subsidiary has been redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary or has been merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, the fair market value of the Investments of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation, combination or transfer (or of the assets transferred or conveyed, as applicable) so long as such Investments were originally made pursuant to Section 7.02(n)(y); plus

(h) to the extent not already included in Consolidated Net Income, an amount equal to any returns in cash and Cash Equivalents (including dividends, interest, distributions, returns of principal, profits on sale, repayments, income and similar amounts) actually received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any Investments made pursuant to Section 7.02(n)(y); plus

(i) 100% of the aggregate amount of any Declined Proceeds; minus

 

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(j) any amount of the Cumulative Credit used to make Investments pursuant to Section 7.02(n)(y) after the Closing Date and prior to such time; minus

(k) any amount of the Cumulative Credit used to pay dividends or make distributions pursuant to Section 7.06(h)(y) after the Closing Date and prior to such time; minus

(l) any amount of the Cumulative Credit used to make payments or distributions in respect of Junior Financings pursuant to Section 7.13(a)(v)(y) after the Closing Date and prior to such time.

Cumulative Retained Asset Sale Proceeds Amount” means the cumulative portion (since the Closing Date) of the Net Proceeds of Dispositions not required to be applied to prepay the Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(ii) due to the Applicable Asset Sale Percentage being less than 100%.

Current Assets” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at any date of determination, all assets (other than cash and Cash Equivalents) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries that would, in accordance with GAAP, be classified on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as current assets at such date of determination, other than amounts related to current or deferred Taxes based on income or profits (but excluding assets held for sale, loans (permitted) to third parties, pension assets, deferred bank fees and derivative financial instruments).

Current Liabilities” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at any date of determination, all liabilities of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries that would, in accordance with GAAP, be classified on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as current liabilities at such date of determination, other than (a) the current portion of any Indebtedness, (b) accruals of Consolidated Interest Expense (excluding Consolidated Interest Expense that is past due and unpaid), (c) accruals for current or deferred Taxes based on income or profits, (d) accruals of any costs or expenses related to restructuring reserves, and (e) any Revolving Credit Exposure.

Debt Fund Affiliate” means (i) any fund or client managed by, or under common management with GSO Capital Partners LP, Blackstone Real Estate Special Situations Advisors L.L.C. and Blackstone Tactical Opportunities Fund L.P., (ii) any fund or client managed by an adviser within the credit focused division of The Blackstone Group L.P. or Blackstone ISG-I Advisors L.L.C., (iii) The Blackstone Strategic Opportunity Funds (including masters, feeders, onshore, offshore and parallel funds), (iv) funds and accounts managed by Blackstone Alternative Solutions, L.L.C. or its Affiliates and (v) any other Affiliate of the Investors or Holdings that is a bona fide debt fund or an investment vehicle that is engaged in the making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans, bonds and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course.

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.

 

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Declined Proceeds” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(b)(viii).

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 an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Rate applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2.0% per annum; provided that with respect to the overdue principal or interest in respect of a Eurocurrency 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 2.0% per annum, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender whose acts or failure to act, whether directly or indirectly, cause it to meet any part of the definition of “Lender Default.”

Delaware Divided LLC” means any Delaware LLC which has been formed upon the consummation of a Delaware LLC Division.

Delaware LLC” means any limited liability company organized or formed under the laws of the State of Delaware.

Delaware LLC Division” means the statutory division of any Delaware LLC into two or more Delaware LLCs pursuant to Section 18-217 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act.

Designated Equity Contribution” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.05(a).

Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(B)(1).

Discount Range” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(1).

Discount Range Prepayment Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(1).

Discount Range Prepayment Notice” means a written notice of a Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers made pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(1) substantially in the form of Exhibit L-4.

Discount Range Prepayment Offer” means the irrevocable written offer by a Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit L-5, submitted in response to an invitation to submit offers following the Auction Agent’s receipt of a Discount Range Prepayment Notice.

Discount Range Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(1).

 

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Discount Range Proration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(3).

Discounted Prepayment Determination Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(3).

Discounted Prepayment Effective Date” means in the case of a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment, Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offer or Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offer, five (5) Business Days following the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date, the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date or the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, as applicable, in accordance with Section 2.05(a)(v)(B)(1), Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(1) or Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(1), respectively, unless a shorter period is agreed to between the Borrower and the Auction Agent.

Discounted Term Loan Prepayment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(A).

Disposed EBITDA” means, with respect to any Sold Entity or Business or any Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business (determined as if references to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of Consolidated EBITDA (and in the component definitions used therein) were references to such Sold Entity or Business and its Subsidiaries or such Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries) or such Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary, all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Sold Entity or Business or such Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any sale or issuance of Equity Interests in a Restricted Subsidiary) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith and including any disposition of property to a Delaware Divided LLC pursuant to a Delaware LLC Division; provided that “Disposition” and “Dispose” shall not be deemed to include any issuance by Holdings of any of its Equity Interests to another Person.

Disqualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interests into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition (a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Commitments and the termination or expiration of all outstanding Letters of Credit (unless the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized, backstopped by a letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer or deemed reissued under another agreement reasonably acceptable to the applicable L/C Issuer)), (b) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests

 

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and other than as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Commitments and the expiration or termination of all outstanding Letters of Credit (unless the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized, backstopped by a letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer or deemed reissued under another agreement reasonably acceptable to the applicable L/C Issuer)), in whole or in part, (c) provides for the scheduled payments of dividends in cash, or (d) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, prior to the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time of issuance of such Equity Interests; provided that if such Equity Interests are issued pursuant to a plan for the benefit of future, present or former employees, directors, officers, managers or consultants (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interests shall not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

Disqualified Lenders” means (i) those Persons identified by the Borrower (or one of its Affiliates) or the Sponsor to the Administrative Agent in writing prior to the Closing Date, (ii) competitors (and such competitors’ sponsors and Affiliates identified in writing or reasonably identifiable as such solely on the basis of their names) of the Borrower identified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent in writing (x) prior to the Closing Date and (y) thereafter (including after the Closing Date) from time to time and (iii) any Affiliate of any Person described in clause (i) or competitor described in clause (ii) that is identified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent in writing from time to time or reasonably identifiable by name as an Affiliate of such Person, in each case, other than an Affiliate of such Person that is a Bona Fide Debt Fund; it being understood that the Borrower may withhold its consent with respect to an assignment to any Person that is known by the Borrower to be an affiliate of a Disqualified Lender regardless of whether such Person is reasonably identifiable as an Affiliate of such Disqualified Lender on the basis of such Affiliate’s name (other than a Bona Fide Debt Fund); provided that no updates to the list of Disqualified Lenders shall be deemed to retroactively disqualify any parties that have previously validly acquired an assignment or participation in respect of the Loans from continuing to hold or vote such previously acquired assignments and participations on the terms set forth herein for Lenders that are not Disqualified Lenders. The list of Disqualified Lenders shall be made available to any Lender upon request to the Administrative Agent, subject to customary confidentiality requirements.

Distressed Person” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Lender-Related Distress Event.”

Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

Dollar Denominated Letter of Credit” means any Letter of Credit incurred in Dollars.

 

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Dollar Denominated Loan” means any Loan incurred in Dollars.

Dollar Equivalent” means, for any amount, at the time of determination thereof, (a) if such amount is expressed in Dollars, such amount, (b) if such amount is expressed in an Approved Foreign Currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars determined by using the rate of exchange for the purchase of Dollars with such Approved Foreign Currency last provided (either by publication or otherwise provided to the Administrative Agent) by the applicable Thompson Reuters Corp. (“Reuters”) source on the Business Day (New York City time) immediately preceding the date of determination or if such service ceases to be available or ceases to provide a rate of exchange for the purchase of Dollars with the applicable Approved Foreign Currency, as provided by such other publicly available information service which provides that rate of exchange at such time in place of Reuters chosen by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion (or if such service ceases to be available or ceases to provide such rate of exchange, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent using any method of determination it deems appropriate in its sole discretion) and (c) if such amount is denominated in any other currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent using any method of determination it deems appropriate in its sole discretion.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent;

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Effective Yield” means, as to any Loans of any Class, the effective yield on such Loans in an amount equal to the sum of (a) the applicable margin, (b) the interest rate (exclusive of applicable margin) after giving effect to any interest rate floors or similar devices and (c) all upfront or similar fees and OID (amortized over the shorter of (x) the original stated life of such Loans and (y) the four years following the date of incurrence thereof) payable generally to Lenders making such Loans, but excluding amendment fees, arrangement fees, structuring fees, commitment fees, underwriting fees or other fees payable to any lead arranger (or its affiliates) in connection with the commitment or syndication of such Indebtedness, consent fees paid to consenting Lenders, ticking fees on undrawn commitments and any other fees not paid or payable generally to all Lenders in the primary syndication of such Indebtedness.

 

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Eligible Assignee” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(a).

Environment” means indoor air, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, drinking water, land surface, subsurface strata and natural resources such as wetlands, flora and fauna.

Environmental Laws” means any applicable Law relating to pollution, protection of the Environment and natural resources, Hazardous Materials, or the protection of human health and safety as it relates to exposure to Hazardous Materials, including any applicable provisions of CERCLA.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of investigation and remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of or relating to the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of, or liability under or relating to, any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials or (d) the actual or alleged presence, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials, including, in each case of (a) through (d), any such liability which any Loan Party has retained or assumed pursuant to any written contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement.

Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares, interests, rights, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests or units in) such Person and all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase, acquisition or exchange from such Person of any of the foregoing (including through convertible securities).

Equityholding Vehicle” means any direct or indirect parent entity of the Borrower and any equityholder thereof through which Management Stockholders hold Equity Interests of the Borrower or such parent entity.

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with a Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code, or solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(m) or (o) of the Code.

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event; (b) a withdrawal by a Loan Party, any Restricted Subsidiary 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 a Loan Party, any Restricted Subsidiary or any

 

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ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan; (d) the filing by the PBGC of a notice of intent to terminate any Pension Plan, the treatment of a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or Section 4041A of ERISA, respectively, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) appointment of a trustee to administer any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (f) with respect to a Pension Plan, the failure to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Pension Plan, whether or not waived; (g) any Foreign Benefit Event; or (h) 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 a Loan Party, any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

Euro” means the single currency of participating member states of the economic and monetary union in accordance with the Treaty of Rome 1957, as amended by the Single European Act 1986, the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 and the Amsterdam Treaty of 1998.

EURIBOR Screen Rate” means the euro interbank offered rate administered by the European Money Markets Institute (or any other person which takes over the administration of that rate) for the relevant period displayed (before any correction, recalculation or republication by the administrator) on page EURIBOR01 of the Thomson Reuters screen (or any replacement Thomson Reuters page which displays that rate) or on the appropriate page of such other information service which publishes that rate from time to time in place of Thomson Reuters as of 11:00 a.m. Brussels time two TARGET days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period. If such page or service ceases to be available, the Administrative Agent may specify another page or service displaying the relevant rate after consultation with the Company. If the EURIBOR Screen Rate shall be less than zero, the EURIBOR Screen Rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Eurocurrency Rate” means, (1) with respect to any Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in any Approved Currency (other than Euros), for any Interest Period, the LIBO Screen Rate (or any applicable successor page or such other commercially available published source providing such quotations as may be approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower from time to time) and (2) with respect to any Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Euros, for any Interest Period, the EURIBOR Screen Rate, in each case, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that (x) that if the LIBO Screen Rate or the EURIBOR Screen Rate, as applicable, shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an “Impacted Interest Period”) with respect to the applicable Approved Currency, then the Eurocurrency Rate with respect to such Approved Currency shall be the Interpolated Rate, (y) if (i) the Borrower and the Administrative Agent reasonably determine in good faith that an interest rate is not ascertainable pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition and the inability to ascertain such rate is unlikely to be temporary or (ii) the circumstances set forth in the preceding clause (i) have not arisen but the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate or the EURIBOR Screen Rate, as

 

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applicable, or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate or the EURIBOR Screen Rate, as applicable, shall no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans, the “Eurocurrency Rate” shall be an alternate rate of interest established by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that is generally accepted as the then prevailing market convention for determining a rate of interest for loans in the United States at such time and shall include (A) the spread or method for determining a spread or other adjustment or modification that is generally accepted as the then prevailing market convention for determining such spread, method, adjustment or modification and (B) other adjustments to such alternate rate and this Agreement (x) to not increase or decrease pricing in effect at the time of selection of such alternate rate (but for the avoidance of doubt which would not reduce the Applicable Rate) and (y) other changes necessary to reflect the available interest periods for such alternate rate) for loans in the United States at such time (any such rate, the “Successor Benchmark Rate”), and the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 10.01, such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement; provided, further that if a Successor Benchmark Rate has not been established pursuant to the immediately preceding proviso after the Borrower and the Administrative Agent have reached such a determination, at the option of the Borrower, the Borrower and the Required Lenders may select a different Successor Benchmark Rate as long as it is reasonably practicable for the Administrative Agent to administer such different rate and, upon not less than 15 Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Required Lenders and the Borrower shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 10.01, such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Eurocurrency Rate in respect of any applicable Interest Period will be deemed to be zero if the Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period calculated pursuant to the foregoing provisions would otherwise be less than zero.

Eurocurrency Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurocurrency Rate.

Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Loan” means a Revolving Credit Loan bearing interest at a rate based on the Eurocurrency Rate. Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Loans may be denominated in any Approved Currency.

Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01.

Excess Cash Flow” means, for any period, an amount (which shall not be less than zero) equal to (a) the sum, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Net Income for such period, (ii) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash charges to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, (iii) decreases in Consolidated Working Capital and long-term accounts receivable of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period (other than any such

 

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decreases arising from acquisitions or dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting) and (iv) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on Dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than sales in the ordinary course of business) or any cash gain, in each case to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, minus (b) the sum, without duplication, of (i) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and cash charges included in clauses (1) through (18) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income,” (ii) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash gain on Dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, (iii) increases in Consolidated Working Capital and long-term accounts receivable of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period (other than any such increases arising from acquisitions or dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period or the application of purchase accounting), (iv) the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries made during such period (including (A) the principal component of payments in respect of Financing Leases, (B) the amount of any scheduled repayment of Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.07, and (C) any mandatory prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(ii) to the extent required due to a Disposition that resulted in an increase to Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase but excluding (X) all other voluntary and mandatory prepayments of Term Loans and all prepayments and repayments of Revolving Credit Loans and Swing Line Loans and (Y) all prepayments in respect of any other revolving credit facility, except in the case of clause (Y) to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder to the extent financed with internally generated cash), (v) cash payments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries made during such period in respect of long-term liabilities of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness), to the extent financed with internally generated cash, (vi) the amount of Investments and acquisitions made by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period and paid in cash pursuant to Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(a), (c) or (x)), to the extent financed with internally generated cash, (vii) the amount of Restricted Payments paid in cash during such period pursuant to Section 7.06(i) (clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) only) or Section 7.06(g), to the extent financed with internally generated cash or Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility, (viii) the aggregate amount of expenditures made by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in cash during such period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such period, to the extent financed with internally generated cash, (ix) the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments paid (or committed to be paid) in cash by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that are required to be made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness, to the extent financed with internally generated cash and (x) the amount of cash taxes paid in such period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period. Notwithstanding anything in the definition of any term used in the definition of Excess Cash Flow to the contrary, all components of Excess Cash Flow shall be computed for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

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Excluded Assets” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.”

Excluded Contribution” means net cash proceeds, marketable securities or Qualified Proceeds received by the Borrower from:

(1) contributions to its common equity capital;

(2) dividends, distributions, fees and other payments (A) from Unrestricted Subsidiaries and any of their Subsidiaries, (B) received in respect of any minority investments and (C) from any joint ventures that are not Restricted Subsidiaries; and

(3) the sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Borrower or to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement of the Borrower) of Equity Interest (other than Disqualified Equity Interests and preferred stock) of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower to the extent contributed as common Equity Interests by the Borrower);

in each case to the extent designated as Excluded Contributions by the Borrower.

Excluded Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, (b) any Subsidiary that does not have 5% of Total Assets in the aggregate together with all other Subsidiaries excluded via this clause (b), (c) any Securitization Subsidiary, (d) any Subsidiary that is prohibited by applicable Law (whether on the Closing Date or thereafter) or Contractual Obligations existing on the Closing Date (or, in the case of any newly acquired Subsidiary, in existence at the time of acquisition but not entered into in contemplation thereof) from guaranteeing the Obligations or if guaranteeing the Obligation would require governmental (including regulatory) or regulatory third-party (other than a Loan Party) consent, approval, license or authorization (unless such consent, approval, license or authorization has been obtained), (e) any other Subsidiary with respect to which the Administrative Agent and the Borrower mutually agree that the burden or cost or other consequences (including any material adverse tax consequences) of providing a Guarantee shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom, (f) any Foreign Subsidiary of the Borrower, (g) any Subsidiary with respect to which the provision of a guarantee by it would result in material adverse tax consequences to Holdings, the Borrower, any direct or indirect parent entity of the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries, in each case, as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, (h) any not-for-profit Subsidiary, (i) any Unrestricted Subsidiaries, (j) any Subsidiary (x) that is a Domestic Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary that is a CFC or (y) substantially all of the assets of which consist of capital stock and/or indebtedness of (i) one or more Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs or (ii) other Subsidiaries described in this clause (j)(y) (any Subsidiary described in this clause (j)(y), a “FSHCO”), (k) any special purpose entities and (l) any captive insurance subsidiaries; provided that for the avoidance of doubt (i) at the option of the Borrower, any Excluded Subsidiary may issue a Guaranty and become a Guarantor as described in clause (iii) of the definition of “Guarantors” and (ii) any Person that becomes a Guarantor pursuant to clause (iii) of the definition of “Guarantors” shall cease to constitute an Excluded Subsidiary, and shall not be released from its obligations under the Guaranty, solely on the basis that, prior to becoming a Guarantor, such Person constituted an Excluded Subsidiary.

 

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Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, (a) any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guaranty thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation, or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) (i) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure to constitute an “eligible contract participant,” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder (determined after giving effect to Section 11.12 and any other applicable agreement for the benefit of such Guarantor and any and all applicable guarantees of such Guarantor’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties), at the time the guarantee of (or grant of such security interest by, as applicable) such Guarantor becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or (ii) in the case of a Swap Obligation that is subject to a clearing requirement pursuant to section 2(h) of the Commodity Exchange Act, because such Guarantor is a “financial entity,” as defined in section 2(h)(7)(C) of the Commodity Exchange Act, at the time the guarantee of (or grant of such security interest by, as applicable) such Guarantor becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or (b) any other Swap Obligation designated as an “Excluded Swap Obligation” of such Guarantor as specified in any agreement between the relevant Loan Parties and the Approved Counterparty applicable to such Swap Obligations. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one Swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to the Swap for which such guarantee or security interest is or becomes excluded in accordance with the first sentence of this definition.

Existing Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time), by and between TU Bidco, Inc., as the borrower, Ares Capital Corporation, as administrative agent and the other parties thereto.

Existing Letters of Credit” means those letters of credit in existence on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 1.01D hereto.

Existing Revolver Tranche” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(b).

Existing Term Loan Tranche” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(a).

Expiring Credit Commitment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(g).

Extended Revolving Credit Commitments” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(b).

Extended Revolving Credit Loans” means one or more Classes of Revolving Credit Loans that result from an Extension Amendment.

Extended Term Loans” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(a).

 

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Extending Revolving Credit Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(c).

Extending Term Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(c).

Extension” means the establishment of an Extension Series by amending a Loan pursuant to Section 2.16 and the applicable Extension Amendment.

Extension Amendment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(d).

Extension Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(c).

Extension Request” means any Term Loan Extension Request or a Revolver Extension Request, as the case may be.

Extension Series” means any Term Loan Extension Series or a Revolver Extension Series, as the case may be.

Facility” means the Initial Term Loans, a given Class of Incremental Term Loans, a given Refinancing Series of Refinancing Term Loans, a given Extension Series of Extended Term Loans, the Revolving Credit Facility, a given Class of Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, a given Refinancing Series of Other Revolving Credit Commitments or a given Extension Series of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, as the context may require.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code), as of the Closing Date (or any amended or successor version thereof that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future Treasury Regulations or other official administrative guidance promulgated thereunder and any intergovernmental agreements (and any law, regulation or official administrative guidance) implementing the foregoing.

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions, as determined in such manner as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall set forth on its public website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the federal funds effective rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Fee Letter” means (i) that certain Fee Letter, dated August 30, 2019, among the Borrower and JPMorgan, (ii) that certain Fee Letter, dated August 30, 2019, among the Borrower and BofA Securities, Inc. and (iii) that certain Fee Letter, dated August 30, 2019, among the Borrower and TD Securities (USA) LLC, in each case, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Financial Covenant” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.11.

 

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Financial Covenant Testing Date” means each March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each calendar year, commencing with December 31, 2019.

Financing Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a Financing Lease; provided that any obligations of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries either existing on the Closing Date or created prior to any recharacterization described below (i) that were not included on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as financing or capital lease obligations and (ii) that are subsequently recharacterized as financing or capital lease obligations or indebtedness due to a change in accounting treatment or otherwise, shall for all purposes under this Agreement (including, without limitation, the calculation of Consolidated Net Income and Consolidated EBITDA) not be treated as financing or capital lease obligations, Financing Lease Obligations or Indebtedness.

Financing Leases” means all leases that have been or are required to be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as a financing or capital leases (and, for the avoidance of doubt, not a straight-line or operating lease) on both the balance sheet and income statement for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP as in effect on January 1, 2015; provided that for all purposes hereunder the amount of obligations under any Financing Lease shall be the amount thereof accounted for as a liability on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP as in effect on January 1, 2015.

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means an intercreditor agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit J-1 (which agreement in such form or with immaterial changes thereto the Collateral Agent is authorized to enter into) among Holdings, the Borrower, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower from time to time party thereto, the Collateral Agent and one or more collateral agents or representatives for the holders of Indebtedness that is permitted under Section 7.03 to be, and intended to be, secured on a pari passu basis with the Liens securing the Obligations.

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings, Inc. or any successor by merger or consolidation to its business.

Fixed Charges” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the sum of, without duplication:

(1) Consolidated Interest Expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period;

(2) all cash dividends or other distributions paid (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of preferred stock during such period; and

(3) all cash dividends or other distributions paid (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of Disqualified Equity Interests during such period.

Foreign Benefit Event” means, with respect to any Foreign Pension Plan, (a) the existence of unfunded liabilities in excess of the amount permitted under any applicable Law or in excess of the amount that would be permitted absent a waiver from any applicable Governmental Authority or (b) the failure to make the required contributions or payments, under any applicable Law, on or before the due date for such contributions or payments.

 

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Foreign Currency Denominated Letter of Credit” means any Letter of Credit denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, other than, with respect to each L/C Issuer, those Approved Foreign Currencies not authorized to be issued by such L/C Issuer as notified to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower from time to time.

Foreign Currency Denominated Loan” means any Loan incurred in any Approved Foreign Currency.

Foreign Disposition” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(b)(x).

Foreign Pension Plan” means any benefit plan that under applicable Law is required to be funded through a trust or other funding vehicle other than a trust or funding vehicle maintained exclusively by a Governmental Authority.

Foreign Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

Foreign Subsidiary Total Assets” means the total assets of the Foreign Subsidiaries, as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP in good faith by a Responsible Officer.

FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

Free and Clear Incremental Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(d)(v).

Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share 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 Pro Rata Share of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

FSHCO” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Excluded Subsidiary”.

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, as in effect from time to time; provided, however, that (i) if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change in accounting principles or change as a result of the adoption or

 

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modification of accounting policies (including, but not limited to, the impact of Accounting Standards Update 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) or similar revenue recognition policies or any change in the methodology of calculating reserves for returns, rebates and other chargebacks) occurring after the Closing Date in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith, (ii) GAAP shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to any election under FASB ASC Topic 825 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries at “fair value,” as defined therein, and Indebtedness shall be measured at the aggregate principal amount thereof, (iii) the accounting for operating leases and financing or capital leases under GAAP as in effect on January 1, 2015 (including, without limitation, Accounting Standards Codification 840) shall apply for the purposes of determining compliance with the provisions of this Agreement, including the definition of Financing Leases and obligations in respect thereof, (iv) all references to codified accounting standards specifically named in this Agreement shall be deemed to include any successor, replacement, amendment or updated accounting standard under GAAP and (v) GAAP shall not include the policies, rules and regulations of the SEC, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the International Accounting Standards Board or any other applicable regulatory or governing body applicable only to public companies. The Borrower will give notice of any such election made in accordance with this definition to the Administrative Agent. For the avoidance of doubt, solely making an election (without any other action) referred to in this definition will not be treated as an incurrence of Indebtedness.

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, self-regulatory organization or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

Granting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(i).

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, without duplication, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the

 

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primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business, or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Closing Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets not prohibited under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01.

Guarantors” means, collectively, (i) Holdings, (ii) the wholly owned Domestic Subsidiaries of the Borrower (other than any Excluded Subsidiary), (iii) those wholly owned Domestic Subsidiaries of the Borrower that issue a Guaranty of the Obligations after the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6.11 or any other Person (including any Excluded Subsidiary) organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or, to the extent reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (and subject to clause (D) of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement), any other jurisdiction that, at the option of the Borrower, issues a Guaranty of the Obligations after the Closing Date and (iv) solely in respect of any Secured Hedge Agreement or Treasury Services Agreement to which the Borrower is not a party, the Borrower, in each case, until the Guaranty thereof is released in accordance with this Agreement.

Guaranty” means, collectively, the guaranty of the Obligations by the Guarantors pursuant to this Agreement.

Hazardous Materials” means all materials, pollutants, contaminants, chemicals, compounds, constituents, substances or wastes, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead, radon gas, pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, or toxic mold, in each case that are regulated pursuant to, or which would give rise to liability under, applicable Environmental Law.

Holdings” means TU MidCo, Inc., if it is the direct parent of the Borrower, or, if not, any Domestic Subsidiary of TU MidCo, Inc. that directly owns 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in the Borrower and issues a Guaranty of the Obligations and agrees to assume the obligations of “Holdings” pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents pursuant to one or more instruments in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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Honor Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c)(i).

Identified Participating Lenders” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(3).

Identified Qualifying Lenders” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(3).

Immaterial Subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03.

Immediate Family Members” means with respect to any individual, such individual’s child, stepchild, grandchild or more remote descendant, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, qualified domestic partner, sibling, mother- in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law and daughter-in-law (including adoptive relationships), the estates of such individual and such other individuals above and any trust, partnership or other bona fide estate-planning vehicle the only beneficiaries of which are any of the foregoing individuals or any private foundation or fund that is controlled by any of the foregoing individuals or any donor-advised fund of which any such individual is the donor.

Impacted Interest Period” has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “Eurocurrency Rate.”

Incremental Amendment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(f).

Incremental Base Amount” means the greater of (x) $75,000,000 and (y) an amount equal to 125% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA.

Incremental Commitments” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(a).

Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03(q).

Incremental Equivalent Junior Lien Debt” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03(q).

Incremental Equivalent Unsecured Debt” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03(w).

Incremental Facility” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(a).

Incremental Facility Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(d).

Incremental Lenders” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(c).

Incremental Loan Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(a).

Incremental Loans” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(b).

Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(a).

Incremental Revolving Credit Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(c).

 

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Incremental Revolving Credit Loan” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(b).

Incremental Revolving Facility” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(a).

Incremental Term Commitments” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(a).

Incremental Term Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(c).

Incremental Term Loan” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(b).

Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14 (d)(v).

Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

(b) the maximum amount (after giving effect to any prior drawings or reductions which may have been reimbursed) of all outstanding letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds and similar instruments issued or created by or for the account of such Person;

(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property (including Financing Lease Obligations) or services (other than (i) trade accounts and accrued expenses payable in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any earn-out obligation until (x) sixty (60) days after such obligation becomes due and payable or (y) otherwise not treated as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP and (iii) accruals for payroll and other liabilities accrued in the ordinary course);

(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements and mortgage, industrial revenue bond, industrial development bond and similar financings), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

(f) all Attributable Indebtedness;

(g) all obligations of such Person in respect of Disqualified Equity Interests;

 

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if and to the extent that any of the foregoing would constitute indebtedness or a liability in accordance with GAAP; provided that Indebtedness of any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower appearing on the balance sheet of the Borrower solely by reason of push-down accounting under GAAP shall be excluded; and

(h) to the extent not otherwise included above, all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall (A) include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent such Person’s liability for such Indebtedness is otherwise expressly limited and only to the extent such Indebtedness would be included in the calculation of Consolidated Total Net Debt, (B) in the case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, exclude all intercompany Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business, (C) exclude contingent obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with industry practice, obligations under or in respect of Non-Financing Lease Obligations, Qualified Securitization Facilities, straight-line leases, operating leases or sale lease-back transactions (except any resulting Financing Lease Obligations), (D) exclude obligations under any license, permit or other approval (or guarantees given in respect of such obligations) incurred prior to the Closing Date or in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and (E) exclude (i) deferred or prepaid revenue, (ii) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the seller, (iii) any obligations attributable to the exercise of appraisal rights and the settlement of any claims or actions (whether actual, contingent or potential) with respect thereto, (iv) accrued expenses and royalties, (v) in connection with the purchase by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any business, any post-closing payment adjustments to which the seller may become entitled to the extent such payment is determined by a final closing balance sheet or such payment depends on the performance of such business after the closing; provided, however, that, at the time of closing, the amount of any such payment is not determinable and, to the extent such payment thereafter becomes fixed and determined, the amount is paid in a timely manner, (vi) any obligations in respect of workers’ compensation claims, retirement, post-employment or termination obligations (including pensions and retiree medical care), pension fund obligations or contributions or similar claims, or social security or wage taxes or contributions, (vii) any liability for taxes and (viii) asset retirement obligations and other pension and other post-employment benefit related obligations (including pensions and retiree medical care). The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (e) shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (i) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness (not to exceed the maximum amount of such Indebtedness for which such Person could be liable) and (ii) the fair market value of the property encumbered thereby as determined by such Person in good faith. Notwithstanding anything in this definition to the contrary, Indebtedness shall be calculated without giving effect to the effects of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 and related interpretations to the extent such effects would otherwise increase or decrease an amount of Indebtedness for any purpose hereunder as a result of accounting for any embedded derivatives created by the terms of such Indebtedness.

 

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Indemnified Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.05.

Indemnified Taxes” means, with respect to any Agent or any Lender, all Taxes imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, other than (i) Taxes imposed on or measured by its net income, however denominated, and franchise (and similar) Taxes imposed in lieu of net income Taxes, by a jurisdiction (A) as a result of such Agent’s or Lender’s being organized in or having its principal office (or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable Lending Office) in such jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof), or (B) as a result of any other connection between such Lender or Agent and such jurisdiction other than any connections arising from executing, delivering, being a party to, engaging in any transactions pursuant to, performing its obligations under, receiving payments under, or enforcing, any Loan Document, (ii) Taxes attributable to the failure by such Agent or Lender to deliver the documentation required to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.01(d) or (h), (iii) any branch profits Taxes imposed by the United States or any similar Tax, imposed by any jurisdiction described in clause (i) above, (iv) in the case of any Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 3.07), any U.S. federal withholding Tax that is imposed pursuant to a law in effect on the date such Lender acquires an interest in the applicable Commitment (or, in the case of an applicable interest in a Loan not funded by such Lender pursuant to a prior Commitment, the date such Lender acquired such interest in such Loan), or designates a new Lending Office, except to the extent such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled immediately prior to the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment) to receive additional amounts with respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to Section 3.01 and (v) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Lender” for purposes of this definition shall include each L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender.

Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.05.

Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.08.

Initial Term Commitment” means, as to each Term Lender, its obligation to make an Initial Term Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Term Lender’s name in Schedule 1.01A under the caption “Initial Term Commitment” or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Term Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement (including Section 2.14). The initial aggregate principal amount of the Initial Term Commitments is $210,000,000.

Initial Term Loans” means the term loans made by the Lenders on the Closing Date to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

Intellectual Property Security Agreements” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

 

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Intercompany Note” means a promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit I.

Intercreditor Agreements” means the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, collectively, in each case to the extent in effect.

Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date of the Facility under which such Loan was made; provided that if any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency 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), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date of the Facility under which such Loan was made.

Interest Period” means, as to each Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurocurrency Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter or, to the extent agreed by each Lender of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, twelve months or less than one month, 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, subject to clause (iii) below, be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless 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 (other than an Interest Period having a duration of less than one month) 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 of the Facility under which such Loan was made.

Interpolated Rate” means, at any time, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the LIBO Screen Rate or the EURIBOR Screen Rate, as applicable) determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBO Screen Rate or the EURIBOR Screen Rate, as applicable, for the longest period for which the LIBO Screen Rate or the EURIBOR Screen Rate, as applicable, is available for the applicable currency that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period; and (b) the LIBO Screen Rate or the EURIBOR Screen Rate, as applicable, for the shortest period (for which that LIBO Screen Rate or the EURIBOR Screen Rate, as applicable is available for the applicable currency) that exceeds the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, at such time.

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests or debt

 

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or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person (excluding, in the case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (i) intercompany advances arising from their cash management, tax, and accounting operations, in each case, in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and (ii) intercompany loans, advances, or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice) or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of such Person. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment at any time shall be the amount actually invested (measured at the time made), without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment but less all returns, distributions and similar amounts received on such Investment .

Investors” means each of the Blackstone Funds and any of their Affiliates (other than any portfolio operating companies).

IP Rights” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.15.

IPO Entity” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Qualified IPO.”

IPO Listco” means a wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings formed in contemplation of any Qualified IPO to become an IPO Entity.

ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

JPMorgan” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and its successors.

Junior Financing” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.13(a).

Junior Financing Documentation” means any documentation governing any Junior Financing.

Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means an intercreditor agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit J-2 hereto (which agreement in such form or with immaterial changes thereto the Collateral Agent is authorized to enter into) between, the Collateral Agent and one or more collateral agents or representatives for the holders of Indebtedness that is not prohibited under Section 7.03, and is intended to be, secured on a junior Lien basis to the Liens securing the Obligations.

L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Revolving Credit Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement.

 

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L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the applicable Honor Date or refinanced as a Revolving Credit Borrowing. All L/C Borrowings shall be denominated in Dollars.

L/C Commitment” means, with respect to each L/C Issuer, the commitment of such L/C Issuer to issue Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.03, as such commitment is set forth on Schedule 1.01A or if an L/C Issuer has entered into an Assignment and Assumption, the amount set forth for such L/C Issuer as its L/C Commitment in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent.

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the renewal or increase of the amount thereof.

L/C Disbursement” means any payment made by an L/C Issuer pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

L/C Issuer” means each of (i) JPMorgan and (ii) any other Lender that becomes an L/C Issuer in accordance with Sections 2.03(k) or 10.07(k). Each L/C Issuer may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of similar creditworthiness to such L/C Issuer, in which case the term “L/C Issuer” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate and for all purposes of the Loan Documents. If there is more than one L/C Issuer at any given time, the term L/C Issuer shall refer to the relevant L/C Issuer(s).

L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate principal 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 2.03(l). 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 or Rule 36 of UCP 600, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

Latest Maturity Date” means, at any date of determination, the latest Maturity Date applicable to any Loan or Commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest maturity date of any Refinancing Term Loan, any Refinancing Term Commitment, any Extended Term Loan, any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment, any Incremental Term Loans, any Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments or any Other Revolving Credit Commitments, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents, orders, decrees, injunctions 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.

 

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LCT Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02(h).

LCT Test Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02(h).

Lead Arrangers” means collectively, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., BofA Securities, Inc. and TD Securities (USA) LLC, in their capacities as the joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners under this Agreement.

Lender” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement and, as the context requires, includes an L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, and their respective successors and assigns as permitted hereunder, each of which is referred to herein as a “Lender”.

Lender Default” means (i) the refusal (which may be given verbally or in writing and has not been retracted) or failure of any Lender to make available its portion of any incurrence of revolving loans or reimbursement obligations required to be made by it, which refusal or failure is not cured within two Business Days after the date of such refusal or failure; (ii) the failure of any Lender to pay over to the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date when due, unless subject to a good faith dispute; (iii) a Lender has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations, or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations, under the Revolving Credit Facility or under other agreements generally in which it commits to extend credit; (iv) a Lender has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm that it will comply with its funding obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility; or (v) a Lender has admitted in writing that it is insolvent or such Lender becomes subject to a Lender-Related Distress Event or a Bail-In Action. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender Default has occurred under any one or more of clauses (i) through (v) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and the applicable Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.17(b)) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower, each L/C Issuer, each Swing Line Lender and each Lender.

Lender-Related Distress Event” means, with respect to any Lender or any person that directly or indirectly controls such Lender (each, a “Distressed Person”), as the case may be, a voluntary or involuntary case with respect to such Distressed Person under any Debtor Relief Law, or a custodian, conservator, receiver or similar official is appointed for such Distressed Person or any substantial part of such Distressed Person’s assets, or such Distressed Person or any person that directly or indirectly controls such Distressed Person is subject to a forced liquidation, or such Distressed Person makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or is otherwise adjudicated as, or determined by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Distressed Person or its assets to be, insolvent or bankrupt; provided that a Lender-Related Distress Event shall not be deemed to have occurred solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interests in any Lender or any person that directly or indirectly controls such Lender by a Governmental Authority or an instrumentality thereof.

 

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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.

Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued hereunder. A Letter of Credit may be a commercial letter of credit or a standby letter of credit and may be issued in any Approved Currency.

Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is five (5) Business Days prior to the scheduled Maturity Date then in effect for the applicable Revolving Credit Facility (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

Letter of Credit Issuance Request” means a letter of credit request substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $15,000,000 and (b) the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Credit Facility.

LIBO Screen Rate” means, for any day and time, with respect to any Eurocurrency Rate Loan for any applicable currency and for any Interest Period, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for the relevant currency for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on such day and time on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion); provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment by way of security, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to Real Property, and any Financing Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing); provided that in no event shall a Non-Financing Lease Obligation be deemed to constitute a Lien.

Limited Condition Transaction” means any acquisition or other Investment, including by way of merger, amalgamation or consolidation, by one or more of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries of any assets, business or Person permitted by this Agreement the consummation of which is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party acquisition financing.

 

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Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article 2 in the form of a Term Loan, a Revolving Credit Loan or a Swing Line Loan (including any Incremental Term Loan and any extensions of credit under any Revolving Commitment Increase).

Loan Documents” means, collectively, (i) this Agreement, (ii) the Notes, (iii) the Collateral Documents, (iv) each Intercreditor Agreement to the extent then in effect, (v) each Letter of Credit Issuance Request and (vi) any Refinancing Amendment, Incremental Amendment or Extension Amendment.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.

LTM Consolidated EBITDA” means Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended prior to the date of determination for which financial statements are internally available, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis.

Management Stockholders” means the future, present and former members of management, employees, directors, officers, managers, members or partners (and their Controlled Investment Affiliates and Immediate Family Members) of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries who are investors in Holdings, the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent thereof, including any such future, present or former employees, directors, officers, managers, members or partners owning through an Equityholding Vehicle.

Margin Stock” has the meaning set forth in Regulation U issued by the FRB.

Market Capitalization” means an amount equal to (i) the total number of issued and outstanding shares of common Equity Interests of the IPO Entity on the date of the declaration of a Restricted Payment multiplied by (ii) the arithmetic mean of the closing prices per share of such common Equity Interests on the principal securities exchange on which such common Equity Interests are traded for the 30 consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of declaration of such Restricted Payment.

Master Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

Material Adverse Effect” means a (a) material adverse effect on the business, operations, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (b) material adverse effect on the ability of the Loan Parties (taken as a whole) to fully and timely perform any of their payment obligations under any Loan Document to which the Borrower or any of the Loan Parties is a party; or (c) material adverse effect on the rights and remedies available to the Lenders or any Agent under any Loan Document.

Maturity Date” means (i) with respect to the Initial Term Loans, the date that is five years after the Closing Date, (ii) with respect to the Revolving Credit Commitments, the date that is five years after the Closing Date, (iii) with respect to any tranche of Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, the final maturity date applicable thereto as specified in the applicable Extension Request accepted by the respective Lender or Lenders, (iv) with respect to any Refinancing Term Loans or Other Revolving Credit Commitments, the final maturity date

 

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applicable thereto as specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment and (v) with respect to any Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, the final maturity date applicable thereto as specified in the applicable Incremental Amendment; provided, in each case, that if such date is not a Business Day, then the applicable Maturity Date shall be the next succeeding Business Day.

Maximum Rate” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.10.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 3(37) or Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding six years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

Net Proceeds” means:

(a) 100% of the cash proceeds actually received by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries from any Disposition or Casualty Event, net of (i) attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, consultants’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees actually incurred in connection therewith, (ii) the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien (other than a Lien that ranks pari passu with or subordinated to the Liens securing the Obligations) on the asset subject to such Disposition or Casualty Event and that is required to be repaid (and is timely repaid) in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents), (iii) in the case of any Disposition or Casualty Event by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro rata portion of the Net Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this clause (iii)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof, (iv) any costs associated with unwinding any related Swap Obligations in connection with such transaction, (v) Taxes (including Tax distributions paid pursuant to Section 7.06(i)(iii)) paid or reasonably estimated to be payable as a result thereof, and (vi) the amount of any reasonable reserve established in accordance with GAAP against any adjustment to the sale price or any liabilities (other than any taxes deducted pursuant to clause (i) above) (x) related to any of the applicable assets and (y) retained by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations (however, the amount of any subsequent reduction of such reserve (other than in connection with a payment in respect of any such liability) shall be deemed to be Net Proceeds of such Disposition or Casualty Event occurring on the date of such reduction); provided that so long as no Event of Default under Sections 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 8.01(f) has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may reinvest any portion of

 

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such proceeds in assets useful for its business (which shall include any Investment permitted by this Agreement) within 18 months of such receipt and such portion of such proceeds shall not constitute Net Proceeds except to the extent not, within 18 months of such receipt, so reinvested or contractually committed to be so reinvested (it being understood that if any portion of such proceeds are not so used within such 18-month period but within such 18-month period are contractually committed to be used, then upon the termination of such contract or if such Net Proceeds are not so used within 24 months of initial receipt, such remaining portion shall constitute Net Proceeds as of the date of such termination or expiry without giving effect to this proviso); it being further understood that such proceeds shall constitute Net Proceeds notwithstanding any investment notice if an Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 8.01(f) has occurred and is continuing at the time of a proposed reinvestment, unless such proposed reinvestment is made pursuant to a binding commitment entered into at a time when no such Event of Default was continuing; provided, further, that (x) the proceeds realized in any single transaction or series of related transactions shall not constitute Net Proceeds unless the amount of such proceeds exceeds the greater of (i) $10,000,000 and (ii) 15% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA and (y) only the aggregate amount of proceeds (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Net Proceeds described in the preceding clause (x)) in excess of the greater of (i) $20,000,000 and (ii) 30% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA in any fiscal year (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount) shall constitute Net Proceeds under this clause (a), and

(b) 100% of the cash proceeds from the incurrence, issuance or sale by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness, net of all taxes paid or reasonably estimated to be payable as a result thereof (including Tax distributions paid pursuant to Section 7.06(i)(iii)) and fees (including investment banking fees and discounts), commissions, costs and other expenses, in each case incurred in connection with such incurrence, issuance or sale.

For purposes of calculating the amount of Net Proceeds, fees, commissions and other costs and expenses payable to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall be disregarded.

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.07(d).

Non-Debt Fund Affiliate” means any Affiliate of the Investors other than (a) Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, (b) any Debt Fund Affiliates and (c) any natural person.

Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, a Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender.

Non-Expiring Credit Commitment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(g).

Non-Extension Notice Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(b)(iii).

Non-Financing Lease Obligation” means a lease obligation that is not required to be accounted for as a financing or capital lease on both the balance sheet and the income statement for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP. For the avoidance of doubt, a straight-line or operating lease shall be considered a Non-Financing Lease Obligation.

 

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Not Otherwise Applied” means, with reference to any amount of proceeds of any transaction or event, that such amount (a) was not required to be applied to prepay the Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(b), (b) was not previously (and is not concurrently being) applied in determining the permissibility of a transaction under the Loan Documents where such permissibility was or is (or may have been) contingent on receipt of such amount or utilization of such amount for a specified purpose, (c) was not utilized pursuant to Section 8.05, (d) was not applied to incur Indebtedness pursuant to Section 7.03(m)(y), (e) was not utilized to make Restricted Payments pursuant to Section 7.06 (other than pursuant to Section 7.06(h)(y)), (f) was not utilized to make Investments pursuant to Sections 7.02(n), (p), (v), (w) or (z), (g) was not utilized to make prepayments of any Junior Financing pursuant to Section 7.13 (other than Section 7.13(a)(v)(y)) or (h) was not utilized to increase availability under clause (d) of the definition of Cumulative Credit. The Borrower shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of any application of such amount as contemplated by (b) above.

Note” means a Term Note, a Revolving Credit Note or a Swing Line Note, as the context may require.

NYFRB Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates as so determined be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Obligations” means all (x) advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party and its Restricted Subsidiaries 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 Restricted Subsidiary 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 and (y) obligations of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary arising under any Secured Hedge Agreement or any Treasury Services Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents (and of their Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent they have obligations under the Loan Documents) include (a) the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, Letter of Credit fees, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, Attorney Costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) the obligation of any Loan Party to reimburse any amount in respect of any of the foregoing that any Lender, in its sole discretion, may elect to pay or advance on behalf of such Loan Party. Notwithstanding the

 

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foregoing, the obligations of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary under any Secured Hedge Agreement or any Treasury Services Agreement shall be secured and guaranteed pursuant to the Collateral Documents and the Guaranty only to the extent that, and for so long as, the other Obligations are so secured and guaranteed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations of any Guarantor shall in no event include any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

Offered Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(1).

Offered Discount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(1).

OID” means original issue discount.

Organizational 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 organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

Other Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(b)(ii).

Other Debt Representative” means, with respect to any series of Indebtedness permitted, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, to be incurred and secured on a pari passu or junior Lien basis to the Lien securing the Obligations, the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under the indenture or agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness is issued, incurred or otherwise obtained, as the case may be, and each of their successors in such capacities.

Other Revolving Credit Commitments” means one or more Classes of revolving credit commitments hereunder that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Other Revolving Credit Loans” means one or more Classes of Revolving Credit Loans that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Other Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(b).

Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to the Term Loans, Revolving Credit 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 Term Loans, Revolving Credit Loans (including any refinancing of outstanding unpaid drawings under Letters of Credit

 

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or L/C Credit Extensions as a Revolving Credit Borrowing) and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (b) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the aggregate outstanding Principal Amount thereof on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes thereto as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of outstanding unpaid drawings under any Letters of Credit (including any refinancing of outstanding unpaid drawings under Letters of Credit or L/C Credit Extensions as a Revolving Credit Borrowing) or any reductions in the maximum amount available for drawing under Letters of Credit taking effect on such date.

Overnight Bank Funding Rate” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight eurodollar borrowings by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions, as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on its public website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate.

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(f).

Participant Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(f).

Participating Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(2).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

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 any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate or to which any Loan Party 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 six years.

Perfection Certificate” means a certificate in the form of Exhibit H hereto or any other form reasonably approved by the Collateral Agent, as the same shall be supplemented from time to time.

Permitted Acquisition” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(i).

Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt” means any Permitted First Priority Refinancing Notes and any Permitted First Priority Refinancing Loans.

Permitted First Priority Refinancing Loans” means any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in the form of secured loans incurred by the Borrower and/or the Subsidiary Guarantors in the form of one or more tranches of loans not under this Agreement; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to the control of remedies) with the Liens securing the Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) such Indebtedness is not at any time guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than Subsidiaries that are

 

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Guarantors and (iii) such Indebtedness does not mature on or prior to the date that is the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred or issued or have a shorter Weighted Average Life to Maturity than the Initial Term Loans.

Permitted First Priority Refinancing Notes” means any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in the form of secured Indebtedness (including any Registered Equivalent Notes) incurred by the Borrower and/or the Subsidiary Guarantors in the form of one or more series of senior secured notes (whether issued in a public offering, Rule 144A, private placement or otherwise); provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to the control of remedies) with the Liens securing the Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) such Indebtedness is not at any time guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than Subsidiaries that are Guarantors, (iii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization or payments of principal (other than customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control, asset sale or event of loss and a customary acceleration right after an event of default) on or prior to the date that is the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred or issued and (iv) an Other Debt Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to each Intercreditor Agreement then in effect. Permitted First Priority Refinancing Notes will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Permitted Holders” means each of (a) the Investors, (b) the Management Stockholders (including any Management Stockholders holding Equity Interests through an Equityholding Vehicle), (c) any Person who is acting solely as an underwriter in connection with a public or private offering of Equity Interests of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parent companies, acting in such capacity, (d) any group (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act as in effect on the Closing Date) of which any of the foregoing, Permitted Plan or any Person or group that becomes a Permitted Holder specified in the last sentence of this definition are members and any member of such group; provided, that in the case of such group and without giving effect to the existence of such group or any other group, Persons referred to in clauses (a) through (c), collectively, have beneficial ownership of more than 50% of the total voting power of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parent companies held by such group and (e) any Permitted Plan.

Permitted Intercompany Activities” means any transactions (A) between or among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries that are entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower are necessary or advisable in connection with the ownership or operation of the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, (i) payroll, cash management, purchasing, insurance and hedging arrangements, (ii) management, technology and licensing arrangements and (iii) customer loyalty and rewards program or (B) between or among the Borrower, its Restricted Subsidiaries and any captive insurance subsidiaries.

Permitted Junior Lien Refinancing Debt” means Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness constituting secured Indebtedness (including any Registered Equivalent Notes) incurred by the Borrower and/or the Subsidiary Guarantors in the form of one or more series of

 

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junior lien secured notes or junior lien secured loans; provided that (i) notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness,” such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a junior priority basis to the Liens securing the Obligations and the obligations in respect of any Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt and is not secured by any property or assets of Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) an Other Debt Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as a “Junior Priority Representative” (or similar term, in each case, as defined in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement) and (iii) such Indebtedness meets the Permitted Other Debt Conditions. Permitted Junior Lien Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Permitted Other Debt Conditions” means that such applicable Indebtedness (i) does not mature or have scheduled amortization payments of principal or payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligations (except customary asset sale or change of control provisions that provide for the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations), in each case on or prior to the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred and (ii) is not at any time guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than Subsidiaries that are Guarantors.

Permitted Plan” means any employee benefits plan of Holdings or any of its Affiliates and any Person acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan.

Permitted Ratio Debt” means Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary so long as immediately after giving Pro Forma Effect thereto and to the use of the proceeds thereof (but without netting the proceeds thereof) (i) no Event of Default shall be continuing or result therefrom and (ii) the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio is no greater than either (I) 3.00 to 1.00 or (II) in the case of any such Indebtedness being applied to finance a Permitted Acquisition or other permitted Investment, the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio immediately prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and consummation of such Permitted Acquisition or other permitted Investment, in each case, determined on a Pro Forma Basis as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period; provided that, such Indebtedness shall (A) have a maturity date that is after the Latest Maturity Date (or in the case of Permitted Ratio Debt secured by the Collateral on a junior basis to the Liens securing the Obligations or that is unsecured, at least ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date) at the time such Indebtedness is incurred; provided that the restrictions in this clause (A) shall not apply to the extent such Indebtedness constitutes a customary bridge facility, so long as the long-term Indebtedness into which such customary bridge facility is to be converted or exchanged satisfies the requirements of this clause (A) and such conversion or exchange is subject only to conditions customary for similar conversions or exchanges, (B) have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity not shorter than the longest remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Facilities and, in the case of Permitted Ratio Debt secured by the Collateral on a junior basis to the Liens securing the Obligations or that is unsecured, shall not be subject to scheduled amortization prior to maturity; provided that the restrictions in this clause (B) shall not apply to the extent such Indebtedness constitutes a

 

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customary bridge facility, so long as the long-term Indebtedness into which such customary bridge facility is to be converted or exchanged satisfies the requirements of this clause (B) and such conversion or exchange is subject only to conditions customary for similar conversions or exchanges, (C) (x) if such Indebtedness is incurred or guaranteed on a secured basis by a Loan Party on a junior Lien basis to the Liens securing the Obligations, an Other Debt Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as a “Junior Priority Representative” (or similar term, in each case, as defined in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement) and (y) if such Indebtedness is incurred or guaranteed on a secured basis by a Loan Party on a pari passu basis to the Liens securing the Obligations, an Other Debt Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to each Intercreditor Agreement and (D) have terms and conditions (other than (x) pricing, rate floors, discounts, fees, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions and (y) covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness, and to the extent any more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of such Permitted Ratio Debt, to the extent that such more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is also added for the benefit of each Facility remaining outstanding after the incurrence or issuance of such Permitted Ratio Debt) that in the good faith determination of the Borrower (i) are not materially less favorable (when taken as a whole) to the Borrower than the terms and conditions of the Loan Documents (when taken as a whole) or (ii) reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence or issuance (provided that a certificate of the Borrower as to the satisfaction of the conditions described in this clause (D) delivered at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirements of this clause (D), shall be conclusive unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees)); provided that any such Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, together with any Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party pursuant to Sections 7.03(g), 7.03(q) or 7.03(w), does not exceed in the aggregate at any time outstanding the greater of (i) $25,000,000 and (ii) 35% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA, in each case determined at the time of incurrence.

Permitted Refinancing” means, with respect to any Person, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension of any Indebtedness of such Person; provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon plus other reasonable amounts paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, (b) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(e), such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being

 

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modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended, (c) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(e), at the time thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (d) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended is Junior Financing, (i) to the extent such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, unless otherwise permitted under any basket or exception under Section 7.03 (with such amounts being deemed a utilization of the applicable basket or exception under Section 7.03), such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended and (ii) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension is incurred by the Person who is the obligor of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended and (e) if the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended was subject to an Intercreditor Agreement, the holders of such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended Indebtedness (if such Indebtedness is secured) or their representative on their behalf shall become party to the appropriate Intercreditor Agreement(s).

Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt” means Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in the form of unsecured Indebtedness (including any Registered Equivalent Notes) incurred by the Borrower and/or the Subsidiary Guarantors in the form of one or more series of senior unsecured notes or loans; provided that such Indebtedness (i) otherwise satisfies the requirements set forth in the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” and (ii) meets the Permitted Other Debt Conditions. Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, but excluding any Multiemployer Plan) sponsored, maintained or contributed to by any Loan Party 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 set forth in Section 6.02.

Pledged Debt” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

Pledged Equity” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

Post-Acquisition Period” means, with respect to any Investment or the conversion of any Unrestricted Subsidiary into a Restricted Subsidiary, the period beginning on the date such Investment or conversion is consummated and ending on the thirty-six month anniversary of the date on which such Investment or conversion is consummated.

 

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Prime Rate” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the United States or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.

Principal Amount” means (i) the stated or principal amount of each Dollar Denominated Loan or Dollar Denominated Letter of Credit or L/C Obligation with respect thereto, as applicable, and (ii) the Dollar Equivalent of the stated or principal amount of each Foreign Currency Denominated Loan and Foreign Currency Denominated Letter of Credit or L/C Obligation with respect thereto, as the context may require.

Pro Forma Adjustment” means, for any four-quarter period that includes all or any part of a fiscal quarter included in any Post-Acquisition Period, with respect to the Acquired EBITDA of the applicable Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary or the Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower, the pro forma increase or decrease in such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, projected by the Borrower in good faith as a result of (a) actions taken during such Post-Acquisition Period for the purposes of realizing reasonably identifiable and factually supportable “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies or (b) any additional costs incurred during such Post-Acquisition Period, in each case in connection with the combination of the operations of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary with the operations of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that (i) at the election of the Borrower, such Pro Forma Adjustment shall not be required to be determined for any Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the aggregate consideration paid in connection with such acquisition was less than $15,000,000, and (ii) so long as such actions are taken during such Post-Acquisition Period or such costs are incurred during such Post-Acquisition Period, as applicable, for purposes of projecting such pro forma increase or decrease to such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, it may be assumed that such cost savings will be realizable during the entirety of such four-quarter period, or such additional costs will be accrued or incurred during the entirety of such four-quarter period; provided, further, that any such pro forma increase or decrease to such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, shall be without duplication for cost savings or additional costs already included in such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, for such four-quarter period.

Pro Forma Basis,” “Pro Forma Compliance” and “Pro Forma Effect” mean, with respect to compliance with any test hereunder, that (A) to the extent applicable, the Pro Forma Adjustment shall have been made and (B) all Specified Transactions and the following transactions in connection therewith shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable period of measurement in such test: (a) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable

 

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to the property or Person subject to such Specified Transaction, (i) in the case of a Disposition of all or substantially all Equity Interests in any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any division, product line, or facility used for operations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, shall be excluded, and (ii) in the case of a Permitted Acquisition or Investment described in the definition of “Specified Transaction,” shall be included, (b) any retirement of Indebtedness, and (c) any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection therewith and if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination; provided that (I) without limiting the application of the Pro Forma Adjustment pursuant to (A) above, the foregoing pro forma adjustments may be applied to any such test solely to the extent that such adjustments are consistent with the definition of Consolidated EBITDA and give effect to events (including operating expense reductions) that are (as determined by the Borrower in good faith) (i) (x) directly attributable to such transaction, (y) expected to have a continuing impact on the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and (z) factually supportable or (ii) otherwise consistent with the definition of Pro Forma Adjustment; (II) that when calculating the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio for purposes of determining the Applicable Asset Sale Percentage, the events that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable four-quarter period shall not be given pro forma effect; (III) that when calculating the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio for purposes of actual compliance (and not Pro Forma Compliance or compliance on a Pro Forma Basis) with Section 7.11, the events that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable four-quarter period shall not be given pro forma effect and (IV) in determining Pro Forma Compliance with the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio or any other incurrence test (other than in respect of Section 7.11), in connection with the incurrence (including by assumption or guarantee) of any Indebtedness, (i) the incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility and/or any Indebtedness incurred under any other revolving facility immediately prior to or in connection therewith included in the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio, or such other incurrence test calculation immediately prior to, or simultaneously with, the event for which the Pro Forma Compliance determination of such ratio or other test is being made and (ii) the incurrence under the Revolving Credit Facility or under any other revolving facility used to finance working capital needs of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as reasonably determined by the Borrower), in each case, shall be disregarded; provided, further, that with respect to any incurrence of Indebtedness permitted by the provisions of this Agreement in reliance on the pro forma calculation of the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio or such other incurrence test calculation, any Indebtedness being incurred (or expected to be incurred) substantially simultaneously or contemporaneously with the incurrence of any such Indebtedness or any applicable transaction or action in reliance on any “basket” set forth in this Agreement (including the Incremental Base Amount and any “baskets” measured as a percentage of Total Assets or Consolidated EBITDA), including under the Revolving Credit Facility and (ii) any Indebtedness incurred under the Revolving Credit Facility or any Indebtedness incurred under any other revolving facility that is used to finance working capital needs of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) shall, in each case, be disregarded. In the event any fixed “baskets” are intended to be utilized together with any incurrence-based “baskets” in a single transaction or series of related transactions (including utilization of the Free and Clear Incremental Amount and the Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount), (i) compliance

 

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with or satisfaction of any applicable financial ratios or tests for the portion of Indebtedness or any other applicable transaction or action to be incurred under any incurrence-based “baskets” shall first be calculated without giving effect to amounts being utilized pursuant to any fixed “baskets”, but giving full pro forma effect to all applicable and related transactions (including, subject to the foregoing with respect to fixed “baskets”, any incurrence and repayments of Indebtedness) and all other permitted Pro Forma Adjustments (except that (i) the incurrence of any Indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility and/or any Indebtedness incurred under any other revolving facility immediately prior to or in connection therewith shall be disregarded and (ii) the incurrence of any Indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility or any other revolving facility used to finance working capital needs of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) shall, in each case, be disregarded) and (ii) thereafter, incurrence of the portion of such Indebtedness or other applicable transaction or action to be incurred under any fixed “baskets” shall be calculated.

Pro Rata Share” means, with respect to each Lender, at any time a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of the Commitments and, if applicable and without duplication, Term Loans of such Lender under the applicable Facility or Facilities at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Aggregate Commitments under the applicable Facility or Facilities and, if applicable and without duplication, Term Loans under the applicable Facility or Facilities at such time; provided that, in the case of the Revolving Credit Facility, if such Commitments have been terminated, then the Pro Rata Share of each Lender shall be determined based on the Pro Rata Share of such Lender immediately prior to such termination and after giving effect to any subsequent assignments made pursuant to the terms hereof.

Projections” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(c).

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

Public Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02.

Qualified Acquisition” means any Permitted Acquisition or Investment in which the aggregate consideration for such Permitted Acquisition or Investment is in excess of $20,000,000.

Qualified Acquisition Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.11.

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, in respect of any Swap Obligation, each Guarantor that, at the time the relevant Guaranty (or grant of the relevant security interest, as applicable) becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation, has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or otherwise constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and which may cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” with respect to such Swap Obligation at such time by entering into an agreement pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

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Qualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests.

Qualified IPO” means any transaction or series of transactions that results in any common equity interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings or any IPO Listco that Holdings will distribute to its direct or indirect parent in connection with a Qualified IPO (an “IPO Entity”) being publicly traded on any United States national securities exchange or over the counter market, or any analogous exchange or market in Canada, the United Kingdom or any country of the European Union.

Qualified Proceeds” means the fair market value of assets that are used or useful in, or Equity Interests of any Person engaged in, a Similar Business.

Qualified Securitization Facility” means any Securitization Facility (a) constituting a securitization financing facility that meets the following conditions: (i) the board of directors or management of the Borrower shall have determined in good faith that such Securitization Facility is in the aggregate economically fair and reasonable to the Borrower, and (ii) all sales and/or contributions of Securitization Assets and related assets to the applicable Securitization Subsidiary are made at fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Borrower) or (b) constituting a receivables or payables financing or factoring facility.

Qualifying Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(3).

Rating Agencies” means Moody’s, S&P and Fitch.

Real Property” means, collectively, all right, title and interest (including any leasehold, mineral or other estate) in and to any and all parcels of or interests in real property owned or leased by any Person, whether by lease, license or other means, together with, in each case, all easements, hereditaments and appurtenances relating thereto, all improvements and appurtenant fixtures and equipment thereon, all general intangibles and contract rights and other property and rights incidental to the ownership, lease or operation thereof.

Refinanced Debt” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness”.

Refinancing Amendment” means an amendment to this Agreement executed by each of (a) the Borrower, (b) the Administrative Agent, (c) each Additional Refinancing Lender and (d) each Lender that agrees to provide any portion of Refinancing Term Loans, Other Revolving Credit Commitments or Other Revolving Credit Loans incurred pursuant thereto, in accordance with Section 2.15.

Refinancing Series” means all Refinancing Term Loans, Refinancing Term Commitments, Other Revolving Credit Commitments or Other Revolving Credit Loans that are established pursuant to the same Refinancing Amendment (or any subsequent Refinancing Amendment to the extent such Refinancing Amendment expressly provides that the Refinancing Term Loans, Refinancing Term Commitments, Other Revolving Credit Commitments or Other

 

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Revolving Credit Loans provided for therein are intended to be a part of any previously established Refinancing Series) and that provide for the same Effective Yield and, in the case of Refinancing Term Loans or Refinancing Term Commitments, amortization schedule.

Refinancing Term Commitments” means one or more Classes of Term Commitments hereunder that are established to fund Refinancing Term Loans of the applicable Refinancing Series hereunder pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment.

Refinancing Term Loans” means one or more Classes of Term Loans hereunder that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(d).

Registered Equivalent Notes” means, with respect to any notes originally issued in an offering pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act or other private placement transaction under the Securities Act, substantially identical notes (having the same guarantees) issued in a dollar-for-dollar exchange therefor pursuant to an exchange offer registered with the SEC.

Release” means any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing or migrating into or through the Environment.

Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Pension Plan, other than events for which the thirty (30) day notice period has been waived.

Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, continuation or conversion of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Issuance Request, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

Required Class Lenders” means, with respect to any Class on any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of (i) the outstanding Loans under such Class and (ii) the aggregate unused Commitments under such Facility; provided that the unused Commitments of, and the portion of the outstanding Loans under such Class held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of the Required Class Lenders; provided, further, that, to the same extent set forth in Section 10.07(n) with respect to determination of Required Lenders, the Loans of any Affiliated Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Class Lenders.

Required Facility Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, with respect to any Facility, Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of (a) the Total Outstandings under such Facility (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans, as applicable, under such Facility being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition) and (b) the aggregate unused Commitments under such Facility; provided that the unused Commitments of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings under such Facility held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes

 

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of making a determination of the Required Facility Lenders; provided, further, that, to the same extent set forth in Section 10.07(n) with respect to determination of Required Lenders, the Loans of any Affiliated Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Facility Lenders.

Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of the (a) Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition), (b) aggregate unused Term Commitments and (c) aggregate unused Commitments in respect of Revolving Credit Loans; provided that the unused Term Commitment and unused Commitments in respect of Revolving Credit Loans of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders; provided, further, that, to the same extent set forth in Section 10.07(n) with respect to determination of Required Lenders, the Loans of any Affiliated Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

Required Revolving Credit Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Revolving Credit Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of the (a) Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Credit Loans, Swing Line Loans and all L/C Obligations (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition) and (b) aggregate unused Commitments in respect of Revolving Credit Loans; provided that such unused Commitment of, and the portion of the Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Credit Loans, Swing Line Loans and all L/C Obligations held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Revolving Credit Lenders.

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, director, president, vice president, chief financial officer, chief legal officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, controller or assistant controller or other similar officer of a Loan Party or designee of a Responsible Officer and in the case of a limited partnership, any officer or director of the general partner or ultimate general partner, as the case may be, and, as to any document delivered on the Closing Date, any secretary or assistant secretary of such Loan Party and any officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party whose signature is included on an incumbency certificate or similar certificate reasonably satisfactory 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, limited liability company, 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.

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s or a Restricted Subsidiary’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Persons thereof).

 

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

Revaluation Date” means (a) with respect to any Loan denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, each of the following: (i) each date of a Borrowing of such Loan and (ii) each date of a conversion into or continuation of such Loan pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (b) with respect to any Letter of Credit denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, each of the following: (i) the date on which such Letter of Credit is issued, (ii) the first Business Day of each calendar month and (iii) the date of any amendment of such Letter of Credit that has the effect of increasing the face amount thereof; (c) any additional date as the Administrative Agent may determine at any time when an Event of Default exists and (d) the last day of each fiscal quarter.

Revolver Extension Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(b).

Revolver Extension Series” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(b).

Revolving Commitment Increase” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(a).

Revolving Credit Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Revolving Credit Loans of the same Type, in the same Approved Currency, and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Revolving Credit Lenders under Section 2.01(b) of this Agreement.

Revolving Credit Commitment” means, as to each Revolving Credit Lender, its obligation to (a) make Revolving Credit Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(b), (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations in respect of Letters of Credit 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 1.01A under the caption “Revolving Credit Commitments” 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 (including Section 2.14). The aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments of all Revolving Credit Lenders shall be $40,000,000, on the Closing Date, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to each Revolving Credit Lender, the sum of the amount of the outstanding Principal Amount of such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Loans and its Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the amount of the L/C Obligations and the Swing Line Obligations at such time.

Revolving Credit Facility” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments at such time.

 

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Revolving Credit Lender” means, at any time, any Lender that has a Commitment in respect of Revolving Credit Loans at such time, including Revolving Credit Commitment, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment, Extended Revolving Credit Commitment of a given Extension Series and Other Revolving Credit Commitment of a given Refinancing Series, or, if such Commitments have terminated, Revolving Credit Exposure.

Revolving Credit Loans” means any Revolving Credit Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01(b), Incremental Revolving Credit Loans, Other Revolving Credit Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Loans, as the context may require.

Revolving Credit Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Revolving Credit Lender or its registered assigns, in substantially the form of Exhibit D-2 hereto, evidencing the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Revolving Credit Lender resulting from the Revolving Credit Loans made by such Revolving Credit Lender to the Borrower.

S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a business unit of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, and any successor thereto.

Same Day Funds” means immediately available funds.

Sanction(s)” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by the United States government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or Her Majesty’s Treasury.

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 that is entered into by and between the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Approved Counterparty (unless otherwise designated in writing by the Borrower and the applicable Approved Counterparty to the Administrative Agent as an “unsecured hedge agreement” (which notice may designate all Swap Contracts under a specified Master Agreement as unsecured).

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Lenders, the L/C Issuers, the Swing Line Lender, any Approved Counterparty party to a Secured Hedge Agreement or Treasury Services Agreement, the Supplemental Agents and each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 9.02.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Securitization Assets” means the accounts receivable, royalty or other revenue streams and other rights to payment and any other assets subject to a Qualified Securitization Facility and the proceeds thereof.

 

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Securitization Facility” means any of one or more receivables, factoring or securitization financing facilities as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, renewed, restated or refunded from time to time, the obligations of which are non-recourse (except for customary representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities made in connection with such facilities) to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than a Securitization Subsidiary) pursuant to which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries sells or grants a security interest in its accounts receivable, payables or Securitization Assets or assets related thereto to either (a) a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or (b) a Securitization Subsidiary that in turn sells its accounts receivable, payable or Securitization Assets or assets related thereto to a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary.

Securitization Fees” means distributions or payments made directly or by means of discounts with respect to any participation interest issued or sold in connection with, and other fees paid to a Person that is not a Securitization Subsidiary in connection with, any Qualified Securitization Facility.

Securitization Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary formed for the purpose of, and that solely engages only in one or more Qualified Securitization Facilities and other activities reasonably related thereto.

Security Agreement” means the Security Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit G, dated as of the Closing Date, among Holdings, the Borrower, certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower and the Collateral Agent.

Security Agreement Supplement” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

Similar Business” means (1) any business conducted or proposed to be conducted by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries on the Closing Date, and any reasonable extension thereof, or (2) any business or other activities that are reasonably similar, ancillary, incidental, complementary or related to, or a reasonable extension, development or expansion of, the businesses in which the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged or propose to be engaged on the Closing Date.

Sold Entity or Business” has the meaning set forth in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA.”

Solicited Discount Proration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(3).

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(1).

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice” means a written notice of the Borrower of Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers made pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(1) substantially in the form of Exhibit L-6.

 

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Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer” means the irrevocable written offer by each Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit L-7, submitted following the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice.

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)(1).

Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the assets of such Person and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, exceeds, on a consolidated basis, their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of such Person and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability, on a consolidated basis, of their debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured, (c) such Person and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are able to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such liabilities become absolute and matured and (d) such Person and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are not engaged in, and are not about to engage in, business for which they have unreasonably small capital. The amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that would reasonably be expected to become an actual and matured liability.

SPC” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(i).

Specified Discount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(B).

Specified Discount Prepayment Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(B).

Specified Discount Prepayment Notice” means a written notice of the Borrower of a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(B) substantially in the form of Exhibit L-8.

Specified Discount Prepayment Response” means the irrevocable written response by each Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit L-9, to a Specified Discount Prepayment Notice.

Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(B).

Specified Discount Proration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(B)(2).

Specified Distribution” means the distribution paid by the Borrower to Holdings (and used by Holdings to pay a dividend to holders of its Equity Interests), on or following the Closing Date, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $135,000,000.

 

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Specified Equity Contribution” means any cash contribution to the common equity of Holdings and/or any purchase or investment in an Equity Interests of Holdings other than Disqualified Equity Interests.

Specified Guarantor” means any Guarantor that is not an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section 11.12).

Specified Representations” means those representations and warranties made by the Borrower and the Guarantors in Sections 5.01(a) (in respect of the Borrower and the Guarantors only), 5.01(b)(ii), 5.02(a), 5.02(b)(i), 5.04, 5.12, 5.16, 5.18(a)(ii), 5.18(c) and 5.19(a).

Specified Transaction” means any Investment, Disposition, incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, Restricted Payment, Subsidiary designation, Incremental Term Loan or Revolving Commitment Increase in respect of which the terms of this Agreement require any test to be calculated on a “Pro Forma Basis” or after giving “Pro Forma Effect”; provided that a Revolving Commitment Increase, for purposes of this “Specified Transaction” definition, shall be deemed to be fully drawn.

Sponsor” means collectively, Blackstone Capital Partners VII L.P. and Blackstone Capital Partners Asia L.P. and/or any of their respective Affiliates and funds or partnerships managed or advised by them or their respective Affiliates.

Sterling” and “£” mean freely transferable lawful money of the United Kingdom (expressed in pounds sterling).

Submitted Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(1).

Submitted Discount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)(1).

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which (i) 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 or (ii) more than half of the issued share capital is at the time beneficially owned. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower. For the avoidance of doubt, unless otherwise specified, any entity that is owned at a 50.0% or less level (as described above) shall not be a “Subsidiary” for any purpose under this Agreement, regardless of whether such entity is consolidated on Holdings’, the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s financial statements.

Subsidiary Guarantor” means, collectively, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower that are Guarantors.

Successor Borrower” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.04(d)(I).

 

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Successor Holdings” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.04(d)(II).

Supplemental Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.14(a) and “Supplemental Agents” shall have the corresponding meaning.

Support and Services Agreement” means the management services or similar agreements or the management services provisions contained in an investor rights agreement or other equityholders’ agreement, as the case may be, between certain of the management companies associated with the Investors or their advisors or Affiliates, if applicable, and Holdings (and/or its direct or indirect parent companies or Subsidiaries), as in effect from time to time.

Swap” means, any agreement, contract, or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Person, any obligation to pay or perform under any Swap Contract.

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 Facility” means the swing line loan facility made available by the Swing Line Lenders pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

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Swing Line Lender” means JPMorgan, in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

Swing Line Loan” has the meaning set forth 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 C or such other form as approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Swing Line Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to the Swing Line Lender or its registered assigns, in substantially the form of Exhibit D-3 hereto, evidencing the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower to the Swing Line Lender resulting from the Swing Line Loans.

Swing Line Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of all Swing Line Loans outstanding.

Swing Line Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $5,000,000 and (b) the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Credit Commitments.

Tax Group” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06(i)(iii).

Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

Term Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Term Loans of the same Class and Type and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Term Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01(a), an Incremental Amendment, a Refinancing Amendment or an Extension.

Term Commitment” means, as to each Term Lender, its obligation to make a Term Loan to the Borrower hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Term Loan to be made by such Term Lender under this Agreement, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (i) assignments by or to such Term Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, (ii) an Incremental Amendment, (iii) a Refinancing Amendment or (iv) an Extension.

Term Lender” means, at any time, any Lender that has a Term Commitment or a Term Loan at such time.

Term Loan Extension Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(a).

Term Loan Extension Series” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(a).

 

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Term Loan Increase” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14(a).

Term Loans” means any Initial Term Loan or any Incremental Term Loan, Refinancing Term Loan or Extended Term Loan designated as a “Term Loan,” as the context may require.

Term Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Term Lender or its registered assigns, in substantially the form of Exhibit D-1 hereto, evidencing the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Term Lender resulting from the Term Loans of the applicable Class made by such Term Lender.

Test Period” means, for any date of determination under this Agreement, the latest four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower for which financial statements have been delivered to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing Date and/or for which financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01, as applicable.

Threshold Amount” means $30,000,000.

Total Assets” means the total assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) or (b).

Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

Transaction Expenses” means any fees or expenses incurred or paid by the Investors, Holdings, the Borrower or any of its (or their) Subsidiaries in connection with the Transactions (including expenses in connection with hedging transactions related to the Facilities, any OID or upfront fees, payments to officers, employees and directors as change of control payments, severance payments, special or retention bonuses and charges for repurchase or rollover of, or modifications to, stock options), this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Support and Services Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

Transactions” means, collectively, (a) the Specified Distribution, (b) the funding of the Initial Term Loans on the Closing Date and the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents entered into on the Closing Date, (c) the Closing Date Refinancing (d) the payment of Transaction Expenses and (e) the consummation of any other transaction in connection with the foregoing.

Treasury Services Agreement” means any agreement between the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Approved Counterparty relating to treasury, depository, credit card, debit card, stored value cards, purchasing or procurement cards and cash management services or automated clearinghouse transfer of funds or any overdraft or similar services.

Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurocurrency Rate Loan.

 

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UCC Filing Collateral” means any Collateral, including Collateral constituting investment property, for which a security interest can be perfected by filing a UCC-1 financing statement.

Unaudited Financial Statements” means the unaudited consolidated balance sheet and unaudited consolidated statements of income and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2019.

Uniform Commercial Code” or “UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as the same may from time to time be in effect in the State of New York or the Uniform Commercial Code (or similar code or statute) of another jurisdiction, to the extent it may be required to apply to any item or items of Collateral.

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c)(i).

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (i) as of the Closing Date, each Subsidiary of the Borrower listed on Schedule 1.01C, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated by the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14 subsequent to the Closing Date and (iii) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

USA PATRIOT Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Public Law 107-56, as amended or modified from time to time.

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (i) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by (ii) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness; provided that, for purposes of determining the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Indebtedness that is being extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased, the effect of any amortization or prepayment prior to the date of the applicable extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance shall be disregarded.

wholly owned” means, with respect to a Subsidiary of a Person, a Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Equity Interests of which (other than (x) director’s qualifying shares and (y) shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable Law) are owned by such Person and/or by one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

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2018 Acquisition” has the meaning set forth in the definition of the term “Acquisition Agreement.”

Section 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) 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.

(c) Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are to the Loan Document in which such reference appears.

(d) The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation.

(e) 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.

(f) 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.”

(g) 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.

(h) In connection with any action being taken in connection with a Limited Condition Transaction (including any incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof, the incurrence or assumption of any Liens or the making of any Investments, Restricted Payments or fundamental changes, the repayment of any Indebtedness for which an irrevocable notice of prepayment or redemption is required or the designation of any Restricted Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment, in each case, in connection with such Limited Condition Transaction), for purposes of:

(x) determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement which requires the calculation of the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio; or

(y) testing availability under baskets set forth in this Agreement (including baskets measured as a percentage of Total Assets or Consolidated EBITDA, if any)

in each case, at the option of the Borrower (the Borrower’s election to exercise such option in connection with any Limited Condition Transaction, an “LCT Election”), the date (the “LCT

 

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Test Date”) of determination of whether any such action is permitted hereunder shall be deemed to be either (a) the date the definitive agreements for such Limited Condition Transaction are entered into or irrevocable prepayment or redemption notices are provided to the applicable holders, as applicable, or (b) solely in connection with an acquisition to which the United Kingdom City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the “City Code”) or similar law or practices in other jurisdictions apply, the date on which a “Rule 2.7 announcement” of a firm intention to make an offer or similar announcement or determination in another jurisdiction subject to laws similar to the City Code in respect of such target company made in compliance with the City Code or similar law or practices in other jurisdictions (a “Public Offer”), and if, after giving pro forma effect to the Limited Condition Transaction and the other transactions to be entered into in connection therewith (including any incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof, the incurrence or assumption of any Liens or the making of any Investments, Restricted Payments or fundamental changes, the repayment of any Indebtedness for which an irrevocable notice of prepayment or redemption is required or the designation of any Restricted Subsidiaries or Unrestricted Subsidiaries in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment) as if they had occurred at the beginning of the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters ending prior to the LCT Test Date for which consolidated financial statements of the Borrower are available, the Borrower could have taken such action on the relevant LCT Test Date in compliance with such ratio or basket, such ratio or basket shall be deemed to have been complied with. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower has made an LCT Election and any of the ratios or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCT Test Date are exceeded as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio or basket, including due to fluctuations in Total Assets or Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower or the Person subject to such Limited Condition Transaction, at or prior to the consummation of the relevant transaction or action, such baskets or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded as a result of such fluctuations solely for purposes of determining whether the relevant transaction or action is permitted to be consummated or taken; provided that if such ratios or baskets improve as a result of such fluctuations, such improved ratios and/or baskets may be utilized. If the Borrower has made an LCT Election for any Limited Condition Transaction, then in connection with any subsequent calculation of any ratio or basket availability with respect to the incurrence of Indebtedness or Liens, or the making of Restricted Payments or Investments, mergers, the conveyance, lease or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower, the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness, or the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary on or following the relevant LCT Test Date and prior to the earlier of the date on which such Limited Condition Transaction is consummated or the definitive agreement for, or, as applicable the offer in respect of a Public Offer for, such Limited Condition Transaction is terminated or expires without consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction, any such ratio or basket shall be tested by calculating the availability under such ratio or basket on a Pro Forma Basis assuming such Limited Condition Transaction and other transactions in connection therewith have been consummated (including any incurrence of Indebtedness and any associated Lien and the use of proceeds thereof). Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any Loan Document to the contrary, if the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries (x) incurs Indebtedness, creates Liens, makes Investments, makes Restricted Payments, designates any Unrestricted Subsidiary or repays any Indebtedness in connection with any Limited Condition Transaction under a ratio-based basket and (y) incurs Indebtedness, creates Liens, makes Investments, makes Restricted Payments,

 

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designates any Unrestricted Subsidiary or repays any Indebtedness in connection with such Limited Condition Transaction under a non-ratio-based basket (which shall occur within five Business Days of the events in clause (x) above), then the applicable ratio will be calculated with respect to any such action under the applicable ratio-based basket without regard to any such action under such non-ratio-based basket made in connection with such Limited Condition Transaction.

In connection with any action being taken in connection with a Limited Condition Transaction, for purposes of determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement which requires that no Default, Event of Default or specified Event of Default, as applicable, has occurred, is continuing or would result from any such action, as applicable, such condition shall, at the option of the Borrower, be deemed satisfied, so long as no Default, Event of Default or specified Event of Default, as applicable, exists on the date the definitive agreements for such Limited Condition Transaction are entered into, irrevocable prepayment or redemption notices are provided to the applicable holders or a Public Offer is made, as applicable. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower has exercised its option under this clause (h), and any Default, Event of Default or specified Event of Default occurs following the date the definitive agreements for the applicable Limited Condition Transaction were entered into and prior to the consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction, any such Default, Event of Default or specified Event of Default shall be deemed to not have occurred or be continuing for purposes of determining whether any action being taken in connection with such Limited Condition Transaction is permitted hereunder.

(i) For purposes of determining whether Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries comply with any exception to Article 7 (other than the Financial Covenant) where compliance with any such exception is based on a financial ratio or metric being satisfied as of a particular point in time, it is understood that (a) compliance shall be measured at the time when the relevant event is undertaken, as such financial ratios and metrics are intended to be “incurrence” tests and not “maintenance” tests and (b) correspondingly, any such ratio and metric shall only prohibit Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries from creating, incurring, assuming, suffering to exist or making, as the case may be, any new, for example, Liens, Indebtedness or Investments, but shall not result in any previously permitted, for example, Liens, Indebtedness or Investments ceasing to be permitted hereunder.

Section 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 in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, for purposes of determining compliance with any test or covenant contained in this Agreement with respect to any period during which any Specified Transaction occurs, the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio shall be calculated with respect to such period and such Specified Transaction on a Pro Forma Basis.

 

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Section 1.04. Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement (or required to be satisfied in order for a specific action to be permitted under 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).

Section 1.05. References to Agreements, Laws, Etc.. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organizational 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 permitted (or not prohibited) by the Loan Documents; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

Section 1.06. Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

Section 1.07. Timing of Payment or Performance. When the payment of any obligation or the performance of any covenant, duty or obligation is stated to be due or performance required on a day which is not a Business Day, the date of such payment (other than as described in the definition of Interest Period) or performance shall extend to the immediately succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.08. Cumulative Credit Transactions. If more than one action occurs on any given date the permissibility of the taking of which is determined hereunder by reference to the amount of the Cumulative Credit immediately prior to the taking of such action, the permissibility of the taking of each such action shall be determined independently and in no event may any two or more such actions be treated as occurring simultaneously.

Section 1.09. Additional Approved Currencies.

(a) The Borrower may from time to time request that Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Loans be made and/or Letters of Credit be issued in a currency other than those specifically listed in the definition of “Approved Currency”; provided that such requested currency is a lawful currency (other than Dollars) that is readily transferable and readily convertible into Dollars in the London interbank market. Such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the Revolving Credit Lenders in their sole discretion; and, in the case of any such request with respect to the issuance of Letters of Credit, such request shall also be subject to the approval of the applicable L/C Issuer in its sole discretion.

(b) Any such request shall be made to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time), five (5) Business Days prior to the date of the desired Borrowing or issuance of a Letter of Credit (or such other time or date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent and, in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the applicable L/C Issuer, in its or

 

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their sole discretion). In the case of any such request pertaining to Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Loans, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Credit Lender thereof; and in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the Administrative Agent shall also promptly notify the applicable L/C Issuer thereof. Each Revolving Credit Lender and the applicable L/C Issuer (in the case of a request pertaining to Letters of Credit) shall notify the Administrative Agent, not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time), two (2) Business Days after receipt of such request whether it consents, in its sole discretion, to the making of Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Loans or the issuance of Letters of Credit, as the case may be, in such requested currency.

(c) Any failure by a Revolving Credit Lender or an L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to respond to such request within the time period specified in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be a refusal by such Revolving Credit Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to permit Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Loans to be made or Letters of Credit to be issued in such requested currency. If the Administrative Agent and all the Revolving Credit Lenders consent to making Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Loans in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify Borrower and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Approved Currency hereunder for purposes of any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Loans; and if the applicable L/C Issuer also consents to the issuance of Letters of Credit in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Borrower and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Approved Currency hereunder for purposes of any Letter of Credit issuances by such L/C Issuer. If the Administrative Agent shall fail to obtain consent to any request for an additional currency under this Section 1.09, the Administrative Agent shall promptly so notify the Borrower.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall determine or redetermine the Dollar Equivalent of any amount as required hereby as of each Revaluation Date. A determination of the Dollar Equivalent of any amount by the Administrative Agent shall be presumed correct absent manifest error. In the case of Letters of Credit denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, each applicable L/C Issuer shall provide the Administrative Agent with the amount of such Letters of Credit in the applicable Approved Foreign Currency on each Revaluation Date and each other date reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE 2

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

Section 2.01. The Loans. (a) The Initial Term Loan Borrowings. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Term Lender severally agrees to make to the Borrower on the Closing Date loans denominated in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the amount of such Term Lender’s Initial Term Commitment. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01(a) and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Initial Term Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

(b) The Revolving Credit Borrowings. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein each Revolving Credit Lender severally agrees to make revolving credit loans denominated

 

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in an Approved Currency to the Borrower from its applicable Lending Office from time to time as elected by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.02, on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Maturity Date with respect to such Revolving Credit Lender’s applicable Revolving Credit Commitment, in an aggregate Principal Amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment at such time; provided that after giving effect to any Revolving Credit Borrowing, the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Credit Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment; provided further that the Dollar Equivalent of the total outstanding Foreign Currency Denominated Letters of Credit and Revolving Credit Loans that are Foreign Currency Denominated Loans shall not at any time exceed the Approved Foreign Currency Sublimit. Within the limits of each Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitments, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01(b), prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01(b). Revolving Credit Loans denominated in Dollars may be Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

Section 2.02. Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans(a) . (a) Each Term Borrowing, each Revolving Credit Borrowing, each conversion of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurocurrency 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 (i) 1:00 p.m. New York City time three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars or any conversion of Base Rate Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Loans, (ii) 1:00 p.m. New York City time four Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency and (iii) 11:00 a.m. New York City time on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans; provided that the notice referred to in subclause (i) above may be delivered no later than one (1) Business Day prior to the Closing Date in the case of initial Credit Extensions denominated in Dollars. 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. Except as provided in Section 2.14(d), each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a minimum principal amount of $500,000, or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c), 2.04(c), 2.14(d), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a minimum 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 Term Borrowing of a particular Class, a Revolving Credit Borrowing, a conversion of Term Loans of any Class or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurocurrency 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 Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Term Loans of a Class or Revolving Credit Loans are to be converted (v) in the case of a

 

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Revolving Credit Borrowing, the relevant Approved Currency in which such Revolving Credit Borrowing is to be denominated and (vi) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify an Approved Currency of a Loan in a Committed Loan Notice, such Loan shall be made in Dollars. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans shall be made as or converted to (x) in the case of any Loan denominated in Dollars, Base Rate Loans or (y) in the case of any Loan denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the Approved Currency having an Interest Period of one month, as applicable. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans or one-month Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurocurrency 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 (1) month. No Loan may be converted into or continued as a Loan denominated in another Approved Currency, but instead must be prepaid in the original Approved Currency or reborrowed in another Approved Currency.

(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount (and Approved Currency) of its Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the applicable Class of 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 or continuation described in Section 2.02(a). In the case of each Borrowing, each Appropriate Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than (i) 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice for any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, (ii) the Applicable Time specified by the Administrative Agent on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice for any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency and (iii) 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice for any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. The Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent by wire transfer of such funds in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurocurrency Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan unless the Borrower pays the amount due, if any, under Section 3.05 in connection therewith.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurocurrency Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The determination of the Eurocurrency Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in the Prime Rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the announcement of such change.

 

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(e) After giving effect to all Term Borrowings, all Revolving Credit Borrowings, all conversions of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than fifteen (15) Interest Periods in effect; provided that after the establishment of any new Class of Loans pursuant to an Incremental Amendment, Refinancing Amendment or Extension Amendment, the number of Interest Periods otherwise permitted by this Section 2.02(e) shall increase by three (3) Interest Periods for each applicable Class so established.

(f) The failure of any Lender to make the Loan to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Loan on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Loan to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

Section 2.03. Letters of Credit. (a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.

(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) each L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Revolving Credit Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date to issue Letters of Credit at sight denominated in Dollars or any Approved Foreign Currency approved by such L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 1.09 for the account of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower and to amend or renew Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with Section 2.03(b), and (2) to honor drafts under the Letters of Credit and (B) the Revolving Credit Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued pursuant to this Section 2.03; provided that no L/C Issuer shall be obligated to make any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, and no Lender shall be obligated to participate in any Letter of Credit if as of the date of such L/C Credit Extension, after giving effect to the issuance of such Letter of Credit, (w) the Dollar Equivalent of the total outstanding Foreign Currency Denominated Letters of Credit and Revolving Credit Loans that are Foreign Currency Denominated Loans would exceed the Approved Foreign Currency Sublimit, (x) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Revolving Credit Lender would exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment, (y) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations in respect of Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer would exceed such L/C Issuer’s L/C Commitment or (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. 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 be issued hereunder in the name of the Borrower for the benefit of the Borrower or Subsidiary of the Borrower in whose name such Existing Letter of Credit is outstanding immediately prior to the Closing Date and shall constitute Letters of Credit subject to the terms hereof.

 

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(ii) An L/C Issuer shall be under no 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 such L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to such L/C Issuer or any directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or direct that such L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date (for which such L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder);

(B) subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii) and Section 2.03(a)(ii)(C), the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur later than the earlier of (x) twelve months after the date of issuance or last renewal or (y) the fifth Business Day prior to the Maturity Date of the Revolving Credit Facility, unless (1) each Appropriate Lender has approved of such expiration date or (2) the L/C Issuer thereof has approved of such expiration date and the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations in respect of such requested Letter of Credit has been Cash Collateralized or backstopped pursuant to arrangements reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer;

(C) the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Revolving Credit Lenders have approved such expiry date;

(D) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate any Laws binding upon such L/C Issuer;

(E) the L/C Issuer does not as of the issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit issue Letters of Credit in the requested currency or type; or

(F) any Revolving Credit Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless such L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to such L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate such L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.17(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 such L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

(iii) An L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) such L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.

 

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(iv) Each 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 each L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article 9 with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by such L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and any Letter of Credit Issuance Request (and any other document, agreement or instrument entered into by such L/C Issuer and the Borrower or in favor of such L/C Issuer) pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article 9 included such L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to each L/C Issuer.

(v) The Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, reduce the L/C Commitment of any L/C Issuer with the consent of such L/C Issuer; provided that the Borrower shall not reduce the L/C Commitment of any L/C Issuer if, after giving effect to such reduction, the conditions set forth in clause (i) above would not be satisfied.

(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 an L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Issuance Request, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or his/her delegate or designee. Such Letter of Credit Issuance Request must be received by the relevant L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) (x) at least two Business Days prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment in the case of Dollar Denominated Letter of Credit and (y) at least four Business Days prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment in the case of Foreign Currency Denominated Letter of Credit, as the case may be; or, in each case, such other date and time as the relevant L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in its sole discretion. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Issuance Request shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the relevant 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; (G) the relevant Approved Currency in which such Letter of Credit is to be denominated; and (H) such other matters as the relevant L/C Issuer may reasonably request. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Issuance Request shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the relevant L/C Issuer (1) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (2) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (3) the nature

 

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of the proposed amendment; and (4) such other matters as the relevant L/C Issuer may reasonably request. In addition, as a condition to any Letter of Credit issuance, the Borrower shall have entered into a continuing agreement (or other letter of credit agreement) for the issuance of letters of credit and/or shall submit a letter of credit application, in each case, as required by the L/C Issuer and using such L/C Issuer’s standard form (each, a “Letter of Credit Agreement”). In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of any Letter of Credit Agreement and the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

(ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Issuance Request, the relevant 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 Issuance Request from the Borrower and, if not, such L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Upon receipt by the relevant L/C Issuer of confirmation from the Administrative Agent that the requested issuance or amendment is permitted in accordance with the terms hereof, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, such L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or, if applicable, the Restricted Subsidiary, or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Revolving Credit Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the relevant L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share provided for under this Agreement times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

(iii) If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Issuance Request, the relevant L/C Issuer shall 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 relevant 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 number of days (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) prior to the last day of such twelve month period to be agreed upon by the relevant L/C Issuer and the Borrower at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the relevant L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the relevant L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the applicable Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the relevant 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 that the relevant L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the relevant L/C Issuer has determined that it would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its extended form under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of Section 2.03(a)(ii) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven (7) Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date from the Administrative Agent, any Revolving Credit Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied.

 

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(iv) Promptly after issuance of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit, the relevant 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 relevant L/C Issuer shall notify promptly the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof. In the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer in such Approved Foreign Currency, unless the L/C Issuer (at its option) shall have specified in such notice that it will require reimbursement in Dollars. In the case of any such reimbursement in Dollars of a drawing under a Letter of Credit denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower of the amount of the drawing in such Approved Foreign Currency promptly following the determination thereof. Not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York City time), in the case of a drawing in Dollars, or 2:00 p.m. (London time) (or, if earlier, 9:00 a.m. New York City time), in the case of a drawing in an Approved Foreign Currency, on (1) the next Business Day immediately following the date of any honoring of a drawing by an L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit that the Borrower receives notice thereof (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse such L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing in the relevant Approved Currency; provided that the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with this Section 2.03 that such payment be financed with a Revolving Credit Borrowing under the Revolving Credit Facility or a Swing Line Borrowing under the Swing Line Facility in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting Revolving Credit Borrowing or Swing Line Borrowing, as applicable. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse such L/C Issuer by such time, such L/C Issuer shall notify the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (expressed in Dollars in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent thereof) (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Appropriate Lender’s Pro Rata Share provided for under this Agreement thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Revolving Credit Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as applicable, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Revolving Credit Commitments of the Appropriate Lenders and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by an 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 Appropriate Lender (including any Lender acting as an L/C Issuer) shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant L/C Issuer in Dollars at the Administrative Agent’s Office for Dollar-denominated payments in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Appropriate Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Credit Loan that is a Base Rate Loan or Eurocurrency Rate Loan, as applicable, to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall promptly remit the funds so received to the relevant L/C Issuer in Dollars.

(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Revolving Credit Borrowing of Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as applicable, 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 relevant 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 (which begins to accrue upon funding by the L/C Issuer) at the Default Rate for Revolving Credit Loans. In such event, each Appropriate Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant 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 Appropriate Lender funds its Revolving Credit Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the relevant L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of such amount shall be solely for the account of the relevant L/C Issuer.

(v) Each Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Credit Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse an 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 setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the relevant 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 that each Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Credit 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 relevant L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by such L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

 

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(vi) If any Revolving Credit Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant 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), such 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 such L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Effective Rate from time to time in effect, plus any reasonable administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by such L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. A certificate of the relevant L/C Issuer submitted to any Revolving Credit Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this Section 2.03(c)(vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) If, at any time after an L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Revolving Credit Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), the Administrative Agent receives for the account of such 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 Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement hereof (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 an L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Appropriate Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such L/C Issuer its Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement 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 Effective Rate, plus any reasonable administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing.

(e) Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the relevant L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit issued by it 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 agreement or instrument relating thereto;

 

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(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that any Loan Party 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 relevant 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;

(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) any payment by the relevant L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the relevant 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;

(v) any exchange, release or non-perfection of any Collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from the Guaranty or any other guarantee, for all or any of the Obligations of any Loan Party in respect of such Letter of Credit;

(vi) any adverse change in the relevant exchange rates or in the availability of Dollars or the relevant Approved Foreign Currency to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or in the relevant currency markets generally; and

(vii) 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, any Loan Party;

provided that the foregoing shall not excuse any L/C Issuer from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable Law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such L/C Issuer’s gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined in a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof.

(f) Role of L/C Issuers. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the relevant 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 Issuers, any Agent-Related Person nor any of the respective correspondents, participants or assignees of

 

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any 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 Lenders holding a majority of the Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined in a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Letter of Credit Issuance Request. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided 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 Issuers, any Agent-Related Person, nor any of the respective correspondents, participants or assignees of any L/C Issuer, shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (vii) 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 such L/C Issuer; provided that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against an L/C Issuer, and such 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 are caused by such L/C Issuer’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of the relevant L/C Issuer or such L/C Issuer’s willful or grossly negligent 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 each case, as determined in a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction, such L/C Issuer shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each 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 no L/C Issuer shall 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, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

(g) Cash Collateral. If (i) as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any Letter of Credit may for any reason remain outstanding and partially or wholly undrawn (and without limiting the requirements of Section 2.03(a)(ii)(C)), (ii) any Event of Default occurs and is continuing and the Administrative Agent or the Lenders holding a majority of the Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, require the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to Section 8.02 or (iii) an Event of Default set forth under Section 8.01(f) occurs and is continuing, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to such Outstanding Amount determined as of the date of such Event of Default or the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, as the case may be), and shall do so not

 

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later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time on (x) in the case of the immediately preceding clauses (i) and (ii), (1) the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice thereof, if such notice is received on such day prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time or (2) if clause (1) above does not apply, the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice and (y) in the case of the immediately preceding clause (iii), the Business Day on which an Event of Default set forth under Section 8.01(f) occurs or, if such day is not a Business Day, the Business Day immediately succeeding such day. At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, immediately upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to cover all Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.17(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender). For purposes hereof, “Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the relevant L/C Issuer and the Appropriate Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances (“Cash Collateral”) pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the relevant L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by the Appropriate Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings. The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuers and the Revolving Credit Lenders of the applicable Facility, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Cash Collateral shall be maintained in a Cash Collateral Account and may be invested in readily available Cash Equivalents as directed by the Borrower. If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that any funds held as Cash Collateral are expressly subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent (on behalf of the Secured Parties) or that the total amount of such funds is less than the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, the Borrower will, forthwith upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay to the Administrative Agent, as additional funds to be deposited and held in the Cash Collateral Account, an amount equal to the excess of (a) such aggregate Outstanding Amount over (b) the total amount of funds, if any, then held as Cash Collateral that the Administrative Agent reasonably determines to be free and clear of any such right and claim. Upon the drawing of any Letter of Credit for which funds are on deposit as Cash Collateral, such funds shall be applied, to the extent permitted under applicable Law, to reimburse the relevant L/C Issuer. To the extent the amount of any Cash Collateral exceeds the then Outstanding Amount of such L/C Obligations and so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the excess shall be refunded to the Borrower. To the extent any Event of Default giving rise to the requirement to Cash Collateralize any Letter of Credit pursuant to this Section 2.03(g) is cured or otherwise waived by the Required Lenders, then so long as no other Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, all Cash Collateral pledged to Cash Collateralize such Letter of Credit shall be refunded to the Borrower.

(h) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Revolving Credit Lenders for the applicable Revolving Credit Facility (in accordance with their Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement) a Letter of Credit fee in Dollars for each Letter of Credit issued pursuant to this Agreement equal to the Applicable Rate for Revolving Credit Loans times the Dollar Equivalent of the daily maximum amount then available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit (whether or not such maximum amount is then in effect under such Letter of Credit if such maximum amount increases

 

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periodically pursuant to the terms of such Letter of Credit); provided, however, any Letter of Credit fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender has not provided Cash Collateral satisfactory to the L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 2.03 shall be payable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the upward adjustments in their respective Pro Rata Shares allocable to such Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.17(a)(iv), with the balance of such fee, if any, payable to the L/C Issuer for its own account. Such Letter of Credit fees shall be computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such Letter of Credit fees shall be due and payable in Dollars on the last Business Day 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. If there is any change in any Applicable Rate for Revolving Credit Loans during any quarter, the daily maximum amount of each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by such Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

(i) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuers. The Borrower shall pay directly to each L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by it equal to 0.125% per annum of the Dollar Equivalent of the aggregate face amount of such Letter of Credit. Such fronting fees shall be computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fees shall be due and payable in Dollars on the last Business Day 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 each L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by it the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of such 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 within ten (10) Business Days of demand and are nonrefundable.

(j) Conflict with Letter of Credit Issuance Request. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in this Agreement or any Letter of Credit Issuance Request, in the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Letter of Credit Issuance Request, the terms hereof shall control.

(k) Addition of an L/C Issuer. A Revolving Credit Lender may become an additional L/C Issuer hereunder pursuant to a written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Revolving Credit Lender. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Revolving Credit Lenders of any such additional L/C Issuer.

(l) Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of 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 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 Dollar Equivalent of the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

 

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(m) Reporting. Each L/C Issuer will report in writing to the Administrative Agent (i) on the first Business Day of each calendar month, the aggregate face amount of Letters of Credit issued by it and outstanding as of the last Business Day of the preceding calendar month (and on such other dates as the Administrative Agent may request), (ii) on or prior to each Business Day on which such L/C Issuer expects to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, the date of such issuance or amendment, and the aggregate face amount of Letters of Credit to be issued, amended, renewed or extended by it and outstanding after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (and such L/C Issuer shall advise the Administrative Agent on such Business Day whether such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension occurred and whether the amount thereof changed), (iii) on each Business Day on which such L/C Issuer makes any L/C Disbursement, the date and amount of such L/C Disbursement and (iv) on any Business Day on which the Borrower fails to reimburse an L/C Disbursement required to be reimbursed to such L/C Issuer on such day, the date and amount of such failure.

(n) Provisions Related to Letters of Credit in respect of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments. If the Letter of Credit Expiration Date in respect of any tranche of Revolving Credit Commitments occurs prior to the expiry date of any Letter of Credit, then (i) if consented to by the L/C Issuer which issued such Letter of Credit, if one or more other tranches of Revolving Credit Commitments in respect of which the Letter of Credit Expiration Date shall not have so occurred are then in effect, such Letters of Credit for which consent has been obtained shall automatically be deemed to have been issued (including for purposes of the obligations of the Revolving Credit Lenders to purchase participations therein and to make Revolving Credit Loans and payments in respect thereof pursuant to Sections 2.03(c) and (d)) under (and ratably participated in by Lenders pursuant to) the Revolving Credit Commitments in respect of such non-terminating tranches up to an aggregate amount not to exceed the aggregate amount of the unutilized Revolving Credit Commitments thereunder at such time (it being understood that no partial face amount of any Letter of Credit may be so reallocated) and (ii) to the extent not reallocated pursuant to immediately preceding clause (i), the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize any such Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.03(g). Upon the maturity date of any tranche of Revolving Credit Commitments, the sublimit for Letters of Credit may be reduced as agreed between the L/C Issuers and the Borrower, without the consent of any other Person.

(o) Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Restricted Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Restricted Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Restricted Subsidiaries. In the event that the Borrower requests any Letter of Credit to be issued for the benefit or account of a Restricted Subsidiary, such Restricted Subsidiary shall deliver documentation (including, without limitation, customary letter of credit requests and reimbursement agreements) as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the applicable L/C Issuer.

 

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(p) Provisions Related to Extended Revolving Credit Commitments. In connection with the establishment of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Other Revolving Credit Commitments and subject to the availability of unused Commitments with respect to such Class and the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02, the Borrower may with the written consent of the applicable L/C Issuer designate any outstanding Letter of Credit to be a Letter of Credit issued pursuant to such Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Other Revolving Credit Commitments. Upon such designation such Letter of Credit shall no longer be deemed to be issued and outstanding under such prior Class and shall instead be deemed to be issued and outstanding under such Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Other Revolving Credit Commitments.

(q) Replacement of an L/C Issuer. An L/C Issuer may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced L/C Issuer and the successor L/C Issuer. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of an L/C Issuer. From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (x) the successor L/C Issuer shall have all the rights and obligations of the L/C Issuer being replaced under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (y) references herein to the term “L/C Issuer” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous L/C Issuer, or to such successor and all current and previous L/C Issuers, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an L/C Issuer hereunder, the replaced L/C Issuer shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an L/C Issuer under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

(r) Resignation of an L/C Issuer. Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor L/C Issuer, any L/C Issuer may resign as an L/C Issuer at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders, in which case, such L/C Issuer shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.03(q) above.

(s) Existing Letters of Credit. The parties hereto agree that the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed Letters of Credit for all purposes under this Agreement, without any further action by the Borrower.

Section 2.04. Swing Line Loans. (a) The Swing Line. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, JPMorgan, in its capacity as Swing Line Lender, agrees to make loans in Dollars to the Borrower (each such loan, a “Swing Line Loan”), from time to time on any Business Day during the period beginning on the Business Day after the Closing Date and until the Maturity Date of the Revolving Credit Facility in an aggregate principal 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 Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Credit Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Swing

 

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Line Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment; provided that, after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Credit Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment then in effect; provided, further, that the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions 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 be a Base Rate Loan. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Revolving Credit 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 Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement 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 or Swing Line Loan Notice. Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. New York City time on the requested borrowing date and shall specify (i) the principal amount to be borrowed, which principal amount shall be a minimum of $250,000 (and any amount in excess of $250,000 shall be in integral multiples of $50,000) 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 Swing Line Loan Notice (by telephone or in writing), 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 Revolving Credit Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. New York City time 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 Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. New York City time 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. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.04 or elsewhere in this Agreement, the Swing Line Lender shall not be obligated to make any Swing Line Loan at a time when a Revolving Credit Lender is a Defaulting Lender unless the Swing Line Lender has entered into arrangements reasonably satisfactory to it and the Borrower to eliminate the Swing Line Lender’s Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.17(a)(iv))

 

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with respect to the Defaulting Lender’s or Defaulting Lenders’ participation in such Swing Line Loans, including by Cash Collateralizing, or obtaining a backstop letter of credit from an issuer reasonably satisfactory to the Swing Line Lender to support, such Defaulting Lender’s or Defaulting Lenders’ Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Swing Line Loans.

(c) Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.

(i) The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes such Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Revolving Credit Lender make a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement 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 Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the aggregate Revolving Credit 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 Revolving Credit Lender shall make an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of the amount specified in such Committed Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office for Dollar-denominated payments not later than 1:00 p.m. New York City time on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Revolving Credit 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 Swing Line Lender.

(ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Revolving Credit Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Base Rate 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 Revolving Credit Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Revolving Credit 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 Revolving Credit Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by the 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 Federal Funds Effective Rate from time to time in effect, plus any reasonable administrative,

 

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processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing. 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 Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Credit 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 that each Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Credit Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) (but not to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans) 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.

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) At any time after any Revolving Credit 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 Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of such payment (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s risk participation was funded) 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 10.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), on demand of the Administrative Agent each Revolving Credit Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement thereof, 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 Effective Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request in writing of the Swing Line Lender.

(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 Revolving Credit Lender funds its Base Rate Loan, Eurocurrency Rate Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Pro Rata Share shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

 

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(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.

(g) Provisions Related to Extended Revolving Credit Commitments. If the maturity date shall have occurred in respect of any tranche of Revolving Credit Commitments (the “Expiring Credit Commitment”) at a time when another tranche or tranches of Revolving Credit Commitments is or are in effect with a longer maturity date (each a “Non-Expiring Credit Commitment” and collectively, the “Non-Expiring Credit Commitments”), then with respect to each outstanding Swing Line Loan, if consented to by the applicable Swing Line Lender, on the earliest occurring maturity date such Swing Line Loan shall be deemed reallocated to the tranche or tranches of the Non-Expiring Credit Commitments on a pro rata basis; provided that (x) to the extent that the amount of such reallocation would cause the aggregate credit exposure to exceed the aggregate amount of such Non-Expiring Credit Commitments, immediately prior to such reallocation the amount of Swing Line Loans to be reallocated equal to such excess shall be repaid or Cash Collateralized and (y) notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower shall still be obligated to pay Swing Line Loans allocated to the Revolving Credit Lenders holding the Expiring Credit Commitments at the maturity date of the Expiring Credit Commitment or if the Loans have been accelerated prior to the maturity date of the Expiring Credit Commitment. Upon the maturity date of any tranche of Revolving Credit Commitments, the sublimit for Swing Line Loans may be reduced as agreed between the Swing Line Lender and the Borrower, without the consent of any other Person.

(h) Replacement of the Swing Line Lender. The Swing Line Lender may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Swing Line Lender and the successor Swing Line Lender. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of a Swing Line Lender. From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (x) the successor Swing Line Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of the replaced Swing Line Lender under this Agreement with respect to Swing Line Loans made thereafter and (y) references herein to the term “Swing Line Lender” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Swing Line Lender, or to such successor and all previous Swing Line Lenders, as the context shall require. After the replacement of a Swing Line Lender hereunder, the replaced Swing Line Lender shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of a Swing Line Lender under this Agreement with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it prior to its replacement, but shall not be required to make additional Swing Line Loans.

(i) Resignation of the Swing Line Lender. Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Swing Line Lender, the Swing Line Lender may resign as a Swing Line Lender at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders, in which case, such Swing Line Lender shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.04(h) above.

Section 2.05. Prepayments. (a) Optional.

 

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(i) The Borrower may, upon, subject to clause (iii) below, written notice to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Term Loans of any Class and Revolving Credit Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (1) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. New York City time (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, (B) four Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency and (C) one Business Day prior to any prepayment of Base Rate Loans, in each case, unless the Administrative Agent agrees to a shorter period in its discretion; (1) any prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a minimum Principal Amount of $500,000, or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof; and (2) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a minimum 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 Class(es) and Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement of such prepayment. Subject to Section 2.05(a)(iii) below, 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest thereon to such date, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. In the case of each prepayment of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(a), the Borrower may in its sole discretion select the Borrowing or Borrowings (and the order of maturity of principal payments) to be repaid, and such payment shall be paid to the Appropriate Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares or other applicable share as provided for under this Agreement.

(ii) The Borrower may, upon, subject to clause (iii) below, written 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 (1) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. New York City time on the date of the prepayment, and (2) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum Principal Amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. 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.

(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, subject to the payment of any amounts owing pursuant to Section 3.05, the Borrower may rescind any notice of prepayment under Sections 2.05(a)(i) or 2.05(a)(ii) if such prepayment would have resulted from a refinancing of all or a portion of the applicable Facility, which refinancing shall not be consummated or shall otherwise be delayed. Each

 

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prepayment of any Class of Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(a) shall be applied as directed by the Borrower (which may be applied to any specific Class, tranche or facility of Indebtedness) and, absent such direction, shall be applied in direct order of maturity to repayments thereof required pursuant to Section 2.07(a).

(iv) [reserved].

(v) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing and, only to the extent funded at a discount, no proceeds of Revolving Credit Borrowings are applied to fund any such repayment, any Company Party may prepay the outstanding Term Loans (which shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be automatically and permanently canceled immediately upon such prepayment) (or Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may purchase such outstanding Term Loans and immediately cancel them) on the following basis:

(A) Any Company Party shall have the right to make a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans at a discount to par pursuant to a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment, Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers or Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers (any such prepayment, the “Discounted Term Loan Prepayment”), in each case made in accordance with this Section 2.05(a)(v); provided that no Company Party shall initiate any action under this Section 2.05(a)(v) in order to make a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment unless (I) at least ten (10) Business Days shall have passed since the consummation of the most recent Discounted Term Loan Prepayment as a result of a prepayment made by a Company Party on the applicable Discounted Prepayment Effective Date; or (II) at least three Business Days shall have passed since the date the Company Party was notified that no Term Lender was willing to accept any prepayment of any Term Loan at the Specified Discount, within the Discount Range or at any discount to par value, as applicable, or in the case of Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers, the date of any Company Party’s election not to accept any Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers.

(B) (I) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time offer to make a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Specified Discount Prepayment Notice; provided that (II) any such offer shall be made available, at the sole discretion of the Company Party, to (x) each Term Lender and/or (y) each Term Lender with respect to any Class of Term Loans on an individual tranche basis, (III) any such offer shall specify the aggregate principal amount offered to be prepaid (the “Specified Discount Prepayment Amount”) with respect to each applicable tranche, the tranche or tranches of Term Loans subject to such offer and the specific percentage discount to par (the “Specified Discount”) of such Term Loans to be prepaid (it being understood that different Specified Discounts and/or Specified Discount Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Term Loans and, in such event, each

 

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such offer will be treated as a separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section 2.05(a)(v)(B)), (IV) the Specified Discount Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate principal amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (V) each such offer shall remain outstanding through the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Specified Discount Prepayment Notice and a form of the Specified Discount Prepayment Response to be completed and returned by each such Term Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time), on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders (the “Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date”).

(1) Each Term Lender receiving such offer shall notify the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date whether or not it agrees to accept a prepayment of any of its applicable then outstanding Term Loans at the Specified Discount and, if so (such accepting Lender, a “Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender”), the amount and the tranches of such Lender’s Term Loans to be prepaid at such offered discount. Each acceptance of a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment by a Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender shall be irrevocable. Any Term Lender whose Specified Discount Prepayment Response is not received by the Auction Agent by the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept the applicable Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment.

(2) If there is at least one Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender, the relevant Company Party will make a prepayment of outstanding Term Loans pursuant to this paragraph (B) to each Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender in accordance with the respective outstanding amount and tranches of Term Loans specified in such Lender’s Specified Discount Prepayment Response given pursuant to subsection (1) above; provided that if the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans accepted for prepayment by all Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders exceeds the Specified Discount Prepayment Amount, such prepayment shall be made pro rata among the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders in accordance with the respective principal amounts accepted to be prepaid by each such Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Specified Discount Proration”). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in any case within three Business Days following the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date, notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the respective Term Lenders’ responses to such offer, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and the aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each

 

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Term Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, and the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Term Loans to be prepaid at the Specified Discount on such date and (III) each Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender of the Specified Discount Proration, if any, and confirmation of the principal amount, tranche and Type of Term Loans of such Lender to be prepaid at the Specified Discount on such date. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the Company Party and such Term Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to the Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(C) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time solicit Discount Range Prepayment Offers by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Discount Range Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such solicitation shall be extended, at the sole discretion of such Company Party, to (x) each Term Lender and/or (y) each Term Lender with respect to any Class of Term Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such notice shall specify the maximum aggregate principal amount of the relevant Term Loans (the “Discount Range Prepayment Amount”), the tranche or tranches of Term Loans subject to such offer and the maximum and minimum percentage discounts to par (the “Discount Range”) of the principal amount of such Term Loans with respect to each relevant tranche of Term Loans willing to be prepaid by such Company Party (it being understood that different Discount Ranges and/or Discount Range Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Term Loans and, in such event, each such offer will be treated as a separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section 2.05(a)(v)(C)), (III) the Discount Range Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate principal amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such solicitation by a Company Party shall remain outstanding through the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Discount Range Prepayment Notice and a form of the Discount Range Prepayment Offer to be submitted by a responding Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time), on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders (the “Discount Range Prepayment Response Date”). Each Term Lender’s Discount Range Prepayment Offer shall be irrevocable and shall specify a discount to par within the Discount Range (the “Submitted Discount”) at which such Lender is willing to allow prepayment of any or all of its then outstanding Term Loans of the applicable tranche or tranches and the maximum aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Lender’s Term Loans (the “Submitted Amount”) such Term Lender is willing to have prepaid at the Submitted Discount. Any Term Lender whose Discount Range Prepayment Offer is not received by the Auction Agent by the

 

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Discount Range Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment of any of its Term Loans at any discount to their par value within the Discount Range.

(2) The Auction Agent shall review all Discount Range Prepayment Offers received on or before the applicable Discount Range Prepayment Response Date and shall determine (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) the Applicable Discount and Term Loans to be prepaid at such Applicable Discount in accordance with this subsection (C). The relevant Company Party agrees to accept on the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date all Discount Range Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date, in the order from the Submitted Discount that is the largest discount to par to the Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par, up to and including the Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par within the Discount Range (such Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par within the Discount Range being referred to as the “Applicable Discount”) which yields a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment in an aggregate principal amount equal to the lower of (I) the Discount Range Prepayment Amount and (II) the sum of all Submitted Amounts. Each Term Lender that has submitted a Discount Range Prepayment Offer to accept prepayment at a discount to par that is larger than or equal to the Applicable Discount shall be deemed to have irrevocably consented to prepayment of Term Loans equal to its Submitted Amount (subject to any required proration pursuant to the following subsection (3)) at the Applicable Discount (each such Term Lender, a “Participating Lender”).

(3) If there is at least one Participating Lender, the relevant Company Party will prepay the respective outstanding Term Loans of each Participating Lender in the aggregate principal amount and of the tranches specified in such Lender’s Discount Range Prepayment Offer at the Applicable Discount; provided that if the Submitted Amount by all Participating Lenders offered at a discount to par greater than or equal to the Applicable Discount exceeds the Discount Range Prepayment Amount, prepayment of the principal amount of the relevant Term Loans for those Participating Lenders whose Submitted Discount is a discount to par greater than or equal to the Applicable Discount (the “Identified Participating Lenders”) shall be made pro rata among the Identified Participating Lenders in accordance with the Submitted Amount of each such Identified Participating Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Discount Range Proration”). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in

 

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any case within five (5) Business Days following the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date, notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the respective Term Lenders’ responses to such solicitation, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Applicable Discount, and the aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Term Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Applicable Discount, and the aggregate principal amount and tranches of Term Loans to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, (III) each Participating Lender of the aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Term Lender to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, and (IV) if applicable, each Identified Participating Lender of the Discount Range Proration. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the relevant Company Party and Term Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to the Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(D) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time solicit Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such solicitation shall be extended, at the sole discretion of such Company Party, to (x) each Term Lender and/or (y) each Lender with respect to any Class of Term Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such notice shall specify the maximum aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount”) and the tranche or tranches of Term Loans the Borrower is willing to prepay at a discount (it being understood that different Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Term Loans and, in such event, each such offer will be treated as a separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section 2.05(a)(v)(D)), (III) the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate principal amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such solicitation by a Company Party shall remain outstanding through the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice and a form of the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer to be submitted by a responding Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time), on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Term Lenders (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date”). Each Term Lender’s Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer shall (x) be irrevocable, (y) remain outstanding until the Acceptance Date, and (z) specify both a discount to par (the “Offered Discount”) at which such Term Lender is willing to allow prepayment of its then outstanding

 

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Term Loan and the maximum aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Term Loans (the “Offered Amount”) such Term Lender is willing to have prepaid at the Offered Discount. Any Term Lender whose Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer is not received by the Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined prepayment of any of its Term Loans at any discount.

(2) The Auction Agent shall promptly provide the relevant Company Party with a copy of all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received on or before the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date. Such Company Party shall review all such Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers and select the largest of the Offered Discounts specified by the relevant responding Term Lenders in the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers that is acceptable to the Company Party (the “Acceptable Discount”), if any. If the Company Party elects to accept any Offered Discount as the Acceptable Discount, then as soon as practicable after the determination of the Acceptable Discount, but in no event later than by the third Business Day after the date of receipt by such Company Party from the Auction Agent of a copy of all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers pursuant to the first sentence of this subsection (2) (the “Acceptance Date”), the Company Party shall submit an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice to the Auction Agent setting forth the Acceptable Discount. If the Auction Agent shall fail to receive an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice from the Company Party by the Acceptance Date, such Company Party shall be deemed to have rejected all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers.

(3) Based upon the Acceptable Discount and the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, within three Business Days after receipt of an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice (the “Discounted Prepayment Determination Date”), the Auction Agent will determine (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Term Loans (the “Acceptable Prepayment Amount”) to be prepaid by the relevant Company Party at the Acceptable Discount in accordance with this Section 2.05(a)(v)(D). If the Company Party elects to accept any Acceptable Discount, then the Company Party agrees to accept all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, in the order from largest Offered Discount to smallest Offered Discount, up to and including the Acceptable Discount. Each Term Lender that has submitted a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer with an Offered Discount that is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount shall be deemed to have irrevocably consented to

 

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prepayment of Term Loans equal to its Offered Amount (subject to any required pro rata reduction pursuant to the following sentence) at the Acceptable Discount (each such Lender, a “Qualifying Lender”). The Company Party will prepay outstanding Term Loans pursuant to this subsection (D) to each Qualifying Lender in the aggregate principal amount and of the tranches specified in such Lender’s Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer at the Acceptable Discount; provided that if the aggregate Offered Amount by all Qualifying Lenders whose Offered Discount is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount exceeds the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount, prepayment of the principal amount of the Term Loans for those Qualifying Lenders whose Offered Discount is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount (the “Identified Qualifying Lenders”) shall be made pro rata among the Identified Qualifying Lenders in accordance with the Offered Amount of each such Identified Qualifying Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Solicited Discount Proration”). On or prior to the Discounted Prepayment Determination Date, the Auction Agent shall promptly notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and Acceptable Prepayment Amount comprising the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Term Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Acceptable Discount, and the Acceptable Prepayment Amount of all Term Loans and the tranches to be prepaid to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, (III) each Qualifying Lender of the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of such Term Lender to be prepaid at the Acceptable Discount on such date, and (IV) if applicable, each Identified Qualifying Lender of the Solicited Discount Proration. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to such Company Party and Term Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to such Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(E) In connection with any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment, the Company Parties and the Term Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may require as a condition to any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment, the payment of customary fees and expenses from a Company Party in connection therewith.

(F) If any Term Loan is prepaid in accordance with paragraphs (B) through (D) above, a Company Party shall prepay such Term Loans on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date. The relevant Company Party shall make

 

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such prepayment to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders, Participating Lenders, or Qualifying Lenders, as applicable, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in immediately available funds not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and all such prepayments shall be applied to the remaining principal installments of the relevant tranche of Loans on a pro rata basis across such installments. The Term Loans so prepaid shall be accompanied by all accrued and unpaid interest on the par principal amount so prepaid up to, but not including, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date. Each prepayment of the outstanding Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(a)(v) shall be paid to the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders, Participating Lenders, or Qualifying Lenders, as applicable, and shall be applied to the relevant Loans of such Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Share. The aggregate principal amount of the tranches and installments of the relevant Term Loans outstanding shall be deemed reduced by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of the tranches of Term Loans prepaid on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment. In connection with each prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.05(a)(v), the relevant Company Party shall waive any right to bring any action against the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such, in connection with any such Discounted Term Loan Prepayment.

(G) To the extent not expressly provided for herein, each Discounted Term Loan Prepayment shall be consummated pursuant to procedures consistent with the provisions in this Section 2.05(a)(v), established by the Auction Agent acting in its reasonable discretion and as reasonably agreed by the Borrower.

(H) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, for purposes of this Section 2.05(a)(v), each notice or other communication required to be delivered or otherwise provided to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) shall be deemed to have been given upon Auction Agent’s (or its delegate’s) actual receipt during normal business hours of such notice or communication; provided that any notice or communication actually received outside of normal business hours shall be deemed to have been given as of the opening of business on the next Business Day.

(I) Each of the Company Parties and the Term Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may perform any and all of its duties under this Section 2.05(a)(v) by itself or through any Affiliate of the Auction Agent and expressly consents to any such delegation of duties by the Auction Agent to such Affiliate and the performance of such delegated duties by such Affiliate. The exculpatory provisions pursuant to this Agreement shall apply to each Affiliate of the Auction Agent and its respective activities in connection with any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment provided for in this Section 2.05(a)(v) as well as activities of the Auction Agent.

 

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(J) Each Company Party shall have the right, by written notice to the Auction Agent, to revoke in full (but not in part) its offer to make a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment and rescind the applicable Specified Discount Prepayment Notice, Discount Range Prepayment Notice or Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice therefor at its discretion at any time on or prior to the applicable Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date (and if such offer is revoked pursuant to the preceding clauses, any failure by such Company Party to make any prepayment to a Lender, as applicable, pursuant to this Section 2.05(a)(v) shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default under Section 8.01 or otherwise).

(b) Mandatory.

(i) [reserved].

(ii) If (A) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower Disposes of any property or assets pursuant to Sections 7.05(f), (i) or (j) or (B) any Casualty Event occurs, which results in the realization or receipt by the Borrower or Restricted Subsidiary of Net Proceeds, the Borrower shall cause to be offered to be prepaid in accordance with clause (b)(vi) and (ix) below, on or prior to the date which is ten (10) Business Days after the date of the realization or receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Net Proceeds, subject to clause (b)(xi) below, an aggregate principal amount of Term Loans in an amount equal to the Applicable Asset Sale Percentage of all Net Proceeds received (such amount, the “Applicable Proceeds”); provided that if at the time that any such prepayment would be required, the Borrower is required to offer to repurchase Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, Permitted Ratio Debt, incurred Indebtedness under Section 7.03(g) or any other Indebtedness outstanding, in each case, at such time that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking pari passu with the Lien securing the Term Loans pursuant to the terms of the documentation governing such Indebtedness with the Net Proceeds of such Disposition or Casualty Event (such Indebtedness required to be offered to be so repurchased, “Other Applicable Indebtedness”), then the Borrower may apply the Applicable Proceeds on a pro rata basis (determined on the basis of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans and Other Applicable Indebtedness at such time) and the remaining Net Proceeds so received to the prepayment of such Other Applicable Indebtedness; provided, further, that (A) the portion of the Applicable Proceeds (but not the other Net Proceeds received) allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness shall not exceed the amount of Applicable Proceeds required to be allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness pursuant to the terms thereof, and the remaining amount, if any, of such Net Proceeds shall be allocated to the Term Loans in accordance with the terms hereof to the prepayment of the Term Loans and to the repurchase or prepayment of Other Applicable Indebtedness, and the amount of prepayment of the Term Loans that would have otherwise been required pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(ii) shall be reduced accordingly and (B) to the extent the holders of Other Applicable Indebtedness decline to have such indebtedness repurchased or prepaid, the declined amount shall promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days after the date of such rejection) be applied to prepay the Term Loans in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

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(iii) If the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurs or issues any Indebtedness after the Closing Date (other than Indebtedness not prohibited under Section 7.03), the Borrower shall cause to be offered to be prepaid in accordance with clause (b)(vi) below an aggregate principal amount of Term Loans in an amount equal to 100% of all Net Proceeds received therefrom on or prior to the date which is five (5) Business Days after the receipt by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary of such Net Proceeds; provided that if at the time that any such prepayment would be required, the Borrower is required to offer to repurchase any Other Applicable Indebtedness with the Net Proceeds of such Indebtedness, then the Borrower may apply such Net Proceeds on a pro rata basis (determined on the basis of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans and Other Applicable Indebtedness at such time); provided, further, that (A) the portion of such Net Proceeds allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness shall not exceed the amount of such Net Proceeds required to be allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness pursuant to the terms thereof, and the remaining amount, if any, of such Net Proceeds shall be allocated to the Term Loans in accordance with the terms hereof to the prepayment of the Term Loans and to the repurchase or prepayment of Other Applicable Indebtedness, and the amount of prepayment of the Term Loans that would have otherwise been required pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(iii) shall be reduced accordingly and (B) to the extent the holders of Other Applicable Indebtedness decline to have such indebtedness repurchased or prepaid, the declined amount shall promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days after the date of such rejection) be applied to prepay the Term Loans in accordance with the terms hereof. If the Borrower or any other Loan Party incurs any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, the Net Proceeds of such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness shall be used pursuant to clause (iv) of the definition thereof.

(iv) If for any reason (x) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposures at any time exceeds the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments then in effect (including, for the avoidance of doubt, as a result of the termination of any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments on the Maturity Date with respect thereto), the Borrower shall promptly prepay or cause to be promptly prepaid Revolving Credit Loans and Swing Line Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(iv) unless after the prepayment in full of the Revolving Credit Loans and Swing Line Loans such aggregate Outstanding Amount exceeds the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments then in effect and (y) the sum of the aggregate Dollar Equivalent of all of the outstanding Revolving Credit Exposures denominated in Approved Foreign Currencies (the “Foreign Currency Exposure”) (so calculated), as of the most recent Revaluation Date with respect to each such Credit Extension, exceeds the Approved Foreign Currency Sublimit, the Borrower shall promptly prepay or cause to be promptly prepaid Revolving Credit Loans denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided that the Borrower shall

 

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not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(iv) unless after the prepayment in full of the Revolving Credit Loans denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency the Foreign Currency Exposure exceeds the aggregate Approved Foreign Currency Sublimit.

(v) Except with respect to Loans incurred in connection with any Refinancing Amendment, Term Loan Extension Request, Revolver Extension Request or any Incremental Amendment (which may be prepaid on a less than pro rata basis in accordance with its terms), (A) each prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) shall be applied as between series, Classes or tranches of Term Loans as directed by the Borrower (provided that (i) any prepayment of Term Loans with the Net Proceeds of Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness shall be applied solely to each applicable Class of Refinanced Debt, (ii) other than as set forth in clause (iii), any Class of Incremental Term Loans may specify that one or more other Classes of Term Loans and Incremental Term Loans may be prepaid prior to such Class of Incremental Term Loans and (iii) the Borrower shall not direct prepayments to be applied to a series, Class or tranche of Term Loans without prepaying each other series, Class or tranche of Term Loans that matures earlier thereto on at least a pro rata basis); (B) with respect to each Class of Term Loans, each prepayment pursuant to clauses (i) through (iv) of this Section 2.05(b) shall be applied to the scheduled installments of principal thereof following the date of prepayment pursuant to Section 2.07(a) in direct order of maturity (without premium or penalty), unless otherwise directed by the Borrower; and (C) each such prepayment shall be paid to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares of such prepayment.

(vi) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent in writing of any mandatory prepayment of Term Loans required to be made pursuant to clauses (i) through (iv) of this Section 2.05(b) at least three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such prepayment (or such shorter time as the Administrative Agent may agree). Each such notice shall specify the date of such prepayment and provide a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of the contents of the Borrower’s prepayment notice and of such Appropriate Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the prepayment.

(vii) Funding Losses, Etc. All prepayments under this Section 2.05 shall be made together with, in the case of any such prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan on a date prior to the last day of an Interest Period therefor, any amounts owing in respect of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan pursuant to Section 3.05. Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Section 2.05, so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, if any prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans is required to be made under this Section 2.05, prior to the last day of the Interest Period therefor, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, deposit the amount of any such prepayment otherwise required to be made thereunder into a Cash Collateral Account until the last day of such Interest Period, at which time the Administrative Agent shall be authorized (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to apply such amount to the prepayment of such Loans in accordance with this Section 2.05. Upon the occurrence and

 

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during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall also be authorized (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to apply such amount to the prepayment of the outstanding Loans in accordance with this Section 2.05.

(viii) Term Opt-out of Prepayment. With respect to each prepayment of Term Loans required pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(ii), (A) each Lender of Term Loans will have the right to refuse such offer of prepayment by giving written notice of such refusal to the Administrative Agent within one (1) Business Day after such Lender’s receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent of such offer of prepayment (“Declined Proceeds”) (in which case the Borrower shall not prepay any Term Loans of such Lender on the date that is specified in clause (B) below), (B) the Borrower will make all such prepayments not so refused upon the fourth Business Day after delivery of notice by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(vi) and (C) any Declined Proceeds may be retained by the Borrower.

(ix) In connection with any mandatory prepayments by the Borrower of the Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(b), such prepayments shall be applied on a pro rata basis to the then outstanding Term Loans of the applicable Class or Classes being prepaid irrespective of whether such outstanding Term Loans are Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans; provided that if no Lenders exercise the right to waive a given mandatory prepayment of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(viii), then, with respect to such mandatory prepayment, the amount of such mandatory prepayment within any tranche of Term Loans shall be applied first to Term Loans of such tranche that are Base Rate Loans to the full extent thereof before application to Term Loans of such tranche that are Eurocurrency Rate Loans in a manner that minimizes the amount of any payments required to be made by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.05.

(x) Foreign Dispositions. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 2.05, (i) to the extent that any or all of the Net Proceeds of any Disposition by a Foreign Subsidiary (“Foreign Disposition”) are prohibited or delayed by applicable local law from being repatriated to the United States, an amount equal to the portion of such Net Proceeds so affected will not be required to be applied to repay Term Loans at the times provided in this Section 2.05 so long, but only so long, as the applicable local law will not permit repatriation to the United States (the Borrower hereby agreeing to cause the applicable Foreign Subsidiary to promptly take all actions reasonably required by the applicable local law to permit such repatriation), and once such repatriation of any of such affected Net Proceeds that would otherwise be required to be used to make an offer of prepayment pursuant to Sections 2.05(b)(ii), is permitted under the applicable local law, an amount equal to such Net Proceeds will be promptly applied (net of additional taxes that would be payable or reserved against as a result of repatriations such amount) to the repayment of the Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05 and (ii) to the extent that the Borrower has reasonably determined in good faith that repatriation of any of or all the Net Proceeds of any Foreign Disposition would have material adverse tax cost consequences to Holdings, the Borrower, any direct or indirect parent entity of the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s direct or indirect Subsidiaries with respect to such Net Proceeds, an amount equal to such

 

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Net Proceeds will be applied (net of additional taxes that would be payable or reserved against as a result of repatriations such amounts) to the repayment of the Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05.

Section 2.06. Termination or Reduction of Commitments. (a) Optional. The Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the unused Commitments of any Class, or from time to time permanently reduce the unused Commitments of any Class, in each case without premium or penalty; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent three Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction (unless the Administrative Agent agrees to a shorter period in its discretion), (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in a minimum aggregate principal amount of $500,000, or any whole multiple of $100,000, in excess thereof or, if less, the entire amount thereof and (iii) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Revolving Credit Facility, such sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The amount of any such Commitment reduction shall not otherwise be applied to the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit unless otherwise specified by the Borrower. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may rescind or postpone any notice of termination of the Commitments if such termination would have resulted from a refinancing of all of the applicable Facility, which refinancing shall not be consummated or otherwise shall be delayed.

(b) Mandatory. The Initial Term Commitment of each Term Lender shall be automatically and permanently reduced to $0 upon the funding of Initial Term Loans to be made by it on the Closing Date. The Revolving Credit Commitment of each Class shall automatically and permanently terminate on the Maturity Date with respect to such Class of Revolving Credit Commitments.

(c) Application of Commitment Reductions; Payment of Fees. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Appropriate Lenders of any termination or reduction of unused portions of the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit or the unused Commitments of any Class under this Section 2.06. Upon any reduction of unused Commitments of any Class, the Commitment of each Lender of such Class shall be reduced by such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the amount by which such Commitments are reduced (other than the termination of the Commitment of any Lender as provided in Section 3.07). All commitment fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

Section 2.07. Repayment of Loans. (a) Term Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Term Lenders (i) on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with December 31, 2019, an aggregate principal amount of Initial Term Loans incurred on the Closing Date equal to the percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Term Loans outstanding on the Closing Date (which payments shall be reduced (x) as a result of the application of prepayments in accordance with the order of priority set forth in Section 2.05 and (y) on a pro rata basis with respect to any amortization payment as a result of voluntary prepayments pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v), any repurchases pursuant to Section 10.07(l) or any prepayments pursuant to Section 3.07(a), based on the face amount of the Initial Term Loans so prepaid or repurchased) as follows:

 

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Payment Date

   Quarterly Amortization  

December 31, 2019 through September 30, 2020

     0.25

December 31, 2020 through September 30, 2021

     0.625

December 31, 2021 through September 30, 2022

     1.25

December 31, 2022 through September 30, 2023

     1.875

From December 31, 2023 until the Maturity Date of the Initial Term Loans

     2.50

and (ii) on the Maturity Date for the Initial Term Loans, the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Term Loans outstanding on such date. In the event that any Incremental Term Loans, Refinancing Term Loans or Extended Term Loans are made, such other Incremental Term Loans, Refinancing Term Loans or Extended Term Loans, as applicable, shall be repaid by the Borrower in the amounts and on the dates set forth in the Incremental Amendment, Refinancing Amendment or Extension Amendment with respect thereto and on the applicable Maturity Date thereof. In connection with the incurrence of any Incremental Term Loans, the Borrower may re-establish or increase the scheduled amortization in Section 2.07(a)(i) so long as the new amortization is no less than the then remaining amortization applicable to the Initial Term Loans pursuant to clause (E) of the third paragraph of Section 10.01.

(b) Revolving Credit Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Appropriate Lenders on the applicable Maturity Date for the Revolving Credit Facilities of a given Class the aggregate principal amount of all of its Revolving Credit Loans of such Class outstanding on such date.

(c) Swing Line Loans. The Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date that is five (5) Business Days after such Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date for the Revolving Credit Facility (although Swing Line Loans may thereafter be reborrowed, in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, if there are one or more Classes of Revolving Credit Commitments which remain in effect).

Section 2.08. Interest. (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.08(b), (i) each Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Loan (other than a 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 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 Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for Revolving Credit Loans.

(b) During the continuance of a Default under Section 8.01(a), the Borrower shall pay interest on past due amounts owing by it hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws; provided that no interest at the Default Rate shall accrue or be payable to a Defaulting Lender so long as such Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender. Accrued and unpaid interest on such amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

 

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(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, in each case, in the Approved Currency in which the applicable Loan is denominated. 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.

Section 2.09. Fees. In addition to certain fees described in Sections 2.03(h) and (i):

(a) Commitment Fee. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Credit Lender under the applicable Revolving Credit Facility in accordance with its Pro Rata Share or other applicable share provided for under this Agreement, a commitment fee in Dollars equal to the Applicable Rate with respect to Revolving Credit Loan commitment fees, times the actual daily amount by which the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments for the applicable Revolving Credit Facility exceeds the sum of (A) the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Credit Loans for such Facility, and (B) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations for such Facility; provided that any commitment fee accrued with respect to any of the Commitments of a Defaulting Lender during the period prior to the time such Lender became a Defaulting Lender and unpaid at such time shall not be payable by the Borrower so long as such Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender, except to the extent that such commitment fee shall otherwise have been due and payable by the Borrower prior to such time; and provided, further, that no commitment fee shall accrue on any of the Commitments of a Defaulting Lender so long as such Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender. For the avoidance of doubt, Swing Line Loans shall, for purposes of the commitment fees calculations only, not be deemed a utilization of the Revolving Credit Facility. The commitment fee on each Revolving Credit Facility shall accrue at all times from the Closing Date until the Maturity Date for the Revolving Credit Commitments, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article 4 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 during the first full fiscal quarter to occur after the Closing Date and on the Maturity Date for the Revolving Credit Commitments. The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears.

(b) Other Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agents such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing (including, but not limited to, as set forth in the Fee Letter) 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 (except as expressly agreed between the Borrower and the applicable Agent).

Section 2.10. Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans shall be made on the basis of a year of three hundred sixty-five (365) days, or three hundred sixty-six (366) days, as applicable, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year and actual days elapsed. Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not

 

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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 (1) day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

Section 2.11. Evidence of Indebtedness. (a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and evidenced by one or more entries in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent, acting solely for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 5f.103-1(c), as agent for the Borrower, in each case in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be prima facie evidence 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 payable to such Lender and its registered assignees, 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, currency and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

(b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in Section 2.11(a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records and, in the case of the Administrative Agent, entries in the Register, 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.

(c) Entries made in good faith by the Administrative Agent in the Register pursuant to Sections 2.11(a) and (b), and by each Lender in its account or accounts pursuant to Sections 2.11(a) and (b), shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of principal and interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to, in the case of the Register, each Lender and, in the case of such account or accounts, such Lender, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, absent manifest error; provided that the failure of the Administrative Agent or such Lender to make an entry, or any finding that an entry is incorrect, in the Register or such account or accounts shall not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Section 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 and except with respect to an Approved Foreign

 

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Currency, 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 applicable Administrative Agent’s Office for Dollar-denominated payments and in Same Day Funds not later than 1:00 p.m. New York City time on the date specified herein. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder in an Approved Foreign Currency shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office in such Approved Foreign Currency and in Same Day Funds not later than 2:00 p.m. (London time) (or, if earlier, 9:00 a.m. New York City time) on the dates specified herein. If, for any reason, the Borrower is prohibited by any Law from making any required payment hereunder in an Approved Foreign Currency, the Borrower shall make such payment in Dollars in an amount equal to the Dollar Equivalent of such Approved Foreign Currency payment amount. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Appropriate Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s applicable Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after the time specified above shall in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.

(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, 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; provided that if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurocurrency Rate Loans to be made in the next succeeding calendar month, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day.

(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 Same Day 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 Same Day 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 Same Day Funds at the Federal Funds Effective Rate, plus any reasonable administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing; and

(ii) if any Lender failed to make such payment (including, without limitation, failure to fund participations in respect of any Letter of Credit or Swing Line Loan), such Lender shall forthwith on demand pay to the Administrative Agent the amount thereof in

 

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Same Day 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 Effective Rate, plus any reasonable administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing. When such Lender makes payment to the Administrative Agent (together with all accrued interest thereon), then such payment amount (excluding the amount of any interest which may have accrued and been paid in respect of such late payment) shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in the applicable Borrowing. If such Lender does not pay such amount (including, without limitation, failure to fund participations in respect of any Letter of Credit or Swing Line Loan) 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.

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this Section 2.12(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 2, 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 4 or in the applicable Incremental Amendment, Extension Amendment or Refinancing Amendment 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.

(e) The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan or to fund any such participation 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 Loan or purchase its participation.

(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.

(g) Whenever any payment received by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents is insufficient to pay in full all amounts due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under or in respect of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents on any date, such payment shall be distributed by the Administrative Agent and applied by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in the order of priority set forth

 

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in Section 8.04. If the Administrative Agent receives funds for application to the Obligations of the Loan Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents under circumstances for which the Loan Documents do not specify the manner in which such funds are to be applied, the Administrative Agent may (to the fullest extent permitted by mandatory provisions of applicable Law), but shall not be obligated to, elect to distribute such funds to each of the Lenders in accordance with such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the sum of (a) the Outstanding Amount of all Loans outstanding at such time and (b) the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations outstanding at such time, in repayment or prepayment of such of the outstanding Loans or other Obligations then owing to such Lender.

Section 2.13. Sharing of Payments. (a) If, other than as expressly provided elsewhere herein, any Lender shall obtain on account of the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans held by it, any payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of setoff, or otherwise) in excess of its ratable share (or other share contemplated hereunder) thereof, such Lender shall immediately (b) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (c) purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Loans made by them and/or such subparticipations in the participations in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans held by them, as the case may be, as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment in respect of such Loans or such participations, as the case may be, pro rata with each of them; provided that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from the purchasing Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the purchasing Lender in its discretion), such purchase shall to that extent be rescinded and each other Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price paid therefor, together with an amount equal to such paying Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such paying Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered, without further interest thereon. For avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement as in effect from time to time (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender) or (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant permitted hereunder. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of setoff, but subject to Section 10.09) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation. The Administrative Agent will keep records (which shall be conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error) of participations purchased under this Section 2.13 and will in each case notify the Lenders following any such purchases or repayments. Each Lender that purchases a participation pursuant to this Section 2.13 shall from and after such purchase have the right to give all notices, requests, demands, directions and other communications under this Agreement with respect to the portion of the Obligations purchased to the same extent as though the purchasing Lender were the original owner of the Obligations purchased. For purposes of clause (iv) of the definition of Indemnified Taxes, a Lender that acquires a participation pursuant to this Section 2.13 shall be treated as having acquired such participation on the earlier date on which it acquired the Loan or Commitment to which such participation relates.

 

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Section 2.14. Incremental Credit Extensions. (a) Incremental Commitments. The Borrower may, at any time or from time to time after the Closing Date, by notice to the Administrative Agent (an “Incremental Loan Request”), request (A) one or more new commitments which may be in the same Facility as any outstanding Term Loans of an existing Class (a “Term Loan Increase”) or a new Class of Term Loans (each, an “Incremental Term Facility”, collectively with any Term Loan Increase, the “Incremental Term Commitments”) and/or (B) one or more increases in the amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments or any Incremental Revolving Facility (a “Revolving Commitment Increase”) or the establishment of one or more new revolving credit commitments (each, an “Incremental Revolving Facility” and collectively with any Incremental Term Facility, an “Incremental Facility” and any such new commitments, collectively with any Revolving Commitment Increases, the “Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments” and the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, collectively with any Incremental Term Commitments, the “Incremental Commitments”), whereupon the Administrative Agent shall promptly deliver a copy to each of the Lenders. Incremental Commitments and Incremental Loans shall be secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Liens securing the Initial Term Loans.

(b) Incremental Loans. Any Incremental Commitments effected through the establishment of one or more new revolving credit commitments or new Term Loans not in the same Facility of any existing Class of Term Loans made on an Incremental Facility Closing Date shall be designated a separate Class of Incremental Commitments for all purposes of this Agreement. On any Incremental Facility Closing Date on which any Incremental Term Commitments of any Class are effected (including through any Term Loan Increase), subject to the satisfaction of the terms and conditions in this Section 2.14, (i) each Incremental Term Lender of such Class shall make a Loan to the Borrower (or, other than with respect to any Term Loan Increase in respect of any Facility for which such Subsidiary Guarantor is not already a borrower at such time, any Subsidiary Guarantor organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof, may be designated as a borrower in respect thereof so long as all obligors under such Incremental Facility are the same as with respect to the Loans hereunder) (an “Incremental Term Loan”) in an amount equal to its Incremental Term Commitment of such Class and (ii) each Incremental Term Lender of such Class shall become a Lender hereunder with respect to the Incremental Term Commitment of such Class and the Incremental Term Loans of such Class made pursuant thereto. On any Incremental Facility Closing Date on which any Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class are effected through the establishment of one or more new revolving credit commitments (including through any Revolving Commitment Increase), subject to the satisfaction of the terms and conditions in this Section 2.14, (x) each Incremental Revolving Credit Lender of such Class shall make its Commitment available to the Borrower (or, other than with respect to any Revolving Commitment Increase in respect of any Facility for which such Subsidiary Guarantor is not already a borrower at such time, any Subsidiary Guarantor organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof, may be designated as a borrower in respect thereof so long as all obligors under such Incremental Facility are the same as with respect

 

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to the Loans hereunder) (when borrowed, “Incremental Revolving Credit Loans” and collectively with Incremental Term Loans, an “Incremental Loans”) in an amount equal to its Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class and (y) each Incremental Revolving Credit Lender of such Class shall become a Lender hereunder with respect to the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class and the Incremental Revolving Credit Loans of such Class made pursuant thereto. For the avoidance of doubt, Incremental Term Loans may have identical terms to any of the Term Loans and be treated as the same Class as any of such Term Loans.

(c) Incremental Loan Request. Each Incremental Loan Request from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.14 shall set forth the requested amount, the Approved Currency and proposed terms of the relevant Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments. Incremental Term Loans may be made, and Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments may be provided, by any existing Lender (but each existing Lender will not have an obligation to make any Incremental Commitment, nor will the Borrower have any obligation to approach any existing lenders to provide any Incremental Commitment) or by any other bank or other financial institution or other institutional lender (any such other bank or other financial institution or other institutional lender being called an “Additional Lender”) (each such existing Lender or Additional Lender providing such, an “Incremental Revolving Credit Lender” or “Incremental Term Lender,” as applicable, and, collectively, the “Incremental Lenders”); provided that (i) the Administrative Agent and, in the case of an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment, each Swing Line Lender and each L/C Issuer shall have consented (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) to such Lender’s or Additional Lender’s making such Incremental Term Loans or providing such Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments to the extent such consent, if any, would be required under Section 10.07(b) for an assignment of Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, to such Lender or Additional Lender, (ii) with respect to Incremental Term Commitments, any Affiliated Lender providing an Incremental Term Commitment shall be subject to the same restrictions set forth in Section 10.07(l) as they would otherwise be subject to with respect to any purchase by or assignment to such Affiliated Lender of Term Loans and (iii) Affiliated Lenders may not provide Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, unless subsequently purchased from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.07(l).

(d) Effectiveness of Incremental Amendment. The effectiveness of any Incremental Amendment, and the Incremental Commitments thereunder, shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof (the “Incremental Facility Closing Date”) of each of the following conditions:

(i) (x) if the proceeds of such Incremental Commitments are being used to finance a Permitted Acquisition, Investment, or irrevocable repayment, repurchase or redemption of any Indebtedness, no Event of Default under Sections 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 8.01(f) shall have occurred and be continuing or would exist after giving effect to such Incremental Commitments, or (y) if otherwise, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would exist after giving effect to such Incremental Commitments;

 

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(ii) after giving effect to such Incremental Commitments, the conditions of Section 4.02(i) and (ii) shall be satisfied (it being understood that all references to “the date of such Credit Extension” or similar language in such Section 4.02 shall be deemed to refer to the effective date of such Incremental Amendment); provided that if the proceeds of such Incremental Commitments are being used to finance a Permitted Acquisition, Investment, or irrevocable repayment, repurchase or redemption of any Indebtedness, there shall be no requirement to satisfy any or all conditions of Section 4.02(i), instead, the accuracy of the representations and warranties shall refer to the accuracy of the representations and warranties that would constitute Specified Representations, in each case, subject to the provisions set forth herein in connection with Limited Condition Transactions; provided, further, that the Incremental Lenders providing such Incremental Commitments may waive the requirement regarding the accuracy of Specified Representations;

(iii) [reserved];

(iv) each Incremental Term Commitment shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $5,000,000 and shall be in increments of $1,000,000 (provided that such amount may be less than $5,000,000 if such amount represents all remaining availability under the limit set forth in Section 2.14(d)(v)) and each Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $3,000,000 and shall be in increments of $1,000,000 (provided that such amount may be less than $3,000,000 if such amount represents all remaining availability under the limit set forth in Section 2.14(d)(v));

(v) the aggregate principal amount of the Incremental Term Loans and the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments shall not exceed the sum of (A) the Incremental Base Amount, plus (B) all voluntary prepayments, repurchases, redemptions and other retirements of Term Loans, Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt, all voluntary prepayments of Revolving Credit Loans accompanied by corresponding voluntary permanent reductions of Commitments in respect of such Revolving Credit Loans prior to or simultaneous with the Incremental Facility Closing Date (including through (x) “Dutch Auctions” open to all Lenders of the applicable Class on a pro rata basis in accordance with procedures of the type described in Section 2.05(a)(v) or (y) open-market purchases pursuant to Section 10.07(l), which shall be credited to the extent of the actual purchase price paid in cash for such Loans purchased or retired in connection with such “Dutch Auction” or open-market purchase) (excluding voluntary prepayments, repurchases, redemptions and other retirements of Incremental Term Loans and all voluntary prepayments of Revolving Credit Loans accompanied by corresponding voluntary permanent reductions of Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, to the extent such Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments were obtained pursuant to clause (C) below or to the extent funded with a contemporaneous incurrence of long-term funded Indebtedness (other than revolving loans)) plus (C) additional amounts (including at any time prior to the utilization of amounts under clauses (A) and (B) above) so long as, the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio, determined on a Pro Forma Basis

 

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as of the last day of the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters for which financial statements are internally available, does not exceed (x) 2.50 to 1.00 or (y) in the case of any such Indebtedness being applied to finance a Permitted Acquisition or other similar Investment not prohibited hereunder, the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio immediately prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and consummation of such Permitted Acquisition or other Investment (the amounts under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are herein referred to as the “Free and Clear Incremental Amount,” and the amounts under the foregoing clause (C) are herein referred to as the “Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount” (the Free and Clear Incremental Amount, together with the Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount, less the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(q) and Section 7.03(w) at or prior to such time, is herein referred to as the “Available Incremental Amount”)); and

(vi) such other conditions as the Borrower, each Incremental Lender providing such Incremental Commitments and the Administrative Agent shall agree.

The Borrower may elect to use the Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount prior to the Free and Clear Incremental Amount or any combination thereof, and any portion of any Incremental Facility incurred in reliance on the Free and Clear Incremental Amount shall be reclassified, as the Borrower may elect from time to time, as incurred under the Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount if the Borrower meets the applicable ratio for the Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount at such time on a Pro Forma Basis, and if any applicable ratio for the Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount would be satisfied on a Pro Forma Basis as of the end of any subsequent fiscal quarter after the initial incurrence of such Incremental Facility, such reclassification shall be deemed to have automatically occurred whether or not elected by the Borrower.

For purposes of determining Pro Forma Compliance and any testing of any ratios in the Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount, (a) it shall be assumed that all commitments under any Incremental Revolving Facility then being established are fully drawn, (b) the cash proceeds of any Incremental Facility shall be excluded from any calculation of “net” Indebtedness in determining whether such Incremental Facility can be incurred (provided that the use of proceeds thereof and any other Pro Forma Adjustments shall be included) and (c) the incurrence (including by assumption or guarantee) or repayment of any Indebtedness in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility (and/or any Incremental Revolving Facility and any other revolving facilities included in such calculation) prior to, or simultaneously with, the event for which the Pro Forma Compliance determination of such ratio or other test is being made, and/or any incurrence of Indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility or any other revolving facility that is used to finance working capital needs of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) shall, in each case, be disregarded.

(e) Required Terms. The terms, provisions and documentation of the Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Term Commitments or the Incremental Revolving Credit Loans and Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, as the case may be, of any Class shall be as agreed between the Borrower and the applicable Incremental Lenders providing such Incremental Commitments, and except as otherwise set forth herein (or as they otherwise relate to fees,

 

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premiums, pricing, rate floors, call protection or optional prepayment or redemption terms, to the extent not consistent with the Initial Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, each existing on the Incremental Facility Closing Date, shall either (x) be reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent (except for covenants and terms that apply solely to any period after the Latest Maturity Date that is in effect on the effective date of such Incremental Amendment) (it being understood that to the extent any more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of any Incremental Facility prior to the Latest Maturity Date that is in effect on the effective date of such Incremental Amendment, no consent shall be required from the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders to the extent that such more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is also added for the benefit of the Facilities that then benefit from a financial maintenance covenant and are remaining outstanding after the effectiveness of such Incremental Amendment) or (y) the terms, provisions and documentation of the Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Term Commitments, as the case may be, may reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence of such Incremental Facility (as determined by the Borrower). In any event:

(i) the Incremental Term Loans:

(A) shall not mature earlier than the Maturity Date of the Initial Term Loans; provided that Incremental Term Loans constituting customary bridge facilities shall not be required to meet such requirement if the long-term Indebtedness into which such customary bridge facilities are to be converted or exchanged matures no earlier than the Maturity Date of the Initial Term Loans and such conversion or exchange is subject only to conditions customary for similar conversions or exchanges,

(B) shall have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity not shorter than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Initial Term Loans; provided that Incremental Term Loans constituting customary bridge facilities shall not be required to meet such requirement if the long-term Indebtedness into which such customary bridge facilities are to be converted or exchanged has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity not shorter than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Initial Term Loans and such conversion or exchange is subject only to conditions customary for similar conversions or exchanges,

(C) shall have an Applicable Rate, and subject to clauses (e)(i)(A) and (e)(i)(B) above and clause (e)(iii) below, amortization determined by the Borrower and the applicable Incremental Term Lenders, and

(D) the Incremental Term Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis) in any mandatory prepayments of Term Loans hereunder, as specified in the applicable Incremental Amendment; provided that the Borrower shall be permitted to prepay any Class of Term Loans on a better than a pro rata basis as compared to any other Class of Term Loans with a later maturity date than such Class;

 

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(ii) the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments and Incremental Revolving Credit Loans shall be identical to the Revolving Credit Commitments and the Revolving Credit Loans, other than the Maturity Date and as set forth in this Section 2.14(e)(ii); provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.14 or otherwise:

(A) any such Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments or Incremental Revolving Credit Loans shall not mature or provide for mandatory commitment reductions earlier than the Latest Maturity Date of any Revolving Credit Commitments outstanding at the time of incurrence of such Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments,

(B) the borrowing and repayment (except for (1) payments of interest and fees at different rates on Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings), (2) repayments required upon the maturity date of the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments and (3) repayments made in connection with a permanent repayment and termination of commitments (subject to clause (D) below)) of Loans with respect to Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments after the associated Incremental Facility Closing Date shall be made on a pro rata basis (or, in the case of repayment, on a pro rata basis or less than a pro rata basis) with all other Revolving Credit Commitments on the Incremental Facility Closing Date,

(C) subject to the provisions of Sections 2.03(n) and 2.04(g) to the extent dealing with Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit which mature or expire after a maturity date when there exists Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments with a longer maturity date, all Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit shall be participated on a pro rata basis by all Lenders with Commitments in accordance with their percentage of the Revolving Credit Commitments on the Incremental Facility Closing Date (and except as provided in Section 2.03(n) and Section 2.04(g), without giving effect to changes thereto on an earlier maturity date with respect to Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit theretofore incurred or issued),

(D) the permanent repayment of Revolving Credit Loans with respect to, and termination of, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments after the associated Incremental Facility Closing Date shall be made on a pro rata basis or less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis) with all other Revolving Credit Commitments on the Incremental Facility Closing Date, except that the Borrower shall be permitted to permanently repay and terminate commitments of any such Class on a better than a pro rata basis as compared to any other Class with a later maturity date than such Class,

(E) assignments and participations of Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments and Incremental Revolving Credit Loans shall be governed by the same assignment and participation provisions applicable to Revolving Credit Commitments and Revolving Credit Loans on the Incremental Facility Closing Date, and

 

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(F) any Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments may constitute a separate Class or Classes, as the case may be, of Commitments from the Classes constituting the applicable Revolving Credit Commitments prior to the Incremental Facility Closing Date; and

(iii) the amortization schedule applicable to any Incremental Term Loans and the applicable margin and interest rate applicable to the Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Credit Loans of each Class shall be determined by the Borrower and the applicable Lenders providing such Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments and shall be set forth in each applicable Incremental Amendment.

(f) Incremental Amendment. Commitments in respect of Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment shall become Commitments (or in the case of an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment to be provided by an existing Revolving Credit Lender, an increase in such Lender’s applicable Revolving Credit Commitment), under this Agreement pursuant to an amendment (an “Incremental Amendment”) to this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by the Borrower, any Subsidiary Guarantor organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof, that may be designated as a borrower in respect thereof (if any) in accordance with Section 2.14(b), each Incremental Lender providing such Commitments and the Administrative Agent. The Incremental Amendment may, without the consent of any other Loan Party, Agent or Lender, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.14. The Borrower (or any Subsidiary Guarantor organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof, that may be designated as a borrower in respect thereof) will use the proceeds of the Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments for any purpose not prohibited by this Agreement. No Lender shall be obligated to provide any Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, unless it so agrees.

(g) Reallocation of Revolving Credit Exposure. Upon any Incremental Facility Closing Date on which Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments are effected through an increase in the Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.14, (a) if the increase relates to the Revolving Credit Facility, each of the Revolving Credit Lenders shall assign to each of the Incremental Revolving Credit Lenders, and each of the Incremental Revolving Credit Lenders shall purchase from each of the Revolving Credit Lenders, at the principal amount thereof, such interests in the Incremental Revolving Credit Loans outstanding on such Incremental Facility Closing Date as shall be necessary in order that, after giving effect to all such assignments and purchases, such Revolving Credit Loans will be held by existing Revolving Credit Lenders and Incremental Revolving Credit Lenders ratably in accordance with their Revolving Credit Commitments after giving effect to the addition of such Incremental Revolving Credit

 

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Commitments to the Revolving Credit Commitments, (b) each Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment shall be deemed for all purposes a Revolving Credit Commitment and each Loan made thereunder shall be deemed, for all purposes, a Revolving Credit Loan and (c) each Incremental Revolving Credit Lender shall become a Lender with respect to the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments and all matters relating thereto. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby agree that the minimum borrowing and prepayment requirements in Sections 2.02 and 2.05(a) of this Agreement shall not apply to the transactions effected pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence.

(h) This Section 2.14 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.13 or 10.01 to the contrary.

(i) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Incremental Term Facilities and Incremental Revolving Facilities may be established and incurred as a means of effectively extending the maturity or effecting a repricing or a refinancing, in whole or in part, without utilizing any of the Available Incremental Amount, without regard to whether an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and, without regard to the minimums set forth in Section 2.14(d)(iv), to the extent that the net cash proceeds from the Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Credit Loans, as applicable, are used to either (x) prepay Term Loans or (y) permanently reduce the Revolving Credit Commitments, Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments; provided that (i) the Lenders with respect to any Class of Loans or Commitments being prepaid are offered the opportunity to participate in such transaction on a pro rata basis (and on the same terms) and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of such Class of Loans or Commitments, as the case may be, does not exceed the sum of (A) the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Class of Loans or Commitments being prepaid, extended, repriced or refinanced, (B) fees and expenses associated with the such prepayment (including any prepayment premium, penalties or other call protection) and (C) fees and expenses (including any OID, upfront fees, commitment fees, amendment fees, arrangement fees, underwriting fees or other fees) related to the establishment and incurrence of such Incremental Term Facilities and Incremental Revolving Facilities, as applicable.

Section 2.15. Refinancing Amendments. (a) On one or more occasions after the Closing Date, the Borrower may obtain, from any Lender or any other bank, financial institution or other institutional lender or investor that agrees to provide any portion of Refinancing Term Loans or Other Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment in accordance with this Section 2.15 (each, an “Additional Refinancing Lender”) (provided that (i) solely with respect to Other Revolving Credit Commitments, the Administrative Agent, each Swing Line Lender and each L/C Issuer, if applicable, shall have consented (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to such Lender’s or Additional Refinancing Lender’s providing such Other Revolving Credit Commitments to the extent such consent, if any, would be required under Section 10.07(b) for an assignment of Revolving Credit Commitments to such Lender or Additional Refinancing Lender, (ii) with respect to Refinancing Term Loans, any Affiliated Lender providing Refinancing Term Loans shall be subject to the same restrictions set forth in Section 10.07(l) as they would otherwise be subject to with respect to any purchase by or assignment to such Affiliated Lender of Term Loans and (iii) Affiliated Lenders may not provide Other Revolving Credit

 

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Commitments), Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of all or any portion of any Class, as selected by the Borrower in its sole discretion, of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans (or unused Commitments in respect thereof) then outstanding under this Agreement, in the form of Refinancing Term Loans, Refinancing Term Commitments, Other Revolving Credit Commitments, or Other Revolving Credit Loans pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.15 or otherwise, (1) the borrowing and repayment (except for (A) payments of interest and fees at different rates on Other Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings), (B) repayments required upon the maturity date of the Other Revolving Credit Commitments and (C) repayment made in connection with a permanent repayment and termination of commitments (subject to clause (3) below)) of Loans with respect to Other Revolving Credit Commitments after the date of obtaining any Other Revolving Credit Commitments shall be made on a pro rata basis with all other Revolving Credit Commitments, (2) subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(n) and Section 2.04(g) to the extent dealing with Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit which mature or expire after a maturity date when there exist Other Revolving Credit Commitments with a longer maturity date, all Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit shall be participated on a pro rata basis by all Lenders with Commitments in accordance with their percentage of the Commitments in respect of Revolving Credit Loans (and except as provided in Section 2.03(n) and Section 2.04(g), without giving effect to changes thereto on an earlier maturity date with respect to Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit theretofore incurred or issued), (3) the permanent repayment of Revolving Credit Loans with respect to, and termination of, Other Revolving Credit Commitments after the date of obtaining any Other Revolving Credit Commitments shall be made on a pro rata basis with all other Commitments in respect of Revolving Credit Loans, except that the Borrower shall be permitted to permanently repay and terminate commitments of any such Class on a better than a pro rata basis as compared to any other Class with a later maturity date than such Class and (4) assignments and participations of Other Revolving Credit Commitments and Other Revolving Credit Loans shall be governed by the same assignment and participation provisions applicable to Revolving Credit Commitments and Revolving Credit Loans.

(b) The effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, receipt by the Administrative Agent of (i) customary legal opinions, board resolutions and officers’ certificates consistent with those delivered on the Closing Date other than changes to such legal opinion resulting from a change in law, change in fact or change to counsel’s form of opinion reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) reaffirmation agreements and/or such amendments to the Collateral Documents as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in order to ensure that such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness is provided with the benefit of the applicable Loan Documents.

(c) Each issuance of Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness under Section 2.15(a) shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is (x) not less than $5,000,000 and (y) an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.

 

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(d) Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be amended pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment, without the consent of any other Lenders or any Agent, to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to (i) reflect the existence and terms of the Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness incurred pursuant thereto and (ii) make such other changes to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents consistent with the provisions and intent of the fourth paragraph of Section 10.01 (without the consent of the Required Lenders called for therein) and (iii) effect such other amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.15, and the Required Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into any such Refinancing Amendment.

(e) This Section 2.15 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.13 or 10.01 to the contrary.

Section 2.16. Extension of Term Loans; Extension of Revolving Credit Loans. (a) Extension of Term Loans. The Borrower may at any time and from time to time, in its sole discretion, request that all or a portion of the Term Loans of a given Class (or series or tranche thereof) (each, an “Existing Term Loan Tranche”) be amended to extend the scheduled maturity date(s) with respect to all or a portion of any principal amount of such Term Loans (any such Term Loans which have been so amended, “Extended Term Loans”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.16. In order to establish any Extended Term Loans, the Borrower shall provide a notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders under the applicable Existing Term Loan Tranche) (each, a “Term Loan Extension Request”) setting forth the proposed terms of the Extended Term Loans to be established, which shall (x) be identical as offered to each Lender under such Existing Term Loan Tranche (including as to the proposed interest rates and fees payable) and offered pro rata to each Lender under such Existing Term Loan Tranche and (y) be identical to the Term Loans under the Existing Term Loan Tranche from which such Extended Term Loans are to be amended, except that: (i) all or any of the scheduled amortization payments of principal of the Extended Term Loans may be delayed to later dates than the scheduled amortization payments of principal of the Term Loans of such Existing Term Loan Tranche, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment; (ii) the Effective Yield with respect to the Extended Term Loans may be different than the Effective Yield for the Term Loans of such Existing Term Loan Tranche, in each case, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment; (iii) the Extension Amendment may provide for other covenants and terms that apply solely to any period after the Latest Maturity Date that is in effect on the effective date of the Extension Amendment (immediately prior to the establishment of such Extended Term Loans); and (iv) Extended Term Loans may have prepayment premiums or call protection as may be agreed by the Borrower and the Lenders thereof; provided that no Extended Term Loans may be optionally prepaid prior to the date on which the Term Loans under the Existing Term Loan Tranche from which such Extended Term Loans were amended are repaid in full, unless such optional prepayment is accompanied by at least a pro rata optional prepayment of such Existing Term Loan Tranche; provided, further, that (A) in no event shall the final maturity date of any Extended Term Loans of a given Term Loan Extension Series at the time of establishment thereof be earlier than the then Latest Maturity Date of any Existing Term Loan

 

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Tranche hereunder, (B) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Extended Term Loans of a given Term Loan Extension Series at the time of establishment thereof shall be no shorter (other than by virtue of amortization or prepayment of such Indebtedness prior to the time of incurrence of such Extended Term Loans) than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the applicable Existing Term Loan Tranche, (C) all documentation in respect of such Extension Amendment shall be consistent with the foregoing and (D) any Extended Term Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or less than a pro rata basis (but not greater than a pro rata basis) in any mandatory repayments or prepayments hereunder, in each case as specified in the respective Term Loan Extension Request. Any Extended Term Loans amended pursuant to any Term Loan Extension Request shall be designated a series (each, a “Term Loan Extension Series”) of Extended Term Loans for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that any Extended Term Loans amended from an Existing Term Loan Tranche may, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment, be designated as an increase in any previously established Term Loan Extension Series with respect to such Existing Term Loan Tranche. Each Term Loan Extension Series of Extended Term Loans incurred under this Section 2.16 shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $5,000,000.

(b) Extension of Revolving Credit Commitments. The Borrower may at any time and from time to time, in its sole discretion, request that all or a portion of the Revolving Credit Commitments or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Class (or series or tranche thereof) (each, an “Existing Revolver Tranche”) be amended to extend the Maturity Date with respect to all or a portion of any principal amount of such Revolving Credit Commitments or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments (any such Revolving Credit Commitments or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments which have been so amended, “Extended Revolving Credit Commitments”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.16. In order to establish any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, the Borrower shall provide a notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders under the applicable Existing Revolver Tranche) (each, a “Revolver Extension Request”) setting forth the proposed terms of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments to be established, which shall (x) be identical as offered to each Lender under such Existing Revolver Tranche (including as to the proposed interest rates and fees payable) and offered pro rata to each Lender under such Existing Revolver Tranche and (y) be identical to the Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche from which such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments are to be amended, except that: (i) the Maturity Date of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments may be delayed to a later date than the Maturity Date of the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Existing Revolver Tranche, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment; (ii) the Effective Yield with respect to extensions of credit under the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (whether in the form of interest rate margin, upfront fees, commitment fees, OID or otherwise) may be different than the Effective Yield for extensions of credit under the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Existing Revolver Tranche, in each case, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment; (iii) the Extension Amendment may provide for other covenants and terms that apply solely to any period after the Latest Maturity Date that is in effect on the effective date of the Extension Amendment (immediately prior to the establishment of such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments); and (iv) all borrowings under the applicable Revolving Credit Commitments (i.e., the Existing Revolver Tranche and the Extended Revolving Credit

 

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Commitments of the applicable Revolver Extension Series) and repayments thereunder shall be made on a pro rata basis (except for (I) payments of interest and fees at different rates on Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings) and (II) repayments required upon the Maturity Date of the non-extending Revolving Credit Commitments); provided, further, that (A) in no event shall the final maturity date of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Revolver Extension Series at the time of establishment thereof be earlier than the then Latest Maturity Date of any other Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder and (B) all documentation in respect of such Extension Amendment shall be consistent with the foregoing. Any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments amended pursuant to any Revolver Extension Request shall be designated a series (each, a “Revolver Extension Series”) of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments amended from an Existing Revolver Tranche may, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment, be designated as an increase in any previously established Revolver Extension Series with respect to such Existing Revolver Tranche. Each Revolver Extension Series of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments incurred under this Section 2.16 shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $2,500,000.

(c) Extension Request. The Borrower shall provide the applicable Extension Request at least three (3) Business Days prior to the date on which Lenders under the Existing Term Loan Tranche or Existing Revolver Tranche, as applicable, are requested to respond, and shall agree to such procedures, if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.16. No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to have any of its Term Loans of any Existing Term Loan Tranche amended into Extended Term Loans or any of its Revolving Credit Commitments amended into Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, pursuant to any Extension Request. Any Lender holding a Loan under an Existing Term Loan Tranche (each, an “Extending Term Lender”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Term Loans under the Existing Term Loan Tranche subject to such Extension Request amended into Extended Term Loans and any Revolving Credit Lender (each, an “Extending Revolving Credit Lender”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche subject to such Extension Request amended into Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, shall notify the Administrative Agent (each, an “Extension Election”) on or prior to the date specified in such Extension Request of the amount of its Term Loans under the Existing Term Loan Tranche or Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche, as applicable, which it has elected to request be amended into Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable (subject to any minimum denomination requirements imposed by the Administrative Agent). In the event that the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans under the Existing Term Loan Tranche or Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche, as applicable, in respect of which applicable Term Lenders or Revolving Credit Lenders, as the case may be, shall have accepted the relevant Extension Request exceeds the amount of Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, requested to be extended pursuant to the Extension Request, Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, subject to Extension Elections shall be amended to Extended Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, on a pro rata basis (subject to rounding by the Administrative Agent, which shall be conclusive) based on the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, included in each such Extension Election.

 

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(d) Extension Amendment. Extended Term Loans and Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall be established pursuant to an amendment (each, an “Extension Amendment”) to this Agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Extending Term Lender or Extending Revolving Credit Lender, as applicable, providing an Extended Term Loan or Extended Revolving Credit Commitment, as applicable, thereunder, which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in Sections 2.16(a) or (b) above, respectively (but which shall not require the consent of any other Lender). The effectiveness of any Extension Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02(i) and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, receipt by the Administrative Agent of (i) legal opinions, board resolutions and officers’ certificates consistent with those delivered on the Closing Date other than changes to such legal opinion resulting from a change in law, change in fact or change to counsel’s form of opinion reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) reaffirmation agreements and/or such amendments to the Collateral Documents as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in order to ensure that the Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, are provided with the benefit of the applicable Loan Documents. The Borrower may, at its election, specify as a condition to consummating any Extension Amendment that a minimum amount (to be determined and specified in the relevant Extension Request in the Borrower’s sole discretion and as may be waived by the Borrower) of Term Loans, Revolving Credit Commitments or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments (as applicable) of any or all applicable Classes be tendered. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Extension Amendment. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be amended pursuant to an Extension Amendment, without the consent of any other Lenders, to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to (i) reflect the existence and terms of the Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, incurred pursuant thereto, (ii) modify the scheduled repayments set forth in Section 2.07 with respect to any Existing Term Loan Tranche subject to an Extension Election to reflect a reduction in the principal amount of the Term Loans thereunder in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Extended Term Loans amended pursuant to the applicable Extension (with such amount to be applied ratably to reduce scheduled repayments of such Term Loans required pursuant to Section 2.07), (iii) modify the prepayments set forth in Section 2.05 to reflect the existence of the Extended Term Loans and the application of prepayments with respect thereto, (iv) make such other changes to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents consistent with the provisions and intent of the fourth paragraph of Section 10.01 (without the consent of the Required Lenders called for therein) and (v) effect such other amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.16, and the Required Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into any such Extension Amendment.

 

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(e) No conversion of Loans pursuant to any Extension in accordance with this Section 2.16 shall constitute a voluntary or mandatory payment or prepayment for purposes of this Agreement.

(f) This Section 2.16 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.13 or 10.01 to the contrary.

Section 2.17. 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. That 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 Section 10.01.

(ii) Reallocation of Payments. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article 8 or otherwise), 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 that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to L/C Issuers or Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent or requested by any L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, to be held as Cash Collateral for future funding obligations of that Defaulting Lender of any participation in any Swing Line Loan or Letter of Credit; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that 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 non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuers or the Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, 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 that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to that 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 that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans or L/C Borrowings were made 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 Borrowings owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the

 

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payment of any Loans of, or L/C Borrowings owed to, that Defaulting Lender. 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 2.17(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees. That Defaulting Lender (x) shall not be entitled to receive any commitment fee pursuant to 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) and (y) shall be limited in its right to receive Letter of Credit fees as provided in Section 2.03(h).

(iv) Reallocation of Pro Rata Share to Reduce Fronting Exposure. During any period in which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the obligation of each Non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans pursuant to Sections 2.03 and 2.04, the Pro Rata Share of each Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Loans and L/C Obligations shall be computed without giving effect to the Commitment of that Defaulting Lender; provided that (i) each such reallocation shall be given effect only if, at the date the applicable Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and (ii) the aggregate obligation of each Non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans shall not exceed the positive difference, if any, of (1) the Revolving Credit Commitment of that Non-Defaulting Lender minus (2) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Loans of that Lender. 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. If the allocation described in this clause (iv) cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under law, (x) first, prepay Swing Line Loans in an amount equal to the Swing Line Lenders’ Fronting Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuers’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures satisfactory to such L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion).

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuers agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be 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 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 Revolving Credit 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 Pro Rata Share (without giving effect to Section 2.17(a)(iv)), whereupon that Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or

 

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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.

ARTICLE 3

TAXES, INCREASED COSTS PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

Section 3.01. Taxes. (a) Except as provided in this Section 3.01, all payments made by or on account of the Borrower (the term Borrower under this Article 3 being deemed to include any Subsidiary for whose account a Letter of Credit is issued) or any Guarantor under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, assessments or withholdings (including backup withholding) or similar charges imposed by any Governmental Authority including interest, penalties and additions to tax (collectively “Taxes”), except as required by applicable Law. If the Borrower, any Guarantor or other applicable withholding agent shall be required by any Laws to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable under any Loan Document to any Agent or any Lender, (A) to the extent the Tax in question is an Indemnified Tax, the sum payable by the Borrower or such Guarantor shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01), each of such Agent and such Lender receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (B) the applicable withholding agent shall make such deductions, (C) the applicable withholding agent shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws, and (D) within thirty (30) days after the date of such payment (or, if receipts or evidence are not available within thirty (30) days, as soon as possible thereafter), if the Borrower or any Guarantor is the applicable withholding agent, the Borrower or such Guarantor, as applicable, shall furnish to such Agent or Lender (as the case may be) the original or a copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof or other evidence reasonably acceptable to such Agent or Lender.

(b) In addition, each Loan Party agrees to pay all present or future stamp, court or documentary Taxes and any other excise, property, intangible or mortgage recording Taxes, or any Taxes of the same character, imposed by any Governmental Authority, that 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 excluding, in each case, such amounts that result from an Agent or Lender’s Assignment and Assumption, grant of a participation, transfer or assignment to or designation of a new applicable Lending Office or other office for receiving payments under any Loan Document (collectively, “Assignment Taxes”) to the extent such Assignment Taxes result from a connection that the assignor and/or the assignee has with the taxing jurisdiction other than a connection arising out of the Loan Documents or the transactions therein, except for such Assignment Taxes resulting from an assignment or participation or change in Lending Office that is requested or required in writing by the Borrower (all such non-excluded Taxes described in this Section 3.01(b) being hereinafter referred to as “Other Taxes”).

 

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(c) Each Loan Party agrees to indemnify each Agent and each Lender for (i) the full amount of Indemnified Taxes and Other Taxes payable by such Agent or such Lender and (ii) any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, in each case whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability prepared in good faith by such Agent or Lender (or by an Agent on behalf of such Lender), accompanied by a written statement thereof setting forth in reasonable detail the basis and calculation of such amounts shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Each Lender shall, at such times as are reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, provide the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with any documentation prescribed by Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent certifying as to any entitlement of such Lender to an exemption from, or reduction in, withholding Tax with respect to any payments to be made to such Lender under any Loan Document. Each such Lender shall, whenever a lapse in time or change in circumstances renders any such documentation expired, obsolete or inaccurate in any material respect, deliver promptly to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent updated or other appropriate documentation (including any new documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal ineligibility to do so. Unless the applicable withholding agent has received forms or other documents satisfactory to it indicating that payments under any Loan Document to or for a Lender are not subject to withholding Tax or are subject to such Tax at a rate reduced by an applicable tax treaty, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or other applicable withholding agent may withhold amounts required to be withheld by applicable Law from such payments at the applicable statutory rate. Notwithstanding any other provision of this clause (d), a Lender shall not be required to deliver any documentation pursuant to this clause (d) that such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver. Without limiting the foregoing:

(A) Each Lender that is a United States person (as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 (or any successor form) certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding.

(B) Each Lender that is not a United States person (as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement whichever of the following is applicable:

(I) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or any successor forms) claiming eligibility for the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party, and such other documentation as required under the Code,

 

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(II) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI (or any successor forms),

(III) a United States Tax Compliance Certificate in the form of Exhibit M claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) or 871(h) of the Code, and two properly completed and duly signed original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or any successor form) or

(IV) to the extent a Lender is not the beneficial owner (for example, where the Lender is a partnership or a participating Lender), Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY (or any successor forms) of the Lender, accompanied by an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI, W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, W-8IMY, W-9, United States Tax Compliance Certificate and/or any other required information from each beneficial owner, as applicable and to the extent required under this Section 3.01(d) as if such beneficial owner were a Lender hereunder (provided that if the Lender is a partnership and not a participating Lender, and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, the United States Tax Compliance Certificate may be provided by such Lender on behalf of such partner(s)).

(C) Executed copies of any other form reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as a basis for claiming a complete exemption from, or a reduction in, U.S. federal withholding Tax on any payments to such Lender under the Loan Documents, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.

(D) Without limiting the provisions of clause (d)(A), (B), (C) or (E) of this Section 3.01, if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA, to determine whether such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA and to determine the amount, if any, to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.01(d)(D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the Closing Date.

 

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(E) Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to deliver to the Loan Parties and to any successor Administrative Agent any documentation provided by such Lender to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 3.01(d).

(e) Any Lender claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 3.01 shall, if requested by the Borrower, use its reasonable efforts to change the jurisdiction of its Lending Office (or take any other measures reasonably requested by the Borrower) if such a change or other measures would reduce any such additional amounts (including any such additional amounts that may thereafter accrue) and would not, in the sole determination of such Lender, result in any unreimbursed cost or expense or be otherwise materially disadvantageous to such Lender.

(f) As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by a Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 3.01, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(g) If any Lender or Agent receives a refund in respect of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which indemnification or additional amounts have been paid to it by any Loan Party pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall promptly remit such refund to such Loan Party (but only to the extent of indemnification or additional amounts paid by such Loan Party under this Section 3.01 with respect to Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including any Taxes) of the Lender or Agent, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided that such Loan Party, upon the request of the Lender or Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly return such refund (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to such Lender or Agent in the event such Lender or Agent is required to repay such refund to the relevant Governmental Authority. This section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to Taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other person.

(h) The Administrative Agent (and any Supplemental Agent that assumes responsibility for handling payments to Lenders) shall deliver to the Borrower, on or prior to the Closing Date (or, in the case of a Supplemental Agent or a successor Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.09 hereof, on or before the date on which it becomes a Supplemental Agent or Agent, as applicable), a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY (indicating “Qualified Intermediary” or U.S. branch status) or Internal Revenue Service Form W-9, as applicable; provided that no Agent shall be required to provide any documentation under this Section 3.01(h) that such person is legally ineligible to deliver as a result of a change in Law after the date hereof.

 

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(i) For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Lender” for purposes of this Section 3.01 shall include any L/C Issuer and any Swing Line Lender and the term “applicable Law” shall include FATCA.

Section 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loans (whether denominated in Dollars or any other Approved Currency), or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies, or, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be suspended 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, the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable and such Loans are denominated in Dollars, convert all applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans, either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans to such day, or promptly, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted and all amounts due, if any, in connection with such prepayment or conversion under Section 3.05. Each Lender agrees to designate a different Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for such notice and will not, in the good faith judgment of such Lender, otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Lender.

Section 3.03. Inability to Determine Rates. If the Administrative Agent reasonably determines in good faith that for any reason adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the applicable Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan in a given Approved Currency, or that the Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan in such Approved Currency does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding or maintaining such Loan, or that deposits in the applicable Approved Currency in which such proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan is to be denominated are not being offered to banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for the applicable amount and the Interest Period of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan in the applicable Approved Currency, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected Approved Currency shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in the affected Approved Currency or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request, if applicable, into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans (without giving effect to clause (c) in the definition thereof) in the amount specified therein.

 

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Section 3.04. Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurocurrency Rate Loans. (a) If any Lender reasonably determines that as a result of the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any Law, in each case after the Closing Date, or such Lender’s compliance therewith, there shall be any increase in the cost to such Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining any Eurocurrency Rate Loans or (as the case may be) issuing or participating in Letters of Credit, or a reduction in the amount received or receivable by such Lender in connection with any of the foregoing (excluding for purposes of this Section 3.04(a) any such increased costs or reduction in amount resulting from (i) Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, or any Taxes excluded from the definition of Indemnified Taxes under exceptions (i) through (v) thereof or (ii) reserve requirements contemplated by Section 3.04(c)) and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining the Eurocurrency Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligations to make any Loan), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, then from time to time within fifteen (15) days after demand by such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail such increased costs (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent given in accordance with Section 3.06), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amounts as will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or reduction. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, for all purposes under this Agreement, (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.

(b) If any Lender determines that the introduction of any Law regarding capital adequacy or any change therein or in the interpretation thereof, in each case after the Closing Date, or compliance by such Lender (or its Lending Office) therewith, has the effect of reducing the rate of return on the capital of such Lender or any Person controlling such Lender as a consequence of such Lender’s obligations hereunder (taking into consideration its policies with respect to capital adequacy and such Lender’s desired return on capital), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail the charge and the calculation of such reduced rate of return (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent given in accordance with Section 3.06), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amounts as will compensate such Lender for such reduction within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such demand.

(c) The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, (i) as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves, capital or liquidity with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits, additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loan of the Borrower equal to the actual costs of such reserves, capital or liquidity allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error), and (ii) as long as such Lender shall be required to comply with any reserve ratio, capital or liquidity requirement or analogous requirement of any other central banking or financial regulatory authority imposed in respect of the maintenance of the Commitments or the funding of any Eurocurrency Rate Loans

 

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of the Borrower, such additional costs (expressed as a percentage per annum and rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest five decimal places) equal to the actual costs allocated to such Commitment or Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) which in each case shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan; provided the Borrower shall have received at least fifteen (15) days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest or cost from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice fifteen (15) days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest or cost shall be due and payable fifteen (15) days from receipt of such notice.

(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation.

(e) If any Lender requests compensation under this Section 3.04, then such Lender will, if requested by the Borrower, use commercially reasonable efforts to designate another Lending Office for any Loan or Letter of Credit affected by such event; provided that such efforts are made on terms that, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, cause such Lender and its Lending Office(s) to suffer no material economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, and provided, further, that nothing in this Section 3.04(e) shall affect or postpone any of the Obligations of the Borrower or the rights of such Lender pursuant to Sections 3.04(a), (b), (c) or (d).

(f) Notwithstanding anything set forth in clauses (a) through (c) above, any Lender shall be compensated pursuant to this Section 3.04 only if such Lender certifies that it imposes such costs or charges under other syndicated credit facilities involving similarly situated borrowers that such Lender is a lender under.

Section 3.05. Funding Losses. Upon written 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 actually incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Eurocurrency Rate Loan of the Borrower on a day prior to the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan;

(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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan of the Borrower on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower, including any loss or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits) 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; or

(c) any failure by the Borrower to make payment of any Loan or drawing under any Letter of Credit (or interest due thereon) denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency on its scheduled due date or any payment thereof in a different currency.

 

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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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan made by it at the Eurocurrency Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the offshore interbank market for the applicable currency for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurocurrency Rate Loan was in fact so funded; provided, that in the case of Section 3.05(a), if any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan has a Eurocurrency Rate floor, any amount owing by the Borrower to the Lender shall be reduced by the amount of interest income accrued during the completed portion of the Interest Period at a rate equal to the Eurocurrency Rate floor over the applicable Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period.

Section 3.06. Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation. (a) Any Agent or any Lender claiming compensation under this Article 3 shall deliver a certificate to the Borrower setting forth the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder which shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, such Agent or such Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.

(b) With respect to any Lender’s claim for compensation under Sections 3.01, 3.02, 3.03 or 3.04, the Borrower shall not be required to compensate such Lender for any amount incurred more than one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the event that gives rise to such claim; provided that if the circumstance giving rise to such claim is retroactive, then such 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof. If any Lender requests compensation by the Borrower under Section 3.04, the Borrower may, by notice to such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), suspend the obligation of such Lender to make or continue from one Interest Period to another applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or, if applicable, to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurocurrency Rate Loans, until the event or condition giving rise to such request ceases to be in effect (in which case the provisions of Section 3.06(c) shall be applicable); provided that such suspension shall not affect the right of such Lender to receive the compensation so requested.

(c) If the obligation of any Lender to make or continue any Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be suspended pursuant to Section 3.06(b) hereof, such Lender’s applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be automatically converted into Base Rate Loans (or, if such conversion is not possible, repaid) on the last day(s) of the then current Interest Period(s) for such Eurocurrency Rate Loans (or, in the case of an immediate conversion required by Section 3.02, on such earlier date as required by Law) and, unless and until such Lender gives notice as provided below that the circumstances specified in Sections 3.02, 3.03 or 3.04 hereof that gave rise to such conversion no longer exist:

(i) to the extent that such Lender’s Eurocurrency Rate Loans have been so converted, all payments and prepayments of principal that would otherwise be applied to such Lender’s applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be applied instead to its Base Rate Loans; and

 

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(ii) all Loans that would otherwise be made or continued from one Interest Period to another by such Lender as Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be made or continued instead as Base Rate Loans (if possible), and all Base Rate Loans of such Lender that would otherwise be converted into Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall remain as Base Rate Loans.

(d) If any Lender gives notice to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) that the circumstances specified in Sections 3.02, 3.03 or 3.04 hereof that gave rise to the conversion of any of such Lender’s Eurocurrency Rate Loans pursuant to this Section 3.06 no longer exist (which such Lender agrees to do promptly upon such circumstances ceasing to exist) at a time when Eurocurrency Rate Loans made by other Lenders under the applicable Facility are outstanding, if applicable, such Lender’s Base Rate Loans shall be automatically converted, on the first day(s) of the next succeeding Interest Period(s) for such outstanding Eurocurrency Rate Loans, to the extent necessary so that, after giving effect thereto, all Loans held by the Lenders holding Eurocurrency Rate Loans under such Facility and by such Lender are held pro rata (as to principal amounts, interest rate basis, and Interest Periods) in accordance with their respective Commitments for the applicable Facility.

Section 3.07. Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances. (a) If at any time (i) the Borrower becomes obligated to pay additional amounts or indemnity payments described in Section 3.01 (with respect to Indemnified Taxes) or Section 3.04 as a result of any condition described in such Sections or any Lender ceases to make any Eurocurrency Rate Loans as a result of any condition described in Section 3.02 or Section 3.04, (ii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender or (iii) any Lender becomes a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower, may so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, at its sole cost and expense, on three (3) Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent and such Lender, (x) replace such Lender by causing such Lender to (and such Lender shall be obligated to) assign pursuant to Section 10.07(b) (with the assignment fee to be paid by the Borrower in such instance) all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (in respect of any applicable Facility only in the case of clause (i) or (ii) or, with respect to a Class vote, clause (iii)) to one or more Eligible Assignees (or with respect to any assignment to any Affiliated Lender, pursuant to Section 10.07(l)); provided that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation to the Borrower to find a replacement Lender or other such Person; and provided, further, that (A) 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 (with respect to Indemnified Taxes), such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments and (B) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable Eligible Assignees shall have agreed to, and shall be sufficient (together with all other consenting Lenders) to cause the adoption of, the applicable departure, waiver or amendment of the Loan Documents; or (y) terminate the Commitment of such Lender or L/C Issuer (in respect of any applicable Facility only in the case of clauses (i) through (iii)), as the case may be, and (1) in the case of a Lender (other than an L/C Issuer), repay all Obligations of the Borrower owing to such Lender relating to the Loans and participations held by such Lender as of such termination date and (2) in the case of an L/C Issuer, repay all Obligations of the Borrower owing to such L/C Issuer relating to the Loans and participations held by the L/C Issuer as well as all Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer as of such termination date and cancel or backstop on terms satisfactory to such L/C Issuer any

 

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Letters of Credit issued by it; provided that in the case of any such termination of a Non-Consenting Lender such termination shall be sufficient (together with all other consenting Lenders) to cause the adoption of the applicable departure, waiver or amendment of the Loan Documents and such termination shall be in respect of any applicable Facility only in the case of clause (i) or (ii) or, with respect to a Class vote, clause (iii).

(b) Any Lender being replaced pursuant to Section 3.07(a)(x) above shall (i) execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption with respect to such Lender’s applicable Commitment and outstanding Loans and participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans in respect thereof, and (ii) deliver any Notes evidencing such Loans to the Borrower or Administrative Agent. Pursuant to such Assignment and Assumption, (A) the assignee Lender shall acquire all or a portion, as the case may be, of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and outstanding Loans and participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans, (B) all obligations of the Borrower owing to the assigning Lender relating to the Loans, Commitments and participations so assigned shall be paid in full by the assignee Lender to such assigning Lender concurrently with such Assignment and Assumption and (C) upon such payment and, if so requested by the assignee Lender, delivery to the assignee Lender of the appropriate Note or Notes executed by the Borrower, the assignee Lender shall become a Lender hereunder and the assigning Lender shall cease to constitute a Lender hereunder with respect to such assigned Loans, Commitments and participations, except with respect to indemnification provisions under this Agreement, which shall survive as to such assigning Lender. In connection with any such replacement, if any such Non-Consenting Lender or Defaulting Lender does not execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a duly executed Assignment and Assumption reflecting such replacement on the date on which the assignee Lender executes and delivers such Assignment and Assumption to such Non-Consenting Lender or Defaulting Lender, then such Non-Consenting Lender or Defaulting Lender shall be deemed to have executed and delivered such Assignment and Assumption without any action on the part of the Non-Consenting Lender or Defaulting Lender.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained above, any Lender that acts as an L/C Issuer may not be replaced hereunder at any time that it has any Letter of Credit outstanding hereunder unless arrangements reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer (including the furnishing of a backup standby letter of credit in form and substance, and issued by an issuer reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer or the depositing of cash collateral into a cash collateral account in amounts and pursuant to arrangements reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer) have been made with respect to each such outstanding Letter of Credit and the Lender that acts as the Administrative Agent may not be replaced hereunder except in accordance with the terms of Section 9.09.

(d) In the event that (i) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent has requested that the Lenders consent to a departure or waiver of any provisions of the Loan Documents or agree to any amendment thereto, (ii) the consent, waiver or amendment in question requires the agreement of each Lender, each affected Lender or each affected Lender of a certain Class in accordance with the terms of Section 10.01 or all the Lenders with respect to a certain Class of the Loans and (iii) the Required Lenders (or, in the case of a consent, waiver or amendment involving all affected Lenders of a certain Class, the Required Class Lenders as applicable) have agreed to such consent, waiver or amendment, then any Lender who does not agree to such consent, waiver or amendment shall be deemed a “Non-Consenting Lender.

 

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Section 3.08. Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Article 3 shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

ARTICLE 4

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

Section 4.01. Conditions to Initial Credit Extension. The obligation of each Lender to make a Credit Extension hereunder on the Closing Date is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent, except as otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent:

(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or pdf copies or other facsimiles (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:

(i) a Committed Loan Notice in accordance with the requirements hereof;

(ii) executed counterparts of this Agreement;

(iii) each Collateral Document set forth on Schedule 1.01B required to be executed on the Closing Date as indicated on such schedule, duly executed by each Loan Party thereto, together with (subject to the last paragraph of this Section 4.01):

(A) certificates, if any, representing the Pledged Equity in the Borrower and each wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (that is also not an Excluded Subsidiary (other than any Restricted Subsidiary that is an Excluded Subsidiary solely pursuant to clause (f) and/or (j)(y) of the definition thereof)), accompanied by undated stock or membership interest powers executed in blank and instruments evidencing the Pledged Debt (including the Intercompany Note) indorsed in blank (or confirmation in lieu thereof reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or its counsel that such certificates, powers and instruments have been sent for overnight delivery to the Collateral Agent or its counsel);

(B) copies of proper financing statements, filed or duly prepared for filing under the Uniform Commercial Code in all United States jurisdictions that the Administrative Agent may deem reasonably necessary in order to perfect and protect the Liens created under the Security Agreement on assets of Holdings, the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor that is party to the Security Agreement, covering the Collateral described in the Security Agreement; and

(C) evidence that all other actions, recordings and filings required by the Collateral Documents as of the Closing Date or that the Administrative Agent may

 

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deem reasonably necessary to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall have been taken, completed or otherwise provided for in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (it being understood that no insurance certificate shall be required to be delivered on or prior to the Closing Date);

(iv) subject to the last paragraph of this Section 4.01 and Section 6.16, all actions necessary to cause the Collateral Agent to have a perfected first priority security interest in the Collateral (subject to Liens permitted under Section 7.01 which by operation of law or contract would have priority over the Liens securing the Obligations) shall have been taken;

(v) such certificates of good standing (to the extent such concept exists) from the applicable secretary of state of the state of organization of each Loan Party, certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates, certificates of incorporation and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may reasonably 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 on the Closing Date;

(vi) an opinion from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York counsel to the Loan Parties;

(vii) a solvency certificate from the chief financial officer, chief accounting officer or other officer with equivalent duties of the Borrower (after giving effect to the Transactions) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E-2 (or, at the sole option and discretion of the Borrower, a third-party opinion as to the solvency of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis issued by a nationally recognized firm);

(viii) a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, confirming satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 4.02(i) and (ii); and

(ix) the Perfection Certificate, duly completed and executed by the Loan Parties.

(b) The Closing Fees and all fees and expenses due to the Lead Arrangers and their Affiliates required to be paid on the Closing Date and (in the case of expenses) invoiced at least three Business Days before the Closing Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrower) shall have been paid from the proceeds of the initial funding under the Facilities.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received at least 3 Business Days prior to the Closing Date all documentation and other information about the Borrower and the Guarantors required under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act that has been requested by the Administrative Agent in writing at least 10 Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent, at least 3 Business Days prior to the Closing Date, a Beneficial Ownership Certification to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent at least 10 Business Days prior to the Closing Date.

 

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(d) The Closing Date Refinancing shall have been consummated, or shall be consummated substantially simultaneously with the borrowing of the Initial Term Loans on the Closing Date.

(e) The Lead Arrangers shall have received the Audited Financial Statements and the Unaudited Financial Statements.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 9.03(b), for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, it is understood that other than with respect to the execution and delivery of those certain Collateral Documents required to be delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(iii), any UCC Filing Collateral and the filing of any Intellectual Property Security Agreements with United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office, as applicable, to the extent any Lien on any Collateral is not provided and/or perfected on the Closing Date after the Borrower’s use of commercially reasonable efforts to do so, the provision and/or perfection of a Lien on such Collateral shall not constitute a condition precedent for purposes of this Section 4.01, but instead shall be required to be provided and/or perfected within the time periods specified in Schedule 6.16 in accordance with Section 6.16 (subject to extensions as agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion); provided that the Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of all Pledged Equity, if any, referred to in Section 4.01(a)(iii)(A) (subject to the limitations set forth therein).

Section 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 Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans and other than a Request for Credit Extension in connection with an Incremental Amendment, which shall be governed by Section 2.14(d))), is subject to the following conditions precedent, in each case, subject to the provisions set forth herein in connection with Limited Condition Transactions:

(i) The representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in Article 5 and in each other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all respects as so qualified) on and as of the date of such Credit Extension with the same effect as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date.

 

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(ii) No Default shall exist or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds therefrom.

(iii) The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the relevant L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(i) and (ii) (or, in the case of a Request for Credit Extension in connection with an Incremental Amendment, the conditions specified in Section 2.14(d)) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

ARTICLE 5

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower, Holdings (solely to the extent applicable to it) and each of the Subsidiary Guarantors party hereto represent and warrant to the Agents and the Lenders at the time of each Credit Extension that:

Section 5.01. Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party and each Restricted Subsidiary (a) is a Person duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing (where relevant) under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business as currently conducted and (ii) in the case of the Loan Parties, execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and in good standing (where relevant) under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, (d) is in compliance with all Laws, orders, writs and injunctions and (e) has all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to operate its business as currently conducted; except in each case, referred to in clause (a) (other than with respect to the Borrower), (b)(i) (other than with respect to the Borrower), (c), (d) and (e), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.02. Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party are within such Loan Party’s corporate or other powers, (a) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and (b) do not (i) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organizational Documents, (ii) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under (other than as permitted by Section 7.01), or require any payment to be made under (x) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (y) any material order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject, or (iii) violate any applicable Law; except with respect to any

 

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conflict, breach or contravention, payment (but not creation of Liens) or violation referred to in clause (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) above, to the extent that such violation, conflict, breach, contravention or payment would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.03. Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No material approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is necessary or required in connection with (a) the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or for the consummation of the Transactions, (b) the grant by any Loan Party of the Liens granted by it pursuant to the Collateral Documents, (c) the perfection or maintenance of the Liens created under the Collateral Documents (including the priority thereof) or (d) the exercise by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of its rights under the Loan Documents or the remedies in respect of the Collateral pursuant to the Collateral Documents, except for (i) filings, recordings and registrations with Governmental Authorities necessary to perfect the Liens on the Collateral granted by the Loan Parties in favor of the Secured Parties, (ii) the approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices and filings which have been duly obtained, taken, given or made and are in full force and effect (except to the extent not required to be obtained, taken, given or made or be in full force and effect pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement) and (iii) those approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions, notices or filings, the failure of which to obtain or make would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.04. Execution, Delivery and Enforceability. This Agreement and each other Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is a party thereto. This Agreement and each other Loan Document constitutes, 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 such enforceability may be limited by (i) Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity, (ii) the need for filings, recordations and registrations necessary to create or perfect the Liens on the Collateral granted by the Loan Parties in favor of the Secured Parties and (iii) the effect of foreign Laws, rules and regulations as they relate to pledges, if any, of Equity Interests in Foreign Subsidiaries.

Section 5.05. Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect. (a) The Audited Financial Statements and the Unaudited Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their results of operations for the periods covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein.

(b) The forecasts of consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of income and cash flow of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries which have been furnished to the Administrative Agent prior to the Closing Date have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such forecasts, it being understood that such forecasts are as to future events and not to be viewed as facts, such forecasts are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Borrower’s control, that no assurance can be given that any particular forecasts will be realized and actual results may vary from such forecasts and that such variations may be material.

 

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(c) Since December 31, 2018, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(d) As of the Closing Date, none of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries has any Indebtedness or other obligations or liabilities, direct or contingent (other than (i) the liabilities reflected on Schedule 5.05, (ii) obligations arising under the Loan Documents and (iii) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business that, either individually or in the aggregate, have not had nor would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect).

Section 5.06. Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.06, there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that either individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.07. Ownership of Property; Liens; Real Property. (a) The Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries has good record title to, or valid leasehold interests in, or easements or other limited property interests in, all Real Property necessary in the ordinary conduct of its business, free and clear of all Liens except as set forth on Schedule 5.07 hereto and except for minor defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business or to utilize such assets for their intended purposes and Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and except where the failure to have such title or other interest would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.08. Environmental Matters. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect:

(a) each Loan Party and its Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective properties and operations are and, other than any matters which have been finally resolved without further liability or obligation, have been in compliance with all Environmental Laws, which includes obtaining, maintaining and complying with all applicable Environmental Permits required under such Environmental Laws to carry on the business of the Loan Parties and their respective Restricted Subsidiaries;

(b) none of the Loan Parties or their respective Restricted Subsidiaries have received any written notice that alleges any of them is in violation of or potentially liable under any Environmental Laws and none of the Loan Parties or their respective Restricted Subsidiaries nor any of the Real Property owned, leased or operated by any Loan Party or its Restricted Subsidiaries is the subject of any claims, investigations, liens, demands, or judicial, administrative or arbitral proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, under or relating to any Environmental Law;

 

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(c) there has been no Release of Hazardous Materials on, at, under or from any Real Property or facilities currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by any Loan Party or its Restricted Subsidiaries, or arising out of the conduct of the Loan Parties or their respective Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case that would reasonably be expected to result in any Environmental Liability;

(d) there are no facts, circumstances or conditions arising out of or relating to the Loan Parties or their respective Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their respective operations or any facilities currently or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, formerly owned, leased or operated by any of the Loan Parties or their respective Restricted Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to require investigation, remedial activity, corrective action or cleanup by, or on behalf of, any Loan Party or its Restricted Subsidiaries or would reasonably be expected to result in an Environmental Liability; and

(e) the Borrower has made available to the Administrative Agent all environmental reports, studies, assessments, audits, or other similar documents containing information regarding any Environmental Liability that are in the possession of any Loan Party or its Subsidiary.

Section 5.09. Taxes. Except as would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have filed all tax returns required to be filed, and have paid all Taxes levied or imposed upon them or their properties, that are due and payable (including in their capacity as a withholding agent), except those that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted. There is no proposed Tax deficiency or assessment known to any of the Loan Parties against any of the Loan Parties that would, if made, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.10. ERISA Compliance. (a) Except as would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan maintained by a Loan Party, any Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder and other federal or state Laws.

(b) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred during the six-year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA); (iii) neither any Loan Party 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 Section 4201 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (iv) neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that would be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA, except, with respect to each of the foregoing clauses of this Section 5.10(b), as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(c) With respect to each Pension Plan, the adjusted funding target attainment percentage (as defined in Section 436 of the Code), as determined by the applicable Pension Plan’s Enrolled Actuary under Sections 436(j) and 430(d)(2) of the Code and all applicable regulatory guidance promulgated thereunder, would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate maintains or contributes to a Plan that is, or is expected to be, in at-risk status (as defined in Section 303(i)(4) of ERISA or Section 430(i)(4) of the Code) in each case, except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.11. Subsidiaries; Equity Interests. As of the Closing Date (after giving effect to the Transactions), no Loan Party has any Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries pursuant to clause (b) of the definition thereof) other than those specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.11, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests owned by the Loan Parties (or a Subsidiary of any Loan Party) in such material Subsidiaries have been validly issued and are fully paid and all Equity Interests owned by a Loan Party in such material Subsidiaries are owned free and clear of all Liens except (i) those created under the Collateral Documents and (ii) any Lien that is permitted under Section 7.01. As of the Closing Date, Schedules 1(a) and 8(a) to the Perfection Certificate (a) set forth the name and jurisdiction of each Domestic Subsidiary that is a Loan Party and (b) set forth the ownership interest of the Borrower and any other Guarantor in each wholly owned Subsidiary (other than Excluded Subsidiaries pursuant to clause (b) of the definition thereof), including the percentage of such ownership.

Section 5.12. Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act. (a) (i) The Borrower is not engaged nor will it engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of (1) purchasing or carrying Margin Stock or (2) extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, in each case of the foregoing clauses (1) and (2) in a manner that violates Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, and (ii) no proceeds of any Borrowings or drawings under any Letter of Credit will be used for any purpose that violates Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System.

(b) No Loan Party is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Section 5.13. Disclosure. To the best of the Borrower’s knowledge, no report, financial statement, certificate or other written information furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party (other than projected financial information, pro forma financial information and information of a general economic or industry nature) to any 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 (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), when taken as a whole, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein (when taken as a whole), in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading.

Section 5.14. Labor Matters. Except as, in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect as of the Closing Date (a) there are no strikes or other

 

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labor disputes against the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, (b) hours worked by and payment made to employees of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Laws, (c) the Borrower and the other Loan Parties have complied with all applicable labor Laws including work authorization and immigration and (d) all payments due from the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries on account of employee wages and health and welfare and other benefits insurance have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the relevant party.

Section 5.15. Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.. The Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries own, license or possess the right to use all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names, copyrights, patents, copyrights in software, know-how, database rights and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as currently conducted, and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, such IP Rights do not conflict with the rights of any Person, except to the extent such failure to own, license or possess or such conflicts, either individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Borrower, the business of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted does not infringe upon, misappropriate or otherwise violate any IP Rights held by any Person except for such infringements, misappropriations and violations, individually or in the aggregate, which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No claim or litigation regarding any of the IP Rights, is filed and presently pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, presently threatened in writing against any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, which, either individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

All registrations and applications for registration of IP Rights listed in Schedule 8 to the Perfection Certificate are subsisting and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, valid, except, in each case, to the extent failure of such registrations and applications for registration of IP Rights to be valid and subsisting would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.16. Solvency. On the Closing Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.

Section 5.17. Subordination of Junior Financing. The Obligations are “Senior Debt,” “Senior Indebtedness,” “Guarantor Senior Debt” or “Senior Secured Financing” (or any comparable term) under, and as defined in, any Junior Financing Documentation.

Section 5.18. OFAC; USA PATRIOT Act; FCPA. (a) To the extent applicable, each of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto and (ii) the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

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(b) Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties, any director, officer, employee, agent or controlled affiliate of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is currently the target of any Sanctions, nor is the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries located, organized or resident in any country or territory that is the target of Sanctions, except to the extent authorized under applicable Sanctions laws.

(c) No part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, by the Borrower (i) in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended or (ii) for the purpose of financing any activities or business of or with any Person that, at the time of such financing, is the target of any Sanctions, except to the extent authorized under applicable Sanctions laws.

Section 5.19. Security Documents. (a) Valid Liens. Each Collateral Document delivered pursuant to Section 4.01 and Sections 6.11, 6.13 and 6.16 will, upon execution and delivery thereof, be effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, legal, valid and enforceable Liens on, and security interests in, the Collateral described therein to the extent intended to be created thereby, and (i) when financing statements and other filings in appropriate form are filed in the offices specified on Schedule 1(a) to the Perfection Certificate and (ii) upon the taking of possession or control by the Collateral Agent of such Collateral with respect to which a security interest may be perfected only by possession or control (which possession or control shall be given to the Collateral Agent to the extent possession or control by the Collateral Agent is required by the Security Agreement), the Liens created by the Collateral Documents shall constitute fully perfected Liens on, and security interests in (to the extent intended to be created thereby), all right, title and interest of the grantors in such Collateral to the extent perfection can be obtained by filing financing statements or the taking of possession or control, in each case subject to no Liens other than Liens permitted by Section 7.01.

(b) PTO Filing; Copyright Office Filing. When the Intellectual Property Security Agreements are properly filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office, as applicable, to the extent such filings may perfect such interests, the Liens created by the Security Agreement shall constitute fully perfected Liens on, and security interests in, all right, title and interest of the grantors thereunder in Patents and Trademarks (each as defined in the Security Agreement) registered or applied for with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and Copyrights (as defined in the Security Agreement) registered or applied for with the United States Copyright Office, as the case may be, in each case subject to no Liens other than Liens permitted hereunder (it being understood that subsequent recordings in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office may be necessary to perfect the Collateral Agent’s Lien on registered Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights (each as defined in the Security Agreement) acquired by the grantors thereof after the Closing Date).

Notwithstanding anything herein (including this Section 5.19) or in any other Loan Document to the contrary, neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party makes any representation or warranty as to (A) the effects of perfection or non-perfection, the priority or the enforceability of any pledge of or security interest in any Equity Interests of any Foreign Subsidiary, or as to the rights and remedies of the Agents or any Lender with respect thereto, under foreign Law or (B)

 

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the pledge or creation of any security interest, or the effects of perfection or non-perfection, the priority or the enforceability of any pledge of or security interest to the extent such pledge, security interest, perfection or priority is not required pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.

ARTICLE 6

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation (other than obligations under Treasury Services Agreements or obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements) hereunder which is accrued and payable shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or a backstop letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer is in place), then from and after the Closing Date, the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02 and 6.03) cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to:

Section 6.01. Financial Statements. (a) Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender, within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year ending after the Closing Date, 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, stockholders’ 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 any independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not contain any qualifications or exceptions as to the scope of such audit or any “going concern” explanatory paragraph or like qualification (other than an emphasis of matter paragraph that does not contain a “going concern” qualification) (other than resulting from (x) activities, operations, financial results, assets or liabilities of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, (y) the impending maturity of any Indebtedness and (z) any actual or prospective default under any financial covenant).

(b) Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender, within sixty (60) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower ending after the Closing Date, an unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, and statements of stockholders’ equity for the current fiscal quarter and consolidated statement of cash flows for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

 

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(c) Until the consummation of a Qualified IPO, deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender, within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year ending after the Closing Date, a detailed consolidated budget for the following fiscal year on a quarterly basis in form customarily prepared by the Borrower or otherwise as provided to its direct or indirect equityholders (including a projected consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the following fiscal year, the related consolidated statements of projected cash flow and projected income and a summary of the material underlying assumptions applicable thereto) (collectively, the “Projections”), which Projections shall in each case be accompanied by a certificate of a Responsible Officer stating that such Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections, it being understood that actual results may vary from such Projections and that such variations may be material; and

(d) Deliver to the Administrative Agent with each set of consolidated financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b) above, supplemental financial information necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such consolidated financial statements.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 6.01 may be satisfied with respect to financial information of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries by furnishing (A) the applicable financial statements of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) or (B) the Borrower’s (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), as applicable, Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC; provided that with respect to clauses (A) and (B), (i) to the extent such information relates to a parent of the Borrower, such information is accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to the Borrower (or such parent), on the one hand, and the information relating to the Borrower and the Subsidiaries on a stand-alone basis, on the other hand and (ii) to the extent such information is in lieu of information required to be provided under Section 6.01(a), such materials are accompanied by a report and opinion of any independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and, except as permitted in Section 6.01(a), shall not contain any qualifications or exceptions as to the scope of such audit or any “going concern” explanatory paragraph or like qualification (other than resulting from (x) activities, operations, financial results, assets or liabilities of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, (y) the impending maturity of any Indebtedness and (z) any actual or prospective default under any financial covenant).

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to this Section 6.01 and Sections 6.02(b) and (c) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the website on the Internet at the Borrower’s website; or

 

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(ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on Debtdomain, Roadshow Access (if applicable) or another relevant 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) upon written request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent; and

(ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent 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. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such documents from the Administrative Agent and maintaining its copies of such documents.

Section 6.02. Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender:

(a) no later than five (5) days after the actual delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower;

(b) promptly after the same are publicly available, copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary files with the SEC or with any Governmental Authority that may be substituted therefor (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it became effective, is delivered), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statement on Form S-8) and in any case not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto; provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in this Section 6.02(b) may be satisfied so long as such information is publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR website;

(c) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material requests or material notices received by any Loan Party (other than in the ordinary course of business) or material statements or material reports furnished to any holder of debt securities (other than in connection with any board observer rights) of any Loan Party or of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any Junior Financing Documentation with a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount and, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other clause of this Section 6.02;

(d) together with the delivery of each Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 6.02(a), (i) in the case of annual Compliance Certificates only, a report setting forth the information required by sections describing the legal name and the jurisdiction of formation of each Loan Party and the location of the chief executive office of each Loan Party of the Perfection Certificate or

 

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confirming that there has been no change in such information since the later of the Closing Date or the date of the last such report, (ii) a description of each event, condition or circumstance during the last fiscal quarter covered by such Compliance Certificate requiring a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.05(b) and (iii) a list of each Subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, an Unrestricted Subsidiary or an Excluded Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such Compliance Certificate or confirmation that there has been no change in such information since the later of the Closing Date or the date of the last such list; and

(e) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, legal, financial or corporate affairs of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Restricted Subsidiaries, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender through the Administrative Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Lead Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on Debtdomain, Roadshow Access (if applicable) 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 to make all Borrower Materials that the Borrower intends to be made available to Public Lenders clearly and conspicuously designated as “PUBLIC.” By designating Borrower Materials as “PUBLIC,” the Borrower authorizes such Borrower Materials to be made available to a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor,” which is intended to contain only information that is publicly available or not material information (though it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws or is of a type that would be publicly available if the Borrower were a public reporting company (as reasonably determined by the Borrower). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall not be under any obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.” The Borrower agrees that (i) any Loan Documents, (ii) any financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 and (iii) any Compliance Certificates delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) and (iv) notices delivered pursuant to Section 6.03(a) will be deemed to be “public-side” Borrower Materials and may be made available to Public Lenders.

Each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable law, including United States federal and state securities laws, to make reference to communications that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal or state securities laws.

 

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Section 6.03. Notices. Promptly after a Responsible Officer of Holdings or the Borrower has obtained knowledge thereof, notify the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender:

(a) of the occurrence of any Default;

(b) of any matter that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(c) of the filing or commencement of any action, suit, litigation or proceeding, whether at law or in equity by or before any Governmental Authority, (i) against Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries thereof that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) with respect to any Loan Document affecting the rights or obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party.

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be accompanied by a written statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (x) that such notice is being delivered pursuant to Sections 6.03(a), (b) or (c) (as applicable) and (y) setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 6.04. Payment of Taxes. Pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy as the same shall become due and payable in the normal conduct of its business, all its obligations and liabilities in respect of Taxes imposed upon it or upon its income or profits or in respect of its property (including in its capacity as a withholding agent), except, in each case, (i) to the extent any such Tax is being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP or (ii) if such failure to pay or discharge such obligations and liabilities would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.05. Preservation of Existence, Etc. (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except (x) in a transaction permitted by Sections 7.04 or 7.05 and (y) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Restricted Subsidiary and

(b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges (including its good standing where applicable in the relevant jurisdiction), permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except, in the case of clause (a) (other than with respect to the Borrower) or (b), (i) to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) pursuant to a transaction permitted by Article 7 or clause (a)(y) of this Section 6.05.

Section 6.06. Maintenance of Properties. Except if the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, maintain, preserve and protect all of its material tangible or intangible properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order, repair and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and fire, casualty or condemnation excepted.

 

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Section 6.07. Maintenance of Insurance. (a) Generally. Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance with respect to its properties and business, against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance reasonable and customary for similarly situated Persons engaged in the same or similar businesses as the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.

(b) Requirements of Insurance. All such insurance shall (i) provide that no cancellation, material reduction in amount or material change in coverage thereof shall be effective until at least 10 days (or, to the extent reasonably available, 30 days) after receipt by the Collateral Agent of written notice thereof (the Borrower shall deliver a copy of the policy (and to the extent any such policy is cancelled or renewed, a renewal or replacement policy) or other evidence thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, or insurance certificate with respect thereto) and (ii) name the Collateral Agent as loss payee (in the case of property insurance) or additional insured on behalf of the Secured Parties (in the case of liability insurance) (it being understood that, absent an Event of Default, any proceeds of any such property insurance shall be delivered by the insurer(s) to the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries and applied in accordance with this Agreement), as applicable.

Section 6.08. Compliance with Laws. Comply with, the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except if the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.09. Books and Records. Maintain proper books of record and account, in which entries that are full, true and correct in all material respects and are in conformity with GAAP consistently applied and which reflect all material financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be (it being understood and agreed that certain Foreign Subsidiaries maintain individual books and records in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in their respective countries of organization and that such maintenance shall not constitute a breach of the representations, warranties or covenants hereunder).

Section 6.10. Inspection Rights. Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender 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 (subject to such accountants’ customary policies and procedures), all at the reasonable 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; provided that, excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of an Event of Default, only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section 6.10 and the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than two times during any calendar year and only one (1) such time shall be at the

 

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Borrower’s expense; provided, further, that 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 reasonable advance notice.

The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall give the Borrower the opportunity to participate in any discussions with the Borrower’s independent public accountants. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.10, none of the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary shall be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies or abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or other matter that (i) constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by Law or (iii) is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work-product.

Section 6.11. Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors. At the Borrower’s expense, take all action either necessary or as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement continues to be satisfied, including upon (x) the formation or acquisition of any new direct or indirect wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary (in each case, other than an Excluded Subsidiary) by the Borrower (including, without limitation, upon the formation of any Subsidiary that is a Delaware Divided LLC and is not otherwise an Excluded Subsidiary), (y) any Excluded Subsidiary ceasing to constitute an Excluded Subsidiary or (z) the designation in accordance with Section 6.14 of an existing direct or indirect wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) as a Restricted Subsidiary:

(i) within sixty (60) days after such formation, acquisition, cessation or designation, or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in writing in its discretion, notify the Administrative Agent thereof and:

(A) cause each such Domestic Subsidiary to duly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent (as appropriate) joinders to this Agreement as Guarantors, Security Agreement Supplements, Intellectual Property Security Agreements, a counterpart of the Intercompany Note, each Intercreditor Agreement, if applicable, and other security agreements and documents, as reasonably requested by and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (consistent with the, Security Agreement and other security agreements in effect on the Closing Date), in each case granting Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement;

(B) cause each such Domestic Subsidiary (and the parent of each such Domestic Subsidiary that is a Guarantor) to deliver any and all certificates representing Equity Interests (to the extent certificated) and intercompany notes (to the extent certificated) that are required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, accompanied by undated stock powers or other appropriate instruments of transfer executed in blank;

 

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(C) take and cause such Domestic Subsidiary and each direct or indirect parent of such Domestic Subsidiary to take whatever action (including the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and Intellectual Property Security Agreements, and delivery of stock and membership interest certificates) as may be necessary in the reasonable opinion of the Collateral Agent to vest in the Collateral Agent (or in any representative of the Collateral Agent designated by it) valid and perfected Liens to the extent required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, and to otherwise comply with the requirements of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement;

(ii) [reserved]; and

(iii) if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, within sixty (60) days after such request (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in writing in its discretion), deliver to the Collateral Agent any other items necessary from time to time to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement with respect to perfection and existence of security interests with respect to property of any Guarantor acquired after the Closing Date and subject to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, but not specifically covered by the preceding clause (i).

Section 6.12. Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except, in each case, to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, comply, and take all commercially reasonable actions to cause all lessees and other Persons operating or occupying its properties to comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits; obtain, maintain and renew all Environmental Permits necessary for its operations and properties; and, in each case to the extent the Loan Parties or their respective Subsidiaries are required by Environmental Laws, conduct any investigation, remedial or other corrective action necessary to address Hazardous Materials at any property or facility in accordance with applicable Environmental Laws.

Section 6.13. Further Assurances. Promptly upon reasonable request by the Administrative Agent (i) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation of any Intercreditor Agreement or any Collateral Document or other document or instrument relating to any Collateral, and (ii) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the purposes of any Intercreditor Agreement or the Collateral Documents, to the extent required pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.

Section 6.14. Designation of Subsidiaries. The Borrower may at any time designate any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted

 

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Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (x) immediately before and after such designation, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (y) the Borrower shall be in compliance with the Financial Covenant on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect to such designation. The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date shall constitute an Investment by the Borrower therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment therein. The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute (i) the incurrence at the time of designation of any Investment, Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time and (ii) a return on any Investment by the Borrower in Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value at the date of such designation of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment in such Subsidiary.

Section 6.15. [Reserved].

Section 6.16. Post-Closing Covenants. Except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion, the Borrower shall, and shall cause each of the other Loan Parties to, deliver each of the documents, instruments and agreements and take each of the actions set forth on Schedule 6.16 within the time periods set forth therein (or such longer time periods as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion).

Section 6.17. Change in Nature of Business. The Borrower shall not, nor shall the Borrower permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or any business reasonably related, complementary, synergistic or ancillary thereto or reasonable extensions thereof.

Section 6.18. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Initial Term Loans received on the Closing Date shall not be used for any purpose other than for the Transactions and to fund cash to the Borrower’s balance sheet. After the Closing Date, the proceeds of the Revolving Credit Loans and Swing Line Loans shall be used for working capital, general corporate purposes and any other purpose not prohibited by this Agreement, including Permitted Acquisitions and other Investments. The Letters of Credit shall be used to support obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries incurred for working capital, general corporate purposes and any other purpose not prohibited by this Agreement (including Permitted Acquisitions and other Investments).

Section 6.19. Accounting Changes. The Borrower shall not make any change in its fiscal year; provided, however, that the Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, change its fiscal year to any other fiscal year reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in which case, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary to reflect such change in fiscal year.

 

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ARTICLE 7

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than obligations under Treasury Services Agreements or obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements) which is accrued and payable shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or a backstop letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer is in place), then from and after the Closing Date:

Section 7.01. Liens. Neither the Borrower nor the Restricted Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien that secures any obligations under Indebtedness upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Liens existing on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.01(b) and any modifications, replacements, renewals, refinancings or extensions thereof; provided that (i) the Lien does not extend to any additional property other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien or financed by Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03, and (B) proceeds and products thereof, and (ii) the replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing of the obligations secured or benefited by such Liens, to the extent constituting Indebtedness, is permitted by Section 7.03;

(c) Liens for taxes, governmental duties, levies, assessments and charges (including any Lien imposed by the PBGC or similar Liens) that are not overdue for a period of more than sixty (60) days or not yet payable or subject to penalties for nonpayment or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate actions diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person to the extent required in accordance with GAAP (as determined by the Borrower in good faith);

(d) statutory or common law Liens of landlords, sublandlords, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen, construction contractors or other like Liens that secure amounts not overdue for a period of more than sixty (60) days or if more than sixty (60) days overdue, that are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce such Lien or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate actions diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person to the extent required in accordance with GAAP (as determined by the Borrower in good faith);

(e) (i) pledges, deposits or Liens in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation and (ii) pledges and deposits in the ordinary course of business securing liability for reimbursement or indemnification obligations of (including obligations in respect of letters of credit or bank guarantees for the benefit of) insurance carriers providing property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

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(f) Pledges, deposits or Liens to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, governmental contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness for borrowed money), statutory or regulatory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature (including (i) those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations and (ii) letters of credit and bank guarantees required or requested by any Governmental Authority in connection with any contract or Law) and letters of credit, bank guarantees or bankers acceptances and completion guarantees, in each case, issued or incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions, encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances and other minor title defects affecting Real Property, that do not in the aggregate materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(h) Liens (i) securing judgments or orders for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h) or (ii) securing appeal or other surety bonds related to such judgments;

(i) (x) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to others in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice which do not interfere in any material respect with the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole and (y) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses constituting a Disposition permitted under Section 7.05;

(j) Liens (i) in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of Law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and (ii) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds thereof of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances or letters of credit issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods in the ordinary course of business;

(k) Liens (i) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection, (ii) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other commodities brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and (iii) in favor of a banking or other financial institution arising as a matter of Law or under customary general terms and conditions encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with a financial institution (including the right of set-off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry or arising pursuant to such banking institution’s general terms and conditions;

(l) Liens (i) on cash advances or Cash Equivalents in favor of (x) the seller of any property to be acquired in an Investment permitted pursuant to Sections 7.02(i) and (n) to be applied against the purchase price for such Investment or (y) the buyer of any property to be Disposed of pursuant to Sections 7.05(j), (o) or (t) to secure obligations in respect of indemnification, termination fee or similar seller obligations and (ii) consisting of an agreement to

 

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Dispose of any property in a Disposition permitted under Section 7.05, in each case, solely to the extent such Investment or Disposition, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien;

(m) Liens (i) in favor of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary on assets of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party securing permitted intercompany Indebtedness and (ii) in favor of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor;

(n) any interest or title of a lessor, sublessor, licensor or sublicensor under leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses entered into by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, or with respect to intellectual property that is not material to the conduct of the business or consistent with past practice of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(o) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice permitted by this Agreement;

(p) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements under Section 7.02;

(q) Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and not for speculative purposes;

(r) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off or rights of pledge (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (iii) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(s) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement permitted hereunder;

(t) ground leases in respect of Real Property on which facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries are located;

(u) Liens to secure Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e); provided that (i) such Liens are created within 365 days of the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement, lease, expansion, development, installation, relocation, renewal, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of the property subject to such Liens, such Liens do not at any time encumber property (except for replacements, additions and accessions to such property) other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and the proceeds and products thereof and customary security deposits and (ii) with

 

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respect to Financing Leases, such Liens do not at any time extend to or cover any assets (except for replacements, additions and accessions to such assets) other than the assets subject to such Financing Leases and the proceeds and products thereof and customary security deposits; provided that individual financings of equipment provided by one lender may be cross collateralized to other financings of equipment provided by such lender;

(v) Liens on property of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and that does not constitute Collateral, which Liens secure Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03;

(w) Liens existing on property at the time of its acquisition or existing on the property of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (other than by designation as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14), in each case after the Closing Date (other than Liens on the Equity Interests of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary); provided that (i) such Lien was not created in contemplation of such acquisition or such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) such Lien does not extend to or cover any other assets or property (other than the proceeds or products thereof and other than after-acquired property subjected to a Lien securing Indebtedness and other obligations incurred prior to such time and which Indebtedness and other obligations are permitted hereunder that require, pursuant to their terms at such time, a pledge of after-acquired property, it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition), and (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby is permitted under Section 7.03;

(x) (i) zoning, building, entitlement and other land use regulations by Governmental Authorities with which the normal operation of the business complies, and (ii) any zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property that does not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(y) Liens arising from precautionary Uniform Commercial Code financing statement or similar filings;

(z) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

(aa) the modification, replacement, renewal or extension of any Lien permitted by clauses (u) and (w) of this Section 7.01; provided that (i) the Lien does not extend to any additional property, other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien and (B) proceeds and products thereof, and (ii) the renewal, extension or refinancing of the obligations secured or benefited by such Liens is permitted by Section 7.03 (to the extent constituting Indebtedness);

(bb) Liens with respect to property or assets of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries securing obligations in respect of Section 7.03(y);

(cc) Liens with respect to property or assets of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries securing obligations in an aggregate principal amount at the time of incurrence of such Liens not to exceed the greater of (i) $22,500,000 and (ii) 30% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA, in each case determined as of the date of incurrence;

 

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(dd) Liens to secure Indebtedness permitted under Sections 7.03(q) or 7.03(s); provided that an Other Debt Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to (1) if such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to the control of remedies) with the Obligations, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any) as a “Senior Representative” (or similar term, in each case, as defined in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement), if applicable, and any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or (2) if such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a junior Lien basis to the Liens securing the Obligations, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as a “Junior Priority Representative” (or similar term, in each case, as defined in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement);

(ee) Liens on the Collateral securing obligations in respect of Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness constituting Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt or Permitted Junior Lien Refinancing Debt (and any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing); provided that (x) in the case of any such Liens securing any Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt (or any Permitted Refinancing in respect of such Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt that is secured on a pari passu basis with the Obligations), an Other Debt Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to (i) the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as a “Senior Representative” (or similar term, in each case as defined in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement), if applicable and (ii) any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and (y) in the case of any such Liens securing (1) any Permitted Refinancing of Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt that is secured on a junior Lien basis to the Initial Term Loans and (2) Permitted Junior Lien Refinancing Debt (or any Permitted Refinancing in respect of such Permitted Junior Lien Refinancing Debt that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral), an Other Debt Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as a “Junior Priority Representative” (or similar term, in each case, as defined in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement);

(ff) Liens on accounts receivable, Securitization Assets and related assets incurred in connection with a Qualified Securitization Facility;

(gg) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and the proceeds thereof securing such Person’s obligations in respect of documentary letters of credit or banker’s acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or goods;

(hh) Liens on cash or Cash Equivalents to secure Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(f) or (l), to the extent created in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(ii) Liens securing any Permitted Refinancing directly or indirectly permitted under Section 7.03(b), (g), (m), (q), (s), (t), (v) or (y) that are secured by Liens on the same assets as the Liens securing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended by such Permitted Refinancing, plus improvements, accessions, dividends, distributions, proceeds or products thereof and after-acquired property;

 

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(jj) any encumbrance or restriction (including put and call arrangements) with respect to Equity Interests of any joint venture or similar arrangement pursuant to any joint venture or similar agreement;

(kk) Liens on Equity Interests of an Unrestricted Subsidiary that secure Indebtedness or other obligations of such Unrestricted Subsidiary;

(ll) deposits of cash with the owner or lessor of premises leased and operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and such Subsidiary or consistent with past practice to secure the performance of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s obligations under the terms of the lease for such premises;

(mm) security given to a public utility or any municipality or governmental authority when required by such utility or authority in connection with the operations of that Person in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice; and

(nn) Liens on any funds or securities held in escrow accounts established for the purpose of holding proceeds from issuances of debt securities by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued after the Closing Date, together with any additional funds required in order to fund any mandatory redemption or sinking fund payment on such debt securities within 360 days of their issuance; provided that such Liens do not extend to any assets other than such proceeds and such additional funds.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no consensual Liens shall exist on Equity Interests of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that constitute Collateral other than pursuant to clauses (a), (w), (dd) and (ee) above.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.01, (A) Liens need not be incurred solely by reference to one category of Liens permitted by this Section 7.01 but are permitted to be incurred in part under any combination thereof and of any other available exemption, (B) in the event that Lien (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of one or more of the categories of Liens permitted by this Section 7.01, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, classify or reclassify such Lien (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this provision, (C) in the event that a portion of Indebtedness or other obligations secured by a Lien could be classified as secured in part pursuant to Section 7.01(dd) above (giving pro forma effect to the incurrence of such portion of such Indebtedness or other obligations), the Borrower, in its sole discretion, may classify such portion of such Indebtedness (and any obligations in respect thereof) as having been secured pursuant to Section 7.01(dd) above and thereafter the remainder of the Indebtedness or other obligations as having been secured pursuant to one or more of the other clauses of this Section 7.01 and if any such test would be satisfied in any subsequent fiscal quarter following the relevant date of determination, then such reclassification shall be deemed to have automatically occurred at such time and (D) with respect to any Lien securing Indebtedness that was permitted to secure such Indebtedness at the time of the incurrence of such Indebtedness,

 

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such Lien shall also be permitted to secure any amount permitted under Section 7.03(z) in respect of such Indebtedness. Any Liens in respect of the accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value and the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness, in each case in respect of any Indebtedness, shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of a Lien in respect of such Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 7.01.

Section 7.02. Investments. Neither the Borrower nor the Restricted Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, make any Investments, except:

(a) Investments by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in assets that were Cash Equivalents when such Investment was made;

(b) loans or advances to future, present or former officers, directors, managers, members, partners, independent contractors, consultants and employees of any Loan Party (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any of its Subsidiaries (i) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes, (ii) in connection with such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent thereof directly from such issuing entity (provided that the amount of such loans and advances shall be contributed to Holdings or the Borrower, as applicable, in cash as Equity Interests other than Disqualified Equity Interests) and (iii) for any other purposes not described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii); provided that the aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time under clause (iii) above shall not exceed $10,000,000;

(c) Investments by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any Person that will, upon such Investment become a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (x) any Investment made by any Person that is not a Loan Party in any Loan Party pursuant to this clause (c) shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Loans and (y) any Investment made by any Loan Party in any Person that is not a Loan Party shall either (i) be made in the ordinary course of business or (ii) be evidenced by a note pledged as Collateral on a first priority basis for the benefit of the Obligations, which note shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (it being understood that an Intercompany Note shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent);

(d) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(e) Investments (excluding loans and advances made in lieu of Restricted Payments pursuant to and limited by Section 7.02(m) below) consisting of transactions permitted under Sections 7.01 (other than 7.01(p)), 7.03 (other than 7.03(c) and (d)), 7.04 (other than 7.04(c), (d) and (e)), 7.05 (other than 7.05(e)), 7.06 (other than 7.06(e) and (i)(iv)) and 7.13, respectively;

(f) Investments (i) existing or contemplated on the Closing Date and, with respect to each such Investments in an amount in excess of $2,500,000, set forth on Schedule 7.02(f) and any

 

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modification, replacement, renewal, reinvestment or extension thereof and (ii) existing on the Closing Date by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary and any modification, renewal or extension thereof; provided that the amount of the original Investment is not increased except by the terms of such Investment as of the Closing Date or as otherwise permitted by this Section 7.02;

(g) Investments in Swap Contracts permitted under Section 7.03;

(h) [Reserved];

(i) any acquisition of all or substantially all the assets of a Person, or any Equity Interests in a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or a division or line of business of a Person (or any subsequent Investment made in a Person, division or line of business previously acquired in a Permitted Acquisition), in a single transaction or series of related transactions, if immediately after giving effect thereto: (i) no Event of Default under Sections 8.01(a) or (f) with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) the Borrower shall be in compliance with the Financial Covenant on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect to such acquisition, (iii) any acquired or newly formed Restricted Subsidiary shall not be liable for any Indebtedness except for Indebtedness otherwise permitted by Section 7.03 and (iv) to the extent required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, (A) the property, assets and businesses acquired in such purchase or other acquisition shall constitute Collateral and (B) any such newly created or acquired Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary) shall become a Guarantor, in each case, in accordance with Section 6.11 (any such acquisition, a “Permitted Acquisition”);

(j) so long as no Event of Default under Sections 8.01(a) or (f) with respect to the Borrower has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may make Investments in an unlimited amount so long as the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio calculated on a Pro Forma Basis is less than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00;

(k) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of UCC Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and UCC Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;

(l) Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and customers or in settlement of delinquent obligations of, or other disputes with, customers and suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or upon the foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment;

(m) loans and advances to the Borrower and any other direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, and not in excess of the amount of (after giving effect to any other loans, advances or Restricted Payments in respect thereof), Restricted Payments to the extent permitted to be made to such parent in accordance with Sections 7.06(g), (h) or (i);

 

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(n) other Investments in an aggregate amount outstanding pursuant to this clause (n) (valued at the time of the making thereof, and without giving effect to any write-downs or write-offs thereof) at any time not to exceed (x) the greater of (i) $30,000,000 and (ii) 40% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA (in each case, net of any return in respect thereof, including dividends, interest, distributions, returns of principal, profits on sale, repayments, income and similar amounts) plus (y) the portion, if any, of the Cumulative Credit on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this clause (y) plus (z) the Available RP Capacity Amount;

(o) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(p) Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made solely with Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower);

(q) Investments of a Restricted Subsidiary acquired after the Closing Date or of a Person merged or amalgamated or consolidated into the Borrower or merged, amalgamated or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 7.04 after the Closing Date to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger, amalgamation or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

(r) [reserved];

(s) Investments constituting promissory notes or the non-cash portion of consideration received in a Disposition permitted by Section 7.05;

(t) Guarantees by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of leases (other than Financing Leases) or of other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(u) Investments in or relating to a Securitization Subsidiary that, in the good faith determination of the Borrower are necessary or advisable to effect any Qualified Securitization Facility (including any contribution of replacement or substitute assets to such subsidiary) or any repurchase obligation in connection therewith;

(v) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate fair market value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (v) that are at the time outstanding, without giving effect to the sale of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent the proceeds of such sale do not consist of cash or marketable securities (until such proceeds are converted to Cash Equivalents), not to exceed the greater of (i) $15,000,000 and (ii) 20% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA at the time of such Investment (with the fair market value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value); provided that any Investment made by any Loan Party pursuant to this clause (v) shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Loans;

 

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(w) any Investment in a Similar Business when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (w) that are at that time outstanding not to exceed the greater of (i) $25,000,000 and (ii) 35% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA (in each case, determined on the date such Investment is made, with the fair market value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value); provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (w) is made in any Person that is not the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after such date, such investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (c) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (w);

(x) Investments constituting Permitted Intercompany Activities;

(y) Investments that are made in (i) an amount equal to the amount of Excluded Contributions previously received and the Borrower elects to apply under this clause (y) or (ii) without duplication with clause (i), in an amount equal to the proceeds from a Disposition in respect of property or assets acquired after the Closing Date, if the acquisition of such property or assets was financed with Excluded Contributions, in each case, to the extent Not Otherwise Applied;

(z) Investments in joint ventures of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (z) that are at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (i) $22,500,000 and (ii) 30% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA (in each case, determined on the date such Investment is made, with the fair market value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value);

(aa) earnest money deposits required in connection with Permitted Acquisitions (or similar Investments); and

(bb) contributions to a “rabbi” trust for the benefit of employees or other grantor trusts subject to claims of creditors in the case of bankruptcy of the Borrower.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.02, in the event that an item of Investment meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Investments described above, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, classify or later divide, classify or reclassify all or a portion of such item of Investment or any portion thereof in a manner that complies with this Section 7.02 and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Investment in one or more of the above clauses. In the event that a portion of the Investments could be classified as incurred under a “ratio-based” basket (giving pro forma effect to the making of such Investments), the Borrower, in its sole discretion, may classify such portion of such Investment as having been incurred pursuant to such “ratio-based” basket and thereafter the remainder of the Investments as having been incurred pursuant to one or more of the other clauses of this Section 7.02 and if any such test would be satisfied in any subsequent fiscal quarter following the relevant date of determination, then such reclassification shall be deemed to have automatically occurred at such time.

 

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Section 7.03. Indebtedness. Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) Indebtedness of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents;

(b) (i) Indebtedness outstanding on the Closing Date and as listed on Schedule 7.03(b) and any Permitted Refinancing thereof and (ii) Indebtedness owed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary outstanding on the Closing Date and any refinancing thereof with Indebtedness owed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in a principal amount that does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the intercompany Indebtedness so refinanced; provided that (x) any Indebtedness advanced by any Person that is not a Loan Party to any Loan Party pursuant to this clause (b) shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Loans and (y) any Indebtedness advanced by any Loan Party to any Person that is not a Loan Party shall either (i) be made in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or (ii) be evidenced by a note pledged as Collateral on a first priority basis for the benefit of the Obligations, which note shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (it being understood that an Intercompany Note shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent);

(c) Guarantees by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower otherwise permitted hereunder; provided that if the Indebtedness being guaranteed is subordinated to the Obligations, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the Guarantee of the Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the subordination of such Indebtedness;

(d) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (or issued or transferred to any direct or indirect parent of a Loan Party which is substantially contemporaneously transferred to a Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary of a Loan Party) to the extent constituting an Investment permitted by Section 7.02; provided that any such Indebtedness advanced by any Person that is not a Loan Party to any Loan Party shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Loans (for the avoidance of doubt, any such Indebtedness owing by a Loan Party to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be deemed to be expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Loans unless the terms of such Indebtedness expressly provided otherwise);

(e) (i) Attributable Indebtedness and other Indebtedness (including Financing Leases) financing an acquisition, construction, repair, replacement, lease, expansion, development, installation, relocation, renewal, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of a fixed or capital asset incurred by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary prior to or within 365 days after the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement, lease, expansion, development, installation, relocation, renewal, maintenance, upgrade or improvement of the applicable asset in an aggregate

 

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amount not to exceed (A) the amount of such Indebtedness outstanding on the Closing Date plus (B) the greater of (1) $22,500,000 and (2) 30% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA at any time outstanding, in each case determined at the time of incurrence at any time outstanding (together with any Permitted Refinancings thereof but without giving effect to any increase in principal amount permitted under clause (a) of the proviso to the definition of “Permitted Refinancing”), (ii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale-leaseback transactions permitted by Section 7.05 and (iii) any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing;

(f) Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

(g) (i) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred or assumed in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or Investment expressly permitted hereunder; provided that after giving pro forma effect to such Permitted Acquisition or Investment and the incurrence or assumption of such Indebtedness, the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed (x) the greater of (1) $17,500,000 and (2) 25% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA at any time outstanding plus (y) any additional amount of such Indebtedness so long as the Borrower could either (A) incur $1.00 of Permitted Ratio Debt or (B) the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio determined on a Pro Forma Basis would not exceed the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio immediately prior thereto; provided that any such Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, together with any Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party pursuant to Sections 7.03(q), 7.03(s) or 7.03(w), does not exceed in the aggregate at any time outstanding the greater of (i) $17,500,000 and (ii) 25% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA, in each case determined at the time of incurrence; provided, further, that any Indebtedness incurred (but not assumed) pursuant to this clause (g) shall be subject to the requirements included in the first proviso under the definition of “Permitted Ratio Debt”, and (ii) any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(h) Indebtedness representing deferred compensation or similar arrangements to any future, present or former employees, directors, officers, managers, members, partners, independent contractors or consultants of Holdings or the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(i) Indebtedness consisting of promissory notes issued by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to future, present or former officers, managers, members, independent contractors, consultants, directors and employees, their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members, in each case, to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower permitted by Section 7.06;

(j) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries prior to the Closing Date or thereafter in a Permitted Acquisition, any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder or any Disposition, in each case, constituting indemnification obligations or obligations in respect of purchase price (including earn-outs) or other similar adjustments;

 

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(k) Indebtedness consisting of obligations of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under deferred purchase price, earn-outs or other similar arrangements incurred by such Person prior to the Closing Date or thereafter in connection with Permitted Acquisitions or any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder;

(l) obligations in respect of Treasury Services Agreements and other Indebtedness in respect of netting services, automatic clearinghouse arrangements, overdraft protections and similar arrangements in each case in connection with deposit accounts;

(m) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in an aggregate principal amount that at the time of, and after giving effect to, the incurrence thereof, would not exceed (x) the greater of (i) $25,000,000 and (ii) 35% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA at any time outstanding plus (y) 200% of the cumulative amount of the net cash proceeds and Cash Equivalent proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Excluded Contributions, proceeds of Disqualified Equity Interests, Designated Equity Contributions or sales of Equity Interests to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) of the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower after the Closing Date and on or prior to such time (including upon exercise of warrants or options) which proceeds have been contributed as common equity to the capital of the Borrower that has been Not Otherwise Applied;

(n) Indebtedness consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(o) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances, warehouse receipts or similar instruments issued or created, or relating to obligations or liabilities incurred, in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice, including in respect of workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers compensation claims;

(p) obligations in respect of self-insurance and obligations in respect of stays, customs, performance, bid, indemnity, appeal, judgment and other similar bonds or instruments and performance, bankers’ acceptance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(q) (1) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (x) and secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Facilities (“Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt”) or (y) and secured by the Collateral on a junior Lien basis with the Facilities and any Permitted Refinancing thereof (“Incremental Equivalent Junior Lien Debt”), in an aggregate principal amount under this clause (q), when aggregated with the amount of Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments incurred pursuant to Section 2.14(d)(v)

 

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and Incremental Equivalent Unsecured Debt incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(w), not to exceed the Available Incremental Amount, so long as (x) if the proceeds of such Indebtedness are being used to finance a Permitted Acquisition, Investment, or irrevocable repayment, repurchase or redemption of any Indebtedness, no Event of Default under Sections 8.01(a) or (f) with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing or would exist after giving effect to such Indebtedness, or (y) if otherwise, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would exist after giving effect to such Indebtedness; provided that such Indebtedness shall (A) in the case of Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt, have a maturity date that is after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, and in the case of Incremental Equivalent Junior Lien Debt, have a maturity date that is at least ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred; provided that the foregoing requirements of this clause (A) shall not apply to the extent such Indebtedness constitutes a customary bridge facility, so long as the long-term Indebtedness into which such customary bridge facility is to be converted or exchanged satisfies the requirements of this clause (A) and such conversion or exchange is subject only to conditions customary for similar conversions or exchanges, (B) in the case of Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt, have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity not shorter than the longest remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Facilities and, in the case of Incremental Equivalent Junior Lien Debt, shall not be subject to scheduled amortization prior to maturity; provided that the foregoing requirements of this clause (B) shall not apply to the extent such Indebtedness constitutes a customary bridge facility, so long as the long-term Indebtedness into which such customary bridge facility is to be converted or exchanged satisfies the requirements of this clause (B) and such conversion or exchange is subject only to conditions customary for similar conversions or exchanges, (C) if such Indebtedness is secured on a junior Lien basis by a Loan Party with respect to Collateral, be subject to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and, if the Indebtedness is secured on a pari passu basis with the Facilities, be subject to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and (D) have terms and conditions (other than (x) pricing, rate floors, discounts, fees, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions and (y) covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness and to the extent any more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of such Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt or Incremental Equivalent Junior Lien Debt, to the extent that such more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is also added for the benefit of each Facility remaining outstanding after the incurrence or issuance of such Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt or Incremental Equivalent Junior Lien Debt, as applicable) that in the good faith determination of the Borrower (i) are not materially less favorable (when taken as a whole) to the Borrower than the terms and conditions of the Loan Documents (when taken as a whole) or (ii) reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence or issuance (provided that a certificate of the Borrower as to the satisfaction of the conditions described in this clause (D) delivered at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the materials terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirements of this clause (D), shall be conclusive unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees)); provided, further, that any such Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, together

 

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with any Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party pursuant to Sections 7.03(g), 7.03(s) or 7.03(w), does not exceed in the aggregate at any time outstanding, the greater of (i) $25,000,000 and (ii) 35% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA, in each case determined at the time of incurrence and (2) any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(r) Indebtedness supported by a letter of credit, in a principal amount not to exceed the face amount of such letter of credit;

(s) Permitted Ratio Debt and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(t) Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness;

(u) Indebtedness attributable to (but not incurred to finance) the exercise of appraisal rights and the settlement of any claims or actions (whether actual, contingent or potential) with respect thereto;

(v) Indebtedness incurred by a Foreign Subsidiary which, when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (v) and then outstanding, does not exceed the greater of (i) $10,000,000 and (ii) 10% of Foreign Subsidiary Total Assets;

(w) (1) unsecured (or not secured by the Collateral) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount under this clause (w), and when aggregated with the amount of Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section 2.14(d)(v) and Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt and Incremental Equivalent Junior Lien Debt incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(q) not to exceed the Available Incremental Amount (“Incremental Equivalent Unsecured Debt”), so long as (x) if the proceeds of such Indebtedness are being used to finance a Permitted Acquisition, Investment, or irrevocable repayment, repurchase or redemption of any Indebtedness, no Event of Default under Sections 8.01(a) or (f) with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing or would exist after giving effect to such Indebtedness, or (y) if otherwise, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would exist after giving effect to such Indebtedness; provided that such Incremental Equivalent Unsecured Debt shall (A) have a maturity date that is at least ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Incremental Equivalent Unsecured Debt is incurred, (B) have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity not shorter than the longest remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Facilities and (C) have terms and conditions (other than (x) pricing, rate floors, discounts, fees, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions and (y) covenants or other provisions applicable only to periods after the Latest Maturity Date at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness and to the extent any more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of such Incremental Equivalent Unsecured Debt, to the extent that such more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is also added for the benefit of each Facility remaining outstanding after the incurrence or issuance of such Incremental Equivalent Unsecured Debt) that in the good faith determination of the Borrower (1) are not materially less favorable (when taken as a whole) to the Borrower than the terms and conditions of the Loan Documents (when taken as a whole) or (2) reflect market terms and

 

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conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence or issuance (provided that a certificate of the Borrower as to the satisfaction of the conditions described in this clause (C) delivered at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the materials terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirements of this clause (C), shall be conclusive unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees)); provided that the foregoing requirements shall not apply to the extent such Indebtedness constitutes a customary bridge facility, so long as the long-term Indebtedness into which such customary bridge facility is to be converted or exchanged satisfies the requirements of this clause (w) and such conversion or exchange is subject only to conditions customary for similar conversions or exchanges; provided, further, that any such Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, together with any Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party pursuant to Sections 7.03(g), 7.03(q) or 7.03(s), does not exceed in the aggregate at any time outstanding, the greater of (i) $25,000,000 and (ii) 35% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA, in each case determined at the time of incurrence and (2) any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(x) Indebtedness arising from Permitted Intercompany Activities;

(y) Indebtedness in an amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the Available RP Capacity Amount;

(z) Indebtedness incurred in currencies other than Dollars which does not exceed $10,000,000; and

(aa) all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest and paid-in-kind interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in clauses (a) through (z) above.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.03, in the event that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Indebtedness described above, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, classify or later divide, classify or reclassify all or a portion of such item of Indebtedness or any portion thereof (including as between the Free and Clear Incremental Amount and the Incurrence-Based Incremental Amount) in a manner that complies with this Section 7.03 and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness in one or more of the above clauses; provided that all Indebtedness outstanding under the Loan Documents and, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, will at all times be deemed to be outstanding in reliance only on the exception in Section 7.03(a) (but without limiting the right of the Borrower to classify and reclassify, or later divide, classify or reclassify, Indebtedness incurred under Section 2.14 or Sections 7.03(q), 7.03(s) or 7.03(w)). In the event that a portion of Indebtedness or other obligations could be classified as incurred under a “ratio-based” basket (giving pro forma effect to the incurrence of such portion of such Indebtedness or other obligations), the Borrower, in its sole discretion, may classify such portion of such

 

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Indebtedness (and any obligations in respect thereof) as having been incurred pursuant to such “ratio-based” basket and thereafter the remainder of the Indebtedness or other obligations as having been incurred pursuant to one or more of the other clauses of this Section 7.03 and if any such test would be satisfied in any subsequent fiscal quarter following the relevant date of determination, then such reclassification shall be deemed to have automatically occurred at such time. The accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value and the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 7.03.

Section 7.04. Fundamental Changes. None of Holdings, the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall 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 (including, in each case, pursuant to a Delaware LLC Division), except that:

(a) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with (i) the Borrower (including a merger, the purpose of which is to reorganize the Borrower into a new jurisdiction); provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person and such merger does not result in the Borrower ceasing to be a corporation, partnership or limited liability company organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or (ii) one or more other Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that when any Person that is a Loan Party is merging with a Restricted Subsidiary, a Loan Party shall be the continuing or surviving Person;

(b) (i) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with or into any other Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and (ii) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or the Borrower or any Subsidiary may change its legal form (x) if the Borrower determines in good faith that such action is in the best interest of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and if not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders and (y) to the extent such Restricted Subsidiary is a Loan Party, any assets or business not otherwise disposed of or transferred in accordance with Sections 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)) or Section 7.05 or, in the case of any such business, discontinued, shall be transferred to otherwise owned or conducted by another Loan Party after giving effect to such liquidation or dissolution (it being understood that in the case of any change in legal form, a Subsidiary that is a Guarantor will remain a Guarantor unless such Guarantor is otherwise permitted to cease being a Guarantor hereunder);

(c) any Restricted Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or to another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Guarantor, then (i) the transferee must be a Guarantor or the Borrower or (ii) to the extent constituting an Investment, such Investment must be a permitted Investment in or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Sections 7.02 and 7.03, respectively;

(d) (I) so long as no Event of Default exists or would result therefrom, the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (i) the Borrower shall be the

 

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continuing or surviving corporation or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not the Borrower (any such Person, the “Successor Borrower”), (A) the Successor Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (B) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (C) each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have confirmed that its Guaranty shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under the Loan Documents, (D) each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Security Agreement and other applicable Collateral Documents confirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under the Loan Documents and (E) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Collateral Document preserves the enforceability of this Agreement, the Guaranty and the Collateral Documents and the perfection of the Liens under the Collateral Documents; provided, further, that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Borrower under this Agreement; and

(II) so long as no Event of Default exists or would result therefrom, Holdings may merge or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (i) Holdings shall be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not Holdings (any such Person, the “Successor Holdings”), (A) the Successor Holdings shall be an entity organized or existing under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (B) the Successor Holdings shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (C) Holdings shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Collateral Document preserves the enforceability of this Agreement, the Guaranty and the Collateral Documents and the perfection of the Liens under the Collateral Documents; provided, further, that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Holdings will succeed to, and be substituted for, Holdings under this Agreement;

(e) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom (in the case of a merger involving a Loan Party), any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Person in order to effect an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 7.02; provided that the continuing or surviving Person shall be a Restricted Subsidiary or the Borrower, which together with each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall have complied with the requirements of Section 6.11 to the extent required pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement;

(f) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, a merger, dissolution, liquidation, consolidation or Disposition, the purpose of which is to effect a Disposition permitted pursuant to Section 7.05;

 

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(g) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may effect the formation, dissolution, liquidation or Disposition of any Subsidiary that is a Delaware Divided LLC, provided that upon formation of such Delaware Divided LLC, the Borrower has complied with Section 6.11 to the extent applicable; and

(h) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may consummate Permitted Intercompany Activities.

Section 7.05. Dispositions. Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, make any Disposition, except:

(a) (i) Dispositions of obsolete, non-core, worn out or surplus property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and Dispositions of property no longer used or useful or economically practical to maintain in the conduct of the in the conduct of the business of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, (ii) Dispositions of property no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries outside the ordinary course of business (and for consideration complying with the requirements applicable to Dispositions pursuant to clause (j) below) in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000,000 and (iii) write-off or write-down of any unrecoupable loans or advances;

(b) Dispositions of inventory or goods held for sale, including pursuant to payor contracts, and immaterial assets (including allowing any registrations or any applications for registration of any immaterial intellectual property to lapse or go abandoned), in each case, in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(c) Dispositions of property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

(d) Dispositions of property to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party, (i) the transferee thereof must be a Loan Party or (ii) if such transaction constitutes an Investment, such transaction is permitted under Section 7.02;

(e) to the extent constituting Dispositions, transactions permitted by Sections 7.01, 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)), 7.04 (other than Section 7.04(f)) and 7.06;

(f) Dispositions contemplated as of the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.05(f);

(g) Dispositions, liquidations or use of Cash Equivalents;

(h) (i) leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including the provision of software under an open source license), in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and which do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) Dispositions of intellectual property to unaffiliated Persons that do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

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(i) transfers of property subject to Casualty Events upon receipt of the Net Proceeds of such Casualty Event;

(j) Dispositions of property or assets or issuance or sale of Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) at the time of such Disposition, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f) with respect to the Borrower shall exist or would result from such Disposition (other than any such Disposition made pursuant to a legally binding commitment entered into at a time when no such Event of Default exists) and (ii) with respect to any Disposition pursuant to this clause (j) for a purchase price in excess of $15,000,000, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall receive not less than 75% of such consideration in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens at the time received, other than nonconsensual Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and Liens permitted by Sections 7.01(a), (f), (k), (p), (q), (r)(i), (r)(ii), (dd) (only to the extent the Obligations are secured by such cash and Cash Equivalents) and (ee) (only to the extent the Obligations are secured by such cash and Cash Equivalents)); provided, however, that for the purposes of this clause (j)(ii), the following shall be deemed to be cash:

(A) the greater of the principal amount and the carrying value of any liabilities (as shown on the Borrower’s (or the Restricted Subsidiaries’, as applicable) most recent balance sheet provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto or, if incurred or increased subsequent to the date of such balance sheet, such liabilities that would have been shown on the Borrower’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s balance sheet or in the footnotes thereto if such incurrence or increase had taken place on or prior to the date of such balance sheet, as determined by the Borrower) of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities (other than intercompany liabilities owing to a Restricted Subsidiary being Disposed of) that are by their terms subordinated to the payment in cash of the Obligations, (i) assumed by the transferee of any such assets (or a third party in connection with such transfer) pursuant to a written agreement which releases or indemnifies the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from such liabilities or (ii) otherwise cancelled or terminated in connection with the transaction,

(B) any securities, notes or other obligations or assets received by the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted, or reasonably expected to be converted, by Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received or expected to be received) or by their terms are required to be satisfied for cash or Cash Equivalents within 180 days following the closing of the applicable Disposition, and

(C) aggregate non-cash consideration received by the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary having an aggregate fair market value (determined as of the closing of the applicable Disposition for which such non-cash consideration is received) not to exceed the greater of $20,000,000 and 25% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA at any time outstanding (net of any non-cash consideration converted into cash and Cash Equivalents);

 

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(k) [reserved];

(l) Dispositions or discounts without recourse of accounts receivable, or participations therein, or Securitization Assets or related assets, or any disposition of the Equity Interests in a Subsidiary, all or substantially all of the assets of which are Securitization Assets, in each case in connection with any Qualified Securitization Facility or the disposition of an account receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof in the ordinary course of business;

(m) Dispositions of property pursuant to sale-leaseback transactions; provided that the fair market value of all property so Disposed of after the Closing Date shall not exceed $30,000,000 at any time;

(n) any swap of assets in exchange for services or other assets of comparable or greater value or usefulness to the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as a whole, as determined in good faith by the management of the Borrower;

(o) any issuance or sale of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries the primary assets of which are cash and/or Cash Equivalents) (or a Restricted Subsidiary which owns an Unrestricted Subsidiary so long as such Restricted Subsidiary owns no assets other than the Equity Interests of such an Unrestricted Subsidiary);

(p) the unwinding of any Swap Contract pursuant to its terms;

(q) Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

(r) the lapse or abandonment of any registrations or applications for registration of any immaterial IP Rights in the ordinary course of business or are no longer used or useful or economically practicable or commercially reasonable to maintain;

(s) Permitted Intercompany Activities;

(t) Dispositions of assets acquired pursuant to or in order to effectuate a Permitted Acquisition which assets are not used or useful to the core or principal business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries or are made in connection with the approval of any applicable antitrust authority or otherwise necessary or advisable in the good faith determination of the Borrower to consummate any such Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder;

(u) any surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract rights or other litigation claims, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(v) the issuance of directors’ qualifying shares and shares issued to foreign nationals as required by applicable law;

(w) Dispositions to effect the formation of any Subsidiary that is a Delaware Divided LLC, provided that upon formation of such Delaware Divided LLC, the Borrower has complied with Section 6.11, to the extent applicable; and

(x) any sale of property or assets, if the acquisition of such property or assets was financed with Excluded Contributions and the proceeds of such sale are used to make Investments or Restricted Payments pursuant to Sections 7.02(y) or 7.06(p);

provided that any Disposition of any property pursuant to this Section 7.05 (except pursuant to Sections 7.05(e), (i), (k), (p), (r) and (s) and except for Dispositions from a Loan Party to any other Loan Party) shall be for no less than the fair market value of such property at the time of such Disposition as determined by the Borrower in good faith. To the extent any Collateral is Disposed of as expressly permitted by this Section 7.05 to any Person other than a Loan Party, such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Loan Documents, and the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be authorized to take any actions deemed appropriate in order to effect the foregoing.

Section 7.06. Restricted Payments. Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, declare or make any Restricted Payment, except:

(a) each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower, and other Restricted Subsidiaries of the Borrower (and, in the case of a Restricted Payment by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, to the Borrower and any other Restricted Subsidiary, as compared to the other owners of Equity Interests in such Restricted Subsidiary, on a pro rata or more than pro rata basis based on their relative ownership interests of the relevant class of Equity Interests);

(b) the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may declare and make Restricted Payments payable solely in the Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests not otherwise permitted by Section 7.03) of such Person;

(c) Restricted Payments made in connection with the Specified Distribution within 60 days of the Closing Date;

(d) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may make Restricted Payments in an unlimited amount so long as the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio calculated on a Pro Forma Basis is less than or equal to 2.75 to 1.00;

(e) to the extent constituting Restricted Payments, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may enter into and consummate transactions expressly permitted by any provision of Sections 7.02 (other than Sections 7.02(e) and (m)), 7.04 or 7.08 (other than Sections 7.08(e) and (j));

 

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(f) repurchases of Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants;

(g) the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow the Borrower or any other direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary (or of the Borrower or any other such direct or indirect parent thereof) from any future, present or former employee, officer, director, manager, member, partner, independent contractor or consultant (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of such Restricted Subsidiary (or the Borrower or any other direct or indirect parent of such Restricted Subsidiary) or any of its Subsidiaries upon the death, disability, retirement or termination of employment of any such Person or pursuant to any employee or director equity plan, employee, manager, officer, member, partner, independent contractor or director stock option plan or any other employee, manager, officer, member, partner, independent contractor or director benefit plan or any agreement (including any stock subscription or shareholder agreement) with any employee, manager, director, officer, member, partner, independent contractor or consultant of such Restricted Subsidiary (or the Borrower or any other direct or indirect parent thereof) or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the aggregate amount of Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (g) shall not exceed $10,000,000 in any calendar year (which shall increase to $25,000,000 subsequent to the consummation of a Qualified IPO) (with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to succeeding calendar years subject to a maximum of $20,000,000 in any calendar year or $50,000,000 subsequent to the consummation of a Qualified IPO, respectively); provided, further, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed:

(i) to the extent contributed to the Borrower, the net cash proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests or Designated Equity Contributions) of any of the Borrower’s direct or indirect parent companies, in each case to any future, present or former employees, officers, members of management, managers, partners, independent contractors, directors or consultants (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its direct or indirect parent companies that occurs after the Closing Date, to the extent net cash proceeds from the sale of such Equity Interests have been Not Otherwise Applied; plus

(ii) the net cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries; less

(iii) the amount of any Restricted Payments previously made with the cash proceeds described in clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 7.06(g);

(h) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed, when combined with prepayment of Indebtedness pursuant to Section 7.13(a)(v), (x) the greater

 

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of (i) $30,000,000 and (ii) 40% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA, plus (y) subject to, solely in the case of the portion of the Cumulative Credit attributable to clause (b) thereof, no Event of Default under Sections 8.01(a) or (f) with respect to the Borrower having occurred and continuing or resulting therefrom, the portion, if any, of the Cumulative Credit on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this paragraph;

(i) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower:

(i) to pay its organizational, operating costs and other costs and expenses (including, without limitation, expenses related to auditing or other accounting or tax reporting matters) incurred in the ordinary course of business and other corporate overhead costs and expenses (including administrative, legal, accounting and similar expenses provided by third parties), which are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business and attributable to the ownership or operations of Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, any costs, expenses and liabilities incurred by the Borrower in connection with any litigation or arbitration attributable to the ownership or operations of Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, Transaction Expenses and any reasonable and customary indemnification claims made by directors, managers or officers of such parent attributable to the ownership or operations of Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(ii) the proceeds of which shall be used by such parent to pay franchise Taxes and other fees and expenses, required to maintain its (or any of its direct or indirect parents’) corporate existence;

(iii) for any taxable period in which the Borrower and/or any of its Subsidiaries is a member of a consolidated, combined, unitary or similar U.S. federal, state, local and/or foreign income or similar tax group (a “Tax Group”) whose common parent is a direct or indirect parent of Borrower, to pay any consolidated, combined, unitary or similar U.S. federal, state, local and/or foreign Taxes of such Tax Group, as applicable, that are attributable to the taxable income, revenue, receipts, gross receipts, gross profits, capital or margin of the Borrower and/or its applicable Subsidiaries; provided, that, (A) for each taxable period, the amount of such payments made in respect of such taxable period in the aggregate shall not exceed the amount of such Taxes that the Borrower and/or its applicable Subsidiaries would have been required to pay if they were a stand-alone taxpayer or a stand-alone Tax Group consisting only of the Borrower and such Subsidiaries for all relevant periods, reduced, in all cases, by any such Taxes directly paid by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (B) the payment otherwise permitted pursuant to this clause (iii) with respect to any Taxes attributable to the taxable income, revenue, receipts, gross receipts, gross profits, capital or margin of any Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be limited to the amount actually paid with respect to such taxable period by such Unrestricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries for the purposes of paying such consolidated, combined, unitary or similar Taxes, (C) with respect to any taxable year ended prior to January 1, 2018, payments pursuant to this clause (iii) shall be permitted

 

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only to the extent relating to Tax adjustments as a result of audits or other Tax proceedings, or as otherwise required by Law, that in each case arise after the Closing Date and (D) with respect to the taxable years ending after December 31, 2017 and on or prior to December 31, 2019, payments pursuant to this clause (iii) shall be reduced by the amount of any estimated Tax payments in respect of such years that were made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (or for which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries made Tax distributions) prior to the Closing Date;

(iv) to finance any Investment that would be permitted to be made pursuant to Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)) if such parent were subject to such Section 7.02; provided that (A) such Restricted Payment shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment and (B) such parent shall, immediately following the closing thereof, cause (1) all property acquired (whether assets or Equity Interests) to be contributed to the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries or (2) the merger (to the extent permitted in Section 7.04) of the Person formed or acquired into the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries in order to consummate such Permitted Acquisition or Investment, in each case, in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.11;

(v) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay customary salary, bonus, indemnity and other benefits payable to future, present or former officers, directors, managers, members, partners, independent contractors, consultants or employees of Holdings, the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower to the extent such salaries, bonuses, indemnity and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(vi) the proceeds of which shall be used by Holdings or the Borrower to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) fees and expenses (other than to Affiliates) related to any equity or debt offering, financing transaction, acquisition, divestiture, investment or other non-ordinary course transaction not prohibited by this Agreement (whether or not successful); provided that any such transaction was in the good faith judgment of the Borrower intended to be for the benefit of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries; and

(viii) the proceeds of which shall be used by Holdings or the Borrower to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) amounts payable pursuant to the Support and Services Agreement (including any amendment thereto or replacement thereof so long as any such amendment or replacement is not materially disadvantageous in the good faith judgment of the Borrower to the Lenders when taken as a whole, as compared to the Support and Services Agreement as in effect immediately prior to such amendment or replacement ), solely to the extent such amounts are not paid directly by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries;

(j) payments made or expected to be made by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of required withholding or similar Taxes payable upon or in connection with the exercise or vesting of Equity Interests or any other equity award with respect to any future,

 

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present or former employee, director, manager, officer, partner, independent consultant or consultant (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates and Immediate Family Members) and any repurchases or withholdings of Equity Interests in consideration of such payments, in each case in connection with the exercise or vesting of stock options, warrants or the issuance of restricted stock units or similar stock based awards;

(k) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary may (i) pay cash in lieu of fractional Equity Interests in connection with any dividend, distribution, split, merger, consolidation, amalgamation or combination thereof or any Permitted Acquisition and (ii) honor any conversion request by a holder of convertible Indebtedness and make cash payments in lieu of fractional shares in connection with any such conversion and may make payments on convertible Indebtedness in accordance with its terms;

(l) after a Qualified IPO and so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, (i) any Restricted Payment by the Borrower or any other direct or indirect parent of the Borrower to pay listing fees and other costs and expenses attributable to being a publicly traded company which are reasonable and customary and (ii) Restricted Payments not to exceed up to the sum of (A) up to 6.00% per annum of the net proceeds received by (or contributed to) the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries from such Qualified IPO and (B) Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount per annum not to exceed 7.00% of Market Capitalization;

(m) distributions or payments of Securitization Fees;

(n) payments or distributions to dissenting stockholders pursuant to applicable law (including in connection with, or as a result of, exercise of appraisal rights and the settlement of any claims or action (whether actual, contingent or potential)), pursuant to or in connection with any Investment permitted by Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)) or any consolidation, merger or transfer of assets permitted by Section 7.04;

(o) the distribution, by dividend or otherwise, of Equity Interests of an Unrestricted Subsidiary (or a Restricted Subsidiary that owns one or more Unrestricted Subsidiaries and no other material assets) or Indebtedness owed to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary by an Unrestricted Subsidiary (or a Restricted Subsidiary that owns one or more Unrestricted Subsidiaries and no other material assets), in each case, other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries the primary assets of which are cash and/or Cash Equivalents;

(p) Restricted Payments that are made in (i) an amount equal to the amount of Excluded Contributions previously received and the Borrower elects to apply under this clause (p) or (ii) without duplication with clause (i), in an amount equal to the Net Proceeds from a Disposition in respect of property or assets acquired after the Closing Date, if the acquisition of such property or assets was financed with Excluded Contributions, in each case, to the extent Not Otherwise Applied;

(q) the payment of any dividend or other distribution or the consummation of any irrevocable redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration of the dividend or other

 

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distribution or the giving of the redemption notice, as the case may be, if at the date of declaration or notice, the dividend or other distribution or redemption payment would have complied with the provisions of this Agreement; and

(r) Restricted Payments in connection with the 2018 Acquisition to satisfy indemnity or other similar obligations under the Acquisition Agreement.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.06, in the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described above, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, classify or later divide, classify or reclassify all or a portion of such Restricted Payment or any portion thereof in a manner that complies with this Section 7.06 and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Restricted Payment in one or more of the above clauses. In the event that a portion of the Restricted Payments or other obligations could be classified as incurred under a “ratio-based” basket (giving pro forma effect to the making of such portion of such Restricted Payments), the Borrower, in its sole discretion, may classify such portion of such Restricted Payment (and any obligations in respect thereof) as having been made pursuant to such “ratio-based” basket and thereafter the remainder of the Restricted Payments as having been made pursuant to one or more of the other clauses of this Section 7.06 and if any such test would be satisfied in any subsequent fiscal quarter following the relevant date of determination, then such reclassification shall be deemed to have automatically occurred at such time.

Section 7.07. [Reserved].

Section 7.08. Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower shall not, nor shall the Borrower permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, involving aggregate payments or consideration in excess of $20,000,000, other than (a) loans and other transactions among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries or any entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such loan or other transaction to the extent permitted under this Article 7, (b) on terms substantially as favorable to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, (c) the Transactions and the payment of Transaction Expenses as part of or in connection with the Transactions, (d) compensation and other customary arrangements relating to the operation of the investment advisory business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (e) Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.06 and Investments permitted under Section 7.02 and prepayments redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments permitted by Section 7.13, (f) employment and severance arrangements between Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and transactions pursuant to equity-based plans and employee benefit plans and arrangements in the ordinary course of business, (g) the payment of customary fees and reasonable out of pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, managers, officers, employees and consultants of Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) in the ordinary course of business to the extent

 

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attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (h) transactions pursuant to agreements in existence on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.08 or any amendment thereto to the extent such an amendment is not materially adverse to the Lenders in any material respect, (i) (x) the payment of management, consulting, monitoring, transaction, advisory and other fees, indemnities and expenses pursuant to the Support and Services Agreement (plus any unpaid management, consulting, monitoring, transaction, advisory and other fees, indemnities and expenses accrued in any prior year) and any termination fees (including any such cash lump sum or present value fee upon the consummation of a corporate event, including an initial public equity offering) pursuant to the Support and Services Agreement, or any amendment thereto or replacement thereof so long as any such amendment or replacement is not materially disadvantageous in the good faith judgment of the Borrower to the Lenders when taken as a whole, as compared to the Support and Services Agreement as in effect immediately prior to such amendment or replacement, (y) the payment of indemnification and other similar amounts to the Investors and reimbursement of expenses of the Investors and (z) customary payments by the Borrower and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the Investors made for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities (including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures), which payments are approved by a majority of the members of the board of directors or managers or a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors or managers of the Borrower, in good faith, (j) payments by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any tax sharing agreements with any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, but only to the extent permitted by Section 7.06(i)(iii), (k) the issuance or transfer of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings or the Borrower to any Permitted Holder or to any former, present or future director, manager, officer, employee or consultant (or any Affiliate or any Immediate Family Member of any of the foregoing) of Holdings or the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent thereof, (l) sales of accounts receivable, or participations therein, or Securitization Assets or related assets in connection with any Qualified Securitization Facility, (m) Permitted Intercompany Activities, (n) a joint venture which would constitute a transaction with an Affiliate solely as a result of Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owning an equity interest or otherwise controlling such joint venture or similar entity and (o) transactions with any Affiliated Lender in its capacity as a Lender party to any Loan Document or party to any agreement, document or instrument governing or relating to any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 7.03 (including Permitted Refinancings thereof) to the extent such Affiliated Lender is being treated no more favorably than all other Lenders or lenders thereunder.

Section 7.09. Burdensome Agreements. The Borrower shall not, nor shall the Borrower permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into or permit to exist any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that prohibits (a) any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Guarantor to make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any Guarantor or to make or repay intercompany loans and advances to the Borrower or any Guarantor or (b) any Loan Party to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person for the benefit of the Lenders with respect to the Facilities and the Obligations or under the Loan Documents; provided that the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) shall not apply to Contractual Obligations which (i) (x) exist on the Closing Date and (to the extent not otherwise

 

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permitted by this Section 7.09) are listed on Schedule 7.09 hereto and (y) to the extent Contractual Obligations permitted by clause (x) are set forth in an agreement evidencing Indebtedness, are set forth in any agreement evidencing any permitted modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing of such Indebtedness so long as such modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing does not expand the scope of such Contractual Obligation, (ii) are binding on a Restricted Subsidiary at the time such Restricted Subsidiary first becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, so long as such Contractual Obligations were not entered into solely in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided, further, that this clause (ii) shall not apply to Contractual Obligations that are binding on a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14, (iii) represent Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower which is not a Loan Party which is permitted by Section 7.03, (iv) arise in connection with (x) any Lien permitted by Section 7.01 and relate to the property subject to such Lien or (y) any Disposition permitted by Sections 7.04 or 7.05 and relate solely to the assets or Person subject to such Disposition, (v) are customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures permitted under Section 7.02 and applicable solely to such joint venture entered into in the ordinary course of business, (vi) are negative pledges and restrictions on Liens in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03 but solely to the extent any negative pledge relates to the property financed by such Indebtedness, (vii) are customary restrictions on leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions relate to the assets subject thereto, (viii) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03 and to the extent that such restrictions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or to the Restricted Subsidiaries incurring or guaranteeing such Indebtedness, (ix) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or the assignment of any license or sublicense agreement, (x) are customary provisions restricting assignment of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business, (xi) are restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice, (xii) are restrictions created in connection with any Qualified Securitization Facility that in the good faith determination of the Borrower are necessary or advisable to effect such Qualified Securitization Facility and relate solely to the Securitization Assets subject thereto, (xiii) arise in connection with cash or other deposits permitted under Sections 7.01 and 7.02 and limited to such cash or deposit and (xiv) are customary restrictions contained in any Permitted Refinancing thereof.

Section 7.10. [Reserved].

Section 7.11. Financial Covenant. The Borrower will not permit the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the last day of a Test Period (commencing with the Test Period ending on or about December 31, 2019) to exceed ratio set forth below opposite such period set forth below (the “Financial Covenant”):

 

Testing Period Ending    Maximum Ratio

December 31, 2019 through September 30, 2021

   4.00 to 1.00

 

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Testing Period Ending    Maximum Ratio

December 31, 2021 through September 30, 2022

   3.75 to 1.00

December 31, 2022 and thereafter

   3.50 to 1.00

; provided that, in the event the Borrower consummates a Qualified Acquisition, the Borrower may elect (a “Qualified Acquisition Election”) upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which Qualified Acquisition Election may be made (x) at any time on or prior to the date that the next Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) following the consummation of such Qualified Acquisition or (y) in such Compliance Certificate) that the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio level set forth above be (and, subject to this proviso to Section 7.11, the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio level set forth above shall be) (i) with respect to the last day of the fiscal quarter in which such Qualified Acquisition is consummated and with respect to the last day of each of the next succeeding three (3) fiscal quarters, 0.50x greater than the applicable Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio level in the table above and (ii) with respect to the last day of the fiscal quarter in which the first anniversary of the consummation of such Qualified Acquisition occurs and thereafter, the applicable Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio level in the table above.

Section 7.12. [Reserved].

Section 7.13. Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness. (a) The Borrower shall not, nor shall the Borrower permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, voluntarily prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner (it being understood that (A) payments of regularly scheduled principal and interest, (B) customary “AHYDO catchup” payments and (C) any prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other retirement in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case, due within one year of such prepayment redemption, purchase, defeasance or other retirement thereof shall be permitted), any principal amount in respect of any subordinated Indebtedness incurred under Section 7.03(g), (q), (s) or (w) or any other Indebtedness that is or is required to be subordinated, in right of payment to the Obligations pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents (collectively, “Junior Financing”), in each case, in an amount in excess of the Threshold Amount or make any payment in violation of any subordination terms of any Junior Financing Documentation, except (i) the refinancing thereof with the Net Proceeds of any Indebtedness (to the extent such Indebtedness constitutes a Permitted Refinancing and, if such Indebtedness was originally incurred under Section 7.03(g), (q), (s) or (w), is permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(g), (q), (s) or (w)), to the extent not required to prepay any Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(b), (ii) the conversion of any Junior Financing to Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect parents, (iii) the prepayment of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent not prohibited by the subordination provisions contained in the Intercompany Note, (iv) prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings prior to their scheduled maturity in (x) an amount equal to the amount of Excluded Contributions previously received and the Borrower elects to

 

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apply under this clause (iv) or (y) without duplication with clause (x), in an amount equal to the Net Proceeds from a Disposition in respect of property or assets acquired after the Closing Date, if the acquisition of such property or assets was financed with Excluded Contributions, in each case, to the extent Not Otherwise Applied, (v) prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings prior to their scheduled maturity in an aggregate amount not to exceed, when combined with the amount of Restricted Payments pursuant to Section 7.06(h), (x) the greater of (I) $30,000,000 and (II) 40% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA plus (y) subject to, solely in the case of the portion of the Cumulative Credit attributable to clause (b) thereof, no Event of Default under Sections 8.01(a) or (f) with respect to the Borrower having occurred and continuing or resulting therefrom, the portion, if any, of the Cumulative Credit on such date that the Borrower elects to apply to this clause (a), (vi) prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings prior to their scheduled maturity in an aggregate amount not to exceed the Available RP Capacity Amount and (vii) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, prepayments, redemptions, or purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings prior to their scheduled maturity in an unlimited amount so long as the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio calculated on a Pro Forma Basis is less than or equal to 2.75 to 1.00.

(b) The Borrower shall not, nor shall the Borrower permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to amend, modify or change in any manner materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders any term or condition of any Junior Financing Documentation in respect of any Junior Financing having an aggregate outstanding principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount without the consent of the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).

(c) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.13, in the event that a payment meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of payments described above, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, classify or later divide, classify or reclassify all or a portion of such payment or any portion thereof in a manner that complies with this Section 7.13 and will only be required to include the amount and type of such payment in one or more of the above clauses. In the event that a payment or other obligations could be classified as incurred under a “ratio-based” basket (giving pro forma effect to the making of such portion of such payment), the Borrower, in its sole discretion, may classify such portion of such payment (and any obligations in respect thereof) as having been made pursuant to such “ratio-based” basket and thereafter the remainder of the payment as having been made pursuant to one or more of the other clauses of this Section 7.13 and if any such test would be satisfied in any subsequent fiscal quarter following the relevant date of determination, then such reclassification shall be deemed to have automatically occurred at such time.

Section 7.14. Permitted Activities. Holdings shall not engage in any material operating or business activities; provided that the following and activities incidental thereto shall be permitted in any event: (i) its ownership of the Equity Interests of the Borrower and its direct and indirect Subsidiaries and activities incidental thereto, (ii) the maintenance of its legal existence (including the ability to incur fees, costs and expenses relating to such maintenance), (iii) the performance of its obligations with respect to the Transactions, the Loan Documents and any other

 

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Indebtedness, (iv) any public offering of its common stock or any other issuance or sale of its Equity Interests, (v) financing activities, including the issuance of securities, payment of dividends and other distributions and the making of contributions of capital to the Borrower and other investments, (vi) incurrence of debt and guaranteeing the obligations of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (vii) participating in tax, accounting and other administrative matters, including as owner of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (viii) holding any cash incidental to any activities permitted under this Section 7.14, (ix) providing indemnification to officers, managers and directors and (x) any activities incidental to the foregoing.

ARTICLE 8

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

Section 8.01. Events of Default. Any of the following from and after the Closing Date shall constitute an event of default (an “Event of Default”):

(a) Non-Payment. Any Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within five (5) Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or any other amount payable hereunder or with respect to any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants. The Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or, in the case of Section 7.14, Holdings, fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.03(a), 6.05(a) (solely with respect to the Borrower), 6.16 or Article 7; provided that (i) a Default as a result of a breach of Section 7.11 is subject to cure pursuant to Section 8.05 and (ii) subsequent delivery of a notice to the Administrative Agent of the occurrence of any Default shall cure an Event of Default for failure to provide a notice under Section 6.03(a) unless a Responsible Officer of Holdings or the Borrower had actual knowledge that such Default had occurred and was continuing; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in Sections 8.01(a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after written notice thereof by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower; or

(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact 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 required to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made and, to the extent capable of being cured, such incorrect representation or warranty shall remain incorrect for a period of thirty (30) days after written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower; or

(e) Cross-Default. Any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment beyond the applicable grace period with respect thereto, if any, (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder) having an outstanding aggregate principal amount of not less

 

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than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition (after giving effect to the applicable grace periods with respect thereto) relating to any such Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder) having an outstanding aggregate principal amount of not less than the Threshold Amount, or any other event occurs (other than, with respect to Indebtedness consisting of Swap Contracts, termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of such Swap Contracts), the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; provided that this clause (e)(B) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (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 or any Restricted Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its 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 the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within sixty (60) days after its issue or levy; or

(h) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary a final judgment or order 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 has been notified of such judgment or order and has not denied coverage) and such judgment or order shall not have been satisfied, vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending an appeal for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days; or

(i) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any material provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder (including as a result of a transaction permitted under Sections 7.04 or 7.05) or as a result of acts or omissions by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent or any Lender or the satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any

 

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Loan Party contests in writing the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document or the validity or priority of a Lien as required by the Collateral Documents on a material portion of the Collateral; or any Loan Party denies in writing that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document (other than as a result of repayment in full of the Obligations and termination of the Aggregate Commitments), or purports in writing to revoke or rescind any Loan Document; or

(j) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control; or

(k) Collateral Documents. Any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to Sections 4.01, 6.11, 6.13, 6.16 or the Security Agreement shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms thereof including as a result of a transaction not prohibited under this Agreement) cease to create a valid and perfected Lien, with the priority required by the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements on and security interest in any material portion of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, subject to Liens permitted under Section 7.01, except to the extent that any such perfection or priority is not required pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement or any loss thereof results from the failure of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to maintain possession of certificates actually delivered to it representing securities pledged under the Collateral Documents or to file Uniform Commercial Code continuation statements; or

(l) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs which has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of a Loan Party or a Restricted Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) a Loan Party, any Restricted Subsidiary 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 which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, any Default or Event of Default under the Loan Documents or similarly defined term hereunder or thereunder (and any Default or Event of Default under the Loan Documents or similarly defined term hereunder or thereunder resulting from failure to provide notice thereof) resulting from the failure to deliver a notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall cease to exist and be cured in all respects if the underlying Default or Event of Default giving rise to such notice requirement shall have ceased to exist and/or be cured.

Section 8.02. Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent may and, at the request of the Required Lenders, shall take any or all of the following actions:

(i) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

 

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(ii) 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;

(iii) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and

(iv) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law;

provided that upon 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, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuers 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.

Section 8.03. Exclusion of Immaterial Subsidiaries. Solely for the purpose of determining whether a Default or Event of Default has occurred under Section 8.01(f) or (g), any reference in any such clause to any Restricted Subsidiary or Loan Party shall be deemed not to include any Restricted Subsidiary (an “Immaterial Subsidiary”) affected by any event or circumstances referred to in any such clause that did not, as of the last day of the most recent completed fiscal quarter of the Borrower, have assets with a fair market value in excess of 2.5% of Total Assets (it being agreed that all Restricted Subsidiaries affected by any event or circumstance referred to in any such clause shall be considered together, as a single consolidated Restricted Subsidiary, for purposes of determining whether the condition specified above is satisfied).

Section 8.04. 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 shall, subject to any Intercreditor Agreements then in effect, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order (to the fullest extent permitted by mandatory provisions of applicable Law):

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (other than principal and interest, but including Attorney Costs payable under Section 10.04 and amounts payable under Article 3) payable to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest and other than obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Treasury Services Agreements) payable to the Lenders (including Attorney Costs payable under Section 10.04 and amounts payable under Article 3), ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

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Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and L/C Borrowings, and any fees, premiums and scheduled periodic payments due under Treasury Services Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements, ratably among the Secured Parties 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 and L/C Borrowings (including to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit), and any breakage, termination or other payments under Treasury Services Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements, ratably among the Secured Parties in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;

Fifth, to the payment of all other Obligations that are due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date, ratably based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

Subject to Section 2.03(g), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth 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 and, if no Obligations remain outstanding, to the Borrower as applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amounts received from any Guarantor shall be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligation of such Guarantor.

Section 8.05. Borrowers Right to Cure. (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Sections 8.01 or 8.02, if the Borrower determines that an Event of Default under the covenant set forth in Section 7.11 has occurred or may occur, during the period commencing after the beginning of the last fiscal quarter included in such Test Period and ending ten (10) Business Days after the date on which financial statements are required to be delivered hereunder with respect to such fiscal quarter (the “Cure Expiration Date”), a Specified Equity Contribution may be made to the Borrower (a “Designated Equity Contribution”), and the amount of the net cash proceeds thereof shall be deemed to increase Consolidated EBITDA with respect to such applicable quarter; provided that such net cash proceeds (i) are actually received by the Borrower as cash common equity (including through capital contribution of such net cash proceeds to the Borrower) during the period commencing after the beginning of the last fiscal quarter included in such Test Period by the Borrower and ending on the Cure Expiration Date and (ii) are Not Otherwise Applied. The parties hereby acknowledge that this Section 8.05(a) may not be relied

 

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on for purposes of calculating any financial ratios (other than as applicable to Section 7.11) and shall not result in any adjustment to any baskets or other amounts other than the amount of the Consolidated EBITDA for the purpose of Section 7.11. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02, (A) upon designation of the Designated Equity Contribution by the Borrower in an amount necessary to cure any Event of Default under the covenant set forth in Section 7.11, such covenant will be deemed satisfied and complied with as of the end of the relevant fiscal quarter with the same effect as though there had been no failure to comply with such covenant and any Event of Default under such covenant (and any other Default as a result thereof) will be deemed not to have occurred for purposes of the Loan Documents, and (B) from and after the date that the Borrower delivers a written notice to the Administrative Agent that it intends to exercise its cure right under this Section 8.05 (a “Notice of Intent to Cure”) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender may exercise any rights or remedies under Section 8.02 (or under any other Loan Document) on the basis of any actual or purported Event of Default under the covenant set forth in Section 7.11 with respect to the quarter for which a Notice of Intent to Cure has been provided until and unless the Cure Expiration Date has occurred without the Designated Equity Contribution having been designated; provided that the Borrower shall be permitted to borrow Revolving Credit Loans and Swing Line Loans and make any request for an L/C Credit Extension until and unless the Cure Expiration Date has occurred without the Designated Equity Contribution having been designated (unless all such Defaults and Events of Defaults have otherwise been waived in accordance with the terms of this Agreement).

(b) (i) In each period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, there shall be at least two fiscal quarters in which no Designated Equity Contribution is made, (ii) no more than five Designated Equity Contributions may be made in the aggregate during the term of this Agreement, (iii) the amount of any Designated Equity Contribution shall be no more than the amount required to cause the Borrower to be in Pro Forma Compliance with Section 7.11 for any applicable period and (iv) there shall be no pro forma reduction in Indebtedness with the proceeds of any Designated Equity Contribution for determining compliance with Section 7.11 for the fiscal quarter with respect to which such Designated Equity Contribution was made; provided that to the extent such proceeds are actually applied to prepay Indebtedness, such reduction may be credited in any subsequent fiscal quarter.

ARTICLE 9

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND OTHER AGENTS

Section 9.01. Appointment and Authorization of Agents. (a) Each Lender hereby irrevocably appoints JPMorgan to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, designates and authorizes each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and each other Loan Document and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to it by the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent to execute any and all documents (including releases) with respect to the Collateral and the rights of the Secured Parties with respect thereto, as contemplated by and in

 

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accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents and acknowledge and agree that any such action by any Agent shall bind the Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained elsewhere herein or in any other Loan Document, neither the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent nor any Lead Arranger shall have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, nor shall the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any Lead Arranger have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender or Participant, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any Lead Arranger. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to any Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.

(b) Each 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 each such L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (i) provided to the Agents in this Article 9 with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by such L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and the applications and agreements for letters of credit pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Agent” as used in this Article 9 and in the definition of “Agent-Related Person” included such L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (ii) as additionally provided herein with respect to such L/C Issuer.

(c) Each of the Secured Parties (by acceptance of the benefits of the Collateral Documents) hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Collateral Agent to act as the agent of (and to hold any security interest created by the Collateral Documents for and on behalf of or on trust for) such Secured Party for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by the Loan Parties to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Collateral Agent (and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.02 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 Collateral Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article 9 (including Section 9.07, 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.

(d) Each Lender and each other Secured Party (by acceptance of the benefits of the Collateral Documents) hereby (i) acknowledges that it has received a copy of the Intercreditor Agreements, (ii) agrees that it will be bound by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreements to the extent then in effect, and (iii) authorizes and instructs the Collateral Agent to enter into each Intercreditor Agreement as Collateral Agent and on behalf of such Lender or Secured Party.

 

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(e) Except as provided in Sections 9.09 and 9.11, the provisions of this Article 9 are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third-party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

Section 9.02. Delegation of Duties. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents or of exercising any rights and remedies thereunder) by or through agents, employees or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel and other consultants or experts concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrative Agent, the Collateral 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 Agent-Related Persons. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Agent-Related Persons of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Facilities as well as activities as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agent or sub-agent or attorney-in-fact that it selects in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined in the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction).

Section 9.03. Liability of Agents. No Agent-Related Person nor any Lead Arranger shall (a) be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by any of them under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby (except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein), (b) except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty or responsibility to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, to any Lender or any L/C Issuer, any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any of the Loan Parties or any of their Affiliates that is communicated to, obtained by or in the possession of the Person serving as the Administrative Agent, any Lead Arranger or any of their Related Parties in any capacity, (c) be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article 4 or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or (d) be responsible in any manner for, or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into, (i) any recital, statement, representation or warranty made by any Loan Party or any officer thereof, contained herein or in any other Loan Document, or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (iii) the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, any failure to monitor or maintain any part of the Collateral, or the perfection or priority of any Lien or security interest created or purported to be created under the Collateral Documents, (iv) for any failure of any Loan Party or any other party to any Loan Document to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder or (v) the compliance by Affiliated Lenders with the terms

 

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hereof relating to Affiliated Lenders. No Agent-Related Person nor any Lead Arranger shall be under any obligation to any Lender or Participant to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent nor any Lead Arranger shall 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 or Collateral Agent (as applicable) 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 or Collateral Agent (as applicable) shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent (as applicable) 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.

Section 9.04. Reliance by Agents. Each Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, communication, signature, resolution, representation, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telegram, facsimile, telex or telephone message, electronic mail message, statement or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons, and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to any Loan Party), independent accountants and other experts selected by such Agent. Each Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under any Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate and, if it so requests, it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. Each Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document in accordance with a request or consent of the Required Lenders (or such greater number of Lenders as may be expressly required hereby in any instance) and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders.

Section 9.05. Notice of Default. The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence 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 the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from a Lender or the Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default.” The Administrative Agent will notify the Lenders of its receipt of any such notice. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to any Event of Default as may be directed by the Required Lenders in accordance with Article 8; provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent has received any such direction, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Event of Default as it shall deem advisable or in the best interest of the Lenders.

 

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Section 9.06. Credit Decision; Disclosure of Information by Agents. Each Lender and each L/C Issuer acknowledges that no Agent-Related Person nor any Lead Arranger has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by any Agent or any Lead Arranger hereafter taken, including any consent to and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent-Related Person or any Lead Arranger to any Lender or any L/C Issuer as to any matter, including whether Agent-Related Persons or the Lead Arrangers have disclosed material information in their possession. Each Lender and each L/C Issuer represents to each Agent and each Lead Arranger that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person or any Lead Arranger and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis of, appraisal of, and investigation into, the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Borrower hereunder. Each Lender and each L/C Issuer also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person or any Lead Arranger and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties. Each Lender and each L/C Issuer represents and warrants that (i) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility and (ii) it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course and is entering into this Agreement as a Lender or L/C Issuer, as applicable, for the purpose of making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender or L/C Issuer, and not for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument, and each Lender and each L/C Issuer agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing. Each Lender and each L/C Issuer represents and warrants that it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by any Agent herein, such Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any of the Loan Parties or any of their Affiliates which may come into the possession of any Agent-Related Person.

Section 9.07. Indemnification of Agents. Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Lenders shall indemnify upon demand each Agent-Related Person (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and without limiting the obligation of any Loan Party to do so) acting as an Agent, pro rata, and hold harmless each Agent-Related Person from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by it; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment to any Agent-Related Person of any portion of such Indemnified

 

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Liabilities resulting from such Agent-Related Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that no action taken in accordance with the directions of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be required by the Loan Documents) shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section 9.07; provided, further, that any obligation to indemnify an L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 9.07 shall be limited to Revolving Credit Lenders only. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Liabilities, this Section 9.07 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Lender or any other Person. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs) incurred by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Loan Parties and without limiting their obligation to do so. The undertaking in this Section 9.07 shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, the payment of all other Obligations and the resignation of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be.

Section 9.08. Agents in Their Individual Capacities. JPMorgan and its Affiliates may make loans to, issue letters of credit for the account of, accept deposits from, acquire Equity Interests in and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory, underwriting or other business with the Borrower and its respective Affiliates as though JPMorgan were not the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Swing Line Lender or an L/C Issuer hereunder and without notice to or consent of the Lenders. The Lenders acknowledge that, pursuant to such activities, JPMorgan or its Affiliates may receive information regarding the Borrower or its Affiliates (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of the Borrower or such Affiliate) and acknowledge that neither the Administrative Agent nor the Collateral Agent shall be under any obligation to provide such information to them. With respect to its Loans, JPMorgan and its Affiliates shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any other Lender and may exercise such rights and powers as though it were not the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Swing Line Lender or an L/C Issuer, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” include JPMorgan in its individual capacity. Any successor to JPMorgan as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent shall also have the rights attributed to JPMorgan under this Section 9.08.

Section 9.09. Successor Agents. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may resign as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Lenders and the Borrower and if either the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent is a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower may remove such Defaulting Lender from such role upon ten (10) days’ notice to the Lenders unless the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, is a Defaulting Lender solely as a result of the occurrence of a

 

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Lender-Related Distress Event with respect to a person that directly or indirectly controls the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable. If the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent resigns under this Agreement or is removed by the Borrower, the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders, which successor agent shall be consented to by the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default under Sections 8.01(f) or (g) (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). If no successor agent is appointed prior to the effective date of the resignation or removal of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, in the case of a resignation, and the Borrower, in the case of a removal may appoint, after consulting with the Lenders and the Borrower (in the case of a resignation), a successor agent from among the Lenders. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as successor agent hereunder, the Person acting as such successor agent shall succeed to all the rights, powers and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent or retiring Collateral Agent and the term “Administrative Agent” or “Collateral Agent” shall mean such successor administrative agent or collateral agent and/or Supplemental Agent, as the case may be, and the retiring Administrative Agent’s or Collateral Agent’s appointment, powers and duties as the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent shall be terminated. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s or the Collateral Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder as the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, the provisions of this Article 9 and the provisions of Sections 10.04 and 10.05 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent under this Agreement. If no successor agent has accepted appointment as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent by the date which is thirty (30) days following the retiring Administrative Agent’s or Collateral Agent’s notice of resignation or ten (10) days following the Borrower’s notice of removal, the retiring Administrative Agent’s or the retiring Collateral Agent’s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective and the Lenders shall perform all of the duties of the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent hereunder by a successor and upon the execution and filing or recording of such financing statements, or amendments thereto, and such other instruments or notices, as may be necessary or desirable, or as the Required Lenders may request, in order to (a) continue the perfection of the Liens granted or purported to be granted by the Collateral Documents or (b) otherwise ensure that Section 6.11 is satisfied, the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, discretion, privileges, and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under the Loan Documents. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s or Collateral Agent’s resignation hereunder as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, the provisions of this Article 9 and Sections 10.04 and 10.05 shall continue in effect for its benefit in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was acting as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent.

Any resignation by JPMorgan as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as a L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender pursuant to Sections 2.03(q) and 2.04(h).

 

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Section 9.10. Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or 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 or the Collateral Agent) shall be (to the fullest extent permitted by mandatory provisions of applicable Law) entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(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 Collateral Agent and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Collateral Agent and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Lenders, the Collateral Agent and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(h) and (i), 2.09, 10.04 and 10.05) 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, curator, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under Sections 2.09, 10.04 and 10.05.

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 any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the Secured Parties

 

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shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in clauses (a) through (j) of Section 10.01), and (iii) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

Section 9.11. Collateral and Guaranty Matters. Each Lender (including in its capacity as a counterparty to a Secured Hedge Agreement or Treasury Services Agreement) and each other Secured Party by its acceptance of the Collateral Documents irrevocably agrees:

(a) that any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document shall be automatically released (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than (x) obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Treasury Services Agreements not yet due and payable and (y) contingent indemnification obligations not yet accrued and payable) and the expiration or termination or cash collateralization of all Letters of Credit (or if such Letters of Credit have been backstopped by letters of credit reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuers or deemed reissued under another agreement reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuers), (ii) at the time the property subject to such Lien is disposed as part of or in connection with any Disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Person other than a Person required to grant a Lien to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under the Loan Documents, (iii) subject to Section 10.01, if the release of such Lien is approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, (iv) to the extent such asset constitutes an Excluded Asset or (v) if the property subject to such Lien is owned by a Guarantor, upon release of such Guarantor from its obligations under its Guaranty pursuant to clause (c) below; provided that, without limitation to the operation of the automatic releases described in this clause (a), a certificate of a Responsible Officer, delivered at the option of the Borrower, to the Administrative Agent with respect to any release described in this clause (a) stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such release satisfies the foregoing requirements shall be conclusive evidence that such release satisfies the foregoing requirement and such automatic release has occurred (and the Administrative Agent

 

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and the Collateral Agent may rely conclusively on such certificate without further inquiry); provided, further, that the Agents shall have no obligation to acknowledge such release unless such certificate is delivered to it;

(b) that upon the request of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall release or subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Sections 7.01(u) or (w) (in the case of clause (w), to the extent required by the terms of the obligations secured by such Liens) pursuant to documents reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

(c) that any Subsidiary Guarantor shall be automatically released from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary or becomes an Excluded Subsidiary as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder; provided (x) that no such release shall occur if such Guarantor continues to be a guarantor in respect of any Junior Financing with a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, (y) a Subsidiary Guarantor that becomes an Excluded Subsidiary as a result of clause (a) of the definition thereof shall only be released from its obligations under the Guaranty if either (1) such release is otherwise approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders or (2) such Subsidiary Guarantor became a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to a transaction where such Subsidiary Guarantor becomes a bona fide joint venture where the other Person obtaining an equity interest in such Subsidiary Guarantor is not an Affiliate of Holdings or the Borrower (other than as a result of such joint venture) and (z) without limitation of the operation of the automatic releases described in this clause (c), a certificate of a Responsible Officer delivered at the option of the Borrower, to the Administrative Agent with respect to any such automatic release stating that such Subsidiary Guarantor has ceased to be a Restricted Subsidiary or has become an Excluded Subsidiary as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder, as the case may be, shall be conclusive evidence that such release satisfies the foregoing requirement and such automatic release has occurred (and the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may rely conclusively on such certificate without further inquiry); provided that the Agents shall have no obligation to acknowledge such release unless such certificate is delivered to it;

(d) at the sole option of the Borrower, Holdings or any existing entity constituting “Holdings” shall be released from its obligations under the Guaranty if such entity ceases to be the direct parent of the Borrower as a result of a transaction or designation permitted pursuant to the definition thereof and otherwise permitted hereunder, subject to the assumption of all obligations of “Holdings” under the Loan Documents by such other Domestic Subsidiary that directly owns 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in the Borrower pursuant to the definition thereof and satisfaction of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirements by such Domestic Subsidiary; provided that 100% of the Equity Interests of the Borrower shall be pledged to the Administrative Agent to secure the Obligations; and

(e) the Collateral Agent may, without any further consent of any Lender, enter into (i) a First Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the collateral agent or other representatives of holders of (x) Permitted Ratio Debt that is intended to be secured on a pari passu basis with the Liens

 

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securing the Obligations and (y) Incremental Equivalent First Lien Debt permitted under Section 7.03(q) and/or (ii) a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the collateral agent or other representatives of the holders of (x) Permitted Ratio Debt that is intended to be secured on a junior basis to the Liens securing the Obligations and (y) Incremental Equivalent Junior Lien Debt permitted under Section 7.03(q), in each case, where such Indebtedness is secured by Liens permitted under Section 7.01. The Collateral Agent may rely exclusively on a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as to whether any such other Liens are permitted. Any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement entered into by the Collateral Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall be binding on the Secured Parties.

Upon request by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s or the Collateral Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.11; provided that absent such confirmation in writing from the Required Lenders, the act of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent making such request shall not prohibit the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent from releasing or subordinating its interests if it otherwise conclusively relies on a certificate of the Borrower. In each case as specified in this Section 9.11, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent will promptly upon the request of the Borrower (and each Lender irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to), at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as the Borrower may reasonably request to evidence the release or subordination of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Collateral Documents, or to evidence the release of such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.11 (and the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may rely conclusively on a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to that effect provided to it by any Loan Party upon its reasonable request without further inquiry). Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section 9.11 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent. For the avoidance of doubt, no release of Collateral or Guarantors effected in the manner permitted by this Section 9.11 shall require the consent of any holder of obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements or any Treasury Services Agreements.

Section 9.12. Other Agents; Arrangers and Managers. None of the Lenders or other Persons identified on the facing page or signature pages of this Agreement as a “joint bookrunner” or “joint lead arranger” shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders or other Persons so identified shall have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any of the Lenders or other Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.

Section 9.13. Withholding Tax Indemnity. To the extent required by any applicable Law, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding Tax. If the Internal Revenue Service or any other

 

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authority of the United States or other jurisdiction asserts a claim that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold Tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender for any reason (including, without limitation, because the appropriate form was not delivered or not properly executed, or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of withholding Tax ineffective), such Lender shall, within 10 days after written demand therefor, indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent (to the extent that the Administrative Agent has not already been reimbursed by the Borrower or any Guarantor pursuant to Section 3.01 and Section 3.04 and without limiting or expanding the obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor to do so) for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by the Administrative Agent as Taxes or otherwise, together with all expenses incurred, including legal expenses and any other out-of-pocket expenses, whether or not such Tax was correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due the Administrative Agent under this Section 9.13. The agreements in this Section 9.13 shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Lender” for purposes of this Section 9.13 shall include any L/C Issuer and any Swing Line Lender.

Section 9.14. Appointment of Supplemental Agents. (a) It is the purpose of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents that there shall be no violation of any Law of any jurisdiction denying or restricting the right of banking corporations or associations to transact business as agent or trustee in such jurisdiction. It is recognized that in case of litigation under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and in particular in case of the enforcement of any of the Loan Documents, or in case the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent deems that by reason of any present or future Law of any jurisdiction it may not exercise any of the rights, powers or remedies granted herein or in any of the other Loan Documents or take any other action which may be desirable or necessary in connection therewith, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent are hereby authorized to appoint an additional individual or institution selected by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent in its sole discretion as a separate trustee, co-trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, administrative sub-agent or administrative co-agent (any such additional individual or institution being referred to herein individually as a “Supplemental Agent” and collectively as “Supplemental Agents”).

(b) In the event that the Collateral Agent appoints a Supplemental Agent with respect to any Collateral, (i) each and every right, power, privilege or duty expressed or intended by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to be exercised by or vested in or conveyed to the Collateral Agent with respect to such Collateral shall be exercisable by and vest in such Supplemental Agent to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to enable such Supplemental Agent to exercise such rights, powers and privileges with respect to such Collateral and to perform such duties with respect to such Collateral, and every covenant and obligation contained in the Loan Documents and necessary to the exercise or performance thereof by such Supplemental

 

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Agent shall run to and be enforceable by either the Collateral Agent or such Supplemental Agent, and (ii) the provisions of this Article 9 and of Sections 10.04 and 10.05 that refer to the Administrative Agent shall inure to the benefit of such Supplemental Agent and all references therein to the Collateral Agent shall be deemed to be references to the Collateral Agent and/or such Supplemental Agent, as the context may require.

(c) Should any instrument in writing from any Loan Party be required by any Supplemental Agent so appointed by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to him or it such rights, powers, privileges and duties, such Loan Party shall execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all such instruments promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent. In case any Supplemental Agent, or a successor thereto, shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of such Supplemental Agent, to the extent permitted by Law, shall vest in and be exercised by the Administrative Agent until the appointment of a new Supplemental Agent.

Section 9.15. ERISA Representation.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement,

(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in,

 

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administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, that none of the Administrative Agent, any Lead Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).

ARTICLE 10

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.01. Amendments, Etc. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders, or by the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders, and such Loan Party (with an executed copy thereof promptly delivered to the Administrative Agent if not otherwise a party thereto) and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that any amendment or waiver contemplated in clauses (g) or (j) below, shall only require the consent of such Loan Party and the Required Revolving Credit Lenders or the Required Facility Lenders under the applicable Facility, as applicable; provided, further, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of each Lender holding such Commitment (it being understood that a waiver of any condition precedent or of any Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Commitments shall not constitute an extension or increase of any Commitment of any Lender);

(b) postpone any date scheduled for, or reduce or forgive the amount of, any payment of principal or interest under Sections 2.07 or 2.08 without the written consent of each Lender

 

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holding the applicable Obligation (it being understood that the waiver of (or amendment to the terms of) any mandatory prepayment of the Term Loans shall not constitute a postponement of any date scheduled for the payment of principal or interest and it being understood that any change to the definition of “Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio or in the component definitions thereof shall not constitute a reduction or forgiveness in any rate of interest);

(c) reduce or forgive the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan, or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iii) of the third proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document (or change the timing of payments of such fees or other amounts) without the written consent of each Lender holding such Loan, L/C Borrowing or to whom such fee or other amount is owed (it being understood that any change to the definition of “Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio” or in the component definitions thereof shall not constitute a reduction or forgiveness in any rate of interest); provided 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 at the Default Rate;

(d) change any provision of Section 8.04 or this Section 10.01 or lower the percentage set forth in the definition of “Required Revolving Credit Lenders,” “Required Lenders,” “Required Facility Lenders,” “Required Class Lenders” or any other provision specifying the number of Lenders or portion of the Loans or Commitments required to take any action under the Loan Documents, in each case, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

(e) other than in connection with a transaction permitted under Sections 7.04 or 7.05, release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions, without the written consent of each Lender;

(f) other than in connection with a transaction permitted under Sections 7.04 or 7.05, release all or substantially all of the aggregate value of the Guaranty, without the written consent of each Lender;

(g) (1) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.02 as to any Credit Extension under one or more Revolving Credit Facilities or (2) amend, waive or otherwise modify any term or provision which directly affects Lenders under one or more Revolving Credit Facilities and does not directly affect Lenders under any other Facility, in each case, without the written consent of the Required Facility Lenders under such applicable Revolving Credit Facility or Facilities (and in the case of multiple Facilities which are affected, with respect to any such Facility, such consent shall be effected by the Required Facility Lenders of such Facility); provided, however, that the waivers described in this clause (g) shall not require the consent of any Lenders other than the Required Facility Lenders under such Facility or Facilities;

(h) amend, waive or otherwise modify the portion of the definition of “Interest Period” to automatically allow intervals in excess of six months, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

 

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(i) subordinate the Revolving Credit Facility to any Term Loans without the written consent of each Revolving Credit Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; or

(j) amend, waive or otherwise modify any term or provision (including the availability and conditions to funding under Section 2.14 (but not the conditions to implementing Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section 2.14(d)(v) and Section 2.14(e)) with respect to Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, under Section 2.15 with respect to Refinancing Term Loans and Other Revolving Credit Commitments and under Section 2.16 with respect to Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and, in each case, the rate of interest applicable thereto) which directly affects Lenders of one or more Incremental Term Loans, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, Refinancing Term Loans, Other Revolving Credit Commitments, Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and does not directly and adversely affect Lenders under any other Facility, in each case, without the written consent of the Required Facility Lenders under such applicable Incremental Term Loans, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, Refinancing Term Loans, Other Revolving Credit Commitments, Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (and in the case of multiple Facilities which are directly affected, with respect to any such Facility, such consent shall be effected by the Required Facility Lenders of such Facility); provided, however, that the waivers described in this clause (j) shall not require the consent of any Lenders other than the Required Facility Lenders under such applicable Incremental Term Loans, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, Refinancing Term Loans, Other Revolving Credit Commitments, Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, as the case may be; and provided, further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by each L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of an L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Letter of Credit Issuance Request 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 a Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of such Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; provided, however, that this Agreement may be amended to adjust the borrowing mechanics related to Swing Line Loans with only the written consent of the Swing Line Lender, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower so long as the obligations of the Revolving Credit Lenders are not affected thereby; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of, or any fees or other amounts payable to, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (iv) Section 10.07(i) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; and (v) the consent of Lenders holding more than 50% of any Class of Commitments or Loans shall be required with respect to any amendment that by its terms adversely affects the rights of such Class in respect of payments or Collateral hereunder in a manner different than such amendment affects other Classes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x)

 

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the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms materially and adversely affects any Defaulting Lender (if such Lender were not a Defaulting Lender) to a greater extent than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Lender consent is required to effect any amendment or supplement to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or any other intercreditor agreement or arrangement permitted under this Agreement that is for the purpose of adding the Other Debt Representatives, as expressly contemplated by the terms of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, such First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or such other intercreditor agreement or arrangement permitted under this Agreement, as applicable, pursuant to the terms thereof (it being understood that any such amendment or supplement may make such other changes to the applicable intercreditor agreement as, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, are required to effectuate the foregoing); provided, further, that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement and any other Loan Document may be amended solely with the consent of the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent (if applicable) and the Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment is delivered in order (A) to correct or cure ambiguities, errors, omissions or defects, (B) to effect administrative changes of a technical or immaterial nature, (C) to fix incorrect cross references or similar inaccuracies in this Agreement or the applicable Loan Document, (D) solely to add benefit to one or more existing Facilities, including but not limited to, increase in margin, interest rate floor, prepayment premium, call protection and reestablishment of or increase in amortization schedule, in order to cause any Incremental Facility to be fungible with any existing Facility, (E) to add any financial covenant or other terms for the benefit of all Lenders or any Class of Lenders pursuant to the conditions imposed on the incurrence of any Indebtedness set forth elsewhere in this Agreement and (F) to implement amendments permitted by the Intercreditor Agreements, this Agreement or the other Collateral Documents that do not by the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements or other Collateral Documents require lender consent, and in each case of clauses (A), (B) and (C), such amendment shall become effective without any further action or the consent of any other party to any Loan Document if the same is not objected to in writing by the Required Lenders within five (5) Business Days following receipt of notice thereof. The Collateral Documents and related documents in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with this Agreement, amended, supplemented and waived with the consent of the Administrative Agent and/ or the Collateral Agent (if applicable) at the request of the Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment, supplement or waiver is delivered in order (i) to comply with local Law or advice of local counsel, (ii) to correct or cure ambiguities, omissions, mistakes or defects or (iii) to cause such Collateral Documents or other document to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and, in each case, such amendment shall become effective without any further action or the consent of any other party to any Loan Document if the same is not objected to in writing by the Required Lenders within five (5) Business Days following receipt of notice thereof.

 

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Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may enter into any Incremental Amendment in accordance with Section 2.14, any Refinancing Amendment in accordance with Section 2.15 and any Extension Amendment in accordance with Section 2.16 and such Incremental Amendments, Refinancing Amendments and Extension Amendments shall be effective to amend the terms of this Agreement and the other applicable Loan Documents, in each case, without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document.

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may enter into any amendment, waiver, consent or supplement to this Agreement and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable without the consent of any Lender to amend the definition of “Eurocurrency Rate” as set forth therein.

Section 10.02. Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies. (a) General. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices and other communications provided for hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be in writing (including by facsimile transmission or electronic mail). All such written notices shall be mailed, faxed or delivered to the applicable address, facsimile number or electronic mail address, 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) subject to Section 10.07(q), if to the Borrower (or any other Loan Party) or the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, an 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(a) or to such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the other parties; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire or to such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender.

All such notices and other communications shall be deemed to be given or made upon the earlier to occur of (i) actual receipt by the relevant party hereto and (ii) (A) if delivered by hand or by courier, when signed for by or on behalf of the relevant party hereto; (B) if delivered by mail, four (4) Business Days after deposit in the mails, postage prepaid; (C) if delivered by facsimile, when sent and receipt has been confirmed by telephone; and (D) if delivered by electronic mail (which form of delivery is subject to the provisions of Section 10.02(c)), when delivered; provided that notices and other communications to the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, an L/C

 

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Issuer and the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Article 2 shall not be effective until actually received by such Person. In no event shall a voice mail message be effective as a notice, communication or confirmation hereunder. Any notice 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.

(b) Effectiveness of Facsimile Documents and Signatures. Loan Documents may be transmitted and/or signed by facsimile or other electronic communication. The effectiveness of any such documents and signatures shall, subject to applicable Law, have the same force and effect as manually signed originals and shall be binding on all Loan Parties, the Agents and the Lenders.

(c) Reliance by Agents and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent 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 each Agent-Related Person and each Lender 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 in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined in a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction. All telephonic notices to the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

(d) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers hereunder may be delivered or furnished by FpML messaging and Internet or intranet websites pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent acting reasonably, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or L/C Issuer pursuant to Article 2 if such Lender or L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by such communication. The Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender, the L/C Issuers or the Borrower may each, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by FpML messaging and Internet or intranet websites 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, 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 of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

Section 10.03. No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent or the Collateral 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.

 

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Section 10.04. Attorney Costs and Expenses. The Borrower agrees (a) if the Closing Date occurs, to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Lead Arrangers for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation and execution of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and any amendment, waiver, consent or other modification of the provisions hereof and thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated thereby are consummated), and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including all Attorney Costs, which shall be limited to one primary counsel (which shall be Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP for any and all of the foregoing in connection with the Transactions and other matters, to occur on or prior to or otherwise in connection with the Closing Date) and one local counsel as reasonably necessary in each relevant jurisdiction material to the interests of the Lenders taken as a whole) and (b) from and after the Closing Date, to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Lead Arrangers and each Lender for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of any rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including all such costs and expenses incurred during any legal proceeding, including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, and including all respective Attorney Costs which shall be limited to Attorney Costs of one counsel to the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arrangers (and one local counsel as reasonably necessary in each relevant jurisdiction material to the interests of the Lenders taken as a whole)). The foregoing costs and expenses shall include all reasonable search, filing, recording and title insurance charges and fees related thereto, and other reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Agent. The agreements in this Section 10.04 shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations. All amounts due under this Section 10.04 shall be paid within thirty (30) days of receipt by the Borrower of an invoice relating thereto setting forth such expenses in reasonable detail including, if requested by the Borrower and to the extent reasonably available, backup documentation supporting such reimbursement request; provided that with respect to the Closing Date, all amounts due under this Section 10.04 shall be paid on the Closing Date solely to the extent invoiced to the Borrower within three Business Days of the Closing Date. If any Loan Party fails to pay when due any costs, expenses or other amounts payable by it hereunder or under any Loan Document, such amount may be paid on behalf of such Loan Party by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.

For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 10.04 shall not apply to Taxes, except any Taxes that represent liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, prepayments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements arising from any non-Tax claims.

Section 10.05. Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless each Agent-Related Person, each Lead Arranger, each Lender, each L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, partners, agents, advisors and other representatives of each of the foregoing (collectively the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities (including Environmental Liabilities), obligations, losses,

 

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damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements (including Attorney Costs but limited in the case of legal fees and expenses to the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one counsel to all Indemnitees taken as a whole and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel for all Indemnitees taken as a whole in each relevant jurisdiction that is material to the interests of the Lenders, and solely in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction that is material to each group of similarly situated affected Indemnitees) of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in any way arising out of or in connection with (a) the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of any Loan Document or any other agreement, letter or instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (b) any Commitment, Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom including any refusal by an 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 or (c) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation or proceeding) and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (all the foregoing, collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”) in all cases, whether or not caused by or arising, in whole or in part, out of the negligence of the Indemnitee; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulted from (x) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or of any of its Affiliates or their respective directors, officers, employees, partners, agents, advisors or other representatives, as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, (y) a material breach of any obligations under any Loan Document by such Indemnitee or of any of its Affiliates or their respective directors, officers, employees, partners, advisors or other representatives, as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or (z) any dispute solely among Indemnitees (other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as an Agent or as a Lead Arranger under any Facility and other than any claims arising out of any act or omission of Holdings, the Borrower, the Investors or any of its Affiliates). No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials obtained through Debtdomain, Roadshow Access (if applicable) or other similar information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, nor, to the extent permissible under applicable Law, shall any Indemnitee, Loan Party or any Subsidiary have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Closing Date) (other than, in the case of any Loan Party, in respect of any such damages incurred or paid by an Indemnitee to a third party and for any out-of-pocket expenses in each case subject to the indemnification provisions of this Section 10.05); it being agreed that this sentence shall not limit the indemnification obligations of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary. In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 10.05 applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Loan Party, any

 

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Subsidiary of any Loan Party, its directors, stockholders or creditors or an Indemnitee or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnitee is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not any of the transactions contemplated hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents are consummated. All amounts due under this Section 10.05 shall be paid within thirty (30) days after written demand therefor (together with backup documentation supporting such reimbursement request); provided, however, that such Indemnitee shall promptly refund the amount of any payment to the extent that there is a final judicial or arbitral determination that such Indemnitee was not entitled to indemnification rights with respect to such payment pursuant to the express terms of this Section 10.05.

The agreements in this Section 10.05 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 10.05 shall not apply to Taxes, except any Taxes that represent liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, prepayments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements arising from any non-Tax claims.

Section 10.06. Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to any Agent or any Lender, or any Agent 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 such Agent 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, to the fullest extent possible under provisions of applicable Law, 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 severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid by any 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 Effective Rate from time to time in effect, in the applicable currency of such recovery or payment.

Section 10.07. Successors and Assigns. (a) 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 the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (except as permitted by Section 7.04) and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an Assignee pursuant to an assignment made in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.07(b) (such an assignee, an “Eligible Assignee”) and (A) in the case of any Assignee that, immediately prior to or upon giving effect to such assignment, is an Affiliated Lender, Section 10.07(l), (B) in the case of any Assignee that is Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, Section 2.05(a)(v) or Section 10.07(m), or (C) in the case of any Assignee that, immediately prior to or upon giving effect to such assignment, is a Debt Fund Affiliate, Section 10.07(p), (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.07(f), (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of

 

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Section 10.07(j) or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.07(i) (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void); provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary, (x) no Lender may assign or transfer by participation any of its rights or obligations hereunder to (i) any Person that is a Defaulting Lender or a Disqualified Lender (and any failure of the Borrower to respond to any request for consent of assignment shall not cause such Person to cease to constitute a Disqualified Lender), (ii) a natural Person or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person or (iii) to Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries (except pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v) or Section 10.07(m)) and (y) no Lender may assign or transfer by participation any of its rights or obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility or Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder without the consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed and it is understood and agreed that the Borrower may withhold its consent to any Person that is known to be an Affiliate of a Disqualified Lender regardless of whether such Person is reasonably identifiable as an Affiliate of such Disqualified Lender on the basis of such Affiliate’s name (other than a Bona Fide Debt Fund)) unless (i) such assignment or transfer is by a Revolving Credit Lender to an Affiliate of such assigning Revolving Credit Lender of similar creditworthiness to such assigning Revolving Credit Lender, (ii) subject to clause (iv) of the proviso in Section 10.07(f), such transfer is a transfer of Revolving Credit Exposure that is not a Voting Participation or (iii) an Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 8.01(f), has occurred and is continuing; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any assignment of Term Loans unless the Borrower shall have objected thereto within fifteen (15) Business Days after the Persons identified in Section 10.07(q)(i) have received the written request therefor. 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 Section 10.07(f) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Indemnitees) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

If any Loans or Commitments are assigned or participated (x) to a Disqualified Lender or (y) without complying with the notice requirement under Section 10.07(q), then: (a) the Borrower may (i) terminate any Commitment of such person and prepay any applicable outstanding Loans at a price equal to the lesser of (x) par and (y) the amount such person paid to acquire such Loans, in each case, without premium, penalty, prepayment fee or breakage, and/or (ii) require such person to assign its rights and obligations to one or more Eligible Assignees at the price indicated above (which assignment shall not be subject to any processing and recordation fee) and if such person does not execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a duly executed Assignment and Assumption reflecting such assignment within three (3) Business Days of the date on which the assignee Lender executes and delivers such Assignment and Assumption to such person, then such person shall be deemed to have executed and delivered such Assignment and Assumption without any action on its part, (b) no such person shall receive any information or reporting provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (c) for purposes of voting, any Loans or Commitments held by such person shall be deemed not to be outstanding, and such person shall have no voting or consent rights with respect to “Required Lender” or Class votes or consents, (d) for purposes of any matter requiring the vote or consent of each Lender affected by any amendment or waiver, such person shall be deemed to have voted or consented to approve such amendment or

 

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waiver if a majority of the affected Class (giving effect to clause (c) above) so approves, and (e) such person shall not be entitled to any expense reimbursement or indemnification rights under any Loan Documents (including Sections 10.04 and 10.05) and the Borrower expressly reserves all rights against such person under contract, tort or any other theory and shall be treated in all other respects as a Defaulting Lender; it being understood and agreed that the foregoing provisions shall only apply to a Disqualified Lender and not to any assignee of such Disqualified Lender that becomes a Lender so long as such assignee is not a Disqualified Lender or an affiliate thereof.

Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lead Arranger shall be responsible or have any liability for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions hereof relating to Disqualified Lenders. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lead Arranger shall (a) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or participant or prospective Lender or participant is a Disqualified Lender or (b) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Disqualified Lender.

(b) (i) Subject to Section 10.07(a) and the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees (“Assignees”) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this Section 10.07(b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned and it is understood and agreed that the Borrower may withhold its consent to any Person that is known to be an Affiliate of a Disqualified Lender regardless of whether such Person is reasonably identifiable as an Affiliate of such Disqualified Lender on the basis of such Affiliate’s name (other than a Bona Fide Debt Fund)) of:

(A) the Borrower; provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for (i) an assignment of all or any portion of the Term Loans to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, (ii) an assignment related to the Revolving Credit Commitments or Revolving Credit Exposure by a Revolving Credit Lender to an Affiliate of such Revolving Credit Lender of similar creditworthiness to such assigning Revolving Credit Lender, (iii) if an Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 8.01(f) has occurred and is continuing or (iv) an assignment of all or a portion of the Commitments or Loans pursuant to Section 10.07(i), Section 10.07(l) or Section 10.07(m);

(B) the Administrative Agent; provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment (i) of all or any portion of a Term Loan to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or (ii) all or any portion of the Loans pursuant to Section 10.07(l) or Section 10.07(m);

 

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(C) each L/C Issuer at the time of such assignment; provided that no consent of the L/C Issuers shall be required for any assignment not related to Revolving Credit Commitments or Revolving Credit Exposure; and

(D) the Swing Line Lender; provided that no consent of the Swing Line Lender shall be required for any assignment not related to Revolving Credit Commitments or Revolving Credit Exposure.

(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or 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) shall not be less than an amount of $5,000,000 (in the case of each Revolving Credit Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment), $1,000,000 (in the case of a Term Loan), and shall be in increments of an amount of $500,000 (in the case of each Revolving Credit Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment) or $250,000 (in the case of Term Loans) in excess thereof (provided that simultaneous assignments to or from two or more Approved Funds shall be aggregated for purposes of determining compliance with this Section 10.07(b)(ii)(A)), unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consents; provided that such amounts shall be aggregated in respect of each Lender and its Affiliates or Approved Funds, if any;

(B) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption via an electronic settlement system acceptable to the Administrative Agent (or if previously agreed with the Administrative Agent, manually), together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 (which fee may be waived or reduced in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent); provided that only one such fee shall be payable in the event of simultaneous assignments to or from two or more Approved Funds; and

(C) other than in the case of assignments pursuant to Section 10.07(m), the Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire (in which the Assignee shall designate one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Loan Parties and their Affiliates or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the Assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including federal and state securities laws) and all applicable tax forms required pursuant to Section 3.01(d).

 

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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 Commitment or Loans assigned, except this paragraph (b) shall not prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations among separate Facilities on a non-pro rata basis among such Facilities.

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 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 Pro Rata Share. 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.

(c) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Sections 10.07(d) and (e), from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, (1) other than in connection with an assignment pursuant to Section 10.07(m), the Eligible 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 (2) 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, 3.04, 3.05, 10.04 and 10.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, and the surrender by the assigning Lender of its Note(s), 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 clause (c) 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 Section 10.07(f).

(d) The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption, each Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption delivered to it, and each notice of cancellation of any Loans delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 10.07(m) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and

 

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the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and related interest amounts) of the Loans, L/C Obligations (specifying the Unreimbursed Amounts), L/C Borrowings and the amounts due under Section 2.03, owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall 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, any Agent and, with respect to such Lender’s own interest only, any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. The parties hereto intend that the Loans will be at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 871(h)(2) and 881(c)(2) of the Code and any related Treasury regulations (or any other relevant or successor provisions of the Code or of such Treasury regulations). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Administrative Agent be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender is an Affiliated Lender nor shall the Administrative Agent be obligated to monitor the aggregate amount of Term Loans held by Affiliated Lenders. Upon request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall (i) promptly (and in any case, not less than five (5) Business Days (or shorter period as agreed to by the Administrative Agent) prior to the proposed effective date of any amendment, consent or waiver pursuant to Section 10.01) provide to the Administrative Agent, a complete list of all Affiliated Lenders holding Loans and/or Commitments at such time and (ii) not less than five (5) Business Days (or shorter period as agreed to by the Administrative Agent) prior to the proposed effective date of any amendment, consent or waiver pursuant to Section 10.01, provide to the Administrative Agent, a complete list of all Debt Fund Affiliates holding Loans and/or Commitments at such time.

(e) Upon its receipt of, and consent to, a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an Assignee, an Administrative Questionnaire completed in respect of the assignee (unless the Assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) above, if applicable, and the written consent of the Administrative Agent, if required, and, if required, the Borrower, the Swing Line Lender and each L/C Issuer to such assignment and any applicable tax forms required pursuant to Section 3.01(d), the Administrative Agent shall promptly (i) accept such Assignment and Assumption and (ii) record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph (e).

(f) Any Lender may at any time sell participations to any Person, subject to clause (x) of the first proviso of Section 10.07(a) (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, (iii) the Borrower, the Agents and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and (iv) (1) each sale of a Voting Participation (as defined below) with respect to the Revolving Credit Facility or Revolving Credit Exposure shall be subject clause (y) of the first proviso of Section 10.07(a) and (2) in the case of a participation with respect to the

 

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Revolving Credit Facility or Revolving Credit Exposure that is not a Voting Participation, the Lender shall have provided prior notice to the Borrower and the Sponsor of such participation. 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 the other Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; 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 second proviso to Section 10.01 that requires the affirmative vote of such Lender, in each case to the extent the Participant is directly and adversely affected thereby (any participation including such limitations on the Lender’s rights to agree to an amendment, waiver or other modification, a “Voting Participation”). Subject to Section 10.07(g), the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations of such Sections, including Section 3.01(d)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 10.07(c) (provided that any documentation required to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.01(d) shall be delivered solely to the participating Lender). To the extent permitted by applicable Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.09 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant shall be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation or grants a Loan to an SPC shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and related interest amounts) of each Participant’s and each SPC’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans or Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) except to the extent that (x) such disclosure is necessary in connection with an audit or other proceeding to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations or (y) upon request of the Borrower, to confirm no Participant or SPC of Term Loans is a Disqualified Lender, a natural Person or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive and such Lender shall treat each person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

(g) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01, 3.04 or 3.05 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, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed (for the avoidance of doubt, the Borrower shall have reasonable basis for withholding consent if any participation would result in materially increased indemnification obligations to the Borrower at such time).

(h) [Reserved].

 

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(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan, (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof and (iii) such SPC and the applicable Loan or any applicable part thereof, shall be appropriately reflected in the Participant Register. Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) an SPC shall be entitled to the benefit of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and the limitations of such Section, including Section 3.01(d) (provided that any documentation required to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.01(d) shall be delivered solely to the Granting Lender)), but neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement except in the case of Sections 3.01 or 3.04, to the extent that the grant to the SPC was made with the prior written consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; for the avoidance of doubt, the Borrower shall have reasonable basis for withholding consent if an exercise by SPC immediately after the grant would result in materially increased indemnification obligations to the Borrower at such time), (ii) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (iii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee of $3,500, assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Loans to any Rating Agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

(j) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, any Lender may in accordance with applicable Law create a security interest in all or any portion of the Loans owing to it and the Note, if any, held by it (and in the case of any Fund, such security interest may be created in favor of the trustee for holders of obligations owed or securities issued, by such Fund as security for such obligations or securities), including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or any central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender; provided that unless and until such pledgee actually becomes a Lender in compliance with the other provisions of this Section 10.07, (i) no such pledge shall release the pledging Lender from any of its obligations under the Loan Documents and (ii) such pledgee shall not be entitled to exercise any of the rights of a Lender under the Loan Documents even though such pledgee may have acquired ownership rights with respect to the pledged interest through foreclosure or otherwise.

 

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(k) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender may, upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as an L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, respectively; provided that on or prior to the expiration of such 30-day period with respect to such resignation, the relevant L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender shall have identified a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender reasonably acceptable to the Borrower willing to accept its appointment as successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as applicable, unless, at the option of the Borrower, the Borrower shall have appointed one or more L/C Issuers or Swing Line Lenders from among the Lenders willing to accept such appointment as a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of the relevant L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, except as expressly provided above. If an L/C Issuer resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights and obligations of an L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as an 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 2.03(c)). If the Swing Line Lender 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 Base Rate Loans, Eurocurrency Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c).

(l) (1) Any Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations with respect to Term Loans under this Agreement to a Person who is or will become, after such assignment, an Affiliated Lender through (x) “Dutch Auctions” open to all Lenders of the applicable Class on a pro rata basis in accordance with analogous procedures of the type described in Section 2.05(a)(v) or (y) open-market purchases on a pro rata or non-pro rata basis and (2) any Affiliated Lender may, at any time, purchase all or a portion of the rights and obligations of a Defaulting Lender, in each case subject to the following limitations:

(i) the assigning Lender and the Affiliated Lender purchasing such Lender’s Loans and/or Commitments shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an assignment agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit L-1 hereto (an “Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption”);

(ii) Affiliated Lenders will not receive information provided solely to Lenders by the Administrative Agent or any Lender and will not be permitted to attend or participate in conference calls or meetings attended solely by the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, other than the right to receive notices of prepayments and other administrative notices in respect of its Loans or Commitments required to be delivered to Lenders pursuant to Article 2;

(iii) the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans held at any one time by Affiliated Lenders shall not exceed 25% of the principal amount of any Class of Term Loans at such time outstanding (measured at the time of purchase) (such percentage, the “Affiliated Lender Cap”); provided that to the extent any assignment to an Affiliated

 

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Lender would result in the aggregate principal amount of such Class of Term Loans held by Affiliated Lenders exceeding the Affiliated Lender Cap, the assignment of such excess amount will be void ab initio;

(iv) with respect to Section 10.07(l)(2), any non-Defaulting Lender of the same Class willing to repurchase any Loans/Commitments of the Defaulting Lenders from the Affiliated Lenders shall have the right to make such repurchase at par plus accrued and unpaid interest or at a lower price agreed to by such Defaulting Lender on a pro rata basis based on their share of the applicable Facility; and

(v) as a condition to each assignment pursuant to this clause (l), the Administrative Agent shall have been provided an Affiliated Lender Notice to this Agreement in connection with each assignment to an Affiliated Lender or a Person that upon effectiveness of such assignment would constitute an Affiliated Lender pursuant to which such Affiliated Lender shall waive any right to bring any action in connection with such Loans and/or Commitments against the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such.

Each Affiliated Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days) if it acquires any Person who is also a Lender, and each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days) if it becomes an Affiliated Lender. Such notice shall contain the type of information required and be delivered to the same addressee as set forth in Exhibit L-2.

(m) Any Lender may, so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing and, only to the extent purchased at a discount, no proceeds of Revolving Credit Loans are applied to fund the consideration for any such assignment, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations with respect to Term Loans under this Agreement to Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries through (x) “Dutch Auctions” open to all Lenders on a pro rata basis in accordance with procedures of the type described in Section 2.05(a)(v) or (y) notwithstanding Sections 2.12 and 2.13 or any other provision in this Agreement, open-market purchase on a pro rata or non-pro rata basis; provided that in connection with assignments pursuant to clauses (x) and (y) above:

(i) if Holdings or any Subsidiary of the Borrower is the assignee, upon such assignment, transfer or contribution, Holdings or such Subsidiary shall automatically be deemed to have contributed the principal amount of such Term Loans, plus all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, to the Borrower; or

(ii) if the assignee is the Borrower (including through contribution or transfers set forth in clause (i) above), (A) the principal amount of such Term Loans, along with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, so contributed, assigned or transferred to the Borrower shall be deemed automatically cancelled and extinguished on the date of such contribution, assignment or transfer, (B) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Term Loans of the remaining Lenders shall reflect such cancellation and extinguishing of the Term Loans then held by the Borrower and (C) the Borrower shall promptly provide notice to the Administrative Agent of such contribution, assignment or transfer of such Term Loans, and the Administrative Agent, upon receipt of such notice, shall reflect the cancellation of the applicable Term Loans in the Register.

 

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(n) Notwithstanding anything in Section 10.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders,” “Required Class Lenders,” or “Required Facility Lenders” to the contrary, for purposes of determining whether the Required Lenders, the Required Class Lenders or the Required Facility Lenders have (i) consented (or not consented) to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action with respect to any of the terms of any Loan Document or any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, unless the action in question affects any Affiliated Lender in a disproportionately adverse manner than its effect on the other Lenders, or subject to Section 10.07(o), any plan of reorganization pursuant to the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, (ii) otherwise acted on any matter related to any Loan Document, or (iii) directed or required the Administrative Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to or under any Loan Document, no Affiliated Lender shall have any right to consent (or not consent), otherwise act or direct or require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to take (or refrain from taking) any such action and:

(A) all Commitments or Loans held by any Affiliated Lenders shall be deemed to be not outstanding for all purposes of calculating whether the Required Lenders, the Required Class Lenders or the Required Facility Lenders have taken any actions; and

(B) all Commitments or Loans held by Affiliated Lenders shall be deemed to be not outstanding for all purposes of calculating whether all Lenders or all affected Lenders have taken any action unless the action in question affects such Affiliated Lender in a disproportionately adverse manner than its effect on other Lenders.

(o) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary, each Affiliated Lender hereby agrees that and each Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption shall provide a confirmation that, if a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law shall be commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Loan Party at a time when such Lender is an Affiliated Lender, such Affiliated Lender irrevocably authorizes and empowers the Administrative Agent to vote on behalf of such Affiliated Lender with respect to the Loans held by such Affiliated Lender in any manner in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion, unless the Administrative Agent instructs such Affiliated Lender to vote, in which case such Affiliated Lender shall vote with respect to the Loans held by it as the Administrative Agent directs; provided that such Affiliated Lender shall be entitled to vote in accordance with its sole discretion (and not in accordance with the direction of the Administrative Agent) in connection with any plan of reorganization to the extent any such plan of reorganization proposes to treat any Obligations held by such Affiliated Lender in a disproportionately adverse manner to such Affiliated Lender than the proposed treatment of similar Obligations held by Lenders that are not Affiliated Lenders.

(p) Notwithstanding anything in Section 10.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders” to the contrary, for purposes of determining whether the Required Lenders have (i)

 

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consented (or not consented) to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action with respect to any of the terms of any Loan Document or any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, (ii) otherwise acted on any matter related to any Loan Document or (iii) directed or required the Administrative Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to or under any Loan Document, all Term Loans, Revolving Credit Commitments and Revolving Credit Loans held by Debt Fund Affiliates may not account for more than 49.9% (pro rata among such Debt Fund Affiliates) of the Term Loans, Revolving Credit Commitments and Revolving Credit Loans of consenting Lenders included in determining whether the Required Lenders have consented to any action pursuant to Section 10.01.

(q) Any request for consent of the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.07(b)(i)(A) or Section 10.07(f) (with respect to any Voting Participation with respect to the Revolving Credit Facility) and related communications shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent simultaneously to the following Persons or email address (as applicable):

(i) with respect to any request for consent in respect of any assignment of Term Loans or any assignment or participation relating to Revolving Credit Commitments or Revolving Credit Exposure, to (A) any recipient that is an employee of Holdings or the Borrower, as designated in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower from time to time (if any) and (B) the chief financial officer of Holdings or the Borrower or any other Responsible Officer designated by the Borrower in writing to the Administrative Agent from time to time; and

(ii) in addition to the Persons set forth in clause (i) above and prior to the occurrence of a Change of Control, with respect to any request for consent in respect of any assignment or participation related to Revolving Credit Commitments or Revolving Credit Exposure, to (A) BXCMLoanNotifications@Blackstone.com and (B) an employee of the Sponsor designated in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Sponsor from time to time.

Section 10.08. Confidentiality. Each of the Agents, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information and not to disclose such information, except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and its Affiliates’ managers, administrators, directors, officers, employees, trustees, partners, investors, investment advisors and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (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 Governmental Authority or self-regulatory authority having or asserting jurisdiction over such Person (including any Governmental Authority or examiner (including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any other similar organization) regulating any Lender or its Affiliates); provided that the Administrative Agent, such Lead Arranger or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable in the event of any such disclosure by such Person (other than at the request of a regulatory authority or examiner) unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation; (c) to the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to

 

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the Facilities or market data collectors, similar services providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Administrative Agent in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement and the Loan Documents; (d) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process; provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable in the event of any such disclosure by such Person (other than at the request of a regulatory authority or examiner) unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation; (e) to any other party to this Agreement or to the Investors; (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions at least as restrictive as those set forth in this Section 10.08 (or as may otherwise be reasonably acceptable to the Borrower), to any pledgee referred to in Section 10.07(j), counterparty to a Swap Contract, Eligible Assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective Eligible Assignee of or Participant in any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement (provided that the disclosure of any such Information to any Lenders or Eligible Assignees or Participants shall be made subject to the acknowledgement and acceptance by such Lender, Eligible Assignee or Participant that such Information is being disseminated on a confidential basis (on substantially the terms set forth in this Section 10.08 or as otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Borrower, including, without limitation, as agreed in any Borrower Materials) in accordance with the standard processes of the Administrative Agent or customary market standards for dissemination of such type of Information); (g) with the written consent of the Borrower; (h) to the extent such Information becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 10.08 or becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lead Arranger, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a non-confidential basis from a source other than a Loan Party or any Investor or their respective Affiliates (so long as such source is not known to the Administrative Agent, such Lead Arranger, such Lender, such L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates to be bound by confidentiality obligations to any Loan Party); (i) to any Governmental Authority or examiner (including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any other similar organization) regulating any Lender; (j) to any Rating Agency when required by it (it being understood that, prior to any such disclosure, such Rating Agency shall undertake to preserve the confidentiality of any Information relating to Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries received by it from such Lender) or to the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar organization; (k) in connection with establishing a “due diligence” defense or (l) to the extent such Information is independently developed by the Administrative Agent, such Lead Arranger, such Lender, such L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates; provided that no disclosure shall be made to any Disqualified Lender. In addition, the Agents and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and publicly available information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry, and service providers to the Agents and the Lenders in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Commitments, and the Credit Extensions. For the purposes of this Section 10.08, “Information” means all information received from the Loan Parties relating to any Loan Party, its Affiliates or its Affiliates’ directors, managers, officers, employees, trustees, investment advisors or agents, relating to Holdings, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries or its business, other than any such information that is publicly available to any Agent, any L/C Issuer or any Lender prior to disclosure by any Loan Party other than as a result of a breach of this Section 10.08; provided that all information received after the Closing Date from Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall be deemed confidential unless such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as not being confidential.

 

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Section 10.09. Setoff. In addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders provided by Law, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, each Lender and its Affiliates (and the Collateral Agent, in respect of any unpaid fees, costs and expenses payable hereunder) is authorized at any time and from time to time, without prior notice to the Borrower, any such notice being waived by the Borrower (on its own behalf and on behalf of each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries) 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) at any time held by, and other Indebtedness at any time owing by, such Lender and its Affiliates or the Collateral Agent to or for the credit or the account of the respective Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries against any and all Obligations owing to such Lender and its Affiliates or the Collateral Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document, now or hereafter existing, irrespective of whether or not such Agent or such Lender or Affiliate shall have made demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such Obligations may be contingent or unmatured or denominated in a currency different from that of the applicable deposit or 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 2.17 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 Issuers, 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. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent after any such set off and application made by such Lender; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application. The rights of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and each Lender under this Section 10.09 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and such Lender may have. No amounts set off from any Guarantor shall be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor.

Section 10.10. 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 any 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 an 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.

 

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Section 10.11. Counterparts. This Agreement and each other Loan Document may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery by telecopier or other electronic transmission of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement and each other Loan Document shall be effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Agreement and such other Loan Document. The Agents may also require that any such documents and signatures delivered by telecopier or other electronic transmission be confirmed by an original thereof; provided that the failure to request or deliver the same shall not limit the effectiveness of any document or signature delivered by telecopier or other electronic transmission.

Section 10.12. Integration; Termination. This Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, comprises the complete and integrated agreement of the parties on the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, on such subject matter. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and those of any other Loan Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall control; provided that the inclusion of supplemental rights or remedies in favor of the Agents or the Lenders in any other Loan Document shall not be deemed a conflict with this Agreement. Each Loan Document was drafted with the joint participation of the respective parties thereto and shall be construed neither against nor in favor of any party, but rather in accordance with the fair meaning thereof.

Section 10.13. 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 each Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by any Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that any 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.

Section 10.14. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby. 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 10.14, 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.

Section 10.15. GOVERNING LAW. (a) THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

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(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH LOAN PARTY, EACH AGENT AND EACH LENDER CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS AND AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE OR SUPPORT ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION. EACH LOAN PARTY, EACH AGENT AND EACH LENDER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENTS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES (OTHER THAN TELECOPIER OR OTHER ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION) IN SECTION 10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION TO ENFORCE ANY AWARD OR JUDGMENT OR EXERCISE ANY RIGHT UNDER THE COLLATERAL DOCUMENTS AGAINST ANY COLLATERAL OR ANY OTHER PROPERTY OF ANY LOAN PARTY IN ANY OTHER FORUM IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH COLLATERAL IS LOCATED.

Section 10.16. WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 10.16 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

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Section 10.17. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by each Lender, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuers that each Lender, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuers have executed it and thereafter this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Loan Parties, each Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns, in each case in accordance with Section 10.07 (if applicable) and except that no Loan Party shall have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders except as permitted by Section 7.04.

Section 10.18. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act 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, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name, address and tax identification number of such Loan Party and other information regarding such Loan Party that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act. This notice is given in accordance with the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act and is effective as to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.

Section 10.19. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. (a) In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that (i) the 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 Agents, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders, 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, each of the Agents, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders 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) none of the Agents, the Lead Arrangers or the Lenders 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 any Agent or Lender has advised or is currently advising the Borrower or any of its Affiliates on other matters) and none of the Agents, the Lead Arrangers or the Lenders has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the financing transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, (iv) the Agents, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from, and may conflict with, those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and none of the Agents, the Lead Arrangers or the Lenders has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship and (v) the Agents,

 

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the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders 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 Loan Parties have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they have deemed appropriate. Each Loan Party hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against the Agents, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty under applicable law relating to agency and fiduciary obligations.

(b) Each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that each Lender, the Lead Arrangers and any Affiliate thereof may lend money to, invest in, and generally engage in any kind of business with, any of the Borrower, Holdings, any Investor, any Affiliate thereof or any other person or entity that may do business with or own securities of any of the foregoing, all as if such Lender, the Lead Arrangers or Affiliate thereof were not a Lender, the Lead Arrangers or an Affiliate thereof (or an agent or any other person with any similar role under the Facilities) and without any duty to account therefor to any other Lender, the Lead Arrangers, Holdings, the Borrower, any Investor or any Affiliate of the foregoing. Each Lender, the Lead Arrangers and any Affiliate thereof may accept fees and other consideration from Holdings, the Borrower, any Investor or any Affiliate thereof for services in connection with this Agreement, the Facilities or otherwise without having to account for the same to any other Lender, the Lead Arrangers, Holdings, the Borrower, any Investor or any Affiliate of the foregoing. Some or all of the Lenders and the Lead Arrangers may have directly or indirectly acquired certain equity interests (including warrants) in Holdings, the Borrower, an Investor or an Affiliate thereof or may have directly or indirectly extended credit on a subordinated basis to Holdings, the Borrower, an Investor or an Affiliate thereof. Each party hereto, on its behalf and on behalf of its Affiliates, acknowledges and waives the potential conflict of interest resulting from any such Lender, the Lead Arrangers or an Affiliate thereof holding disproportionate interests in the extensions of credit under the Facilities or otherwise acting as arranger or agent thereunder and such Lender, the Lead Arrangers or any Affiliate thereof directly or indirectly holding equity interests in or subordinated debt issued by Holdings, the Borrower, an Investor or an Affiliate thereof.

Section 10.20. 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 record keeping 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.

Section 10.21. Effect of Certain Inaccuracies. In the event that any financial statement or Compliance Certificate previously delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) was inaccurate or was restated (regardless of whether this Agreement or the Commitments are in effect when such inaccuracy is discovered), and such inaccuracy, if corrected, or such restatement would have led to the application of a higher Applicable Rate for any period (an “Applicable Period”) than the

 

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Applicable Rate applied for such Applicable Period, then (i) the Borrower shall as soon as practicable deliver to the Administrative Agent a corrected or restated financial statement and a corrected or updated Compliance Certificate for such Applicable Period, (ii) the Applicable Rate shall be determined based on the updated Compliance Certificate for such Applicable Period, and (iii) the Borrower shall within 15 days after the delivery of the corrected or restated financial statements and the updated Compliance Certificate pay to the Administrative Agent the accrued additional interest or fees owing as a result of such increased Applicable Rate for such Applicable Period. This Section 10.21 shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders with respect to Sections 2.08(b) and 8.01; provided that any underpayment due to change in Applicable Rate shall not in itself constitute a Default or Event of Default under Section 8.01 so long as such additional interest or fees are paid within the 15-day period set forth above.

Section 10.22. Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due from the Borrower hereunder in the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “specified currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures any Lender could purchase the specified currency with such other currency at such Lender’s New York office on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligations of the Borrower in respect of any sum due to any Lender hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than the specified currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by such Lender of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency such Lender may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the specified currency with such other currency; if the amount of the specified currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Lender in the specified currency, the Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Lender against such loss, and if the amount of the specified currency so purchased exceeds the sum originally due to such Lender in the specified currency, such Lender agrees to remit such excess to the Borrower.

Section 10.23. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto to any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

 

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(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

Section 10.24. Cashless Rollovers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, to the extent that any Lender extends the maturity date of, or replaces, renews or refinances, any of its then-existing Loans with Incremental Facilities, Facilities in connection with any Refinancing Series, Extended Term Loans, Extended Revolving Credit Loans or loans incurred under a new credit facility, in each case, to the extent such extension, replacement, renewal or refinancing is effected by means of a “cashless roll” by such Lender, such extension, replacement, renewal or refinancing shall be deemed to comply with any requirement hereunder or any other Loan Document that such payment be made “in Dollars”, “in immediately available funds”, “in Cash” or any other similar requirement.

Section 10.25. Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Secured Hedge Agreements or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support” and each such QFC a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States).

(a) In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights

 

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could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support;

(b) As used in this Section 10.25, the following terms have the following meanings:

(i) “BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

(ii) “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

(iii) “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

(iv) “QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).

ARTICLE 11

GUARANTY

Section 11.01. The Guaranty. Each Guarantor hereby jointly and severally with the other Guarantors guarantees, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety to each Secured Party and their respective successors and assigns, the prompt payment in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by required prepayment, declaration, demand, by acceleration or otherwise) of the principal of and interest (including any interest, fees, costs or charges that would accrue but for the provisions of (i) Title 11 of the United States Code after any bankruptcy or insolvency petition under Title 11 of the United States Code and (ii) any other Debtor Relief Laws) on the Loans made by the Lenders to, and the Notes held by each Lender of, the Borrower, and all other Obligations (other than with respect to any Guarantor, Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor) from time to time owing to the Secured Parties by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under any Loan Document or any Secured Hedge Agreement or any Treasury Services Agreement, in each case strictly in accordance with the terms thereof (such obligations being herein collectively called the “Guaranteed Obligations”). The Guarantors hereby jointly and severally agree that if the Borrower or other Guarantor(s) shall fail to pay in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the Guarantors will promptly pay the same in cash, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

 

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Section 11.02. Obligations Unconditional. The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 11.01 shall constitute a guarantee of payment and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, are absolute, irrevocable and unconditional, joint and several, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the Guaranteed Obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement, the Secured Hedge Agreements, the Treasury Services Agreements, the Notes, if any, or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein, or any substitution, release or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or Guarantor (except for payment in full). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of the Guarantors hereunder which shall remain absolute, irrevocable and unconditional under any and all circumstances as described above:

(i) at any time or from time to time, without notice to the Guarantors, to the extent permitted by Law, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;

(ii) any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of this Agreement or the Notes, if any, or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein shall be done or omitted;

(iii) the maturity of any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be amended in any respect, or any right under the Loan Documents or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein shall be amended or waived in any respect or any other guarantee of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or except as permitted pursuant to Section 11.10 any security therefor shall be released or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;

(iv) any Lien or security interest granted to, or in favor of, an L/C Issuer or any Lender or Agent as security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall fail to be perfected; or

(v) the release of any other Guarantor pursuant to Section 11.10.

The Guarantors hereby expressly waive diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and, to the extent permitted by Law, all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that any Secured Party exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against the Borrower under this Agreement, the Secured Hedge Agreements, the Treasury Services Agreements or the Notes, if any, or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein, or against any other person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Guaranteed Obligations. The Guarantors waive, to the extent permitted by Law, any and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension, waiver, termination or accrual of any of the Guaranteed Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance by any Secured Party upon this Guaranty or acceptance of this Guaranty, and the

 

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Guaranteed Obligations, and any of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created, contracted or incurred in reliance upon this Guaranty, and all dealings between the Borrower and the Secured Parties shall likewise be conclusively presumed to have been had or consummated in reliance upon this Guaranty. This Guaranty shall be construed as a continuing, absolute, irrevocable and unconditional guarantee of payment without regard to any right of offset with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations at any time or from time to time held by Secured Parties, and the obligations and liabilities of the Guarantors hereunder shall not be conditioned or contingent upon the pursuit by the Secured Parties or any other person at any time of any right or remedy against the Borrower or against any other person which may be or become liable in respect of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations or against any collateral security or guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto. This Guaranty shall remain in full force and effect and be binding in accordance with and to the extent of its terms upon the Guarantors and the successors and assigns thereof, and shall inure to the benefit of the Lenders, and their respective successors and assigns, notwithstanding that from time to time during the term of this Agreement there may be no Guaranteed Obligations outstanding.

Section 11.03. Reinstatement. The obligations of the Guarantors under this Article 11 shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower or other Loan Party in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, whether as a result of any proceedings in insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise.

Section 11.04. Subrogation; Subordination. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that until the payment and satisfaction in full in cash of all Guaranteed Obligations (other than (x) obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Treasury Services Agreements not yet due and payable and (y) contingent indemnification obligations not yet accrued and payable) and the expiration or termination of the Commitments of the Lenders under this Agreement, it shall waive any claim and shall not exercise any right or remedy, direct or indirect, arising by reason of any performance by it of its guarantee in Section 11.01, whether by subrogation or otherwise, against the Borrower or any other Guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations. Any Indebtedness of any Loan Party permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(b)(ii) or Section 7.03(d) shall be subordinated to such Loan Party’s Obligations in the manner set forth in the Intercompany Note evidencing such Indebtedness.

Section 11.05. Remedies. The Guarantors jointly and severally agree that, as between the Guarantors and the Lenders, the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the Notes, if any, may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as provided in Section 8.02 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances provided in Section 8.02) for purposes of Section 11.01, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or such obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against the Borrower and that, in the event of such declaration (or such obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), such obligations (whether or not due and payable by the Borrower) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 11.01.

 

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Section 11.06. Instrument for the Payment of Money. Each Guarantor hereby acknowledges that the guarantee in this Article 11 constitutes an instrument for the payment of money, and consents and agrees that any Lender or Agent, at its sole option, in the event of a dispute by such Guarantor in the payment of any moneys due hereunder, shall have the right to bring a motion-action under New York CPLR Section 3213.

Section 11.07. Continuing Guaranty. The guarantee in this Article 11 is a continuing guarantee of payment, and shall apply to all Guaranteed Obligations whenever arising.

Section 11.08. General Limitation on Guarantee Obligations. In any action or proceeding involving any state corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company law, or any applicable state, federal or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other Law affecting the rights of creditors generally, if the obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor under Section 11.01 would otherwise be held or determined to be void, voidable, invalid or unenforceable, or subordinated to the claims of any other creditors, on account of the amount of its liability under Section 11.01, then, notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, the amount of such liability shall, without any further action by such Subsidiary Guarantor, any Loan Party or any other person, be automatically limited and reduced to the highest amount (after giving effect to the right of contribution established in Section 11.11) that is valid and enforceable and not subordinated to the claims of other creditors as determined in such action or proceeding.

Section 11.09. Information. Each Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrower’s financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guaranteed Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that each Guarantor assumes and incurs under this Guaranty, and agrees that none of any Agent, any L/C Issuer or any Lender shall have any duty to advise any Guarantor of information known to it regarding those circumstances or risks.

Section 11.10. Release of Guarantors. If, in compliance with the terms and provisions of the Loan Documents, (i) all or substantially all of the Equity Interests or property of any Subsidiary Guarantor are sold or otherwise transferred as permitted under this Agreement, to a person or persons, none of which is a Loan Party or (ii) any Subsidiary Guarantor becomes an Excluded Subsidiary, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall, upon the consummation of such sale or transfer or upon becoming an Excluded Subsidiary, be automatically released from its obligations under this Agreement (including under Section 10.05 hereof) and its obligations to pledge and grant any Collateral owned by it pursuant to any Collateral Document and the pledge of such Equity Interests to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Collateral Documents shall be automatically released, and, so long as the Borrower shall have provided the Agents such certifications or documents as any Agent shall reasonably request, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall, at such Subsidiary Guarantor’s expense, take such actions as are necessary to effect each release described in this Section 11.10 in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Collateral Documents; provided that (x) no such release shall occur if such Guarantor continues to be a guarantor in respect of any Junior Financing with a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, (y) a Subsidiary Guarantor that becomes an Excluded Subsidiary as a result of clause (a) of the definition thereof shall only be released from its

 

247


obligations under the Guaranty if either (1) such release is otherwise approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders or (2) such Subsidiary Guarantor became a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to a transaction where such Subsidiary Guarantor becomes a bona fide joint venture where the other Person obtaining an equity interest in such Subsidiary Guarantor is not an Affiliate of Holdings or the Borrower (other than as a result of such joint venture).

When all Commitments hereunder have terminated, and all Loans or other Obligations (other than obligations under Treasury Services Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements) hereunder which are accrued and payable have been paid or satisfied, and no Letter of Credit remains outstanding (except any Letter of Credit the Outstanding Amount of which the Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or for which a backstop letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer has been put in place), this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the guarantees made herein shall terminate with respect to all Obligations, except with respect to Obligations that expressly survive such repayment pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. The Collateral Agent shall, at each Guarantor’s expense, take such actions as are necessary to release any Collateral owned by such Guarantor in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Collateral Documents.

Section 11.11. Right of Contribution. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that to the extent that a Subsidiary Guarantor shall have paid more than its proportionate share of any payment made hereunder, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive contribution from and against any other Guarantor hereunder which has not paid its proportionate share of such payment. Each Subsidiary Guarantor’s right of contribution shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section 11.04. The provisions of this Section 11.11 shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Subsidiary Guarantor to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and the Lenders, and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall remain liable to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and the Lenders for the full amount guaranteed by such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.

Section 11.12. Cross-Guaranty. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Guarantor as may be needed by such Specified Guarantor from time to time to honor all of its obligations under its Guaranty and the other Loan Documents in respect of any Swap Obligation (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 11.12 for up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under this Section 11.12 voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 11.12 shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full and all Commitments have been terminated. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 11.12 constitute, and this Section 11.12 shall be deemed to constitute, an agreement for the benefit of each Specified Guarantor for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

248


[Signature Pages Follow]

 

249


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.

 

TU BIDCO, INC., as Borrower

By:

  /s/ Kerina Natasha Gopaul
  Name: Kerina Natasha Gopaul
  Title: President

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


TU MIDCO, INC., as Guarantor

By:

  /s/ Kerina Natasha Gopaul
  Name: Kerina Natasha Gopaul
  Title: President

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


TASKUS, INC.

TASKUS USA, LLC., as Guarantors

By:

  /s/ Bryce Maddock
  Name: Bryce Maddock
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender, L/C Issuer, a Term Lender and a Revolving Credit Lender

By:

  /s/ Daniel J. Maniaci
  Name: Daniel J. Maniaci
  Title: VP

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Term Lender and a Revolving Credit Lender
By:   /s/ Sharad C Bhatt
  Name: Sharad C Bhatt
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

If a second signature is necessary:
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


The Toronto-Dominion Bank, New York Branch, as a Term Lender and a Revolving Credit Lender
By:   /s/ Peter Kuo
  Name: Peter Kuo
  Title: Authorized Signatory

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


Fifth Third Bank, as a Term Lender and a Revolving Credit Lender
By:   /s/ Justin Smiley
  Name: Justin Smiley
  Title: Managing Director

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


WESTERN ALLIANCE BANK, as a Term Lender and a Revolving Credit Lender
By:   /s/ Elizabeth Quigley
  Name: Elizabeth Quigley
  Title: Portfolio Manager

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF]

COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE

 

To:

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

 

10 South Dearborn, Floor L2

 

Chicago, IL 60603-2300

 

 

Attention: Yuvette Owens, Client Processing Specialist

 

Telephone: 312-385-7021

 

Facsimile: 844-490-5665

 

Electronic Mail: jpm.agency.servicing.1@jpmorgan.com

   

Yuvette.owens@jpmorgan.com

[Date]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such teams in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned Borrower hereby requests (select one):

 

   A Borrowing of new Loans     
   A conversion of Loans made on     
   A continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans made on     

to be made on the terms set forth below:

 

(A)    Class of Borrowing1     

 

1 

E.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Extended Term Loans”, “Revolving Credit Loans”, “Incremental Revolving Credit Loans”, “Revolving Credit Loans under Extended Revolving Credit Commitments”, “Other Revolving Credit Commitments”.

 

A-1


(B)    Date of Borrowing, conversion or continuation (which is a Business Day)     
(C)    Principal amount2     
(D)    Type of Loan     
(E)    Currency of Loan4     
(F)    Interest Period and the last day thereof5     
(G)    Location and number of Borrower’s account to which proceeds of Borrowings are to be disbursed:     

The above request complies with the notice requirements set forth in the Credit Agreement.

[The undersigned Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that, on the date of this Committed Loan Notice and on the date of the related Borrowing, the conditions to lending specified in Sections 4.02(i) and (ii) of the Credit Agreement have been satisfied.]6

[The undersigned Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that, on the date of this Committed Loan Notice and on the date of the related

 

2 

Each Borrowing (other than Borrowings of Incremental Loans) of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a minimum principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Incremental Term Commitment shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $5,000,000 and shall be in an increment of $1,000,000 (provided that such amount may be less than $5,000,000 if such amount represents all remaining availability under the limit set forth in the Credit Agreement) and each Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $3,000,000 and shall be in an increment of $1,000,000 (provided that such amount may be less than $3,000,000 if such amount represents all remaining availability under the limit set forth in the Credit Agreement).

3 

Specify Eurocurrency Rate or Base Rate.

4 

To be an Approved Currency.

5 

Applicable for Eurocurrency Borrowings only.

6 

Insert bracketed language if the Borrower is making a Request for Credit Extension (unless requesting only (i) a conversion of Loans to the other Type or (ii) a continuation of Eurocurrency Loans) after the Closing Date.

 

A-2


Borrowing, the conditions to lending specified in Section 2.14(d) of the Credit Agreement have been satisfied.]7

 

7 

Insert bracketed language if the Borrower is making a Request for Credit Extension of Incremental Loans.

 

A-3


TU BIDCO, INC.
By:    
  Name:
                                                                                      Title:

 

A-4


EXHIBIT B

[FORM OF]

LETTER OF CREDIT ISSUANCE REQUEST

Dated             1

[JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

as L/C Issuer

10 South Dearborn, Floor L2

Chicago, IL 60603-2300

Attention: Yuvette Owens, Client Processing Specialist

Telephone: 312-385-7021

Facsimile: 844-490-5665

Electronic Mail: jpm.agency.servicing.1@jpmorgan.com

   

Yuvette.owens@jpmorgan.com]2

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

as Administrative Agent for the lenders party

to the Credit Agreement referred to below

10 South Dearborn, Floor L2

Chicago, IL 60603-2300

Attention: Yuvette Owens, Client Processing Specialist

Telephone: 312-385-7021

Facsimile: 844-490-5665

Electronic Mail: jpm.agency.servicing.1@jpmorgan.com

   

Yuvette.owens@jpmorgan.com

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

[We hereby request that the L/C Issuer, in its individual capacity, issue a [standby] [commercial] Letter of Credit for the account of the undersigned on             3 (the “Date of Issuance”), which Letter of Credit shall be denominated in             4 and shall be in the aggregate amount of             5.

 

 

1 

Date of Letter of Credit Issuance Request. On or after the Initial Borrowing Date and prior to the 30th day prior to the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

2 

To be substituted for L/C Issuer, if other than JPMorgan.

3 

Date of Issuance, which shall be at least two (2) Business Days from the date hereof (or such shorter period as is reasonably acceptable to the L/C Issuer).

4 

Currency of the Letter of Credit to be an Approved Currency of the applicable L/C Issuer.

5 

Aggregate initial amount of the Letter of Credit.

 

B-1


The beneficiary of the requested Letter of Credit will be             6, and such Letter of Credit will be in support of             7 and will have a stated expiration date             8. Attached hereto as Exhibit 1 is the form of the certificate to be provided by the L/C Issuer to the beneficiary. In the case of a drawing under the Letter of Credit, the beneficiary shall provide the following documents to the L/C issuer:                     .]9

[We hereby request an amendment to the Letter of Credit number             10 issued by             11 on             12 for the benefit of             13 in order to                     14. The proposed date of such amendment is                     15.]16

For the purposes of this Letter of Credit Issuance Request, unless otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms used herein and defined in the Credit Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”) shall have the respective meaning provided such terms in the Credit Agreement.

The above request complies with the notice requirements of the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that, on the date of this Letter of Credit Issuance Request and on the date of the related Letter of Credit issuance, the conditions specified in Section 4.02(i) and (ii) of the Credit

 

6 

Insert name and address of beneficiary.

7 

Insert brief description of supportable obligations.

8 

Insert the proposed expiration date, which may not be later than the dates referred to in Section 2.03(a)(ii) of the Credit Agreement.

9 

Include these paragraphs for a request for a new Letter of Credit.

10 

Insert letter of credit reference number.

11 

Insert L/C Issuer.

12 

Insert date of original issuance.

13 

Insert Beneficiary.

14 

Insert description of proposed amendment.

15 

Insert proposed effective date of amendment.

16 

Include this paragraph for a request for an amendment of an existing Letter of Credit.

 

B-2


Agreement have been satisfied, both before and after giving effect to the issuance of the Letter of Credit requested hereby.

 

B-3


TU BIDCO, INC.
By:    
  Name:    
  Title:    

 

B-4


EXHIBIT C

[FORM OF]

SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE

To: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

as Administrative Agent and Swing Line Lender

10 South Dearborn, Floor L2

Chicago, IL 60603-2300

Attention: Yuvette Owens, Client Processing Specialist

Telephone: 312-385-7021

Facsimile: 844-490-5665

Electronic Mail: jpm.agency.servicing.1@jpmorgan.com

   

Yuvette.owens@jpmorgan.com

[Date]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement. The undersigned Borrower hereby gives you notice pursuant to Section 2.04(b) of the Credit Agreement that it requests a Swing Line Borrowing under the Credit Agreement, and in that connection sets forth below the terms on which such Swing Line Borrowing is requested to be made:

 

(A)    Principal Amount to be Borrowed1     
(B)    Date of Borrowing (which is a Business Day)     

The above request complies with the notice requirements of the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that, on the date of this Swing Line Loan Notice and on the date of the related Swing Line Borrowing, the conditions to lending specified in Section 4.02(i) and (ii) of the Credit Agreement have been satisfied.

 

1 

Shall be a minimum of $250,000 (and any amount in excess of $250,000 shall be in integral multiples of $50,000).

 

C-1


TU BIDCO, INC.
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

C-2


EXHIBIT D-1

LENDER: [•]

PRINCIPAL AMOUNT: $[•]

[FORM OF]

TERM NOTE

New York, New York

[Date]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, TU BIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to the Lender set forth above (the “Lender”) or its registered assigns, in lawful money of the United States of America in immediately available funds at the relevant Administrative Agent’s Office (such term, and each other capitalized term used but not defined herein, having the meaning assigned to it in the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the Borrower, the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”)) (i) on the dates set forth in the Credit Agreement, the principal amounts set forth in the Credit Agreement with respect to Term Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and (ii) on each Interest Payment Date, interest at the rate or rates per annum as provided in the Credit Agreement on the unpaid aggregate principal amount of all Term Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower promises to pay interest, on demand, on any overdue principal and, to the extent permitted by law, overdue interest from their due dates at the rate or rates provided in (and to the extent required by) the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest and notice of any kind whatsoever. The nonexercise by the holder hereof of any of its rights hereunder in any particular instance shall not constitute a waiver thereof in that or any subsequent instance.

All borrowings evidenced by this note and all payments and prepayments of the principal hereof and interest hereon and the respective dates thereof shall be endorsed by the holder hereof on the schedule attached hereto and made a part hereof or on a continuation thereof which shall be attached hereto and made a part hereof, or otherwise recorded by such holder in its internal records; provided, however, that the failure of the holder hereof to make such a notation or any error in such notation shall not affect the obligations of the Borrower under this note.

This note is one of the Term Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement that, among other things, contains provisions for the acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain events, for optional and mandatory prepayment of the principal hereof prior to the maturity hereof and for the amendment or waiver of certain provisions of the Credit Agreement, all upon the terms and conditions therein specified.

 

D-1-1


THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

D-1-2


TU BIDCO, INC.
By:                   
  Name:
  Title:

 

D-1-3


LOANS AND PAYMENTS

 

Date

  

Amount of Loan

  

Maturity Date

  

Payments of

Principal/Interest

  

Principal

Balance of Note

  

Name of Person
Making the

Notation

 

D-1-4


EXHIBIT D-2

LENDER: [•]

PRINCIPAL AMOUNT: $[•]

[FORM OF]

REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE

New York, New York

[Date]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, TU BIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), hereby severally promises to pay to the Lender set forth above (the “Lender”) or its registered assigns, in immediately available funds at the relevant Administrative Agent’s Office (such term, and each other capitalized term used but not defined herein, having the meaning assigned to it in the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the Borrower, the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”)) (A) on the dates set forth in the Credit Agreement, the lesser of (i) the principal amount set forth above and (ii) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Revolving Credit Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and (B) interest from the date hereof on the principal amount from time to time outstanding on each such Revolving Credit Loan at the rate or rates per annum and payable on such dates, as provided in the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower promises to pay interest, on demand, on any overdue principal and, to the extent permitted by law, overdue interest from their due dates at a rate or rates provided in (and to the extent required by) the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest and notice of any kind whatsoever. The nonexercise by the holder hereof of any of its rights hereunder in any particular instance shall not constitute a waiver thereof in that or any subsequent instance.

All borrowings evidenced by this note and all payments and prepayments of the principal hereof and interest hereon and the respective dates thereof shall be endorsed by the holder hereof on the schedule attached hereto and made a part hereof or on a continuation thereof which shall be attached hereto and made a part hereof, or otherwise recorded by such holder in its internal records; provided, however, that the failure of the holder hereof to make such a notation or any error in such notation shall not affect the obligations of the Borrower under this note.

This note is one of the Revolving Credit Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement that, among other things, contains provisions for the acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain events, for optional and mandatory prepayment of the principal hereof prior to the maturity hereof and for the amendment or waiver of certain provisions of the Credit Agreement, all upon the terms and conditions therein specified.

 

D-2-1


THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

D-2-2


TU BIDCO, INC.
By:                   
  Name:
  Title:

 

D-2-3


LOANS AND PAYMENTS

 

Date

  

Amount of Loan

  

Maturity Date

  

Payments of

Principal/Interest

  

Principal

Balance of Note

  

Name of Person
Making the

Notation

 

D-2-4


EXHIBIT D-3

LENDER: [•]

PRINCIPAL AMOUNT: $[•]

[FORM OF]

SWING LINE NOTE

New York, New York

[Date]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, TU BIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), hereby severally promises to pay to the Lender set forth above (the “Lender”) or its registered assigns, in immediately available funds at the relevant Administrative Agent’s Office (such term, and each other capitalized term used but not defined herein, having the meaning assigned to it in the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the Borrower, the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”)) (A) on the dates set forth in the Credit Agreement, the lesser of (i) the principal amount set forth above and (ii) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Swing Line Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and (B) interest from the date hereof on the aggregate principal amount from time to time outstanding on each such Swing Line Loan at the rate or rates per annum and payable on such dates as provided in the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower promises to pay interest, on demand, on any overdue principal and, to the extent permitted by law, overdue interest from their due dates at a rate or rates provided in (and to the extent required by) the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest and notice of any kind whatsoever. The nonexercise by the holder hereof of any of its rights hereunder in any particular instance shall not constitute a waiver thereof in that or any subsequent instance.

All borrowings evidenced by this note and all payments and prepayments of the principal hereof and interest hereon and the respective dates thereof shall be endorsed by the holder hereof on the schedule attached hereto and made a part hereof or on a continuation thereof which shall be attached hereto and made a part hereof, or otherwise recorded by such holder in its internal records; provided, however, that the failure of the holder hereof to make such a notation or any error in such notation shall not affect the obligations of the Borrower under this note.

This note is one of the Swing Line Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement that, among other things, contains provisions for the acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain events, for optional and mandatory prepayment of the principal hereof prior to the maturity hereof and for the amendment or waiver of certain provisions of the Credit Agreement, all upon the terms and conditions therein specified.

 

D-3-1


THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

D-3-2


TU BIDCO, INC.
By:                   
  Name:
  Title:

 

D-3-3


LOANS AND PAYMENTS

 

Date

  

Amount of Loan

  

Maturity Date

  

Payments of

Principal/Interest

  

Principal

Balance of

Note

  

Name of

Person

Making the

Notation

 

D-3-4


EXHIBIT E-1

[FORM OF]

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement. Pursuant to Section 6.02(a) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned, in his/her capacity as a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, certifies as follows:

 

  (a)

[Attached hereto as Exhibit A is the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of December 31, 20[ ], and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended, 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 any independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and not contain any qualifications or exceptions as to the scope of such audit or any “going concern” explanatory paragraph or like qualification (other than an “emphasis of matter” paragraph that does not contain a “going concern” qualification) (other than resulting from (x) activities, operations, financial results, assets or liabilities of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, (y) the impending maturity of any Indebtedness and (z) any actual or prospective default under any financial covenant). [Also attached hereto as Exhibit A are the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) (which may be in footnote form only) from such consolidated financial statements.]]1

 

  (b)

[Attached hereto as Exhibit A is the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of [            ], 20[ ] and in comparative format, the prior fiscal year-end and the related consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, and statements of stockholders’ equity for the current fiscal quarter and consolidated statement of cash flows for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail. These financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes. [Also attached hereto as Exhibit A are the related consolidating financial

 

 

1 

To be included if accompanying annual financial statements only.

 

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statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) (which may be in footnote form only) from such consolidated financial statements.]]2

 

  (c)

[Attached as Exhibit B hereto is a detailed consolidated budget for the fiscal year 20[ ] on a quarterly basis (including a projected consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year, the related consolidated statements of projected cash flow and projected income and a summary of the material underlying assumptions applicable thereto) (collectively, the “Projections”), which Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections, it being understood that actual results may vary from such Projections and that such variations may be material.]3

 

  (d)

To my knowledge, except as otherwise disclosed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement, no Default has occurred. [If unable to provide the foregoing certification, fully describe the reasons therefor and circumstances thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto on Annex A attached hereto.]

 

  (e)

The following represent true and accurate calculations, as of [            ], 20[ ]:

 

  Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio:      
  Consolidated Total Net Debt=    [            ]   
  Consolidated EBITDA=    [            ]   
  Actual Ratio=    [            ] to 1.00   

Supporting detail showing the calculation of Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio is attached hereto as Schedule I.4

 

  (f)

[Attached hereto as Schedule II are detailed calculations setting forth Excess Cash Flow.]5

 

  (g)

Attached hereto as Schedule III are detailed calculations setting forth [the calculations of the Cumulative Credit] / [changes to the Cumulative Credit since the date of the last Compliance Certificate].6

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 

To be included if accompanying quarterly financial statements only.

3 

To be included only in annual compliance certificate prior to the consummation of a Qualified IPO.

4 

Which calculations shall be in reasonable detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall include, among other things, an explanation of the methodology used in such calculations and a breakdown of the components of such calculations.

5 

To be included only in annual compliance certificate.

6 

The initial Compliance Certificate shall set forth calculations in reasonable detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. Subsequent Compliance Certificates shall set forth changes to the Cumulative Credit since the date of the last Compliance Certificate in reasonable detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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  (h)

[Attached hereto is the information required by Section 6.02(d) of the Credit Agreement.]

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

Credit

since the date of the last Compliance Certificate in reasonable detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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TU BIDCO, INC.
By:                   
  Name:
  Title:

 

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SCHEDULE I

 

(A)  Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio: Consolidated Total Net Debt to Consolidated EBITDA

(1)   (a) Consolidated Total Net Debt as of [            ],20[•]:

  

(i) At any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, in an amount that would be reflected on a balance sheet prepared as of such date on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase accounting in connection with the Transactions other Investments and excluding any Indebtedness incurred by any other Person) consisting of the sum of the following:

  

(A)  Indebtedness for borrowed money

  

(B)  Purchase money indebtedness

    

(C)  Attributable Indebtedness

    

(D)  debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes, bonds, debentures, loan agreements or similar instruments

    

minus

    

(ii)  the aggregate amount of all unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents on the balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date; provided that Consolidated Total Net Debt shall not include (i) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit (including Letters of Credit), except to the extent of unreimbursed amounts thereunder; provided that any unreimbursed amount under commercial letters of credit shall not be counted as Consolidated Total Net Debt until three Business Days after such amount is drawn, (ii) Non-Financing Lease Obligations and (iii) Indebtedness of Unrestricted Subsidiaries; it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that obligations under Swap Contracts do not constitute Consolidated Total Net Debt.

  

Consolidated Total Net Debt

    
Consolidated EBITDA:     

 

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(2)   (a) Consolidated Net Income:

(i) the net income (loss) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis, and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding, without duplication:

  

(A)  after-Tax effect of extraordinary, exceptional, unusual or nonrecurring gains or losses less all fees and expenses relating thereto (including any extraordinary, exceptional, unusual or nonrecurring operating expenses directly attributable to the implementation of cost savings initiatives and any accruals or reserves in respect of any extraordinary, exceptional unusual or nonrecurring items, charges or expenses (including relating to any multi-year strategic initiatives)),

    

(B)  Transaction Expenses, restructuring and duplicative running costs, restructuring charges or reserves, relocation costs, start-up or initial costs for any project or new production line, division or new line of business, integration and facilities opening costs, facility consolidation and closing costs, severance costs and expenses, one-time charges (including compensation charges), payments made pursuant to the terms of change-in-control agreements that the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or a parent entity of the Borrower had entered into with employees of the Borrower, a Restricted Subsidiary or a parent entity of the Borrower, costs relating to pre-opening, opening and conversion costs for facilities, losses, costs or cost inefficiencies related to facility or property disruptions or shutdowns, signing, retention and completion bonuses, recruiting costs, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, litigation and arbitration fees (whether or not recurring), costs and charges, expenses in connection with one-time rate changes, costs incurred in connection with acquisitions, investments and dispositions (including travel and out-of-pocket costs, professional fees for legal, accounting and other services, human resources costs (including relocation bonuses), litigation and arbitration costs (whether or not recurring), charges, fees and expenses (including related judgments and settlements), management transition costs, advertising costs, losses associated with temporary decreases in work volume and expenses related to maintaining underutilized personnel) and non-recurring product and intellectual property development, other business optimization expenses or reserves (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs and new systems design and costs or reserves associated with improvements to IT and accounting functions, retention charges (including charges or expenses in,

    

 

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respectof incentive plans), system establishment costs and implementation costs) and operating
expenses attributable to the implementation of cost-savings initiatives, and curtailments or
modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefit plans
    

(C)  at the election of the Borrower with respect to any quarterly period, the cumulative after-Tax effect of a change in accounting principles and changes as a result of the adoption or modification of accounting policies,

    

(D)  any net after-Tax effect of gains or losses on disposal, abandonment or discontinuance of disposed, abandoned or discontinued operations, as applicable,

    

(E)  any net after-Tax effect of gains or losses (less all fees, expenses and charges relating thereto) attributable to asset dispositions or abandonments or the sale or other disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business,

    

(F)  the net income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary of the Borrower, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower shall be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash or Cash Equivalents (or to the extent converted, or having the ability to be converted, into cash or Cash Equivalents) to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period,

    

(G)  [the net income for such period of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Guarantor) shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of its net income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (which has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by the operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders (other than restrictions in the Credit Agreement), unless such restriction with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions has been legally waived or released (or such Person reasonably believes such restriction could be waived or released and is using commercially reasonable efforts to pursue such waiver or release); provided that the Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries will be increased by the amount of dividends or other distributions or other payments actually paid in cash or Cash Equivalents (or to the

    

 

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extentconverted, or having the ability to be converted, into cash or Cash Equivalents) to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period, to the extent not already included therein,]1

 

(H)  effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries) in the Borrower’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory (including any impact of changes to inventory valuation policy methods, including changes in capitalization of variances), property and equipment, software, loans and leases, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to the Transactions or any consummated acquisition or joint venture investment or the amortization or write-off or write-down of any amounts thereof, net of taxes,

   

(I)   any after-Tax effect of income (loss) from the extinguishment or conversion of (i) Indebtedness, (ii) Swap Obligations or (iii) other derivative instruments,

   

(J)   any impairment charge or asset write-off or write-down, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities and investments recorded using the equity method or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case, pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP,

   

(K)  any equity-based or non-cash compensation or similar charge or expense or reduction of revenue including any such charge, expense or amount arising from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock, profits interests or other rights or equity or equity-based incentive programs (“equity incentives”), any one-time cash charges associated with the equity incentives or other long-term incentive compensation plans (including under deferred compensation arrangements of the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect parent entities or subsidiaries), roll-over, acceleration, or payout of Equity Interests by management, future, present or former employees, directors, officers, managers, members, partners, independent contractors or consultants or business partners (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family

   

 

 

1 

Solely for the purposes of determining the amount of Excess Cash Flow

 

E-1-8


Members)of the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect parent entities or subsidiaries, and any cash awards granted to future, present or former employees, directors, officers, managers, members, partners, independent contractors or consultants or business partners (or their respective Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in replacement for forfeited equity awards,

 

(L)  any fees, expenses or charges incurred during such period, or any amortization thereof for such period, in connection with any acquisition, recapitalization, investment, asset sale, disposition, incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness (including such fees, expenses or charges related to the offering and issuance of any securities and the syndication and incurrence of any Facility), issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower or its direct or indirect parent entities, refinancing transaction or amendment or modification of any debt instrument (including any amendment or other modification of any securities and any Facility) and including, in each case, any such transaction consummated on or prior to the Closing Date and any such transaction undertaken but not completed, and any charges or non-recurring merger costs incurred during such period as a result of any such transaction, in each case whether or not successful or consummated (including, for the avoidance of doubt the effects of expensing all transaction related expenses in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 805, Business Combinations),

   

(M)  accruals and reserves that are established or adjusted in connection with the Transactions or within twenty-four months after the closing of any acquisition that are so required to be established or adjusted as a result of such acquisition in accordance with GAAP or changes as a result of modifications of accounting policies,

   

(N)  any expenses, charges or losses to the extent covered by insurance or indemnity and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer or indemnifying party and only to the extent that such amount is in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of the insurable or indemnifiable event (net of any amount so added back in any prior period to the extent not so reimbursed within the applicable 365-day period),

   

 

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(O)  any non-cash compensation expense resulting from the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation,

   

(P)  any net pension or post-employment benefit costs representing amortization of unrecognized prior service costs, actuarial losses, including amortization of such amounts arising in prior periods, amortization of the unrecognized net obligation (and loss or cost) existing at the date of initial application of Statement on Financial Accounting Standards No. 87, 106 and 112; and any other items of a similar nature,

   

(Q)  any unrealized net gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such period from Swap Obligations and the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging,

   

(R)  any unrealized net gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses including those related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including any net gain or loss resulting from Swap Obligations for currency exchange risk) and any other foreign currency translation gains and losses to the extent such gains or losses are non-cash items,

   

(S)  any adjustments resulting from the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 460, Guarantees, or any comparable regulation,

   

(T)  at the election of the Borrower with respect to any quarterly period, effects of adjustments to accruals and reserves during a prior period relating to any change in the methodology of calculating reserves for returns, rebates and other chargebacks,

   

(U)  earn-out, non-compete and contingent consideration obligations (including to the extent accounted for as bonuses or otherwise) and adjustments thereof and purchase price adjustments,

   

(V)  the amount of distributions actually made to any direct or indirect parent company of such Person in respect of such period in accordance with Section 7.06(i)(iii) of the Credit Agreement shall be included in calculating Consolidated Net Income as though such amounts had been paid as taxes directly by such Person for such period

   

 

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In addition, to the extent not already included in the Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, Consolidated Net Income shall include the amount of proceeds received or due from business interruption insurance and reimbursements of any expenses and charges that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any acquisition, investment or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted under the Credit Agreement.

   

(b)   plus, without duplication, in each case (and to the extent applicable) to the extent deducted (and not added back) in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period:

 

(i) provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital, including, without limitation, federal, state and foreign franchise and similar taxes (such as the Delaware franchise tax, the Pennsylvania capital tax, Texas margin tax and provincial capital taxes paid in Canada) and withholding taxes (including any future taxes or other levies which replace or are intended to be in lieu of such taxes and any penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations), (x) the amount of distributions actually made to any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower in respect of such period in accordance with Section 7.06(i)(iii) of the Credit Agreement, (y) the amount of distributions actually made to any recipient of payments under the Acquisition Agreement in respect of such period in accordance with Section 7.06(r) of the Credit Agreement and (z) the net tax expense associated with any adjustments made pursuant to items (A) through (V) of the calculation of “Consolidated Net Income” above,

 

(ii)  Fixed Charges for such period (including (w) non-cash rent expense, (x) net losses or any obligations on Swap Obligations or other derivative instruments, (y) bank fees and other financing fees and (z) costs of surety bonds in connection with financing activities, plus (o) annual agency or similar fees paid to the administrative agents, collateral agents and other agents under the Credit Agreement or other credit facilities, (p) any additional interest with respect to failure to comply with any registration rights agreement owing with respect to any securities, (q) costs associated with obtaining Swap Obligations, (r) any expense resulting from the discounting of any Indebtedness in connection with the application of recapitalization accounting or, if applicable, purchase accounting in connection with the Transactions or any acquisition, (s) penalties and interest relating to taxes, (t) any “additional interest” or “liquidated damages” with respect to other securities for failure to timely comply with registration rights obligations, (u) amortization or expensing of deferred financing fees, amendment and consent fees, debt issuance costs, commissions, fees, expenses and discounted liabilities and any other amounts of non-cash interest, (v) any expensing of bridge, commitment and other financing fees and any other fees related to the Transactions or any acquisitions after the

   

 

E-1-11


Closing Date, (w) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any Qualified Securitization Facility, (x) any accretion of accrued interest on discounted liabilities and any prepayment, make-whole or breakage premium, cost or penalty, (y) interest expense attributable to a parent entity resulting from push-down accounting, and (z) any lease, rental or other expense in connection with a Non-Financing Lease Obligation,

 

(iii)  the total amount of depreciation and amortization expenses and capitalized fees, including, without limitation, the amortization of capitalized fees related to any Qualified Securitization Facility and the amortization of intangible assets, deferred financing costs, debt issuance costs, commissions, fees and expenses, and any Capitalized Software Expenditures of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP,

   

(iv) the amount of any equity-based or non-cash compensation charges or expenses, including any such charges or expenses arising from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights,

   

(v)   any other non-cash charges, expenses or losses including non-cash losses on the sale of assets and any write-offs or write-downs reducing Consolidated Net Income for such period and any non-cash expense relating to the vesting of warrants (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (A) the Borrower may elect not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (B) to the extent the Borrower elects to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent), and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period,

   

(vi) the amount of any non-controlling interest or minority interest expense consisting of Subsidiary income attributable to non-controlling or minority equity interests of third parties in any non-wholly owned Subsidiary,

   

(vii) the amount of (x) board fees, management, monitoring, consulting, transaction, advisory and other fees (including termination fees) and indemnities, costs and expenses paid or accrued in such period to the Investors or otherwise to any member of the board of directors of Holdings, the Borrower, any Permitted Holder or any Affiliate of a Permitted Holder, in each case, to the extent permitted under Section 7.08 of the Credit Agreement, (y) payments made to option holders of the Borrower or any of its direct or indirect parent companies in connection with, or as a result of, any distribution being made to shareholders of such person or its direct or indirect parent companies, which payments are being made to compensate such option holders as though they were shareholders at the time of, and entitled to share in, such distribution, including any

   

 

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cash consideration for any repurchase of equity, in each case to the extent permitted in the Loan Documents and (z) any fees and other compensation paid to the members of the board of directors (or the equivalent thereof) of the Borrower or any of its parent entities,

 

(viii)the amount of (x) pro forma “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies related to the 2018 Acquisition that are reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions that have been taken or with respect to which substantial steps have been taken or are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Borrower) within 24 months after the Closing Date (including from any actions taken in whole or in part prior to the Closing Date), net of the amount of actual benefits realized during such period from such actions, (y) pro forma “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies related to mergers and other business combinations, acquisitions, investments, dispositions, divestitures, restructurings, operating improvements, cost savings initiatives and other similar transactions or initiatives (including the modification and renegotiation of contracts and other arrangements) that are reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions that have been taken or with respect to which substantial steps have been taken (in each case, including any steps or actions taken in whole or in part prior to the Closing Date or the applicable consummation date of such transaction, initiative or event) or are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Borrower) within 24 months after any such transaction, initiative or event is consummated, net the amount of actual benefits realized during such period from such actions and (z) savings from business continuity plans and procurement strategies reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions that have been taken or with respect to which substantial steps have been taken or are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Borrower) within 24 months after such business continuity plans or procurement strategies is consummated, in each case net the amount of actual benefits realized during such period from such action, in each case, calculated on a pro forma basis as though such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies had been realized on the first day of such period for which Consolidated EBITDA is being determined and as if such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies were realized on the first day of the applicable period for the entirety of such period; provided that no cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies shall be added pursuant to this clause (viii) to the extent duplicative of any expenses or charges otherwise added to Consolidated EBITDA, whether through a pro forma adjustment or otherwise for such period; provided further that the amount added back under clauses (y) and (z) when taken together with the amount added back under clause (xiii) below, shall not exceed 25% of Consolidated EBITDA (calculated after giving effect to such addbacks) for such period,

   

 

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(ix) the amount of loss or discount on sale of receivables, Securitization Assets and related assets to any Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Securitization Facility,

   

(x)   any costs or expense incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or a parent entity of the Borrower pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement, any severance agreement or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent that such cost or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) solely to the extent that such cash proceeds or net cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the Cumulative Credit,

   

(xi) cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to item (c) below for any previous period and not added back,

   

(xii) any net losses, charges, expenses, costs or other payments (including all fees, expenses or charges related thereto) (i) from closed, disposed, abandoned or discontinued operations, (ii) in respect of facilities no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, abandoned, closed, disposed or discontinued operations and any losses on disposal of abandoned, closed or discontinued operations and (iii) attributable to business dispositions or asset dispositions (other than in the ordinary course of business) as determined in good faith by the Borrower,

   

(xiii)costs, expenses and other related costs, expenses and adjustments resulting from the impact of new product introductions (including, but not limited to, labor costs, scrap costs, and lower absorption of costs (including due to decreased productivity and greater inefficiencies)) in respect of any plant, facility or location and expected to have a continuing impact on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the amount added back under this clause (xiii), when taken together with the amount added back under clauses (viii)(y) and (viii)(z) above, shall not exceed 25% of Consolidated EBITDA (calculated after giving effect to such addbacks) for such period,

   

 

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(xiv)any other adjustments, exclusions and add-backs reflected in the Sponsor’s model delivered to the Lead Arrangers on or about August 8, 2019,

   

(xv)  compensation expense attributable to positive investment income with respect to funded deferred compensation account balances,

   

(xvi)the amount of any gains or losses arising from embedded derivatives in the customer contracts of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary and any gain or loss attributable to mark-to-market adjustments in the valuation of pension liabilities, including actuarial gain or loss on pension and post-retirement plans, curtailments and settlements,

   

(c)   minus, without duplication and to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of the following:

 

(i) non-cash gains (including non-cash gains on the sale of assets) increasing Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for such period, excluding any non-cash gains to the extent they represent the reversal of an accrual or reserve for a potential cash item that reduced Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period and any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period so long as such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period,

 

(ii)  any net income from disposed, abandoned, closed or discontinued operations or attributable to business dispositions or asset dispositions (other than in the ordinary course of business) as determined in good faith by the Borrower,

   

(iii)  the reduction in compensation expense attributable to investment loss with respect to funded deferred compensation account balances, and

   

(iv) increased or decreased (without duplication) by, as applicable, any non-cash adjustments resulting from the application of FASB Interpretation No. 45 Guarantees.

   

There shall be included in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period, without duplication, (i) the Acquired EBITDA of any Person, property, business or asset acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (but not the Acquired EBITDA of any related Person, property, business or assets to the extent not so acquired), to the extent not subsequently sold, transferred or otherwise disposed by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each such Person, property, business or asset acquired and not subsequently so disposed of, an “Acquired Entity or Business”) and the Acquired EBITDA of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each a “Converted Restricted Subsidiary”), based on the actual Acquired EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition) and (ii) for the purposes of the definition of the term “Permitted Acquisition,” compliance with the covenant set forth in Section 7.11 of the Credit Agreement and the calculation of the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio, an adjustment in respect of each Acquired Entity or

   

 

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Business equal to the amount of the Pro Forma Adjustment with respect to such Acquired Entity or Business for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition) as specified in a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer and delivered to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.

 

There shall be excluded in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period the Disposed EBITDA of any Person, property, business or asset (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of or closed or classified as discontinued operations (but if such operations are classified as discontinued due to the fact that they are subject to an agreement to dispose of such operations, only when and to the extent such operations are actually disposed of) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each such Person, property, business or asset so sold or disposed of, a “Sold Entity or Business”) and the Disposed EBITDA of any Restricted Subsidiary that is converted into an Unrestricted Subsidiary during such period (each a “Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary”), based on the actual Disposed EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such sale, transfer or disposition).

 
Consolidated EBITDA2  
Consolidated Total Net Debt to Consolidated EBITDA    
Covenant Requirement, to the extent then required to be tested   [     ]:1.00
 

No more than

[     ]3:1.00

SCHEDULE II

 

Excess Cash Flow Calculation:

 

the sum, without duplication of:

 

(a)   Consolidated Net Income for such period,

   

(b)   an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash charges to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

   

 

2 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA under this Agreement for any period that includes any of the fiscal quarters ended on September 30, 2018, December 31, 2018, March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters shall be $19,400,000, $18,100,000, $17,200,000 and $16,700,000, respectively, in each case, as may be subject to any adjustment set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph for any four-quarter period with respect to any acquisitions, dispositions or conversions occurring after the Closing Date.

 

3 

4.00:1.00 for each Testing Period ending December 31, 2019 through September 30, 2021; No more than 3.75:1.00 for each Testing Period ending December 31, 2021 through September 30, 2022; No more than 3.50:1.00 for each Testing Period ending December 31, 2022 and thereafter. In the event the Borrower makes a Qualified Acquisition Election, 0.50:1.00 greater than the applicable Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio level in the foregoing sentence as of the last day of the fiscal quarter in which the Qualified Acquisition occurred and for the next succeeding three fiscal quarters.

 

E-1-16


(c)   decreases in Consolidated Working Capital and long-term accounts receivable of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period (other than any such decreases arising from acquisitions or dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting), and

   

(d)   an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on Dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than sales in the ordinary course of business) or any cash gain, in each case to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income

   

minus, without duplication

   

(e)   all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and cash charges described in items (A) through (V) of the calculation of “Consolidated Net Income” in Schedule I:

   

(f)   aggregate net non-cash gain on Dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

   

(g)   increases in Consolidated Working Capital and long-term accounts receivable of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period (other than any such increases arising from acquisitions or dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period or the application of purchase accounting),

   

(h)   the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries made during such period (including (A) the principal component of payments in respect of Financing Leases, (B) the amount of any scheduled repayment of Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.07 of the Credit Agreement, and (C) any mandatory prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(ii) of the Credit Agreement to the extent required due to a Disposition that resulted in an increase to Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase but excluding (X) all other voluntary and mandatory prepayments of Term Loans and all prepayments and repayments of Revolving Credit Loans and Swing Line Loans and (Y) all prepayments in respect of any other revolving credit facility, except in the case of clause (Y) to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder to the extent financed with internally generated cash),

   

(i) cash payments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries made during such period in respect of long-term liabilities of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness), to the extent financed with internally generated cash,

   

(j) the amount of Investments and acquisitions made by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period and paid in cash pursuant to Section 7.02 of the Credit Agreement (other than Section 7.02(a), (c) or (x)), to the extent financed with internally generated cash,

   

 

E-1-17


(k)   the amount of Restricted Payments paid in cash during such period pursuant to Section 7.06(i) of the Credit Agreement (clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) only) or Section 7.06(g) of the Credit Agreement, to the extent financed with internally generated cash or Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility,

   

(l) the aggregate amount of expenditures made by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in cash during such period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such period, to the extent financed with internally generated cash,

   

(m) the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments paid (or committed to be paid) in cash by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that are required to be made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness, to the extent financed with internally generated cash, and

   

(n)   the amount of cash taxes paid in such period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period.

   

Notwithstanding anything in the definition of any term used in the definition of Excess Cash Flow to the contrary, all components of Excess Cash Flow shall be computed for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

Excess Cash Flow

   

 

E-1-18


SCHEDULE III

 

(A)  Cumulative Credit

 

(1)   Cumulative Credit as of [ ], 20[•], without duplication:

 

(a)   the greater of (x) $25,000,000 and (y) 35% of LTM Consolidated EBITDA,

   

plus

 

(b)   the amount, not less than zero in the aggregate, determined on a cumulative basis, equal to the aggregate cumulative sum of 50% of the Excess Cash Flow calculated as of the last day of each fiscal year,4

   

plus

 

(c)   the Cumulative Retained Asset Sale Proceeds Amount at such time,

   

plus

 

(d)   the cumulative amount of cash and Cash Equivalent proceeds (other than Excluded Contributions) and/or the fair market value of assets received from:

 

(i) the sale or transfer of Equity Interests (other than any Disqualified Equity Interests and other than any Designated Equity Contribution) of Holdings, the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower after the Closing Date and on or prior to such time (including upon exercise of warrants or options) which proceeds or assets have been contributed as common equity to the capital of the Borrower, or

   

(ii)  the common Equity Interests of the Borrower (or Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings) (other than Disqualified Equity Interests of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) and other than any Designated Equity Contribution) issued upon conversion of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness that is contractually subordinated to the Obligations) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower owed to a Person other than a Loan Party or a Restricted Subsidiary of a Loan Party, in each case, not previously applied for a purpose other than use in the Cumulative Credit

   

plus

 

 

4 

With respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, such amount shall be for the period from the Closing Date to December 31, 2019.

 

E-1-19


(e)   100% of the aggregate amount of contributions to the common capital (other than from a Restricted Subsidiary and other than any Designated Equity Contribution) of the Borrower received after the Closing Date (other than Excluded Contributions), not previously applied for a purpose other than use in the Cumulative Credit,

   

plus

 

(f)   100% of the aggregate amount received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower from:

 

(i) the sale or transfer (other than to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary) of the Equity Interests of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, joint venture or any minority investments,

   

(ii)  any dividend or other distribution by an Unrestricted Subsidiary or received in respect of any minority investment (except to the extent increasing Consolidated Net Income and excluding Excluded Contributions), and

   

(iii)  any interest, returns of principal payments and similar payments by an Unrestricted Subsidiary or joint venture or received in respect of any minority investments (except to the extent increasing Consolidated Net Income)

   

plus

 

(g)   in the event any Unrestricted Subsidiary has been redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary or has been merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, the fair market value of the Investments of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation, combination or transfer (or of the assets transferred or conveyed, as applicable) so long as such Investments were originally made pursuant to Section 7.02(n)(y) of the Credit Agreement

   

plus

 

(h)   to the extent not already included in the Consolidated Net Income, an amount equal to any returns in cash and Cash Equivalents (including dividends, interest, distributions, returns of principal, profits on sale, repayments, income and similar amounts) actually received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any Investments made pursuant to Section 7.02(n)(y) of the Credit Agreement,

   

plus

 

(i) 100% of the aggregate amount of any Declined Proceeds,

   

 

E-1-20


minus

 

(j) any amount of the Cumulative Credit used to make Investments pursuant to Section 7.02(n)(y) of the Credit Agreement after the Closing Date and prior to the date hereof

   

minus

 

(k)   any amount of the Cumulative Credit used to pay dividends or make distributions pursuant to Section 7.06(h)(y) of the Credit Agreement after the Closing Date and prior to the date hereof

   

minus

 

(l) any amount of the Cumulative Credit used to make payments or distributions in respect of Junior Financing pursuant to Section 7.13(a)(v)(y) of the Credit Agreement after the Closing Date and prior to the date hereof

   

Cumulative Credit

   

 

E-1-21


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, in his/her capacity as a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, has executed this certificate for and on behalf of the Borrower, and has caused this certificate to be delivered this             day of             , 20[ ].

 

TU BIDCO, INC.
By:    

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

E-1-22


EXHIBIT E-2

FORM OF SOLVENCY CERTIFICATE

SOLVENCY CERTIFICATE

of

TU BIDCO, INC.

AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

Pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(vii) of the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among, inter alia, TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Swing Line Lender, and each Lender and L/C Issuer from time to time party thereto, the undersigned hereby certifies, solely in such undersigned’s capacity as [chief financial officer] [specify other officer with equivalent duties] of the Borrower, and not individually, as follows:

As of the date hereof, after giving effect to the consummation of the Transactions, including the making of the Loans under the Credit Agreement on the date hereof, and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of such Loans:

 

  a.

The fair value of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, exceeds, on a consolidated basis, their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise;

 

  b.

The present fair saleable value of the property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability, on a consolidated basis, of their debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured;

 

  c.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are able to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such liabilities become absolute and matured; and

 

  d.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are not engaged in, and are not about to engage in, business for which they have unreasonably small capital.

For purposes of this Certificate, the amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that would reasonably be expected to become an actual and matured liability. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned is familiar with the business and financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. In reaching the conclusions set forth in this Certificate, the undersigned has made such other investigations and inquiries as the undersigned has deemed appropriate, having taken into account the nature of the particular business

 

E-2-1


anticipated to be conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries after consummation of the Transactions.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

E-2-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate in such undersigned’s capacity as [chief financial officer] [specify other officer with equivalent duties] of the Borrower, on behalf of the Borrower, and not individually, as of the date first stated above.

 

TU BIDCO, INC.
By:    

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

E-2-3


EXHIBIT F

[FORM OF]

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 the Assignor (as defined below) and the Assignee (as defined below). Capitalized terms used in this Assignment and Assumption and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings specified in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, modified, refinanced and/or restated from time to time, 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 in its capacity 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 participations in any Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans 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 (the “Assignor”):

 

  2.

Assignee (the “Assignee”):

Assignee is an Affiliate of [Name of Lender]

Assignee is an Approved Fund of: [Name of Lender]

 

  3.

Borrower: TU BidCo, Inc.

 

  4.

Administrative Agent: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

F-1


  5.

Credit Agreement: The Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto.

 

  6.

Assigned Interest:

 

Facility Assigned1    Aggregate Amount of
Commitment/Loans of all
Lenders2
   Amount of Commitment/
Loans Assigned3
   Percentage Assigned of
Aggregate Commitment
Loans of all Lenders4
       
     $    $    %
       
     $    $    %
       
     $    $    %

 

  [7.

Trade Date:             ]5

 

  8.

Effective Date:             , 20__6. [TO BE INSERTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

1 

Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment and Assumption (e.g. “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans” , “Extended Term Loans”, “Revolving Credit Commitments”, “Initial Term Commitments”, “Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments”, “Extended Revolving Credit Commitments”, “ Other Revolving Credit Commitments”, etc.). Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

2 

Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date

3 

Except in the cases of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any class, the amount shall not be less than $5,000,000 (in the case of a Revolving Credit Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment) or, $1,000,000 (in the case of a Term Loan), and shall be in increments of $500,000 (in the case of each Revolving Credit Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment) or $250,000 (in the case of Term Loans) in excess thereof.

4 

Set forth, to at least 8 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

5 

To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

6 

To be inserted by the administrative agent and which shall be the effective date of recordation of transfer in the register therefor.

 

F-2


The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR], as Assignor

By:       
  Name:
  Title:

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE], as Assignee

By:       
  Name:
  Title:

 

F-3


[Consented to and]7 Accepted:

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent [, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer] 89

 

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

7 

No consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of a Term Loan to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund.

8 

No consent of the Swing Line Lender shall be required for any assignment of a Term Loan.

9 

No consent of the L/C Issuers shall be required for any assignment of a Term Loan.

 

F-4


[Consented to:

[            ], as L/C Issuer]10

 

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

10 

No consent of the L/C Issuers shall be required for any assignment of a Term Loan.

 

F-5


[Consented to:

TU BIDCO, INC.]11

 

By:    
  Name:
 

Title:

Acknowledged and Received by:

[             ], Chief Financial Officer

 

Acknowledged and Received by:
 

 

[Blackstone Employee]

 

11 

No consent of the Borrower shall be required for (i) an assignment of all or any portion of the Term Loans to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any assignment of Term Loans unless the Borrower shall have objected thereto within fifteen (15) Business Days after having received written request therefor, (ii) an assignment related to Revolving Credit Commitments or Revolving Credit Exposure by a Revolving Credit Lender to or an Affiliate of such Revolving Credit Lender of similar creditworthiness to such assigning Lender, (iii) if an Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) of the Credit Agreement or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 8.01(f) of the Credit Agreement has occurred and is continuing or (iv) an assignment of all or a portion of the Commitments or Loans pursuant to Section 10.07(i), Section 10.07(l) or Section 10.07(m) of the Credit Agreement.

 

F-6


ANNEX I

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, (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 (iv) it has reviewed the list of Disqualified Lenders maintained by the Administrative Agent and the Assignee is not a Disqualified Lender; 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 Holdings, the Borrower, or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of the Credit Agreement or (iv) the performance or observance by Holdings, the Borrower, or any of their respective 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 satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender thereunder, (iii) it is not a Defaulting Lender, a natural person or an Affiliated Lender and it has reviewed the list of Disqualified Lenders maintained by the Administrative Agent and the Assignee is not a Disqualified Lender or an Affiliate of a Disqualified Lender, (iv) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the Credit Agreement and, to the extent provided in this Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (v) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by the Assigned Interest and either it, or the person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire the Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (vi) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Sections 4.01(e) or 6.01 of the Credit Agreement, 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, the Assignor or any other Lender, (vii) if it is not already a Lender under the Credit Agreement, attached to this Assignment and Assumption is an Administrative Questionnaire as required by the Credit Agreement, (viii) the Administrative Agent has received a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 (unless waived or reduced in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent) as of the Effective Date, and (ix) attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, including but not limited to any documentation required pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Credit

 

F-7


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, including its obligations pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement.

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 Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

3. General Provisions.

3.1 In accordance with Section 10.07 of the Credit Agreement, upon execution, delivery, acceptance and recording of this Assignment and Assumption, from and after the Effective Date, (a) the Assignee shall be a party to the Credit Agreement and, to the extent provided in this Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under the Credit Agreement with a Commitment/Loan as set forth herein and (b) the Assignor shall, to the extent of the Assigned Interest assigned pursuant to this Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under the Credit Agreement (and, in the case that this Assignment and Assumption covers all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement, the Assignor shall cease to be a party to the Credit Agreement but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, 10.04 and 10.05 thereof).

3.2 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 by one or more of the parties to this Assignment and Assumption on any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile or other electronic transmission), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. This Assignment and Assumption and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall be construed in accordance with and governed by and interpreted under the law of the state of New York.

 

F-8


EXHIBIT G

[FORM OF]

SECURITY AGREEMENT

[See separately executed document]

 

G-1


EXHIBIT H

[FORM OF]

PERFECTION CERTIFICATE

[See separately executed document]

 

H-1


EXHIBIT I

[FORM OF]

INTERCOMPANY NOTE

[            ], 2019

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, each of the undersigned, to the extent a borrower from time to time from any other entity listed on the signature page hereto (each, in such capacity, an “Issuer”), hereby promises to pay on demand to the order of such other entity listed below (each, in such capacity, a “Holder” and, together with each Issuer, a “Note Party”), in immediately available funds at such location as the applicable Holder shall from time to time designate, the unpaid principal amount of all loans and advances or other credit extensions (including trade payables) made by such Holder to such Issuer. Each Issuer promises also to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of all such loans and advances or other credit extensions in like money at said location from the date of such loans and advances until paid at such rate per annum as shall be agreed upon from time to time by such Issuer and such Holder.

This note (“Note”) is an Intercompany Note referred to in that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, modified, refinanced and/or restated from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; capitalized terms used and not defined herein having the meanings assigned to such terms therein), among TU MIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), Collateral Agent (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”), Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and the Lenders party thereto from time to time (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”) and is subject to the terms thereof, and shall be pledged by each Holder pursuant to the Security Agreement (as defined in the Credit Agreement), to the extent required pursuant to the terms thereof. Each Holder hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may exercise all rights provided in the Credit Agreement and the Security Agreement with respect to this Note.

Anything in this Note to the contrary notwithstanding, the indebtedness evidenced by this Note owed by any Issuer that is a Borrower or a Guarantor to any Holder shall be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, to all Obligations (as defined in the Credit Agreement), including, without limitation, where applicable, under such Issuer’s guarantee of the obligations under the Credit Agreement, and other indebtedness and obligations in connection with any renewal, refunding, restructuring or refinancing thereof, including interest thereon accruing after the commencement of any proceedings referred to in clause (i) below, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim in such proceeding, being hereinafter collectively referred to as “Senior Indebtedness”):

(i) in the event of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, and any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar proceedings in connection therewith, relative to any Issuer or to its creditors, as such, or to its property, and in the event of any proceedings for voluntary liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of such Issuer, whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, then (x) the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be irrevocably paid in

 

I-1


full in cash in respect of all amounts constituting Senior Indebtedness before any Holder is entitled to receive (whether directly or indirectly), or make any demands for, any payment on account of this Note and (y) until the holders of Senior Indebtedness are paid in full in cash in respect of all amounts constituting Senior Indebtedness, any payment or distribution to which such Holder would otherwise be entitled (other than debt securities of such Issuer that are subordinated, to at least the same extent as this Note, to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness then outstanding (such securities being hereinafter referred to as “Restructured Debt Securities”)) shall be made to the holders of Senior Indebtedness;

(ii) if any default occurs and is continuing with respect to any Senior Indebtedness (including any Default under the Credit Agreement), then no payment or distribution of any kind or character shall be made by or on behalf of the Issuer or any other Person on its behalf with respect to this Note;

(iii) if any payment or distribution of any character, whether in cash, securities or other property (other than Restructured Debt Securities), in respect of this Note shall (despite these subordination provisions) be received by any Holder in violation of clause (i) or (ii) before all Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full in cash, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of Senior Indebtedness (or their representatives), ratably according to the respective aggregate amounts remaining unpaid thereon, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full in cash; and

(iv) each Holder agrees to file all claims against each relevant Issuer in any bankruptcy or other proceeding in which the filing of claims is required by law in respect of any indebtedness evidenced by this Note, and the Collateral Agent shall be entitled to all of such Holder’s rights thereunder. If for any reason a Holder fails to file such claim at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the last date on which such claim should be filed, such Holder hereby irrevocably appoints the Collateral Agent as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact and the Collateral Agent is hereby authorized to act as attorney-in-fact in such Holder’s name to file such claim or, in the Collateral Agent’s discretion, to assign such claim to and cause proof of claim to be filed in the name of the Collateral Agent or its nominee. In all such cases, whether in administration, bankruptcy or otherwise, the person or persons authorized to pay such claim shall pay directly to the Collateral Agent the full amount payable on the claim in the proceeding, and, to the fullest extent necessary for that purpose, each Holder hereby assigns to the Collateral Agent all of such Holder’s rights to any payments or distributions to which such Holder otherwise would be entitled. If the amount so paid is greater than such Holder’s liability hereunder, the Collateral Agent shall pay the excess amount to the party entitled thereto. In addition, each Holder hereby irrevocably appoints the Collateral Agent as its attorney in fact to exercise all of such Holder’s voting rights in connection with any bankruptcy proceeding or any plan for the reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan of each relevant Issuer.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, no present or future holder of Senior Indebtedness shall be prejudiced in its right to enforce the subordination of this Note by any act or failure to act on the part of any Issuer or by any act or failure to act on the part of such holder or any trustee or agent for such holder. Each Holder and each Issuer hereby agree that (w) the subordination of this Note is for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Lenders and the other Secured Parties (as defined in the Credit Agreement) (x) such parties are obligees under this Note to the same extent as if their names were written herein as such, (y) the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may, on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the

 

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other Secured Parties (as defined in the Credit Agreement) proceed to enforce the subordination provisions herein and (z) as between each Holder and the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties (as defined in the Credit Agreement), the subordination provisions of this Note constitute a subordination agreement within the meaning of Section 510(a) of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of any other applicable bankruptcy law.

The indebtedness evidenced by this Note owed by any Issuer that is not a Borrower or a Guarantor shall not be subordinated to, and shall rank pari passu in right of payment with, any other obligation of such Issuer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in the subordination provisions set forth above is intended to or will impair, as between each Issuer and each Holder, the obligations of such Issuer, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay to such Holder the principal of and interest on this Note as and when due and payable in accordance with its terms, or is intended to or will affect the relative rights of such Holder and other creditors of such Issuer other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness.

Each Holder is hereby authorized to record all loans and advances or other credit extensions made by it to any Issuer (all of which shall be evidenced by this Note), and all repayments or prepayments thereof, in its books and records, such books and records constituting prima facie evidence of the accuracy of the information contained therein. This Note replaces and supersedes any and all promissory notes or other instruments which create or evidence any loans or advances made on, before or after the date hereof by any Issuer to any Holder. For the avoidance of doubt, this Note as between each Issuer and each Holder contains additional terms to any intercompany loan agreement between them and this Note does not in any way replace such intercompany loans between them nor does this Note in any way change the principal amount of any intercompany loans between them.

Upon execution and delivery after the date hereof by a Successor Borrower or any subsidiary of the Borrower of a counterpart signature page hereto, such Person shall become an Issuer and/or a Holder and a Note Party hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as an Issuer and/or a Holder and/or a Note Party hereunder. The rights and obligations of each Note Party hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Note Party as a party to this Note.

Each Issuer hereby waives presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind in connection with this Note. All payments under this Note shall be made without offset, counterclaim or deduction of any kind.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN

ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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TU BIDCO, INC.

as both Issuer and Holder,

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[             ]

each, as both Issuer and Holder,

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

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EXHIBIT J-1

[FORM OF]

FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

dated as of [            ], 20[ ],

among

TU MIDCO, INC.,

TU BIDCO, INC.,

the other GRANTORS party hereto,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent,

[            ],

as Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent,

and

each ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL AGENT from time to time party hereto

 

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FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of [            ], 20[__] (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among TU MIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BIDCO, INC., a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the other Grantors party hereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent for the Credit Agreement Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Credit Agreement Collateral Agent”), [            ], (in such capacity, the “Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent”), and each Additional Collateral Agent (as defined below) 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 or, if defined in the New York UCC, the meanings specified therein:

Additional Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article IX.

Additional First Lien Obligations” means all obligations of the Borrower and the other Grantors that shall have been designated as such pursuant to Article IX, together with any Refinancing thereof; provided, that the holders of any such obligations (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.

Additional First Lien Obligations Documents” means the notes, the indentures, security documents 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 and any collateral agent named as authorized representative for such Series in the Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement.

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.

 

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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, the president, any vice president, treasurer, general counsel, secretary or another executive officer of such Person.

Bankruptcy Case” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(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 Initial Additional First Lien 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 Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent or the Additional Collateral Agent with respect to the Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series, (c) any Secured Parties, refers to whether such Secured Parties are the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the Initial Additional First Lien Secured Parties or the holders of the Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series, (d) any Secured Credit Documents, refers to whether such Secured Credit Documents are the Credit Agreement Documents, the Initial Additional First Lien Documents or the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents with respect to Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series, and (e) any Security Documents, refers to whether such Security Documents are part of the Credit Agreement Documents, the Initial Additional First Lien 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 Obligation.

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 Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent and each Additional Collateral Agent.

Control” has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of “Affiliate”.

Controlling Collateral Agent” means (a) until the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Credit Agreement Obligations and (y) the Non-Controlling Collateral Agent Enforcement Date, the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent and (b) thereafter, the Major Non-Controlling Collateral Agent as of the occurrence of the event described in clause (a) of this definition.

 

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Controlling Secured Parties” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Class of First Lien Obligations whose Collateral Agent is the Controlling Collateral Agent for such Shared Collateral.

Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 by and among the Borrower, Holdings, the other guarantors party thereto from time to time, the lenders party thereto from time to time, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as administrative agent, collateral agent, swing line lender and an L/C issuer, 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 such Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred under the Secured Credit Documents); provided (a) 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 and (b) in the case of any refinancing or replacement, the Borrower designates such financing arrangement or agreement as the “Credit Agreement” (and not an Additional First Lien Obligation) hereunder.

Credit Agreement Administrative Agent” has the meaning assigned to the term “Administrative Agent” in the Credit Agreement and shall include any successor administrative agent.

Credit Agreement Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

Credit Agreement Documents” has the meaning assigned to the term “Loan Documents” in the Credit Agreement.

Credit Agreement Obligations” has the meaning assigned to the term “Obligations” in the Credit Agreement, together with any Refinancing thereof.

Credit Agreement Secured Parties” has the meaning assigned to the term “Secured Parties” in the Credit Agreement.

Credit Agreement Security Agreement” has the meaning assigned to the term “Security Agreement” in the Credit Agreement.

DIP Financing” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(b).

DIP Financing Liens” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(b).

 

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DIP Lenders” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(b).

Discharge” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral and any Class of First Lien Obligations, the date on which such Class of First Lien Obligations is no longer secured by such Shared Collateral in accordance with the terms of the documentation governing such First Lien Obligations. The term “Discharged” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Event of Default” means an “Event of Default” (or similar event, however denominated) as defined in any Secured Credit Document.

First Lien Obligations” means (a) all the Credit Agreement Obligations, (b) all the Initial Additional First Lien Obligations and (c) all the 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, Holdings, 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 (including any Successor Holdings, Successor Borrower or Subsidiary which becomes a party to this Agreement as contemplated by Section 10.12).

Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

Impairment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.02.

Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Credit Agreement or in the Initial Additional First Lien Agreement, as applicable.

Initial Additional First Lien Agreement” means that certain [Indenture][Credit Agreement][Other Agreement], dated as of [            ], among the Borrower, [the Guarantors identified therein,] and [            ], as [trustee][administrative agent], as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, together with any Refinancing thereof; provided, (a) the obligations in respect of any such Refinancing are secured by Liens on the Shared Collateral that rank pari passu to the Liens securing the First Lien Obligations (and is designated by the Borrower) and (b) 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.

Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

Initial Additional First Lien Documents” means the Initial Additional First Lien Agreement and the other related facility [“Documents”] as defined in the Initial Additional First Lien Agreement.

Initial Additional First Lien Obligations” means the [“Obligations”] as such term is defined in the Initial Additional First Lien Security Agreement.

 

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Initial Additional First Lien Secured Parties” means the Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent and the holders of the Initial Additional First Lien Obligations issued pursuant to the Initial Additional First Lien Agreement.

Initial Additional First Lien Security Agreement” means the [security][collateral] agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among the Borrower, the Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent and the other parties thereto, as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding” means:

(a) any case or proceeding commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other case or 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

(c) any other case or 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, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Financing Lease (as defined in the Credit Agreement) having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

Major Non-Controlling Collateral Agent” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Collateral Agent of the Class of First Lien Obligations (other than the Credit Agreement Obligations) that constitutes the largest outstanding principal amount of any Indebtedness for borrowed money then outstanding Class of First Lien Obligations (other than the Credit Agreement Obligations) with respect to such Shared Collateral.

New York UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

 

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Non-Controlling Collateral Agent” means, at any time with respect to any Shared Collateral, any Collateral Agent that is not the Controlling Collateral Agent at such time with respect to such Shared Collateral.

Non-Controlling Collateral Agent Enforcement Date” means, with respect to any Non-Controlling Collateral Agent, the date which is 120 days (throughout which 120 day period such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent was the Major Non-Controlling Collateral Agent) after the occurrence of both (a) an Event of Default (under and as defined in the Secured Credit Documents under which such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent is the Collateral Agent) and (b) the Controlling Collateral Agent’s and each other Collateral Agent’s receipt of written notice from such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent certifying that (x) such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent is the Major Non-Controlling Collateral Agent and that an Event of Default (under and as defined in the Secured Credit Documents under which such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent is the Collateral Agent) has occurred and is continuing and (y) the First Lien Obligations of the Class with respect to which such Non-Controlling Collateral Agent is the Collateral Agent are currently due and payable in full (whether as a result of acceleration thereof or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of the applicable Secured Credit Documents; provided that the Non-Controlling Collateral Agent Enforcement Date shall be stayed and shall not occur and shall be deemed not to have occurred with respect to any Shared Collateral (1) at any time the Controlling Collateral Agent has commenced and is diligently pursuing any enforcement action with respect to such Shared Collateral or any portion thereof or (2) at any time the Grantor that has granted a security interest in such Shared Collateral is then a debtor under or with respect to (or otherwise subject to) any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

Non-Controlling Secured Parties” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Secured Parties which are not Controlling Secured Parties with respect to such Shared Collateral.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, governmental authority or other entity.

Possessory Collateral” means any Shared Collateral in the possession of a Collateral Agent (or its agents or bailees), to the extent that possession thereof perfects a Lien thereon under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction. Possessory Collateral includes, without limitation, any Certificated Securities, Promissory Notes, Instruments, and Chattel Paper, in each case, delivered to or in the possession of any Collateral Agent under the terms of the Security Documents.

Post-Petition Interest” means any interest or entitlement to fees or expenses or other charges that accrue after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01(b).

 

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Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, redeem, purchase, defease, retire, restructure, amend, increase, modify, supplement or replace, or to issue other Indebtedness or enter alternative financing arrangements in exchange or replacement for, such Indebtedness, in whole or in part, 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 and including, in each case, through any credit agreement, indenture or other agreement. “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, (a) the Credit Agreement Documents, (b) the Initial Additional First Lien Documents and (c) the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents.

Secured Parties” means (a) the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, (b) the Initial Additional First Lien Secured Parties and (c) the Additional Secured Parties.

Security Documents” means (a) the Credit Agreement Security Agreement and the other Collateral Documents (as defined in the Credit Agreement), (b) the Initial Additional First Lien Security Agreement and the other [Collateral Documents] (as defined in the Initial Additional First Lien Agreement) 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.

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.

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 valid and perfected 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 valid and perfected 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. For the avoidance of doubt, any entity that is owned at a 50.0% or less level (as described above) shall not be a “Subsidiary” for any purpose under this Agreement, regardless of whether such entity is consolidated on Holdings’ or any Subsidiary’s financial statements.

 

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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 Initial Additional First Lien 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.

(b) Each acknowledgement, agreement, consent and waiver (whether express or implied) in this Agreement made by the Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent, whether on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties, is made in reliance on the authority granted to the Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent pursuant to the authorization thereof under the Initial Additional First Lien Agreement. It is understood and agreed that the Initial Additional First Lien 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 Initial Additional First Lien 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

 

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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 an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (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 is made in respect of any Shared Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the Borrower or any other Grantor (including any adequate protection payments) 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 or distributions 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 Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent (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 in enforcing its rights to obtain such payment;

 

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(ii) SECOND, subject to Section 2.02 to the payment in full of all 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); provided that following the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding with respect to any Grantor, solely as among the holders of First Lien Obligations and solely for purposes of this clause SECOND and not any other documents governing First Lien Obligations, in the event the value of the Shared Collateral is not sufficient for the entire amount of Post-Petition Interest on the First Lien Obligations to be allowed under Section 506(a) and (b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code or other Bankruptcy Law in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, the amount of First Lien Obligations of each Class of First Lien Obligations shall include only the maximum amount of Post-Petition Interest on the First Lien Obligations allowable under Section 506(a) and (b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code or other Bankruptcy Law in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding; and

(iii) THIRD, after payment in full of all the First Lien Obligations, 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 Controlling Collateral Agent to each Non-Controlling Collateral Agent for further distribution to its Related Secured Parties.

(d) It is acknowledged that the First Lien Obligations of any Class 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 First Lien Obligations (and not the Secured Parties of any other Class of First Lien Obligations) bear the risk of any determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that (i) any First Lien Obligations of such Class of First Lien Obligations are unenforceable under applicable law or are subordinated to any other obligations (other than to any First Lien Obligations), (ii) the Secured Parties of such Class of First Lien Obligations do not have an enforceable Lien on any of the Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations of any other Class of First Lien Obligations 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 First Lien Obligations, but junior to the Lien on such Shared Collateral securing any other Class of First Lien Obligations (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 First Lien Obligations being referred to as an “Impairment” of such Class); provided that the existence of a maximum claim with respect to any real property subject to a mortgage that

 

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applies to all First Lien Obligations shall not be deemed to be an Impairment of any Class of First Lien Obligations. In the event an Impairment exists with respect to First Lien Obligations of any Class, the results of such Impairment shall be borne solely by the Secured Parties of such Class of First Lien Obligations, and the rights of the Secured Parties of such Class of First Lien Obligations (including the right to receive distributions in respect of First Lien Obligations of such Class of First Lien Obligations 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 First Lien Obligations 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)), then it shall hold such Shared Collateral or Proceeds in trust for the other Secured Parties and promptly transfer such Shared Collateral or Proceeds, as the case may be, to the Controlling Collateral Agent, to be distributed in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01(b) hereof.

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. Without limitation of Article VI, 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.

 

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ARTICLE III

Rights and Remedies; Matters Relating to Shared Collateral

SECTION 3.01. Exercise of Rights and Remedies.

(a) Only the Controlling Collateral Agent shall act or refrain from acting with respect to any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any junior Liens on Shared Collateral). No Non-Controlling Collateral Agent and no Non-Controlling Secured Party shall commence any judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings with respect to, seek to have a trustee, receiver, liquidator or similar official appointed for or over, attempt any action to take possession of, exercise any right, remedy or power as a secured creditor with respect to, or otherwise take any action to enforce its security interest in or realize upon, or take any other action available to it in respect of, any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to junior Liens on any Shared Collateral), whether under any Secured Credit Document, applicable law or otherwise, it being agreed that only the Controlling Collateral Agent, acting in accordance with the applicable Secured Credit Documents, shall be entitled to take any such actions or exercise any such remedies with respect to Shared Collateral at any time. Without limitation of the foregoing, (A) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding 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) except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, 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 non-bankruptcy 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 the equal priority of the Liens securing each Class of First Lien Obligations with respect to the Shared Collateral, the Controlling Collateral Agent may deal with the Shared Collateral as if such Controlling Collateral Agent had a senior Lien on such Collateral. No Non-Controlling Collateral Agent or Non-Controlling Secured Party will contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding or action brought by the Controlling Collateral Agent or any Controlling Secured Party or any other exercise by the Controlling Collateral Agent or any Controlling Secured Party of any rights and remedies relating to the Shared Collateral. The foregoing shall not be construed to limit the rights and priorities of any Secured Party or any Collateral Agent with respect to any Collateral not constituting Shared Collateral or impair any rights available to them as unsecured creditors.

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

 

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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 Controlling 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 Class 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 Controlling Collateral Agent 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.

ARTICLE IV

Collateral

SECTION 4.01. Bailment for Perfection of Security Interests.

(a) The Possessory Collateral shall be delivered to the Controlling Collateral Agent and by accepting such Possessory Collateral such Controlling Collateral Agent agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory 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 of each other Secured Party and any assignee solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable Security Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 4.01.

 

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(b) The Controlling Collateral Agent shall, upon the Discharge of the First Lien Obligations with respect to which such Collateral Agent is the Collateral Agent, transfer the possession and control of the Possessory Collateral, together with any necessary endorsements but without recourse or warranty, to the successor Controlling Collateral Agent. In connection with any transfer under the foregoing sentence by any Collateral Agent, such transferor 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 Possessory Collateral. The Borrower shall take such further action as is required to effectuate the transfer contemplated hereby and shall indemnify each Collateral Agent for loss or damage suffered by such Collateral Agent as a result of such transfer, except for loss or damage suffered by such Collateral Agent as a result of its own willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith.

(c) Each Collateral Agent agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral, from time to time in its possession, as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other Secured Party and any assignee, solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable Security Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 4.01.

(d) The duties or responsibilities of each Collateral Agent under this Section 4.01 shall be limited solely to holding any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other Secured Party for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by such Secured Parties thereon.

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 IX, 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) This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding against the Borrower or any other Grantor, 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) or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law. All references herein to any Grantor shall apply to any trustee for such Person and such Person as a debtor-in-possession.

 

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(b) If the Borrower and/or any other Grantor shall become subject to a case (a “Bankruptcy Case”) under the Bankruptcy Code or other applicable Bankruptcy Law 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 any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law and/or the use of cash collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, each Secured Party (other than any Controlling Secured Party or any of its Related Secured Parties) agrees 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 Controlling Collateral Agent shall then oppose or object to such DIP Financing and/or such DIP Financing Liens and/or use of cash collateral (and (i) to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens are senior to the Liens on any such Shared Collateral for the benefit of the Controlling Secured Parties, each Non-Controlling Secured Party will subordinate its Liens with respect to such Shared Collateral on the same terms as the Liens of the Controlling Secured Parties (other than any Liens of any Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens) are subordinated thereto, and (ii) to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens rank pari passu with the Liens on any such Shared Collateral granted to secure the First Lien Obligations of the Controlling Secured Parties, each Non-Controlling Secured Party will confirm the priorities with respect to such Shared Collateral as set forth herein); provided, in each case, that (A) the Secured Parties of each Class retain the benefit of their Liens on all such Shared Collateral pledged to the DIP Lenders, including proceeds thereof arising after the commencement of such proceeding, with the same priority vis-à-vis all the other Secured Parties (other than any Liens of the Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens) as existed prior to the commencement of the Bankruptcy Case, (B) the Secured Parties of each Class are granted Liens on any additional collateral pledged to any Secured Parties as adequate protection or otherwise in connection with such DIP Financing and/or use of cash collateral, with the same priority vis-à-vis the Secured Parties as set forth in this Agreement (other than any Liens of the Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens), (C) if any amount of such DIP Financing or cash collateral is applied to repay any of the First Lien Obligations, such amount is applied pursuant to Section 2.01, and (D) if any Secured Parties are granted adequate protection, including in the form of periodic payments, in connection with such DIP Financing and/or use of cash collateral, the proceeds of such adequate protection are applied pursuant to Section 2.01; provided, further, that this Agreement shall not limit the right of the Secured Parties of each Class to object to the grant of a Lien to secure the DIP Financing over any Collateral subject to Liens in favor of the Secured Parties of such Class or the Collateral Agent with respect thereto that shall not constitute Shared Collateral; and provided, further, however, that the Secured Parties receiving adequate protection shall not object to any other Secured Party receiving adequate protection comparable to any adequate protection granted to such Secured Parties in connection with a DIP Financing and/or use of cash collateral permitted by this paragraph.

ARTICLE VI

The Controlling Collateral Agent

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, nothing herein shall be construed to impose any fiduciary or other duty on any Controlling Collateral Agent to any Non-Controlling Secured Party or give any Non-Controlling Secured Party the right to direct any Controlling Collateral Agent, except that each Controlling Collateral Agent shall be obligated to distribute proceeds of any Shared Collateral in accordance with Section 2.01(b) hereof.

 

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(b) In furtherance of the foregoing, each Non-Controlling Secured Party acknowledges and agrees that the Controlling Collateral Agent shall be entitled, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of or deal with any Shared Collateral as provided herein and in the Security Documents, as applicable, pursuant to which the Controlling Collateral Agent is the collateral agent for such Shared Collateral, without regard to any rights to which the Non-Controlling Secured Parties would otherwise be entitled as a result of the First Lien Obligations held by such Non-Controlling Secured Parties. Without limiting the foregoing, each Non-Controlling Secured Party agrees that none of the Controlling Collateral Agent or any other Controlling Secured Party shall have any duty or obligation first to marshal or realize upon any type of Collateral (or any other Collateral securing any of the First Lien Obligations), or to sell, dispose of or otherwise liquidate all or any portion of such Shared Collateral (or any other Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations), in any manner that would maximize the return to the Non-Controlling Secured Parties, notwithstanding that the order and timing of any such realization, sale, disposition or liquidation may affect the amount of proceeds actually received by the Non-Controlling Secured Parties from such realization, sale, disposition or liquidation. Except with respect to any actions expressly prohibited or required to be taken by this Agreement, each of the Secured Parties waives any claim it may now or hereafter have against any Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party of any other Class arising out of (i) any actions which any Collateral Agent or Secured Party takes or omits to take (including, actions with respect to the creation, perfection or continuation of Liens on any Collateral, actions with respect to the foreclosure upon, sale, release or depreciation of, or failure to realize upon, any of the Collateral and actions with respect to the collection of any claim for all or any part of the First Lien Obligations from any account debtor, guarantor or any other party) in accordance with the Security Documents or any other agreement related thereto or to the collection of the First Lien Obligations or the valuation, use, protection or release of any security for the First Lien Obligations, (ii) any election by any Collateral Agent or any holders of First Lien Obligations, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the application of Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law or (iii) subject to Section 5.01, any borrowing by, or grant of a security interest or administrative expense priority under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as debtor-in-possession. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Controlling Collateral Agent shall not accept any Shared Collateral in full or partial satisfaction of any First Lien Obligations pursuant to Section 9-620 of the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, without the consent of each Collateral Agent representing holders of First Lien Obligations for whom such Collateral constitutes Shared Collateral.

(c) The Controlling Collateral Agent shall not have any duties or obligations to any Non-Controlling Secured Party except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Controlling Collateral Agent:

(i) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

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(ii) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby; provided that the Controlling Collateral Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Controlling Collateral Agent to liability or that is contrary to this Agreement or applicable law;

(iii) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to a Grantor or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Controlling Collateral Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity;

(iv) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein, be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (1) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by a final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction) or (2) in reliance on a certificate from the Borrower stating that such action is permitted by the terms of this Agreement. The Controlling Collateral Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Event of Default under any Class of First Lien Obligations unless and until notice describing such Event of Default and referencing the applicable Secured Credit Documents is given to the Controlling Collateral Agent;

(v) shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (1) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Secured Credit Document, (2) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (3) 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 or Event of Default, (4) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Security Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Security Documents, (5) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral for any Class of First Lien Obligations, or (6) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in any Secured Credit Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Controlling Collateral Agent; and

(vi) need not segregate money held hereunder from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing.

ARTICLE VII

Other Agreements

SECTION 7.01. 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 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).

(c) The Grantors agree that they shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, grant or permit or suffer to exist any additional Liens (unless otherwise permitted under each Secured Credit Document) 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, the foregoing shall not apply to, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, collateral consisting of cash and cash equivalents pledged to secure Credit Agreement Obligations consisting of reimbursement obligations in respect of Letters of Credit or otherwise held by the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or Credit Agreement Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.03(g), Section 2.17 or Article 8 of the First Lien Credit Agreement shall be applied as specified in the Credit Agreement and shall not constitute Shared Collateral provided, further, 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 7.01(c) shall be subject to Article II;

SECTION 7.02. Refinancings. The First Lien Obligations of any Class may be increased or 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 any Secured Party of any other Class, all without affecting the priorities provided for herein or the other provisions hereof, so long as permitted by the terms of each Secured Credit Document; provided, that if any obligations of the Grantors in respect of such Refinancing indebtedness shall be secured by Liens on any Shared Collateral that rank pari passu to the Liens securing the First Lien Obligations (and are designated by the Borrower under this Agreement), 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 7.03. 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 avoided or rescinded for any reason whatsoever (including an order or judgment for disgorgement of a preference, fraudulent transfer or other avoidance action under the Bankruptcy Code, other applicable Bankruptcy Law, 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.

SECTION 7.04. 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 or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, 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.

 

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SECTION 7.05. 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 VIII

No Reliance; No Liability

SECTION 8.01. 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 8.02. 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 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.

 

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SECTION 8.03. Rights of Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent shall be entitled to the same rights, protections, immunities and indemnities as set forth in the Initial Additional First Lien Agreement as if the provisions setting forth those rights, protections, immunities and indemnities are fully set forth herein.

ARTICLE IX

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, incur and 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 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) certifying that the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents 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

 

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(f) 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 X

Miscellaneous

SECTION 10.01. 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:

TU BidCo, Inc.

c/o Blackstone Capital Partners VI L.P.

345 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10154

Attention: Jonathan Kaufman

Telephone: (212) 583-5722

Electronic Mail: kaufman@blackstone.com;

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Brian Gluck, Esq.

Facsimile: (212) 455-2502

Email: bgluck@stblaw.com

(b) if to the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, to it at:

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Attention: Yuvette Owens

10 South Dearborn, Floor L2

Chicago, IL 60603-2300

Facsimile: 844-490-5665

E-mail address: Jpm.agency.servicing.1@jpmorgan.com

Yuvette.owens@jpmorgan.com

 

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(c) if to the Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent, to it at:

[        ]

(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.

SECTION 10.02. 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 IX and (B) this Agreement may be supplemented by a Grantor Joinder Agreement, and a Subsidiary may become a party hereto, in accordance with Section 10.12, 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.

 

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SECTION 10.03. 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 10.04. 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.

SECTION 10.05. 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 10.06. 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 10.07. 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.

 

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(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 10.01 (other than telecopier or other electronic transmission), 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.

SECTION 10.08. 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. EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 10.08 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

SECTION 10.09. 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 10.10. 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 10.11. 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, the Borrowers and the Grantors in relation to one another. 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.

 

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SECTION 10.12. Additional Grantors. In the event any Successor Holdings, Successor Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have granted a Lien on any of its assets to secure any First Lien Obligations, Holdings and the Borrower shall cause such Person, if not already a party hereto, to become a party hereto as a “Grantor”. Upon the execution and delivery by such Person of a Grantor Joinder Agreement, any such Person 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 10.13. 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 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 10.14. 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]

 

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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.

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

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[        ],

as Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

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TU MIDCO, INC.

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

TU BIDCO, INC.

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[OTHER GRANTORS]

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

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[FORM OF] COLLATERAL AGENT JOINDER AGREEMENT NO. [            ] dated as of [            ], 20[ ] (this “Joinder Agreement”) to the FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of [            ], 20[_] (the “Intercreditor Agreement”), among TU MIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the GRANTORS party thereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, [            ], as Initial Additional First Lien 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 IX 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.

SECTION 3. Benefit of Agreement. The agreements set forth herein or undertaken pursuant hereto are for the benefit of, and may be enforced by, any party to the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

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SECTION 4. Governing Law. THIS 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 10.01 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 10.01 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.

 

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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:    

 

TU MIDCO, INC.

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

TU BIDCO, INC.

By:

   
  Name:
  Title:

[OTHER GRANTORS]

By:

   
  Name:
  Title:

 

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Acknowledged by:

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

By:     
  Name:
  Title:

[            ],

as Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent

By:     
  Name:
  Title:

[EACH OTHER ADDITIONAL

COLLATERAL AGENT], as Additional

Collateral Agent

By:     
  Name:
  Title:

 

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EXHIBIT II

[FORM OF] GRANTOR JOINDER AGREEMENT NO. [            ] dated as of [            ], 20[ ] (this “Grantor Joinder Agreement”) to the FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of [            ], 20[_] (the “Intercreditor Agreement”), among TU MIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the GRANTORS party thereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, [            ], as Initial Additional First Lien 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 10.12 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.

 

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SECTION 4. Benefit of Agreement. The 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 Law. THIS 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 10.01 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.

 

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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:

 

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Acknowledged by:

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

By:     
  Name:
  Title:

[    ],

as Initial Additional First Lien Collateral Agent

By:     
  Name:
  Title:

[EACH OTHER ADDITIONAL

COLLATERAL AGENT], as Additional

Collateral Agent

By:     
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-II-4


EXHIBIT J-2

[FORM OF]

JUNIOR LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

Among

TU MIDCO, INC.,

as Holdings,

TU BIDCO, INC.,

as the Borrower,

the other Grantors party hereto,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Senior Representative for the

First Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties,

[each Additional Senior Debt Collateral Agent,]

[            ],

as the Second Priority Representative for the

Initial Second Lien Secured Parties

and

each additional Representative from time to time party hereto

dated as of [            ]

 

J-2-1


JUNIOR LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of [            ] (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among TU MIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BIDCO, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Grantors (as defined below) party hereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Representative for the First Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent”), [each additional Collateral Agent for any Senior Obligations (each, an “Additional Senior Debt Collateral Agent”),] [            ], as Representative for the Initial Second Lien Secured Parties (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent”), and each additional Second Priority Representative and Senior Representative that from time to time becomes a party hereto pursuant to Section 8.09.

In consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent (for itself and on behalf of the First Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties), the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent (for itself and on behalf of the Initial Second Lien Secured Parties), each additional Senior Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Additional Senior Debt Parties under the applicable Additional Senior Debt Facility) and each additional Second Priority Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under the applicable Second Priority Debt Facility) agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01 Certain Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the First Lien Credit Agreement or, if defined in the New York UCC, have the meanings specified therein. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below.

Additional Second Priority Debt” means any Indebtedness that is issued or guaranteed by the Borrower and/or any other Grantor (and not guaranteed by any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor) (other than Indebtedness constituting Initial Second Lien Obligations), which Indebtedness and guarantees are secured by the Second Priority Collateral (or any portion thereof) on a subordinate basis to the Senior Obligations (and which is not secured by Liens on any assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor other than the Second Priority Collateral or which are not included in the Senior Collateral); provided, however, that (i) such Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred, secured and guaranteed on such basis by each then extant Senior Debt Document and Second Priority Debt Document and (ii) the Representative for the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to this Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Section 8.09 hereof. Additional Second Priority Debt shall include any Registered Equivalent Notes and Guarantees thereof by the Guarantors issued in exchange therefor.

 

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Additional Second Priority Debt Documents” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Second Priority Debt, the promissory notes, credit agreements, indentures, the Second Priority Collateral Documents or other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness or the liens securing such Indebtedness.

Additional Second Priority Debt Facility” means each indenture, credit agreements or other governing agreement with respect to any Additional Second Priority Debt.

Additional Second Priority Debt Obligations” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Second Priority Debt, all amounts owing pursuant to the terms of such Additional Second Priority Debt, including, without limitation, the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest (including interest, fees and expenses that accrue after the commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, regardless of whether such interest, fees or expenses are an allowed claim under such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), letter of credit commissions, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, attorneys costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by a Grantor under any Additional Second Priority Debt Document.

Additional Second Priority Debt Parties” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Second Priority Debt, the holders of such Indebtedness, the Representative with respect thereto, any trustee or agent therefor under any related Additional Second Priority Debt Documents and the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by the Borrower or any other Grantor under any related Additional Second Priority Debt Documents.

Additional Senior Debt” means any Indebtedness that is issued or guaranteed by the Borrower and/or any Guarantor (other than Indebtedness constituting First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations) which Indebtedness and Guarantees are secured by the Senior Collateral (or a portion thereof) on a pari passu basis (but without regard to control of remedies) with or subordinate to the First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations and on a senior basis to the Second Priority Debt; provided, however, that (i) such Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred, secured and guaranteed on such basis by each then extant Senior Debt Document and Second Priority Debt Document and (ii) the Representative for the holders of such Indebtedness shall have (A) executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date hereof or become party to this Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Section 8.09 hereof and (B) become a party to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Article IX thereof or, in the event of such Additional Senior Debt secured on a subordinate basis, such other Intercreditor Agreement as contemplated by the Senior Debt Documents. Additional Senior Debt shall include any Registered Equivalent Notes and Guarantees thereof by the Guarantors issued in exchange therefor.

[“Additional Senior Debt Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.]

Additional Senior Debt Documents” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, the promissory notes, indentures, credit agreements, the Senior Collateral Documents or other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness or the liens securing such Indebtedness.

 

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Additional Senior Debt Facility” means each indenture, credit agreements or other governing agreement with respect to any Additional Senior Debt.

Additional Senior Debt Obligations” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, all amounts owing pursuant to the terms of such Additional Senior Debt, including, without limitation, the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest (including interest, fees and expenses that accrue after the commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, regardless of whether such interest, fees or expenses are an allowed claim under such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), letter of credit commissions, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, attorneys costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by a Grantor under any Additional Senior Debt Document.

Additional Senior Debt Parties” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, the holders of such Indebtedness, the Representative with respect thereto, any trustee or agent therefor under any related Additional Senior Debt Documents and the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by the Borrower or any Guarantor under any related Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Authorized Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, the president, any vice president, treasurer, general counsel, secretary or another executive officer of such Person.

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 introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

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 Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Class Debt Representatives” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Collateral” means the Senior Collateral and the Second Priority Collateral.

Collateral Agents” means the First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, each Additional Senior Debt Collateral Agent, the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent, any collateral agent designated pursuant to any Additional Senior Debt Documents and any collateral agent designated pursuant to any Additional Second Priority Debt Documents.

 

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Collateral Documents” means the Senior Collateral Documents and the Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Debt Facility” means any Senior Facility and any Second Priority Debt Facility.

Designated Second Priority Representative” means (i) the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent, until such time as the Initial Second Lien Agreement ceases to be the only Second Priority Debt Facility under this Agreement and (ii) thereafter, the Second Priority Representative designated from time to time by the Second Priority Majority Representatives, in a notice to the Designated Senior Representative and the Borrower hereunder, as the “Designated Second Priority Representative” for purposes hereof.

Designated Senior Representative” means (i) if at any time there is only one Senior Representative for a Senior Facility with respect to which the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, such Senior Representative and (ii) at any time when clause (i) does not apply, the Controlling Collateral Agent (as defined in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement) at such time.

DIP Financing” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01.

Discharge” means, with respect to any Debt Facility, subject to Section 5.06 and Section 6.04, the date on which such Debt Facility and the Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations thereunder, as the case may be, are no longer secured by, or no longer required to be secured by, the Shared Collateral pursuant to the terms of the documentation governing such Debt Facility. The term “Discharged” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Discharge of Senior Obligations” means the date on which each Senior Facility has been Discharged.

First Lien Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 by and among Holdings, Borrower, the other guarantors party thereto from time to time, the lenders party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.., as administrative agent, collateral agent, swing line lender and an L/C issuer, 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 (a) that the obligations in respect of any such other financing arrangement or agreement are secured by Liens on the Shared Collateral that rank pari passu with the Liens securing the Senior Obligations, (b) that the collateral agent for any such other financing arrangement or agreement becomes a party to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement by executing and delivering a Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement (as defined in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement) and to this Agreement by executing and delivering a Joinder Agreement and (c) in the case of any refinancing or

 

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replacement, the Borrower designates such financing arrangement or agreement as the “Credit Agreement” (and not an Additional First Lien Obligation, as defined in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement) under the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and as the “First Lien Credit Agreement” (and not Additional Senior Debt) hereunder.

First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement and shall include any successor Collateral Agent under the First Lien Credit Agreement.

First Lien Credit Agreement Loan Documents” means the First Lien Credit Agreement and the other “Loan Documents” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations” means the “Obligations” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

First Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties” means the “Secured Parties” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

First Lien Credit Agreement Security Agreement” means the “Security Agreement” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

Grantors” means the Borrower, Holdings, the other Guarantors, and each of their respective Subsidiaries or direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower which has granted a security interest pursuant to any Collateral Document to secure any Secured Obligations (including any Successor Holdings, Successor Borrower and Subsidiary which becomes a party to this Agreement as contemplated by Section 8.07). The Grantors existing on the date hereof are listed on the signature pages hereto as Grantors.

Guarantors” means each Person that guarantees any Senior Obligations pursuant to any Senior Debt Documents.

Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in the First Lien Credit Agreement or the Initial Second Lien Agreement, as applicable.

Initial Second Lien Agreement” means that certain [Indenture][Credit Agreement][Other Agreement], dated as of [            ], among the Borrower, [the Guarantors identified therein,] and [            ], as [trustee][administrative agent], as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, together with any Refinancing thereof; provided, (a) the obligations in respect of any such Refinancing are secured by Liens on the Shared Collateral that rank junior to the Liens securing the Senior Obligations and (b) 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.

 

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Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Initial Second Lien Debt Documents” means the Initial Second Lien Agreement and the other related facility “Documents” as defined in the Initial Second Lien Agreement.

Initial Second Lien Obligations” means the [“Obligations”] as such term is defined in the Initial Second Lien Security Agreement.

Initial Second Lien Secured Parties” means the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent and the holders of the Initial Second Lien Obligations issued pursuant to the Initial Second Lien Agreement.

Initial Second Lien Security Agreement” means the [security][collateral] agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among the Borrower, the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent and the other parties thereto, as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding” means:

(1) any case or proceeding commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other case or proceeding for the reorganization, 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 any similar case or proceeding relative to the Borrower or any other Grantor or its creditors, as such, in each case whether or not voluntary;

(2) any liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities or other winding up of or relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not involving bankruptcy or insolvency; or

(3) any other case or 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.

Joinder Agreement” means a supplement to this Agreement in substantially the form of Annex II or Annex III hereof.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Financing Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

New York UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Officer’s Certificate” has the meaning provided to such term in Section 8.08.

 

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Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, governmental authority or other entity.

Possessory Collateral” means any Shared Collateral in the possession or control of a Collateral Agent (or its agents or bailees), to the extent that possession or control thereof perfects a Lien thereon under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction. Possessory Collateral includes, without limitation, any Certificated Securities, Promissory Notes, Instruments, and Chattel Paper, in each case, delivered to or in the possession or control of any Collateral Agent under the terms of the Senior Collateral Documents or the Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Proceeds” means the proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of Shared Collateral and any payment or distribution made in respect of Shared Collateral in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and any amounts received by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party from a Second Priority Debt Party in respect of Shared Collateral pursuant to this Agreement.

Purchase Event” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.07.

Recovery” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.04.

Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, redeem, purchase, defease, retire, restructure, amend, increase, modify, supplement or replace such Indebtedness, or to issue other Indebtedness or enter alternative financing arrangements in exchange or replacement for, such Indebtedness, in whole or in part, 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 and including, in each case, through any credit agreement, indenture or other agreement. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.

Registered Equivalent Notes” means, with respect to any notes originally issued in a Rule 144A or other private placement transaction under the Securities Act of 1933, substantially identical notes (having the same Guarantees) issued in a dollar-for-dollar exchange therefor pursuant to an exchange offer registered with the SEC.

Replacement Senior Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.10.

Representatives” means the Senior Representatives and the Second Priority Representatives.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any successor agency thereto.

Second Priority Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Second Priority Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

 

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Second Priority Class Debt Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Second Priority Collateral” means any “Collateral” as defined in any Initial Second Lien Debt Document or any other Second Priority Debt Document or any other assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor with respect to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to a Second Priority Collateral Document as security for any Second Priority Debt Obligation.

Second Priority Collateral Documents” means the Initial Second Lien Security Agreement and the other “Collateral Documents” as defined in the Initial Second Lien Agreement and each of the collateral agreements, security agreements and other instruments and documents executed and delivered by the Borrower or any other Grantor for purposes of providing collateral security for any Second Priority Debt Obligation.

Second Priority Debt” means any Initial Second Lien Obligations and any Additional Second Priority Debt.

Second Priority Debt Documents” means the Initial Second Lien Debt Documents and any Additional Second Priority Debt Documents.

Second Priority Debt Facilities” means the Initial Second Lien Agreement and any Additional Second Priority Debt Facilities.

Second Priority Debt Obligations” means the Initial Second Lien Obligations and any Additional Second Priority Debt Obligations.

Second Priority Debt Parties” means the Initial Second Lien Secured Parties and any Additional Second Priority Debt Parties.

Second Priority Enforcement Date” means, with respect to any Second Priority Representative, the date which is 180 days after the occurrence and during the continuance of both (i) an Event of Default (under and as defined in the Second Priority Debt Document for which such Second Priority Representative has been named as Representative) and (ii) the Designated Senior Representative’s and each other Representative’s receipt of written notice from such Second Priority Representative that (x) such Second Priority Representative is the Designated Second Priority Representative and that an Event of Default (under and as defined in the Second Priority Debt Document for which such Second Priority Representative has been named as Representative) has occurred and is continuing and (y) the Second Priority Debt Obligations of the series with respect to which such Second Priority Representative is the Second Priority Representative are currently due and payable in full (whether as a result of acceleration thereof or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of the applicable Second Priority Debt Document; provided that the Second Priority Enforcement Date shall be stayed and shall not occur and shall be deemed not to have occurred (1) at any time the Designated Senior Representative or any Person authorized by it has commenced and is diligently pursuing any enforcement action with respect to all or a material portion of the Shared Collateral or (2) at any time the Grantor which has granted a security interest in such Shared Collateral is then a debtor under or with respect to (or otherwise subject to) any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

 

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Second Priority Majority Representatives” means Second Priority Representatives representing at least a majority of the then aggregate amount of Second Priority Debt Obligations for borrowed money that agree to vote together.

Second Priority Lien” means the Liens on the Second Priority Collateral in favor of Second Priority Debt Parties under Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Second Priority Representative” means (i) in the case of the Initial Second Lien Obligations, the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent and (ii) in the case of any Second Priority Debt Facility incurred after the date hereof, the Second Priority Debt Parties thereunder, the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under such Second Priority Debt Facility that is named as the Representative in respect of such Second Priority Debt Facility in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Secured Obligations” means the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

Secured Parties” means the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties.

Senior Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Senior Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Senior Class Debt Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Senior Collateral” means any “Collateral” as defined in any First Lien Credit Agreement Loan Document or any other Senior Debt Document or any other assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor with respect to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to a Senior Collateral Document as security for any Senior Obligations.

Senior Collateral Documents” means the First Lien Credit Agreement Security Agreement and the other “Collateral Documents” as defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement (upon and after the initial execution and delivery thereof by the initial parties thereto) and each of the collateral agreements, security agreements and other instruments and documents executed and delivered by the Borrower or any other Grantor for purposes of providing collateral security for any Senior Obligation.

Senior Debt Documents” means the First Lien Credit Agreement Loan Documents and any Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Senior Facilities” means the First Lien Credit Agreement and any Additional Senior Debt Facilities.

Senior Lien” means the Liens on the Senior Collateral in favor of the Senior Secured Parties under the Senior Collateral Documents.

 

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Senior Obligations” means the First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations and any Additional Senior Debt Obligations.

Senior Representative” means (i) in the case of any First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations or the First Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent and (ii) in the case of any Additional Senior Debt Facility and the Additional Senior Debt Parties thereunder, the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under such Additional Senior Debt Facility that is named as the Representative in respect of such Additional Senior Debt Facility hereunder or in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Senior Secured Parties” means the First Lien Credit Agreement Secured Parties and any Additional Senior Debt Parties.

Shared Collateral” means, at any time, Collateral in which the holders of Senior Obligations under at least one Senior Facility (or their Representatives) and the holders of Second Priority Debt Obligations under at least one Second Priority Debt Facility (or their Representatives) hold a security interest at such time (or, in the case of the Senior Facilities, are deemed pursuant to Article II to hold a security interest). If, at any time, any portion of the Senior Collateral under one or more Senior Facilities does not constitute Second Priority Collateral under one or more Second Priority Debt Facilities, then such portion of such Senior Collateral shall constitute Shared Collateral only with respect to the Second Priority Debt Facilities for which it constitutes Second Priority Collateral and shall not constitute Shared Collateral for any Second Priority Debt Facility which does not have a security interest in such Collateral at such time.

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which (i) 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, (ii) more than half of the issued share capital is at the time beneficially owned or (iii) the management of which is otherwise controlled, 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. For the avoidance of doubt, any entity that is owned at a 50.0% or less level (as described above) shall not be a “Subsidiary” for any purpose under this Agreement, regardless of whether such entity is consolidated on Holdings’, the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s financial statements.

Uniform Commercial Code” or “UCC” means, unless otherwise specified, the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

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

 

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“shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) 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, (ii) 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, (iii) 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, (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections and Annexes shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections and Annexes of this Agreement, (v) unless otherwise expressly qualified herein, 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 and (vi) the term “or” is not exclusive.

ARTICLE II

Priorities and Agreements with Respect to Shared Collateral

SECTION 2.01 Subordination.

(a) Notwithstanding the date, time, manner or order of filing or recordation of any document or instrument or grant, attachment or perfection of any Liens granted to any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Parties on the Shared Collateral or of any Liens granted to any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party on the Shared Collateral (or any actual or alleged defect in any of the foregoing) and notwithstanding any provision of the UCC, any applicable law, any Second Priority Debt Document or any Senior Debt Document or any other circumstance whatsoever, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby agrees that (a) any Lien on the Shared Collateral securing or purporting to secure any Senior Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party or other 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 Shared Collateral securing or purporting to secure any Second Priority Debt Obligations and (b) any Lien on the Shared Collateral securing or purporting to secure any Second Priority Debt Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of any Second Priority Representative, any Second Priority Debt Parties or other 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 Shared Collateral securing or purporting to secure any Senior Obligations. All Liens on the Shared Collateral securing or purporting to secure any Senior Obligations shall be and remain senior in all respects and prior to all Liens on the Shared Collateral securing any Second Priority Debt Obligations for all purposes, whether or not such Liens securing or purporting to secure any Senior Obligations are subordinated to any Lien securing any other obligation of the Borrower, any Grantor or any other Person or otherwise subordinated, voided, avoided, invalidated or lapsed.

 

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SECTION 2.02 Nature of Senior Lender Claims. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges that (a) a portion of the Senior Obligations is revolving in nature and that the amount thereof that may be outstanding at any time or from time to time may be increased or reduced and subsequently reborrowed, (b) the terms of the Senior Debt Documents and the Senior Obligations may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, and the Senior Obligations, or a portion thereof, may be Refinanced from time to time and (c) the aggregate amount of the Senior Obligations may be increased, in each case, without notice to or consent by the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties and without affecting the provisions hereof. The Lien priorities provided for in Section 2.01 shall not be altered or otherwise affected by any amendment, amendment and restatement, supplement or other modification, or any Refinancing, of either the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations, or any portion thereof. As between the Borrower and the other Grantors and the Second Priority Debt Parties, the foregoing provisions will not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower and the Grantors contained in any Second Priority Debt Document with respect to the incurrence of additional Senior Obligations.

SECTION 2.03 Prohibition on Contesting Liens. Each of the Second Priority Representatives, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it shall not (and hereby waives any right to) contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, extent, perfection, priority or enforceability of any Lien securing any Senior Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any of the other Senior Secured Parties or other agent or trustee therefor in any Senior Collateral or the allowability of any claim or the amount thereof asserted by any Senior Secured Party with respect to any Senior Obligations, and each Senior Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Senior Secured Party under its Senior Facility, agrees that it shall not (and hereby waives any right to) contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, extent, perfection, priority or enforceability of any Lien securing any Second Priority Debt Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of any Second Priority Representative or any of the Second Priority Debt Parties in the Second Priority Collateral or the allowability of any claim or the amount thereof asserted by any Second Priority Debt Party with respect to any Second Priority Debt Obligations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Senior Representative to enforce this Agreement (including the priority of the Liens securing the Senior Obligations as provided in Section 2.01) or any of the Senior Debt Documents.

SECTION 2.04 No Other Liens. The parties hereto agree that, so long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, none of the Grantors shall, or shall permit any of its subsidiaries to, grant or permit any Lien on any asset to secure any Second Priority Debt Obligation unless it has granted, or concurrently therewith grants, a Lien on such asset to secure the Senior Obligations. If any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party shall hold any Lien on any assets or property of any Grantor securing any Second Priority Debt Obligations that are not also subject to the Liens securing all Senior Obligations under the Senior Collateral Documents, such Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party (i) shall notify the Designated Senior Representative promptly upon becoming aware thereof and,

 

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unless such Grantor shall promptly grant a similar Lien on such assets or property to each Senior Representative as security for the Senior Obligations, shall assign such Lien to the Designated Senior Representative as security for the Senior Obligations for the benefit of the Senior Secured Parties (but may retain a junior Lien on such assets or property subject to the terms hereof) and (ii) until such assignment or such grant of a similar Lien to each Senior Representative, shall be deemed to hold and have held such Lien for the benefit of each Senior Representative and the other Senior Secured Parties as security for the Senior Obligations (in accordance with the Lien priorities set forth herein). To the extent that the provisions of the third and second immediately preceding sentences of this Section 2.04 are not complied with for any reason, without limiting any other right or remedy available to any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party, each Second Priority Representative agrees, for itself and on behalf of the other Second Priority Debt Parties, that any amounts received by or distributed to any Second Priority Debt Party pursuant to or as a result of any Lien granted in contravention of this Section 2.04 shall be subject to Section 4.02.

SECTION 2.05 Perfection of Liens. Except for the limited agreements of the Senior Representatives pursuant to Section 5.05 hereof, none of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties shall be responsible for perfecting and maintaining the perfection of Liens with respect to the Shared Collateral for the benefit of the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties. The provisions of this Agreement are intended solely to govern the respective Lien priorities as between the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties and shall not impose on the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives, the Second Priority Debt Parties or any agent or trustee therefor any obligations in respect of the disposition of Proceeds of any Shared 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.

SECTION 2.06 Certain Cash Collateral. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Senior Debt Documents or Second Priority Debt Documents to the contrary, collateral consisting of cash and cash equivalents pledged to secure First Lien Credit Agreement Obligations consisting of reimbursement obligations in respect of Letters of Credit or otherwise held by the First Lien Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 2.03(g), Section 2.17 or Article 8 of the First Lien Credit Agreement (or any equivalent successor provision) shall be applied as specified in the First Lien Credit Agreement and will not constitute Shared Collateral.

ARTICLE III

Enforcement

SECTION 3.01 Exercise of Remedies.

(a) So long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, (i) neither any Second Priority Representative nor any Second Priority Debt Party will (x) exercise or seek to exercise any rights or remedies (including setoff or recoupment) with respect to any Shared Collateral in respect of any Second Priority Debt Obligations, or institute any action or proceeding with respect to such rights or remedies

 

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(including any action of foreclosure), (y) contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding or action brought with respect to the Shared Collateral or any other Senior Collateral by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party in respect of the Senior Obligations, the exercise of any right by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party (or any agent or sub-agent on their behalf) in respect of the Senior Obligations under any lockbox agreement, control agreement, landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or similar agreement or arrangement to which any Senior Representative or any Senior 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 relating to the Shared Collateral under the Senior Debt Documents or otherwise in respect of the Senior Collateral or the Senior Obligations, or (z) object to the forbearance by the Senior Secured Parties from bringing or pursuing any foreclosure proceeding or action or any other exercise of any rights or remedies relating to the Shared Collateral in respect of Senior Obligations and (ii) the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall (except as otherwise set forth herein with respect to the Second Priority Enforcement Date) have the exclusive right to enforce rights, exercise remedies (including setoff or recoupment and the right to credit bid their debt) and make determinations regarding the release, disposition or restrictions with respect to the Shared Collateral without any consultation with or the consent of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party; provided, however, that (A) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, any Second Priority Representative may file a claim or statement of interest with respect to the Second Priority Debt Obligations under its Second Priority Debt Facility, (B) any Second Priority Representative may take any action (not adverse to the prior Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Senior Obligations or the rights of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties to exercise remedies in respect thereof) in order to create, prove, perfect, preserve or protect (but not enforce) its rights in, and perfection and priority of its Lien on, the Shared Collateral, (C) any Second Priority Representative and the Second Priority Debt Parties may exercise their rights and remedies as unsecured creditors, to the extent provided in Section 5.04, (D) the Second Priority Debt Parties may file any responsive or defensive pleadings in opposition to any motion, claim, adversary proceeding or other pleading made by any person objecting to or otherwise seeking the disallowance of the claims of the Second Priority Debt Parties or the avoidance of any Second Priority Lien to the extent not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement, and (E) from and after the Second Priority Enforcement Date, the Designated Second Priority Representative may exercise or seek to exercise any rights or remedies (including setoff) with respect to any Shared Collateral in respect of any Second Priority Debt Obligations, or institute any action or proceeding with respect to such rights or remedies (including any action of foreclosure), but only so long as (1) the Designated Senior Representative (or any Person authorized by it) has not commenced and is not diligently pursuing any enforcement action with respect to all or a material portion of the Shared Collateral or (2) the Grantor which has granted a security interest in such Shared Collateral is not then a debtor under or with respect to (or otherwise subject to) any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. In exercising rights and remedies with respect to the Senior Collateral, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties may enforce the provisions of the Senior Debt Documents and exercise 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 Shared Collateral upon foreclosure, to incur expenses in connection with such sale or disposition and to exercise all the

 

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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 Senior Obligations has not occurred, except as expressly provided in the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will not take or receive any Shared Collateral or any Proceeds of Shared Collateral in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including setoff or recoupment) with respect to any Shared Collateral in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, except as expressly provided in the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), the sole right of the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Shared Collateral is to hold a Lien on the Shared Collateral in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations pursuant to the Second Priority Debt Documents for the period and to the extent granted therein and to receive a share of the Proceeds thereof, if any, after the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred.

(c) Subject to the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), (i) each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that neither such Second Priority Representative nor any such Second Priority Debt Party will take any action that would hinder or delay any exercise of remedies undertaken by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party with respect to the Shared Collateral under the Senior Debt Documents, including any sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of the Shared Collateral, whether by foreclosure or otherwise, and (ii) each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives any and all rights it or any such Second Priority Debt Party may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to object to the manner in which the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties seek to enforce or collect the Senior Obligations or the Liens granted on any of the Senior Collateral, regardless of whether any action or failure to act by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party is adverse to the interests of the Second Priority Debt Parties.

(d) Each Second Priority Representative hereby acknowledges and agrees that no covenant, agreement or restriction contained in any Second Priority Debt Document shall be deemed to restrict in any way the rights and remedies of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties with respect to the Senior Collateral as set forth in this Agreement and the Senior Debt Documents.

(e) Subject to Section 3.01(a), the Designated Senior Representative (or any Person authorized by it) shall have the exclusive right to exercise any right or remedy with respect to the Shared Collateral and shall have the exclusive right to determine and direct the time, method and place for exercising such right or remedy or conducting any proceeding with respect thereto. Following the Discharge of Senior Obligations, the Designated Second Priority Representative who may be instructed by the Second Priority Majority Representatives shall have the exclusive right to exercise any right or remedy with respect to the Collateral, and the Designated Second Priority Representative who may be instructed by the Second Priority Majority Representatives shall have the exclusive right to direct the time, method and place of

 

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exercising or conducting any proceeding for the exercise of any right or remedy available to the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Collateral, or of exercising or directing the exercise of any trust or power conferred on the Second Priority Representatives, or for the taking of any other action authorized by the Second Priority Collateral Documents; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 3.01(e) shall impair the right of any Second Priority Representative or other agent or trustee acting on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties to take such actions with respect to the Collateral after the Discharge of Senior Obligations as may be otherwise required or authorized pursuant to any intercreditor agreement governing the Second Priority Debt Parties or the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

SECTION 3.02 Cooperation. Subject to the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that, unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, it will not commence, or join with any Person (other than the Senior Secured Parties and the Senior Representatives upon the request of the Designated Senior Representative) in commencing, any enforcement, collection, execution, levy or foreclosure action or proceeding with respect to any Lien held by it in the Shared Collateral under any of the Second Priority Debt Documents or otherwise in respect of the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

SECTION 3.03 Actions upon Breach. Should any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, contrary to this Agreement, in any way take, attempt to take or threaten to take any action with respect to the Shared Collateral (including any attempt to realize upon or enforce any remedy with respect to this Agreement) or fail to take any action required by this Agreement, any Senior Representative or other Senior Secured Party (in its or their own name or in the name of the Borrower or any other Grantor) or the Borrower may obtain relief against such Second Priority Representative or such Second Priority Debt Party by injunction, specific performance or other appropriate equitable relief. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Facility, hereby (i) agrees that the Senior Secured Parties’ damages from the actions of the Second Priority Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party may at that time be difficult to ascertain and may be irreparable and waives any defense that the Borrower, any other Grantor or the Senior Secured Parties cannot demonstrate damage or be made whole by the awarding of damages and (ii) 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 Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party.

ARTICLE IV

Payments

SECTION 4.01 Application of Proceeds. After an event of default under any Senior Debt Document has occurred and until such event of default is cured or waived, so long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, the Shared Collateral or Proceeds thereof received in connection with the sale or other disposition of, or collection on, such Shared Collateral upon the exercise of remedies and any distribution made in respect of any Shared Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, including any adequate protection payments and other court approved payments made to the Secured Parties in such proceeding,

 

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other than any adequate protection payments received by Second Priority Debt Party pursuant to Section 6.03 of this Agreement shall be applied to the Senior Obligations in such order as specified in the relevant Senior Debt Documents (including the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement) until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred. Upon the Discharge of Senior Obligations, each applicable Senior Representative shall deliver promptly to the Designated Second Priority Representative any Shared 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, to be applied by the Designated Second Priority Representative to the Second Priority Debt Obligations in such order as specified in the relevant Second Priority Debt Documents.

SECTION 4.02 Payments Over. Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, any Shared Collateral or Proceeds thereof received by any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including setoff or recoupment) relating to the Shared Collateral or any distribution made in respect of any Shared Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, in contravention of this Agreement or otherwise, shall be segregated and held in trust for the benefit of and forthwith paid over to the Designated Senior Representative for the benefit of the Senior Secured Parties in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. The Designated Senior Representative is hereby authorized to make any such endorsements as agent for each of the Second Priority Representatives or any such Second Priority Debt Party. This authorization is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable.

ARTICLE V

Other Agreements

SECTION 5.01 Releases.

(a) Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that, in the event of a sale, transfer or other disposition of any specified item of Shared Collateral (including all or substantially all of the equity interests of any subsidiary of the Borrower) the Liens granted to the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties upon such Shared Collateral to secure Second Priority Debt Obligations shall terminate and be released, automatically and without any further action, concurrently with the termination and release of all Liens granted upon such Shared Collateral to secure Senior Obligations; provided that, in the case of any such sale, transfer or other disposition of Shared Collateral (other than any sale, transfer or other disposition in connection with the enforcement or exercise of any rights or remedies with respect to the Shared Collateral), the Liens granted to the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties shall not be so released if such release of Senior Secured Parties’ Liens is granted upon or following the Discharge of Senior Obligations. Upon delivery to a Second Priority Representative of an Officer’s Certificate stating that any such termination and release of Liens securing the Senior Obligations has become effective (or shall become effective concurrently with such termination and release of the Liens granted to the Second Priority Debt Parties and the Second Priority Representatives) and any necessary or

 

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proper instruments of termination or release prepared by the Borrower or any other Grantor, such Second Priority Representative will promptly execute, deliver or acknowledge, at the Borrower’s or the other Grantor’s sole cost and expense, such instruments to evidence such termination and release of the Liens. Nothing in this Section 5.01(a) will be deemed to affect any agreement of a Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under its Second Priority Debt Facility, to release the Liens on the Second Priority Collateral as set forth in the relevant Second Priority Debt Documents.

(b) Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Designated Senior Representative and any officer or agent of the Designated Senior Representative, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place and stead of such Second Priority Representative or such Second Priority Debt Party or in the Designated Senior Representative’s own name, from time to time in the Designated Senior Representative’s discretion, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of Section 5.01(a), 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 Section 5.01(a), including any termination statements, endorsements or other instruments of transfer or release.

(c) Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby consents to the application whether prior to or after an event of default under any Senior Debt Document of proceeds of Shared Collateral to the repayment of Senior Obligations pursuant to the Senior Debt Documents, provided that noting in this Section 5.01(c) shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties to receive proceeds in connection with the Second Priority Debt Obligations not otherwise in contravention of this Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Second Priority Collateral Document, in the event the terms of a Senior Collateral Document and a Second Priority Collateral Document each require any Grantor (i) to make payment in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, (ii) to deliver or afford control over any item of Shared Collateral to, or deposit any item of Shared Collateral with, (iii) to register ownership of any item of Shared Collateral in the name of or make an assignment of ownership of any Shared Collateral or the rights thereunder to, (iv) cause any securities intermediary, commodity intermediary or other Person acting in a similar capacity to agree to comply, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, with instructions or orders from, or to treat, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, as the entitlement holder, (v) hold any item of Shared Collateral in trust for (to the extent such item of Shared Collateral cannot be held in trust for multiple parties under applicable law), (vi) obtain the agreement of a bailee or other third party to hold any item of Shared Collateral for the benefit of or subject to the control of or, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, to follow the instructions of or (vii) obtain the agreement of a landlord with respect to access to leased premises where any item of Shared Collateral is located or waivers or subordination of rights with respect to any item of Shared Collateral in favor of, in any case, both the Designated Senior Representative and any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party, such Grantor may, until the applicable Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, comply with such requirement under the applicable Second Priority Collateral Document as it relates to such Shared Collateral by taking any of the actions set forth above only with respect to, or in favor of, the Designated Senior Representative.

 

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SECTION 5.02 Insurance and Condemnation Awards. Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, the Designated Senior Representative and the Senior Secured Parties shall have the sole and exclusive right, subject to the rights of the Grantors under the Senior Debt Documents, (a) to be named as additional insured and loss payee under any insurance policies maintained from time to time by any Grantor, (b) to adjust settlement for any insurance policy covering the Shared Collateral in the event of any loss thereunder and (c) to approve any award granted in any condemnation or similar proceeding affecting the Shared Collateral. Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, all proceeds of any such policy and any such award, if in respect of the Shared Collateral, shall be paid (i) first, prior to the occurrence of the Discharge of Senior Obligations, to the Designated Senior Representative for the benefit of Senior Secured Parties pursuant to the terms of the Senior Debt Documents, (ii) second, after the occurrence of the Discharge of Senior Obligations, to the Designated Second Priority Representative for the benefit of the Second Priority Debt Parties pursuant to the terms of the applicable Second Priority Debt Documents and (iii) third, if no Second Priority Debt Obligations or Senior 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 any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party shall, at any time, receive any proceeds of any such insurance policy or any such award in contravention of this Agreement, it shall pay such proceeds over to the Designated Senior Representative in accordance with the terms of Section 4.02.

SECTION 5.03 Amendments to Debt Documents.

(a) The Senior Debt Documents may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with their terms, and the Indebtedness under the Senior Debt Documents may be Refinanced, in each case, without the consent of any Second Priority Debt Party; provided, however, that, without the consent of the Second Priority Majority Representatives, no such amendment, restatement, supplement, modification or Refinancing (or successive amendments, restatements, supplements, modifications or Refinancings) shall contravene any provision of this Agreement.

(b) Without the prior written consent of the Senior Representatives, no Second Priority Debt Document may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, or entered into, and no Indebtedness under the Second Priority Debt Documents may be Refinanced, to the extent such amendment, restatement, supplement or modification or Refinancing, or the terms of such new Second Priority Debt Document, would (i) contravene the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) change to earlier dates any scheduled dates for payment of principal (including the final maturity date) or of interest on Indebtedness under such Second Priority Debt Document or (iii) reduce the capacity to incur Indebtedness for borrowed money constituting Senior Obligations to an amount less than the aggregate principal amount of term loans or outstanding notes and aggregate principal amount of revolving commitments, in each case, under the Senior Debt Documents on the day of any such amendment, restatement, supplement, modification or Refinancing.

 

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(c) Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that each Second Priority Collateral Document under its Second Priority Debt Facility shall include the following language (or language to similar effect reasonably approved by the Designated Senior Representative):

“Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the liens and security interests granted to the [Second Priority Representative] pursuant to this Agreement are expressly subject and subordinate to the liens and security interests granted in favor of the Senior Secured Parties (as defined in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement referred to below), including liens and security interests granted to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as collateral agent, pursuant to or in connection with the First Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019, among Holdings, the Borrower, the other guarantors from time to time party thereto, the lenders from time to time party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, collateral agent, swing line lender and an L/C issuer, and the other parties thereto, as further amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and (ii) the exercise of any right or remedy by the [Second Priority Representative] hereunder is subject to the limitations and provisions of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of [            ] (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, [            ], as Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent, Holdings, the Borrower and its subsidiaries and affiliated entities party thereto. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall govern.”

(d) In the event that each applicable Senior Representative and/or the Senior Secured Parties enter into any amendment, waiver or consent in respect of any of the Senior Collateral Documents for the purpose of adding to or deleting from, or waiving or consenting to any departures from any provisions of, any Senior Collateral Document or changing in any manner the rights of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Borrower or any other Grantor thereunder (including the release of any Liens in Senior Collateral) in a manner that is applicable to all Senior Facilities, then such amendment, waiver or consent shall apply automatically to any comparable provision of each comparable Second Priority Collateral Document without the consent of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party and without any action by any Second Priority Representative, the Borrower or any other Grantor; provided, however, that (i) no such amendment, waiver or consent shall (A) remove assets subject to the Second Priority Liens or release any such Liens, except to the extent that such release is permitted or required by Section 5.01(a) and provided that there is a concurrent release of the corresponding Senior Liens or (B) amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of any Second Priority Representative in its role as Second Priority Representative without its prior written consent and (ii) written notice of such amendment, waiver or consent shall have been given to each Second Priority Representative within 10 Business Days after the effectiveness of such amendment, waiver or consent.

(e) The Borrower agrees to deliver to each of the Designated Senior Representative and the Designated Second Priority Representative copies of (i) any amendments, supplements or other modifications to the Senior Debt Documents or the Second Priority Debt Documents and (ii) any new Senior Debt Documents or Second Priority Debt Documents promptly after effectiveness thereof.

 

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SECTION 5.04 Rights as Unsecured Creditors. The Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties may exercise rights and remedies as unsecured creditors against the Borrower and any other Grantor in accordance with the terms of the Second Priority Debt Documents and applicable law so long as such rights and remedies do not violate, or are not otherwise inconsistent with, any provision of this Agreement (including any provision prohibiting or restricting the Second Priority Debt Parties from taking various actions or making various objections). Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit the receipt by any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party of the required payments of principal, premium, interest, fees and other amounts due under the Second Priority Debt Documents so long as such receipt is not the direct or indirect result of the exercise by a Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party of rights or remedies in respect of Shared Collateral in contravention of this Agreement. In the event any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party becomes a judgment lien creditor in respect of Shared Collateral as a result of its enforcement of its rights as an unsecured creditor in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations, such judgment lien shall be subordinated to the Liens securing Senior Obligations on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to such Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall impair or otherwise adversely affect any rights or remedies the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties may have with respect to the Senior Collateral.

SECTION 5.05 Bailment for Perfection of Security Interest.

(a) The Possessory Collateral shall be delivered to the Designated Senior Representative and by accepting such Possessory Collateral such Designated Senior Representative agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory 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 of the Second Priority Representatives and any assignee solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable Second Priority Collateral Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 5.05.

(b) Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to deal with the Possessory Collateral in accordance with the terms of the Senior Debt Documents as if the Liens under the Second Priority Collateral Documents did not exist. The rights of the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Possessory Collateral shall at all times be subject to the terms of this Agreement.

(c) The Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall have no obligation whatsoever to the Second Priority Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party to assure that any of the Possessory 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 Shared Collateral, except as expressly set forth in this Section 5.05. The duties or responsibilities of the Senior

 

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Representatives under this Section 5.05 shall be limited solely to holding or controlling the Shared Collateral and the related Liens referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.05 as sub-agent and gratuitous bailee for the relevant Second Priority Representative for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by such Second Priority Representative.

(d) The Senior Representatives shall not have by reason of the Second Priority Collateral Documents or this Agreement, or any other document, a fiduciary relationship in respect of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, and each, Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives and releases the Senior Representatives from all claims and liabilities arising pursuant to the Senior Representatives’ roles under this Section 5.05 as sub-agents and gratuitous bailees with respect to the Shared Collateral.

(e) Upon the Discharge of Senior Obligations, each applicable Senior Representative shall, at the Grantors’ sole cost and expense, (i) (A) deliver to the Designated Second Priority Representative, to the extent that it is legally permitted to do so, all Shared Collateral, including all proceeds thereof, held or controlled by such Senior Representative or any of its agents or bailees, including the transfer of possession and control, as applicable, of the Possessory Collateral, together with any necessary endorsements and notices to depositary banks, securities intermediaries and commodities intermediaries, and assign its rights under any landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or any similar agreement or arrangement granting it rights or access to Shared Collateral, or (B) direct and deliver such Shared Collateral as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct, (ii) notify any applicable insurance carrier that it is no longer entitled to be a loss payee or additional insured under the insurance policies of any Grantor issued by such insurance carrier and (iii) notify any governmental authority involved in any condemnation or similar proceeding involving any Grantor that the Designated Second Priority Representative is entitled to approve any awards granted in such proceeding. The Borrower and the other Grantors shall take such further action as is required to effectuate the transfer contemplated hereby and shall indemnify each Senior Representative for loss or damage suffered by such Senior Representative as a result of such transfer, except for loss or damage suffered by any such Person as a result of its own willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith. The Senior Representatives have no obligations to follow instructions from any Second Priority Representative or any other Second Priority Debt Party in contravention of this Agreement.

(f) None of the Senior Representatives nor any of the other Senior Secured Parties shall be required to marshal any present or future collateral security for any obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party under the Senior Debt Documents or any Second Priority Debt Party 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.

SECTION 5.06 When Discharge of Senior Obligations Deemed To Not Have Occurred. If, at any time substantially concurrently with or after the occurrence of the Discharge of Senior Obligations, the Borrower or any Subsidiary consummates any Refinancing of any

 

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Senior Obligations, then such Discharge of Senior Obligations shall automatically be deemed not to have occurred for all purposes of this Agreement (other than with respect to any actions taken prior to the date of such designation as a result of the occurrence of such first Discharge of Senior Obligations) and the applicable agreement governing such Senior Obligations shall automatically be treated as a Senior Debt Document for all purposes of this Agreement, including for purposes of the Lien priorities and rights in respect of Shared Collateral set forth herein and the agent, representative or trustee for the holders of such Senior Obligations shall be the Senior Representative for all purposes of this Agreement. Upon receipt of notice of such incurrence (including the identity of the new Senior Representative), each Second Priority Representative (including the Designated Second Priority Representative) shall promptly (a) enter into such documents and agreements, including amendments or supplements to this Agreement, as the Borrower or such new Senior Representative shall reasonably request in writing in order to provide the new Senior Representative the rights of a Senior Representative contemplated hereby, (b) deliver to such Senior Representative, to the extent that it is legally permitted to do so, all Shared Collateral, including all proceeds thereof, held or controlled by such Second Priority Representative or any of its agents or bailees, including the transfer of possession and control, as applicable, of the Possessory Collateral, together with any necessary endorsements and notices to depositary banks, securities intermediaries and commodities intermediaries, and assign its rights under any landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or any similar agreement or arrangement granting it rights or access to Shared Collateral, (c) notify any applicable insurance carrier that it is no longer entitled to be a loss payee or additional insured under the insurance policies of any Grantor issued by such insurance carrier and (d) notify any governmental authority involved in any condemnation or similar proceeding involving a Grantor that the new Senior Representative is entitled to approve any awards granted in such proceeding.

SECTION 5.07 Purchase Right. Without prejudice to the enforcement of the Senior Secured Parties remedies, the Senior Secured Parties agree that following (a) the acceleration of all Senior Obligations in accordance with the terms of the Senior Debt Documents or (b) the commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding (each, a “Purchase Event”), within thirty (30) days of the Purchase Event, one or more of the Second Priority Debt Parties may request, and the Senior Secured Parties hereby offer the Second Priority Debt Parties the option, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the aggregate amount of outstanding Senior Obligations outstanding at the time of purchase and all undrawn amounts under outstanding Letters of Credit at par, plus any premium that would be applicable upon prepayment of the Senior Obligations and accrued and unpaid interest, fees and expenses without warranty or representation or recourse (except for representations and warranties required to be made by assigning lenders pursuant to the Assignment and Assumption (as such term is defined in the First Lien Credit Agreement)). If such right is exercised, the parties shall endeavor to close promptly thereafter but in any event within ten (10) Business Days of the request. If one or more of the Second Priority Debt Parties exercise such purchase right, it shall be exercised pursuant to documentation mutually acceptable to each of the Senior Representative and the Second Priority Representative. If none of the Second Priority Debt Parties timely exercise such right, the Senior Secured Parties shall have no further obligations pursuant to this Section 5.07 for such Purchase Event and may take any further actions in their sole discretion in accordance with the Senior Debt Documents and this Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE VI

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceedings

SECTION 6.01 Financing Issues. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, if the Borrower or any other Grantor shall be subject to any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party shall desire to consent (or not object) to the sale, use or lease of cash or other collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law or to consent (or not object) to the Borrower’s or any other Grantor’s obtaining financing under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law (“DIP Financing”), then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will raise no objection to and will not otherwise contest (a) such sale, use or lease of such cash or other collateral, unless each Senior Representative shall oppose or object to such use of cash collateral (in which case, no Second Priority Representative nor any other Second Priority Debt Party shall seek any relief in connection therewith that is inconsistent with the relief being sought by the Senior Secured Parties); or (b) such DIP Financing, unless each Senior Representative shall oppose or object to such DIP Financing (provided that the foregoing shall not prevent the Second Priority Debt Parties from proposing any other DIP Financing to any Grantors or to a court of competent jurisdiction), and, except to the extent permitted by the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a) and Section 6.03, will not request adequate protection or any other relief in connection therewith and, to the extent the Liens securing any Senior Obligations are subordinated or pari passu with the Liens securing such DIP Financing, will subordinate (and will be deemed hereunder to have subordinated) its Liens in the Shared Collateral to (x) the Liens securing such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) on the same basis as the Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to Liens securing the Senior Obligations under this Agreement, (y) any adequate protection Liens provided to the Senior Secured Parties, and (z) to any “carve-out” for professional and United States Trustee fees agreed to by the Senior Representatives. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, further agrees that it will raise no objection to and will not otherwise contest (1) any motion for relief from the automatic stay or from any injunction against foreclosure or enforcement in respect of Senior Obligations made by any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party; (2) any exercise by any Senior Secured Party of the right to credit bid Senior Obligations at any sale in foreclosure of Senior Collateral or in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding under Section 363(k) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law; (3) any other request for judicial relief made in any court by any Senior Secured Party relating to the lawful enforcement of any Lien on Senior Collateral; or (4) any order relating to a sale or other disposition of assets of any Grantor (including under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, any other provision of the Bankruptcy Code, or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law) to which any Senior Representative has consented or not objected that provides, to the extent such sale or other disposition is to be free and clear of Liens, that the Liens securing the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations will attach to the proceeds of the sale on the same basis of priority as the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Senior Obligations rank to the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations pursuant to this Agreement. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that notice received two Business Days prior to the entry of an order approving such usage of cash or other collateral or approving such DIP Financing shall be adequate notice.

 

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SECTION 6.02 Relief from the Automatic Stay. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that none of them shall seek relief from the automatic stay or any other stay in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or take any action in derogation thereof, in each case in respect of any Shared Collateral, without the prior written consent of the Designated Senior Representative.

SECTION 6.03 Adequate Protection. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that none of them shall (A) object, contest or support any other Person objecting to or contesting (a) any request by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Parties for adequate protection, (b) any objection by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Parties to any motion, relief, action or proceeding based on any Senior Representative’s or Senior Secured Party’s claiming a lack of adequate protection or (c) the allowance and/or payment of interest, fees, expenses or other amounts of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party under Section 506(b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law or otherwise or (B) assert or support any claim for costs or expenses of preserving or disposing of any Collateral under Section 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 6.03 or in Section 6.01, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, (i) if the Senior Secured Parties (or any subset thereof) are granted adequate protection in the form of a Lien on additional collateral or superpriority claims in connection with any DIP Financing or use of cash collateral under Section 363 or 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, may seek or request adequate protection in the form of a Lien on such additional collateral or a superpriority claim, which (A) Lien is subordinated to the Liens securing and providing adequate protection for all Senior Obligations and such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to the Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement and (B) superpriority claim is subordinated to all superpriority claims of the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Lien Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility agrees that, under Section 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code, such superpriority claim is not required to be paid in cash, (ii) in the event any Second Priority Representatives, for themselves and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under their Second Priority Debt Facilities, seek or request adequate protection and such adequate protection is granted (in each instance, to the extent such grant is otherwise permissible under the terms and conditions of this Agreement) in the form of a Lien on additional or replacement collateral, then such Second Priority Representatives, for themselves and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under their Second Priority Debt Facilities, agree that each Senior Representative shall also be granted a senior Lien on such additional or replacement collateral as security and adequate protection for the Senior Obligations and any such DIP Financing and that any Lien on such additional or replacement collateral securing or providing adequate protection for the Second Priority Debt

 

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Obligations shall be subordinated to the Liens on such collateral securing the Senior Obligations and any such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) and any other Liens granted to the Senior Secured Parties as adequate protection on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to such Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement (and, to the extent the Senior Secured Parties are not granted such adequate protection in such form, any amounts recovered by or distributed to any Second Priority Debt Party pursuant to or as a result of any Lien on such additional or replacement collateral so granted to the Second Priority Debt Parties shall be subject to Section 4.02), and (iii) in the event any Second Priority Representatives, for themselves and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under their Second Priority Debt Facilities, seek or request adequate protection and such adequate protection is granted (in each instance, to the extent such grant is otherwise permissible under the terms and conditions of this Agreement) in the form of a superpriority claim, then such Second Priority Representatives, for themselves and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under their Second Priority Debt Facilities, agree that each Senior Representative shall also be granted adequate protection in the form of a superpriority claim, which superpriority claim shall be senior to the superpriority claim of the Second Priority Debt Parties (and, to the extent the Senior Secured Parties are not granted such adequate protection in such form, any amounts recovered by or distributed to any Second Priority Debt Party pursuant to or as a result of any such superpriority claim so granted to the Second Priority Debt Parties shall be subject to Section 4.02).

SECTION 6.04 Preference Issues. If any Senior Secured Party is required in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or otherwise to disgorge, turn over or otherwise pay any amount to the estate of the Borrower or any other Grantor (or any trustee, receiver or similar Person therefor), because the payment of such amount was declared to be, or avoided as, fraudulent or preferential 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 the Senior Obligations shall be reinstated to the extent of such Recovery and deemed to be outstanding as if such payment had not occurred and the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to the benefits of this Agreement until a Discharge of Senior Obligations with respect to all such recovered amounts. 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. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby agrees that none of them shall be entitled to benefit from any avoidance action affecting or otherwise relating to any distribution or allocation made in accordance with this Agreement, whether by preference, fraudulent transfer or otherwise, it being understood and agreed that the benefit of such avoidance action otherwise allocable to them shall instead be allocated and turned over for application in accordance with the priorities set forth in this Agreement.

SECTION 6.05 Separate Grants of Security and Separate Classifications. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges and agrees that (a) the grants of Liens pursuant to the Senior Collateral Documents and the Second Priority Collateral Documents constitute separate and distinct grants of Liens and (b) because of, among other things, their differing rights in the Shared Collateral, the Second Priority Debt Obligations are fundamentally different from

 

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the Senior Obligations and must be separately classified in any plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan proposed, confirmed, or adopted in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. To further effectuate the intent of the parties as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, if it is held that any claims of the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties in respect of the Shared Collateral constitute a single class of claims (rather than separate classes of senior and junior secured claims), then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby acknowledges and agrees that all distributions shall be made as if there were separate classes of senior and junior secured claims against 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 Second Priority Debt Parties), the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to receive, 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, fees, and expenses (whether or not allowed or allowable) before any distribution is made in respect of the Second Priority Debt Obligations, and each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby acknowledges and agrees to turn over to the Designated Senior Representative amounts otherwise received or receivable by them to the extent necessary to effectuate the intent of this sentence, even if such turnover has the effect of reducing the claim or recovery of the Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 6.06 No Waivers of Rights of Senior Secured Parties. Nothing contained herein shall, except as expressly provided herein, prohibit or in any way limit any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party from objecting in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or otherwise to any action taken by any Second Priority Debt Party, including the seeking by any Second Priority Debt Party of adequate protection or the assertion by any Second Priority Debt Party of any of its rights and remedies under the Second Priority Debt Documents or otherwise.

SECTION 6.07 Application. This Agreement, which the parties hereto expressly acknowledge is a “subordination agreement” under Section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, shall be effective before, during and after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. The relative rights as to the Shared Collateral and proceeds thereof shall continue after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding on the same basis as prior to the date of the petition therefor, subject to any court order approving the financing of, or use of cash collateral by, any Grantor. All references herein to any Grantor shall include such Grantor as a debtor-in-possession and any receiver or trustee for such Grantor.

SECTION 6.08 Other Matters. To the extent that any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party has or acquires rights under Section 363 or Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law with respect to any of the Shared Collateral, such Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, or such Second Priority Debt Party agrees not to assert any such rights without the prior written consent of each Senior Representative, provided that if requested by any Senior Representative, such Second Priority Representative shall timely exercise such rights in the manner requested by the Senior Representatives (acting unanimously), including any rights to payments in respect of such rights.

 

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SECTION 6.09 506(c) Claims. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will not assert or enforce any claim under Section 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law senior to or on a parity with the Liens securing the Senior Obligations for costs or expenses of preserving or disposing of any Shared Collateral.

SECTION 6.10 Reorganization Securities; Plan Voting.

(a) 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, on account of both the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations, then, to the extent the debt obligations distributed on account of the Senior Obligations and on account of the Second Priority Debt Obligations are secured by Liens upon the same assets or 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.

(b) No Second Priority Debt Party (whether in the capacity of a secured creditor or an unsecured creditor) shall propose, vote in favor of, or otherwise directly or indirectly support any plan of reorganization or other dispositive restructuring plan that is inconsistent with the priorities or other provisions of this Agreement, other than with the prior written consent of the Designated Senior Representative or to the extent any such plan is proposed or supported by the number of Senior Secured Debt Parties required under Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code.

SECTION 6.11 Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, shall not object to, oppose, support any objection, or take any other action to impede, the right of any Senior Secured Party to make an election under Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, waives any claim it may hereafter have against any senior claimholder arising out of the election by any Senior Secured Party of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law.

ARTICLE VII

Reliance; Etc.

SECTION 7.01 Reliance. All loans and other extensions of credit made or deemed made on and after the date hereof by the Senior Secured Parties to the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall be deemed to have been given and made in reliance upon this Agreement. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges that it and such Second Priority Debt Parties have,

 

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independently and without reliance on any Senior Representative or other Senior Secured Party, and based on documents and information deemed by them appropriate, made their own credit analysis and decision to enter into the Second Priority Debt Documents to which they are party or by which they are bound, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and they will continue to make their own credit decisions in taking or not taking any action under the Second Priority Debt Documents or this Agreement.

SECTION 7.02 No Warranties or Liability. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges and agrees that neither any Senior Representative nor any other Senior Secured Party 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 Senior Debt Documents, the ownership of any Shared Collateral or the perfection or priority of any Liens thereon. The Senior Secured Parties will be entitled to manage and supervise their respective loans and extensions of credit under the Senior Debt Documents in accordance with law and as they may otherwise, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate, and the Senior Secured Parties may manage their loans and extensions of credit without regard to any rights or interests that the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties have in the Shared Collateral or otherwise, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. Neither any Senior Representative nor any other Senior Secured Party shall have any duty to any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt 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 agreement with the Borrower or any Subsidiary (including the Second Priority Debt Documents), regardless of any knowledge thereof that they may have or be charged with. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt 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 collectability of any of the Senior Obligations, the Second Priority Debt Obligations or any guarantee or security which may have been granted to any of them in connection therewith, (b) any Grantor’s title to or right to transfer any of the Shared Collateral or (c) any other matter except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

SECTION 7.03 Obligations Unconditional. All rights, interests, agreements and obligations of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties hereunder shall remain in full force and effect irrespective of:

(a) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document;

(b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other terms of, all or any of the Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt 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 First Lien Credit Agreement or any other Senior Debt Document or of the terms of the Initial Second Lien Agreement or any other Second Priority Debt Document;

 

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(c) any exchange of any security interest in any Shared 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 Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations or any guarantee thereof;

(d) the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in respect of the Borrower or any other Grantor; or

(e) any other circumstances that otherwise might constitute a defense available to (i) the Borrower or any other Grantor in respect of the Senior Obligations (other than the Discharge of Senior Obligations subject to Sections 5.06 and 6.04) or (ii) any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party in respect of this Agreement.

ARTICLE VIII

Miscellaneous

SECTION 8.01 Conflicts. Subject to Section 8.22, in the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the relative rights and obligations of the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties (as amongst themselves) with respect to any Senior Collateral shall be governed by the terms of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and in the event of any conflict between the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and this Agreement as to such relative rights and obligations, the provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall control.

SECTION 8.02 Continuing Nature of this Agreement; Severability. Subject to Section 5.06 and Section 6.04, this Agreement shall continue to be effective until the Discharge of Senior Obligations shall have occurred. This is a continuing agreement of Lien subordination, and the Senior Secured Parties may continue, at any time and without notice to the Second Priority Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party, to extend credit and other financial accommodations and lend monies to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any Subsidiary constituting Senior Obligations in reliance hereon. The terms of this Agreement shall survive and 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. 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 8.03 Amendments; Waivers.

(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

 

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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) This Agreement may be amended in writing signed by each Representative (in each case, acting in accordance with the documents governing the applicable Debt Facility and the Borrower.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Secured Party, any Representative may become a party hereto by execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement in accordance with Section 8.09 of this Agreement and upon such execution and delivery, such Representative and the Secured Parties and Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations of the Debt Facility for which such Representative is acting shall be subject to the terms hereof.

SECTION 8.04 Information Concerning Financial Condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries. The Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties shall each be responsible for keeping themselves informed of (a) the financial condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and all endorsers or guarantors of the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations and (b) all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations. The Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt 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 Senior Representative, any Senior Secured Party, any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, in its sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any such information to any other party, it shall be under no obligation to (i) make, and the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties shall not make or be deemed to have made, any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or validity of any such information so provided, (ii) provide any additional information or to provide any such information on any subsequent occasion, (iii) undertake any investigation or (iv) 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.

SECTION 8.05 Subrogation. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives any rights of subrogation it may acquire as a result of any payment hereunder until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred.

SECTION 8.06 Application of Payments. Except as otherwise provided herein, all payments received by the Senior Secured Parties may be applied, reversed and reapplied, in whole or in part, to such part of the Senior Obligations as the Senior Secured Parties, in their sole

 

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discretion, deem appropriate, consistent with the terms of the Senior Debt Documents. Except as otherwise provided herein, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, assents to any such extension or postponement of the time of payment of the Senior 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 Senior Obligations and to the addition or release of any other Person primarily or secondarily liable therefor.

SECTION 8.07 Additional Grantors. The Borrower and Holdings agree that, if any Subsidiary shall become a Grantor after the date hereof, or any Person shall become a Successor Holdings or a Successor Borrower, it will promptly cause such Subsidiary or such Person, as applicable, to become party hereto by executing and delivering an instrument in the form of Annex I. Upon such execution and delivery, such Subsidiary or such Person, as applicable, will become a Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Grantor herein. The execution and delivery of such instrument shall not require the consent of any other party hereunder, and will be acknowledged by the Designated Second Priority Representative and the Designated Senior Representative. The rights and obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Grantor as a party to this Agreement.

SECTION 8.08 Dealings with Grantors. Upon any application or demand by the Borrower or any Grantor to any Representative to take or permit any action under any of the provisions of this Agreement or under any Collateral Document (if such action is subject to the provisions hereof), at the request of such Representative, the Borrower or such Grantor, as appropriate, shall furnish to such Representative a certificate of an Authorized Officer (an “Officer’s Certificate”) stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Agreement or such Collateral Document, as the case may be, relating to the proposed action have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Agreement or any Collateral Document relating to such particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

SECTION 8.09 Additional Debt Facilities. To the extent, but only to the extent, permitted by the provisions of the then extant Senior Debt Documents and Second Priority Debt Documents, the Borrower may incur or issue and sell one or more series or classes of Additional Second Priority Debt and one or more series or classes of Additional Senior Debt. Any such additional class or series of Second Priority Debt (the “Second Priority Class Debt”) may be secured by a second priority, subordinated Lien on Shared Collateral, in each case under and pursuant to the relevant Second Priority Collateral Documents for such Second Priority Class Debt, if and subject to the condition that the Representative of any such Second Priority Class Debt (each, a “Second Priority Class Debt Representative”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Second Priority Class Debt (such Representative and holders in respect of any Second Priority Class Debt being referred to as the “Second Priority Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party to this Agreement by satisfying conditions (i) through (iii), as applicable, of the immediately succeeding paragraph. Any such additional class or series of Senior Facilities (the “Senior Class Debt”; and the Senior Class Debt and Second Priority Class Debt, collectively, the “Class Debt”) may be secured by a senior Lien on Shared Collateral, in each case under and

 

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pursuant to the relevant Senior Collateral Documents, if and subject to the condition that the Representative of any such Senior Class Debt (each, a “Senior Class Debt Representative”; and the Senior Class Debt Representatives and Second Priority Class Debt Representatives, collectively, the “Class Debt Representatives”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Senior Class Debt (such Representative and holders in respect of any such Senior Class Debt being referred to as the “Senior Class Debt Parties; and the Senior Class Debt Parties and Second Priority Class Debt Parties, collectively, the “Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party, as applicable, to (x) the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement pursuant to Article IX thereof or, in the event of such Additional Senior Debt secured on a subordinate basis, such other Intercreditor Agreement as contemplated by the Senior Debt Documents and (y) this Agreement by satisfying the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iii), as applicable, of the immediately succeeding paragraph. In order for a Class Debt Representative to become a party to this Agreement:

(A) such Class Debt Representative shall have executed and delivered a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Annex II (if such Representative is a Second Priority Class Debt Representative) or Annex III (if such Representative is a Senior Class Debt Representative) (with such changes as may be reasonably approved by the Designated Senior Representative and such Class Debt Representative) pursuant to which it becomes a Representative hereunder, and the Class Debt in respect of which such Class Debt Representative is the Representative constitutes Additional Senior Debt Obligations or Additional Second Priority Debt Obligations, as applicable, and the related Class Debt Parties become subject hereto and bound hereby as Additional Senior Debt Parties or Additional Second Priority Debt Parties, as applicable;

(B) the Borrower (a) shall have delivered to the Designated Senior Representative an Officer’s Certificate identifying the obligations to be designated as Additional Senior Debt Obligations or Additional Second Priority Debt Obligations, as applicable, and the initial aggregate principal amount or face amount thereof and certifying that such obligations are permitted to be incurred and secured (I) in the case of Additional Senior Debt Obligations, on a senior basis under each of the then extant Senior Debt Documents and (II) in the case of Additional Second Priority Debt Obligations, on a junior basis under each of the then extant Second Priority Debt Documents and (b) if requested, shall have delivered true and complete copies of each of the Second Priority Debt Documents or Senior Debt Documents, as applicable, relating to such Class Debt, certified as being true and correct by an authorized officer of the Borrower; and

(C) the Second Priority Debt Documents or Senior Debt Documents, as applicable, relating to such Class Debt shall provide that each Class Debt Party with respect to such Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of this Agreement in its capacity as a holder of such Class Debt.

SECTION 8.10 Refinancings. The Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt may be increased, refinanced or replaced, in whole or in part, in each case, without notice to, or the consent (except to the extent a consent is otherwise required to permit the refinancing transaction under any Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document) of any Senior Representative or any Secured Party, all without affecting the Lien priorities provided for herein or the other provisions hereof, so long as permitted by the terms of each Senior Debt Document and Second Priority Debt Document. Each Second Priority Representative hereby agrees that at the request of the Borrower in connection with refinancing or replacement of

 

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Senior Obligations (“Replacement Senior Obligations”) it will enter into an agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Second Priority Representative with the agent for the Replacement Senior Obligations containing terms and conditions substantially similar to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.11 Consent to Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each Representative, on behalf of itself and the Secured Parties of the Debt Facility for which it is acting, irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the Collateral Documents, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York or the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

(b) consents and agrees that any such action or proceeding shall be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person (or its Representative) at the address referred to in Section 8.12;

(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right of any other party hereto (or any Secured Party) to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law; and

(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 8.11 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

SECTION 8.12 Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be sent:

(A) if to the Borrower or any Grantor, to the Borrower, at its address at:

TU BidCo, Inc.

c/o Blackstone Capital Partners VII L.P.

345 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10154

Attention: Jonathan Kaufman

Telephone: (212) 583-5722

Electronic Mail: kaufman@blackstone.com;

With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

 

J-2-35


Attention: Brian Gluck, Esq.

Facsimile: (212) 455-2502

Email: bgluck@stblaw.com

(B) if to the First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, to it at:

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Attention: Yuvette Owens

10 South Dearborn, Floor L2

Chicago, IL 60603-2300

Facsimile: 844-490-5665

E-mail address: Jpm.agency.servicing.1@jpmorgan.com

Yuvette.owens@jpmorgan.com

(C) if to the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent, to it at:

[            ]

Attention: [            ]

[            ]

Telephone: [            ]

Facsimile: [            ]

Electronic mail: [            ]

(D) if to any other Representative, to it at the address specified by it in the Joinder Agreement delivered by it pursuant to Section 8.09.

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 purposes hereof, the addresses of the parties hereto shall be as set forth above 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.

SECTION 8.13 Further Assurances. Each Senior Representative, on behalf of itself and each Senior Secured Party under the Senior Debt Facility for which it is acting, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself, and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will take such further action and shall execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments (in recordable form, if requested) as the other parties hereto may reasonably request to effectuate the terms of, and the Lien priorities contemplated by, this Agreement.

SECTION 8.14 GOVERNING LAW; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.

(A) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

J-2-36


(B) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN. 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. EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 8.14 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

SECTION 8.15 Binding on Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives, the Second Priority Debt Parties, the Borrower, the other Grantors party hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

SECTION 8.16 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.

SECTION 8.17 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by means of facsimile or other electronic method, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall together constitute one and the same document. 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 8.18 Authorization. By its signature, each Person executing this Agreement on behalf of a party hereto represents and warrants to the other parties hereto that it is duly authorized to execute this Agreement.

SECTION 8.19 Successors and Assigns. The lien priorities set forth in this Agreement and the rights and benefits hereunder in respect of such lien priorities shall inure solely to the benefit of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties and the Borrowers and the Grantors, and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and no other Person shall have or be entitled to assert such rights. 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 Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms.

 

J-2-37


SECTION 8.20 Effectiveness. This Agreement shall become effective when executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

SECTION 8.21 Collateral Agent and Representative. It is understood and agreed that (a) the First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the First Lien Credit Agreement and the provisions of Article 9 of the First Lien Credit Agreement applicable to the Agents (as defined therein) thereunder shall also apply to the First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent hereunder and (b) the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Initial Second Lien Agreement and the provisions of Article [IX] of the Initial Second Lien Agreement applicable to the Agents (as defined therein) thereunder shall also apply to the Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent hereunder.

SECTION 8.22 Relative Rights. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary (except to the extent contemplated by Sections 5.01(a), 5.01(d) or 5.03(d)), nothing in this Agreement is intended to or will (a) amend, waive or otherwise modify the provisions of the First Lien Credit Agreement, any other Senior Debt Document, the Initial Second Lien Agreement or any other Second Priority Debt Documents, (b) change the relative priorities of the Senior Obligations or the Liens granted under the Senior Collateral Documents on the Shared Collateral (or any other assets) as among the Senior Secured Parties, (c) otherwise change the relative rights of the Senior Secured Parties in respect of the Shared Collateral as among such Senior Secured Parties or (d) obligate the Borrower or any Grantor to take any action, or fail to take any action, that would otherwise constitute a breach of, or default under, the First Lien Credit Agreement, any other Senior Debt Document, the Initial Second Lien Agreement or any other Second Priority Debt Document.

SECTION 8.23 Survival of Agreement. 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.

 

J-2-38


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.

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

 

as First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[            ]

 

as Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-2-39


By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

TU BIDCO, INC.
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

TU MIDCO, INC., as a Grantor
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-2-40


[EACH SUBSIDIARY GUARANTOR], as a Grantor
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-2-41


ANNEX I

SUPPLEMENT NO. [            ] dated as of , to the JUNIOR LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of [            ] (the “Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent under the First Lien Credit Agreement, [            ], as Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent under the Initial Second Lien Agreement, and the additional Representatives from time to time party thereto.

(A) Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

(B) The Grantors have entered into the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Pursuant to the First Lien Credit Agreement, the Initial Second Lien Agreement, certain Additional Senior Debt Documents and certain Additional Second Priority Debt Documents, certain newly acquired or organized Subsidiaries of the Borrower are required to enter into the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.07 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Subsidiaries may become party to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. The undersigned Subsidiary (the “New Grantor”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the First Lien Credit Agreement, the Initial Second Lien Agreement, the Additional Second Priority Debt Documents and Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Subsidiary Grantor agree as follows:

SECTION 1 In accordance with Section 8.07 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Grantor by its signature below becomes a Grantor under the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor, and the New Grantor hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Grantor thereunder. Each reference to a “Grantor” in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Grantor. The Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2 The New Grantor represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Bankruptcy Laws and by general principles of equity.

SECTION 3 This Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Supplement that bears the signature of the New Grantor. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Supplement by facsimile transmission or other electronic method shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Supplement.

 

J-2-42


SECTION 4 Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5 THIS SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6 In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party 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 Junior Lien 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 All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.12 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Grantor shall be given to it in care of the Borrower as specified in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 8 The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Supplement, including the reasonable fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative as required by the applicable Senior Debt Documents.

 

J-2-43


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Grantor, and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Supplement to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW SUBSIDIARY GRANTOR]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Acknowledged by:

[            ], as Designated Senior Representative

 

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

[            ], as Designated Second Priority Representative

 

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-2-44


ANNEX II

[FORM OF] REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT NO. [ ] dated as of [            ], 201[ ] to the JUNIOR LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of [            ] (the “Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent under the First Lien Credit Agreement, [            ], as Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent under the Initial Second Lien Agreement, and the additional Representatives 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 Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

(B) As a condition to the ability of the Borrower to incur Second Priority Class Debt after the date of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and to secure such Second Priority Class Debt with the Second Priority Lien and to have such Second Priority Class Debt guaranteed by the Grantors, in each case under and pursuant to the Second Priority Collateral Documents relating thereto, the Second Priority Class Debt Representative in respect of such Second Priority Class Debt is required to become a Representative under, and such Second Priority Class Debt and the Second Priority Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.09 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Second Priority Class Debt Representative may become a Representative under, and such Second Priority Class Debt and such Second Priority Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Additional Second Priority Debt Obligations and Additional Second Priority Debt Parties, respectively, pursuant to the execution and delivery by the Second Priority Class Debt Representative of an instrument in the form of this Representative Supplement and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 8.09 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Second Priority Class Debt Representative (the “New Representative”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Senior Debt Documents and the Second Priority Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1 In accordance with Section 8.09 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Representative by its signature below becomes a Representative under, and the related Second Priority Class Debt and Second Priority Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Additional Second Priority Debt Obligations and Additional Second Priority Debt Parties, respectively, with the same force and effect as if the New Representative had originally been named therein as a Representative, and the New Representative, on behalf of itself and such Second Priority Class Debt Parties, hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Second Priority Representative and to the Second Priority Class Debt Parties that it represents as Second Priority Debt Parties. Each reference to a “Representative” or “Second Priority Representative” in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Representative. The Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

 

J-2-45


SECTION 2 The New Representative represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that (i) it has full power and authority to enter into this Representative Supplement, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee], (ii) this Representative Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with the terms of such Agreement and (iii) the Second Priority Debt Documents relating to such Second Priority Class Debt provide that, upon the New Representative’s entry into this Agreement, the Second Priority Class Debt Parties in respect of such Second Priority Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 3 This Representative Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Representative Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Representative Supplement that bears the signature of the New Representative. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Representative Supplement by facsimile transmission or other electronic method shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Representative Supplement.

SECTION 4 Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5 THIS REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6 In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Representative Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party 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 Junior Lien 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 All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.12 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Representative shall be given to it at the address set forth below its signature hereto.

SECTION 8 The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Representative Supplement, including the reasonable fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative as required by the applicable Senior Debt Documents.

 

J-2-46


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Representative and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Representative Supplement to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW REPRESENTATIVE],

 

as [            ] for the holders of [            ]

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

Address for notices:

                
   

Attention of:

   

Telecopy:

   

 

[            ],

as Designated Senior Representative

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-2-47


Acknowledged by:

 

TU BIDCO, INC.
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

TU MIDCO, INC.
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[SUBSIDIARY GRANTORS]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-2-48


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement

Grantors

[            ]

 

J-2-49


ANNEX III

[FORM OF] REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT NO. [ ] dated as of [            ], 201[ ] to the JUNIOR LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of [            ] (the “Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as First Lien Credit Agreement Collateral Agent under the First Lien Credit Agreement, [            ], as Initial Second Lien Collateral Agent under the Initial Second Lien Agreement, and the additional Representatives 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 Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

(B) As a condition to the ability of the Borrower to incur Senior Class Debt after the date of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and to secure such Senior Class Debt with the Senior Lien and to have such Senior Class Debt guaranteed by the Grantors on a senior basis, in each case under and pursuant to the Senior Collateral Documents relating thereto, the Senior Class Debt Representative in respect of such Senior Class Debt is required to become a Representative under, and such Senior Class Debt and the Senior Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.09 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Senior Class Debt Representative may become a Representative under, and such Senior Class Debt and such Senior Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Additional Senior Debt Obligations and Additional Senior Debt Parties, respectively, pursuant to the execution and delivery by the Senior Class Debt Representative of an instrument in the form of this Representative Supplement and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 8.09 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Senior Class Debt Representative (the “New Representative”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Senior Debt Documents and the Second Priority Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1 In accordance with Section 8.09 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Representative by its signature below becomes a Representative under, and the related Senior Class Debt and Senior Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Additional Senior Debt Obligations and Additional Senior Debt Parties, respectively, with the same force and effect as if the New Representative had originally been named therein as a Representative, and the New Representative, on behalf of itself and such Senior Class Debt Parties, hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Senior Representative and to the Senior Class Debt Parties that it represents as Senior Debt Parties. Each reference to a “Representative” or “Senior Representative” in the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Representative. The Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2 The New Representative represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that (i) it has full power and authority to

 

J-2-50


enter into this Representative Supplement, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee], (ii) this Representative Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with the terms of such Agreement and (iii) the Senior Debt Documents relating to such Senior Class Debt provide that, upon the New Representative’s entry into this Agreement, the Senior Class Debt Parties in respect of such Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Senior Secured Parties.

SECTION 3 This Representative Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Representative Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Representative Supplement that bears the signature of the New Representative. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Representative Supplement by facsimile transmission or other electronic method shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Representative Supplement.

SECTION 4 Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5 THIS REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6 In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Representative Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party 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 Junior Lien 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 All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.12 of the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Representative shall be given to it at the address set forth below its signature hereto.

SECTION 8 The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Representative Supplement, including the reasonable fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative as required by the applicable Senior Debt Documents.

 

J-2-51


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Representative and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Representative Supplement to the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW REPRESENTATIVE],

 

as [            ] for the holders of [            ]

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

Address for notices:

                
   

Attention of:

   

Telecopy:

   

 

[            ],

as Designated Senior Representative

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-2-52


Acknowledged by:

 

 

TU BIDCO, INC.
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

TU MIDCO, INC.
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[SUBSIDIARY GRANTORS]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

J-2-53


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement

Grantors

[            ]

 

J-2-54


EXHIBIT K

[Reserved.]

 

K-1


EXHIBIT L-1

[FORM OF]

AFFILIATED LENDER 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 [the][each]1 Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”) and [the][each]2 Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”). [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the Assignees]3 hereunder are several and not joint.]4 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, modified, refinanced and/or restated from time to time, 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][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors], 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][the respective Assignors’] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender][their respective capacities as Lenders] 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][the respective Assignors] under the respective term loan facilities identified below 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)][the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as Lenders)] 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 by [the][any] Assignor

 

1 

For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignor(s), if the assignment is from a single Assignor, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is from multiple Assignors, choose the second bracketed language.

2 

For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignee(s), if the assignment is to a single Assignee, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is to multiple Assignees, choose the second bracketed language.

3 

Select as appropriate.

4 

Include bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or multiple Assignees.

 

L-1-1


to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an] “Assigned Interest”). Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.

 

1.    Assignor[s]:     
2.    Assignee[s]:     
  

[for each Assignee, indicate if the Sponsor or a Non-Debt Fund Affiliate of the Sponsor]

3.    Affiliate Status:     
4.    Borrower(s):    TU BidCo, Inc.
5.    Administrative Agent:    JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., including any successor thereto, as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement
6.    Credit Agreement:    Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto
7.    Assigned Interest:     

 

L-1-2


Assignor[s]5

   Assignee[s]6      Facility
Assigned7
     Aggregate
Amount of
Commitment/
Loans for all
Lenders8
     Amount of
Commitment/
Loans
Assigned9
     Percentage
Assigned of
Commitment/
Loans10
    CUSIP
Number
 
        —        $ —        $ —           
        —        $ —        $ —           
        —        $ —        $ —           

 

[8.    Trade Date:                                       ]11

Effective Date:             , 20        [TO BE INSERTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

5 

List each Assignor, as appropriate.

6 

List each Assignee, as appropriate.

7 

Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption (e.g. “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Extended Term Loans”).

8 

Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

9 

After giving effect to Assignee’s purchase and assumption of the Assigned Interest, the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans held at any one time by Affiliated Lenders shall not exceed 25% of the original principal amount of any Class of Term Loans at such time outstanding (measured at the time of purchase). To the extent any assignment to any Affiliated Lender would result in the aggregate principal amount of such Class of Term Loans held by Affiliated Lenders exceeding the Affiliated Lender Cap, such excess will be void ab initio.

10 

Set forth, to at least 8 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

11 

To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

 

L-1-3


The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

ASSIGNEE

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Accepted:

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

L-1-4


[Consented to]:12

 

TU BIDCO, INC.

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

12 

To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

415


ANNEX 1

TO AFFILIATED LENDER ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

AFFILIATED LENDER ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

1. Representations and Warranties.

1.1. Assignor. [The][Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of [the][[the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such] 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 Holdings, the Borrower, any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by Holdings, the Borrower, any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2. Assignee. [The][Each] 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 the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.07(a) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.07(b) of the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date referred to in this Assignment and Assumption, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of [the][the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by [the][such] Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such] Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it acknowledges that [the] [each] Assignor is an Affiliated Lender and may possess material non-public information with respect to Holdings and its Subsidiaries or the securities of any of them that has not been disclosed to the Lenders, (vi) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Sections 4.01(e) or 6.01 of the Credit Agreement, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, (vii) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, and (viii) attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, including but not limited to any documentation required pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by

 

L-1-6


[the][such] Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, [the][any] 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][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][the relevant] Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the][the relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

3. General Provisions.

3.1 In accordance with Section 10.07 of the Credit Agreement, upon execution, delivery, acceptance and recording of this Assignment and Assumption, from and after the Effective Date, (a) the Assignee shall be a party to the Credit Agreement and, to the extent provided in this Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under the Credit Agreement with a Commitment/Loan as set forth herein and (b) the Assignor shall, to the extent of the Assigned Interest assigned pursuant to this Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under the Credit Agreement (and, in the case that this Assignment and Assumption covers all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement, the Assignor shall cease to be a party to the Credit Agreement but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, 10.04 and 10.05 thereof).

3.2 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 (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy or other electronic imaging means 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.

 

L-1-7


EXHIBIT L-2

[FORM OF]

AFFILIATED LENDER NOTICE

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

[            ]

Attention:

Electronic Mail:

 

  Re:

Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto.

Dear Sir or Madam:

The undersigned (the “Proposed Affiliate Assignee”) hereby gives you notice, pursuant to Section 10.07(l) of the Credit Agreement, that

(a) it has entered into an agreement to purchase via assignment a portion of the Term Loans under the Credit Agreement,

(b) the assignor in the proposed assignment is [            ],

(c) immediately after giving effect to such assignment, the Proposed Affiliate Assignee will be an Affiliated Lender,

(d) the principal amount of Term Loans to be purchased by such Proposed Affiliate Assignee in the assignment contemplated hereby is $            ,

(e) the aggregate amount of all Term Loans held by such Proposed Affiliate Assignee and each other Affiliated Lender after giving effect to the assignment hereunder (if accepted) is $[            ],

(f) it, in its capacity as a Term Lender under the Credit Agreement, hereby waives any right to bring any action against the Administrative Agent with respect to the Term Loans that are the subject of the proposed assignment hereunder, and

(g) the proposed effective date of the assignment contemplated hereby is [            , 20__].

 

L-2-1


Very truly yours,

[EXACT LEGAL NAME OF PROPOSED AFFILIATE ASSIGNEE]

By:     
  Name:
  Title:
  Phone Number:
  Fax:
  Email:
Date:     

 

L-2-2


EXHIBIT L-3

[FORM OF]

ACCEPTANCE AND PREPAYMENT NOTICE

Date:             , 20__

To: [JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.], as Auction Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This Acceptance and Prepayment Notice is delivered to you pursuant to (a) Section 2.05(a)(v)(D) of that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto, and (b) that certain Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice, dated             , 20__, from the applicable Company Party (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

Pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(D) of the Credit Agreement, the Company Party hereby irrevocably notifies you that it accepts offers delivered in response to the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice having an Offered Discount equal to or greater than [[__]% in respect of the Term Loans] [[__]% in respect of the [            , 20__]1 tranche[(s)] of the [__]2 Class of Term Loans] (the “Acceptable Discount”) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount.

The Company Party expressly agrees that this Acceptance and Prepayment Notice shall be irrevocable and is subject to the provisions of Section 2.05(a)(v)(D) of the Credit Agreement.

The Company Party hereby represents and warrants to the Auction Agent and [the Term Lenders][each Term Lender of the [            , 20__]3 tranche[s] of the [__]4 Class of Term Loans] as follows:

 

1 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

2 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

3 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

4 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”)

 

L-3-1


1. [At least ten (10) Business Days have passed since the consummation of the most recent Discounted Term Loan Prepayment as a result of a prepayment made by a Company Party on the applicable Discounted Prepayment Effective Date.][At least three (3) Business Days have passed since the date the Company Party was notified that no Term Lender was willing to accept any prepayment of any Term Loan at the Specified Discount, within the Discount Range or at any discount to par value, as applicable, or in the case of Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers, the date of any Company Party’s election not to accept any Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers made by a Term Lender.]5

2. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

The Company Party acknowledges that the Auction Agent and the relevant Term Lenders are relying on the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations and warranties in connection with the acceptance of any prepayment made in connection with a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer.

The Company Party requests that the Auction Agent promptly notify each Term Lender party to the Credit Agreement of this Acceptance and Prepayment Notice.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

5 

Insert applicable representation.

 

L-3-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Acceptance and Prepayment Notice as of the date first above written.

 

[NAME OF APPLICABLE COMPANY PARTY]

By:

   
  Name:
  Title:

 

L-3-3


EXHIBIT L-4

[FORM OF]

DISCOUNT RANGE PREPAYMENT NOTICE

 

Date:             , 20__

To: [JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.], as Auction Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This Discount Range Prepayment Notice is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(C) of that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

Pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(C) of the Credit Agreement, the Company Party hereby requests that [each Term Lender] [each Term Lender of the [            , 20__]1 tranche[s] of the [__]2 Class of Term Loans] submit a Discount Range Prepayment Offer. Any Discounted Loan Term Prepayment made in connection with this solicitation shall be subject to the following terms:

1. This Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers is extended at the sole discretion of the Company Party to [each Term Lender] [each Term Lender of the [            , 20__]3 tranche[s] of the [__]4 Class of Term Loans].

2. The maximum aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment that will be made in connection with this solicitation is [$[__] of Term Loans] [$[__] of the [            , 20__]5 tranche[(s)] of the [__]6 Class of Term Loans] (the “Discount Range Prepayment Amount”)7

 

1 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

2 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”,“Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

3 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

4 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”,“Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”)

5 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

6 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

7 

Minimum of $10.0 million and whole increments of $1.0 million.

 

L-4-1


3. The Company Party is willing to make Discount Loan Prepayments at a percentage discount to par value greater than or equal to [[__]% but less than or equal to [__]% in respect of the Term Loans] [[__]% but less than or equal to [__]% in respect of the [            , 20__]8 tranche[(s)] of the [__]9 Class of Term Loans] (the “Discount Range”).

To make an offer in connection with this solicitation, you are required to deliver to the Auction Agent a Discount Range Prepayment Offer by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date that is the third Business Day following the date of delivery of this notice pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(C) of the Credit Agreement.

The Company Party hereby represents and warrants to the Auction Agent and [the Term Lenders][each Term Lender of the [            , 20__]10 tranche[s] of the [__]11 Class of Term Loans] as follows:

1. [At least ten (10) Business Days have passed since the consummation of the most recent Discounted Term Loan Prepayment as a result of a prepayment made by a Company Party on the applicable Discounted Prepayment Effective Date.][At least three (3) Business Days have passed since the date the Company Party was notified that no Term Lender was willing to accept any prepayment of any Term Loan at the Specified Discount, within the Discount Range or at any discount to par value, as applicable, or in the case of Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers, the date of any Company Party’s election not to accept any Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers made by a Term Lender.]12

2. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

The Company Party acknowledges that the Auction Agent and the relevant Term Lenders are relying on the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations and warranties in connection with any Discount Range Prepayment Offer made in response to this Discount Range Prepayment Notice and the acceptance of any prepayment made in connection with this Discount Range Prepayment Notice.

 

8 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

9 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”,

“Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

10

List multiple tranches if applicable.

11 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”,

“Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

12 

Insert applicable representation.

 

L-4-2


The Company Party requests that the Auction Agent promptly notify each relevant Term Lender party to the Credit Agreement of this Discount Range Prepayment Notice.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

L-4-3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Discount Range Prepayment Notice as of the date first above written.

 

 

[NAME OF APPLICABLE COMPANY PARTY]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Enclosure: Form of Discount Range Prepayment Offer

 

L-4-4


EXHIBIT L-5

[FORM OF]

DISCOUNT RANGE PREPAYMENT OFFER

Date:             , 20__

To: [JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.], as Auction Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to (a) the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto, and (b) the Discount Range Prepayment Notice, dated             , 20__, from the applicable Company Party (the “Discount Range Prepayment Notice”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Discount Range Prepayment Notice or, to the extent not defined therein, in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned Term Lender hereby gives you irrevocable notice, pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(C) of the Credit Agreement, that it is hereby offering to accept a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment on the following terms:

1. This Discount Range Prepayment Offer is available only for prepayment on [the Term Loans] [the [            , 20__]1 tranche[s] of the [__]2 Class of Term Loans] held by the undersigned.

2. The maximum aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment that may be made in connection with this offer shall not exceed (the “Submitted Amount”):

[Term Loans - $[__]]

[[            , 20__]3 tranche[s] of the [__]4 Class of Term Loans - $[__]]

 

1 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

2 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

3 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

4 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

 

L-5-1


3. The percentage discount to par value at which such Discounted Term Loan Prepayment may be made is [[__]% in respect of the Term Loans] [[__]% in respect of the [            , 20__]5 tranche[(s)] of the [__]6 Class of Term Loans] (the “Submitted Discount”).

The undersigned Lender hereby expressly and irrevocably consents and agrees to a prepayment of its [Term Loans] [[            , 20__]7 tranche[s] of the [__]8 Class of Term Loans] indicated above pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(C) of the Credit Agreement at a price equal to the Applicable Discount and in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the Submitted Amount, as such amount may be reduced in accordance with the Discount Range Proration, if any, and as otherwise determined in accordance with and subject to the requirements of the Credit Agreement.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

5 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

6 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

7 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

8 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

 

L-5-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Discount Range Prepayment Offer as of the date first above written.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

L-5-3


EXHIBIT L-6

[FORM OF]

SOLICITED DISCOUNTED PREPAYMENT NOTICE

Date:             , 20__

To: [JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.], as Auction Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(D) of that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

Pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(D) of the Credit Agreement, the Company Party hereby requests that [each Term Lender] [each Term Lender of the [            , 20__]1 tranche[s] of the [__]2 Class of Term Loans] submit a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer. Any Discounted Term Loan Prepayment made in connection with this solicitation shall be subject to the following terms:

1. This Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers is extended at the sole discretion of the Company Party to [each Term Lender] [each Term Lender of the [            , 20__]3 tranche[s] of the [__]4 Class of Term Loans].

2. The maximum aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment that will be made in connection with this solicitation is (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount”):5

[Term Loans - $[__]]

 

1 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

2 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

3 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

4 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

5 

Minimum of $10.0 million and whole increments of $1.0 million.

 

L-6-1


[[            , 20__]6 tranche[s] of the [__]7 Class of Term Loans - $[__]]

To make an offer in connection with this solicitation, you are required to deliver to the Auction Agent a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the date that is the third Business Day following delivery of this notice pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(D) of the Credit Agreement.

The Company Party requests that the Auction Agent promptly notify each Term Lender party to the Credit Agreement of this Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

6 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

7 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

 

L-6-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice as of the date first above written.

 

[NAME OF APPLICABLE COMPANY PARTY]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Enclosure: Form of Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer

 

L-6-3


EXHIBIT L-7

[FORM OF]

SOLICITED DISCOUNTED PREPAYMENT OFFER

Date:             , 20__

To: [JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.], as Auction Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to (a) the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto, and (b) the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice, dated             , 20__, from the applicable Company Party (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice or, to the extent not defined therein, in the Credit Agreement.

To accept the offer set forth herein, you must submit an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice by or before no later than 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the third Business Day following your receipt of this notice.

The undersigned Term Lender hereby gives you irrevocable notice, pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(D) of the Credit Agreement, that it is hereby offering to accept a Discounted Loan Prepayment on the following terms:

1. This Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer is available only for prepayment on the [Term Loans][[            , 20__]1 tranche[s] of the [__]2 Class of Term Loans] held by the undersigned.

2. The maximum aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment that may be made in connection with this offer shall not exceed (the “Offered Amount”):

[Term Loans - $[__]]

 

1 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

2 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

 

L-7-1


[[            , 20__]3 tranche[s] of the [__]4 Class of Term Loans - $[__]]

3. The percentage discount to par value at which such Discounted Term Loan Prepayment may be made is [[__]% in respect of the Term Loans] [[__]% in respect of the [            , 20__]5 tranche[(s)] of the [__]6 Class of Term Loans] (the “Offered Discount”).

The undersigned Lender hereby expressly and irrevocably consents and agrees to a prepayment of its [Term Loans] [[            , 20__]7 tranche[s] of the [__]8 Class of Term Loans] pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(D) of the Credit Agreement at a price equal to the Acceptable Discount and in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed such Term Lender’s Offered Amount as such amount may be reduced in accordance with the Solicited Discount Proration, if any, and as otherwise determined in accordance with and subject to the requirements of the Credit Agreement.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

3 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

4 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

5 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

6 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

7 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

8 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

 

L-7-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer as of the date first above written.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

L-7-3


EXHIBIT L-8

[FORM OF]

SPECIFIED DISCOUNT PREPAYMENT NOTICE

Date:             , 20    

To: [JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.], as Auction Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This Specified Discount Prepayment Notice is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(B) of that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

Pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(B) of the Credit Agreement, the Company Party hereby offers to make a Discounted Term Loan Prepayment [to each Term Lender] [to each Term Lender of the [            , 20    ]1 tranche[s] of the [    ]2 Class of Term Loans] on the following terms:

1. This Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment is available only [to each Term Lender] [to each Term Lender of the [            , 20    ]3 tranche[s] of the [    ]4 Class of Term Loans].

2. The aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Term Loan Prepayment that will be made in connection with this offer shall not exceed [$[            ] of Term Loans] [$[            ] of

 

1 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

2 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

3 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

4 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

 

L-8-1


the [            , 20    ]5 tranche[(s)] of the [    ]6 Class of Term Loans] (the “Specified Discount Prepayment Amount”).7

3. The percentage discount to par value at which such Discounted Term Loan Prepayment will be made is [[    ]% in respect of the Term Loans] [[    ]% in respect of the [            , 20    ]8 tranche[(s)] of the [    ]9 Class of Term Loans] (the “Specified Discount”).

To accept this offer, you are required to submit to the Auction Agent a Specified Discount Prepayment Response by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date that is the third Business Day following the date of delivery of this notice pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(B) of the Credit Agreement.

The Company Party hereby represents and warrants to the Auction Agent and [the Term Lenders][each Term Lender of the [            , 20    ]10 tranche[s] of the [    ]11 Class of Term Loans] as follows:

1. The Company Party will not use proceeds of Revolving Credit Loans or Swing Line Loans to fund this Discounted Loan Prepayment.

2. [At least ten (10) Business Days have passed since the consummation of the most recent Discounted Term Loan Prepayment as a result of a prepayment made by a Company Party on the applicable Discounted Prepayment Effective Date.][At least three (3) Business Days have passed since the date the Company Party was notified that no Term Lender was willing to accept any prepayment of any Term Loan at the Specified Discount, within the Discount Range or at any discount to par value, as applicable, or in the case of Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers, the date of any Company Party’s election not to accept any Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers made by a Term Lender.]12

3. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

The Company Party acknowledges that the Auction Agent and the relevant Term Lenders are relying on the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations and warranties in

 

5 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

6 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

7 

Minimum of $10.0 million and whole increments of $1.0 million.

8 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

9 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

10 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

11 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

12 

Insert applicable representation.

 

L-8-2


connection with their decision whether or not to accept the offer set forth in this Specified Discount Prepayment Notice and the acceptance of any prepayment made in connection with this Specified Discount Prepayment Notice.

The Company Party requests that the Auction Agent promptly notify each relevant Term Lender party to the Credit Agreement of this Specified Discount Prepayment Notice.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

L-8-3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Specified Discount Prepayment Notice as of the date first above written.

 

[NAME OF APPLICABLE COMPANY PARTY]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Enclosure: Form of Specified Discount Prepayment Response

 

L-8-4


EXHIBIT L-9

[FORM OF]

SPECIFIED DISCOUNT PREPAYMENT RESPONSE

Date:             , 20    

To: [JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.], as Auction Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to (a) the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto, and (b) the Specified Discount Prepayment Notice, dated             , 20    , from the applicable Company Party (the “Specified Discount Prepayment Notice”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Specified Discount Prepayment Notice or, to the extent not defined therein, in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned Term Lender hereby gives you irrevocable notice, pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(B) of the Credit Agreement, that it is willing to accept a prepayment of the following [Term Loans] [[            , 20    ]1 tranche[s] of the [    ]2Class of Term Loans - $[    ]] held by such Term Lender at the Specified Discount in an aggregate outstanding principal amount as follows:

[Term Loans- $[            ]]

[[            , 20    ]3 tranche[s] of the [    ]4 Class of Term Loans - $[    ]]

 

1 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

2 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

3 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

4 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

 

L-9-1


The undersigned Term Lender hereby expressly and irrevocably consents and agrees to a prepayment of its [Term Loans][[            , 20    ]5 tranche[s] the [    ]6 Class of Term Loans] pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(v)(B) of the Credit Agreement at a price equal to the [applicable] Specified Discount in the aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth above, as such amount may be reduced in accordance with the Specified Discount Proration, and as otherwise determined in accordance with and subject to the requirements of the Credit Agreement.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

5 

List multiple tranches if applicable.

6 

List applicable Class(es) of Term Loans (e.g., “Initial Term Loans”, “Incremental Term Loans”, “Refinancing Term Loans” or “Extended Term Loans”).

 

L-9-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Specified Discount Prepayment Response as of the date first above written.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

L-9-3


EXHIBIT M-1

FORM OF

UNITED STATES TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement entered into as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, (iv) it is not a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (v) no interest payments in connection with any Loan Document are effectively connected with the undersigned’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

The undersigned has furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a certificate of its non-U.S. person status on Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding each such payment.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
Date:                                                            , 20[]

 

M-1-1


EXHIBIT M-2

FORM OF

UNITED STATES TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement entered into as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU Bidco, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, (iv) it is not a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (v) no interest payments in connection with any Loan Document are effectively connected with the undersigned’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. person status on Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding each such payment.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
Date:                                                            , 20[]

 

M-2-1


EXHIBIT M-3

FORM OF

UNITED STATES TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement entered into as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption (“Applicable Partners/Members”) is a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its Applicable Partners/Members is a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, (v) none of its Applicable Partners/Members is a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (vi) no interest payments in connection with any Loan Document are effectively connected with the undersigned’s or any of its Applicable Partners’/Members’ conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY accompanied by an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding each such payment.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
Date:                                                            , 20[]

 

M-3-1


EXHIBIT M-4

FORM OF

UNITED STATES TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement entered into as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption (“Applicable Partners/Members”) is a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its Applicable Partners/Members is a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, (v) none of its Applicable Partners/Members is a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (vi) no interest payments in connection with any Loan Document are effectively connected with the undersigned’s or any of its Applicable Partners’/Members’ conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

The undersigned has furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY accompanied by an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding each such payment.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
Date:                                                            , 20[]

 

M-4-1

EX-10.12

Exhibit 10.12

 

 

 

SECURITY AGREEMENT

dated as of

September 25, 2019

among

THE GRANTORS IDENTIFIED HEREIN

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Collateral Agent

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01.

  

Credit Agreement

     1  

Section 1.02.

  

Other Defined Terms

     1  

ARTICLE II

 

PLEDGE OF SECURITIES

 

Section 2.01.

  

Pledge

     4  

Section 2.02.

  

Delivery of the Pledged Securities

     4  

Section 2.03.

  

Representations, Warranties and Covenants

     5  

Section 2.04.

  

Certification of Limited Liability Company and Limited Partnership Interests

     6  

Section 2.05.

  

Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations

     7  

Section 2.06.

  

Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest

     7  

ARTICLE III

 

SECURITY INTERESTS IN PERSONAL PROPERTY

 

Section 3.01.

  

Security Interest

     8  

Section 3.02.

  

Representations and Warranties

     10  

Section 3.03.

  

Covenants

     12  

ARTICLE IV

 

REMEDIES

 

Section 4.01.

  

Remedies Upon Default

     14  

Section 4.02.

  

Application of Proceeds

     15  

Section 4.03.

  

Grant of License to Use Intellectual Property

     16  

ARTICLE V

 

SUBORDINATION

 

Section 5.01.

  

Subordination

     17  

ARTICLE VI

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 6.01.

  

Notices

     17  

Section 6.02.

  

Waivers; Amendment

     17  

Section 6.03.

  

Collateral Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification

     17  

Section 6.04.

  

Successors and Assigns

     18  

Section 6.05.

  

Survival of Agreement

     18  

Section 6.06.

  

Counterparts; Effectiveness; Several Agreement

     18  

Section 6.07.

  

Severability

     18  

 

-i-


          Page  

Section 6.08.

  

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Service of Process

     19  

Section 6.09.

  

Headings

     19  

Section 6.10.

  

Security Interest Absolute

     19  

Section 6.11.

  

Termination or Release

     19  

Section 6.12.

  

Additional Grantors

     20  

Section 6.13.

  

Collateral Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact

     21  

Section 6.14.

  

General Authority of the Collateral Agent

     22  

Section 6.15.

  

Reasonable Care

     22  

Section 6.16.

  

Delegation; Limitation

     22  

Section 6.17.

  

Reinstatement

     22  

Section 6.18.

  

Miscellaneous

     22  

Section 6.19.

  

Intercreditor Agreements

     22  

Section 6.20.

  

Holdings Collateral

     22  

 

Schedules

  

Schedule I

   Subsidiary Parties

Schedule II

   Pledged Equity and Pledged Debt

 

Exhibits

  

Exhibit I

   Form of Security Agreement Supplement

Exhibit II

   Form of Patent Security Agreement

Exhibit III

   Form of Trademark Security Agreement

Exhibit IV

   Form of Copyright Security Agreement

 

-ii-


SECURITY AGREEMENT dated as of September 25, 2019, among the Grantors (as defined below) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent for the Secured Parties (in such capacity, together with its successors and assigns, the “Collateral Agent”).

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Initial Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each Lender from time to time party thereto. The Lenders have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement. The obligations of the Lenders to extend such credit are conditioned upon, among other things, the execution and delivery of this Agreement. Holdings and the Subsidiary Parties are affiliates of the Borrower, will derive substantial benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and are willing to execute and deliver this Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to extend such credit. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

Section 1.01. Credit Agreement.

(a) Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings specified in the Credit Agreement. All terms defined in the UCC (as defined herein) and not defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified therein; the term “instrument” shall have the meaning specified in Article 9 of the UCC.

(b) The rules of construction specified in Article I of the Credit Agreement also apply to this Agreement.

Section 1.02. Other Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

Account Debtor” means any Person who is or who may become obligated to any Grantor under, with respect to or on account of an Account.

Accounts” has the meaning specified in Article 9 of the UCC.

Agreement” means this Security Agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Article 9 Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.01(a).

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Credit Agreement.

Collateral” means the Article 9 Collateral and the Pledged Collateral.

Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals of this Agreement.

Copyright License” means any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting any right to any third party, by a Grantor, under any Copyright now or hereafter owned by any Grantor or that such Grantor otherwise has the right to license, or granting any right to any Grantor under any Copyright now or hereafter owned by any third party, and all rights of such Grantor under any such agreement.


Copyrights” means all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor: (a) all copyright rights in any work subject to the copyright laws of the United States or any other country, whether as author, assignee, transferee or otherwise, and (b) all registrations and applications for registration of any such copyright in the United States or any other country, including registrations, recordings, supplemental registrations and pending applications for registration in the USCO.

Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals of this Agreement.

General Intangibles” has the meaning specified in Article 9 of the UCC.

Grantor” means the Borrower, Initial Holdings and each other Guarantor that is a party hereto, and each Guarantor that becomes a party to this Agreement after the Closing Date.

Intellectual Property” means all intellectual and similar property of every kind and nature now owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor, including inventions, designs, Patents, Copyrights, Licenses, Trademarks, trade secrets, the intellectual property rights in software and databases and related documentation and all additions and improvements to the foregoing.

Intellectual Property Security Agreements” means the short-form Patent Security Agreement, short-form Trademark Security Agreement, and short-form Copyright Security Agreement, each substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibits II, III and IV, respectively.

License” means any (i) Patent License, (ii) Trademark License, (iii) Copyright License or other Intellectual Property license or sublicense agreement to which any Grantor is a party, together with any and all (x) renewals, extensions, supplements and continuations thereof, (y) income, fees, royalties, damages, claims and payments now and hereafter due and/or payable thereunder or with respect thereto including damages and payments for past, present or future infringements or violations thereof, and (z) rights to sue for past, present and future violations thereof.

Patent License” means any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting to any third party, by a Grantor, any right to make, use or sell any invention or design on which a Patent now or hereafter owned by any Grantor or that any Grantor otherwise has the right to license, is in existence, or granting to any Grantor any right to make, use or sell any invention or design on which a Patent, now or hereafter owned by any third party, is in existence, and all rights of any Grantor under any such agreement.

Patents” means all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor: (a) all letters Patent of the United States or any other country in or to which any Grantor now or hereafter has any right, title or interest therein, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications for letters Patent of the United States or any other country, including registrations, recordings and pending applications in the USPTO, and (b) all reissues, continuations, divisions, continuations-in-part, renewals, improvements or extensions thereof, and the inventions and designs disclosed or claimed therein, including the right to make, use and/or sell the inventions and designs disclosed or claimed therein.

Perfection Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H to the Credit Agreement, completed and supplemented with the schedules and attachments contemplated thereby, and duly executed by a Responsible Officer of each of the Grantors.

 

-2-


Pledged Certificated Securities” means any promissory notes, stock certificates, unit certificates, limited or unlimited liability membership certificates or other securities represented by a certificate now or hereafter included in the Pledged Collateral, including all certificates, instruments or other documents representing or evidencing any Pledged Collateral.

Pledged Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01.

Pledged Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01.

Pledged Equity” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01.

Pledged Securities” means the Pledged Equity and Pledged Debt.

Secured Approved Counterparty” means an Approved Counterparty party to a Secured Hedge Agreement or Treasury Services Agreement.

Secured Obligations” means the “Obligations” (as defined in the Credit Agreement).

Security Agreement Supplement” means an instrument substantially in the form of Exhibit I hereto.

Security Interest” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.01.

Subsidiary Parties” means (a) the Restricted Subsidiaries identified on Schedule I and (b) each other Restricted Subsidiary that becomes a party to this Agreement as a Subsidiary Party after the Closing Date.

Trademark License” means any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting to any third party, by a Grantor, any right to use any Trademark now or hereafter owned by any Grantor or that any Grantor otherwise has the right to license, or granting to any Grantor any right to use any Trademark now or hereafter owned by any third party, and all rights of any Grantor under any such agreement.

Trademarks” means all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor: (a) all trademarks, service marks, trade names, corporate names, trade dress, domain names, logos, designs, fictitious business names and other source or business identifiers, now existing or hereafter adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all registration and recording applications filed in connection therewith, including registrations and registration applications in the USPTO or any similar offices in any other country or State of the United States or any political subdivision thereof, and all extensions or renewals thereof, as well as any unregistered trademarks and service marks used by a Grantor and (b) all goodwill connected with the use of and symbolized thereby.

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York; provided that, if perfection or the effect of perfection or non-perfection or the priority of the security interest in any Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of New York, “UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection, effect of perfection or non-perfection or priority.

USCO” means the United States Copyright Office.

USPTO” means the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

 

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ARTICLE II

Pledge of Securities

Section 2.01. Pledge. As security for the payment or performance, as the case may be, in full of the Secured Obligations, including the Guaranty, each of the Grantors hereby assigns and pledges to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest in all of such Grantors’ right, title and interest in, to and under:

(i) all Equity Interests held by it, including those that are listed on Schedule II, and any other Equity Interests obtained in the future by such Grantor and the certificates representing all such Equity Interests (the “Pledged Equity”); provided that the Pledged Equity shall not include Excluded Assets;

(ii) (A) the debt securities owned by it, (B) any debt securities obtained in the future by such Grantor and (C) the promissory notes and any other instruments evidencing Indebtedness owed to it (including those listed on Schedule II) or obtained in the future by such Grantor (the “Pledged Debt”); provided that the Pledged Debt shall not include any Excluded Assets;

(iii) all other property that may be delivered to and held by the Collateral Agent pursuant to the terms of this Section 2.01 and Section 2.02;

(iv) subject to Section 2.06, all payments of principal or interest, dividends, cash, instruments and other property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of, in exchange for or upon the conversion of, and all other Proceeds received in respect of, the securities referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above;

(v) subject to Section 2.06, all rights and privileges of such Grantor with respect to the securities and other property referred to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above; and

(vi) all Proceeds of any of the foregoing

(the items referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) above being collectively referred to as the “Pledged Collateral”).

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the Pledged Collateral, together with all right, title, interest, powers, privileges and preferences pertaining or incidental thereto, unto the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, forever, subject, however, to the terms, covenants and conditions hereinafter set forth.

Section 2.02. Delivery of the Pledged Securities.

(a) Each Grantor agrees promptly (but in any event with respect to Pledged Certificated Securities owned on the Closing Date, within the time period and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.01 of the Credit Agreement1 and in the case of Pledged Securities obtained after the date hereof, within 60 days after receipt by such Grantor or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion) to deliver or cause to be delivered to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, any and all (i) Pledged Equity constituting Pledged Certificated Securities and (ii) to the

extent required to be delivered pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 2.02, Pledged Debt constituting Pledged Certificated Securities.

 

1 

Credit Agreement permits confirmation of overnight delivery

 

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(b) Each Grantor will cause any Indebtedness for borrowed money having an aggregate principal amount in excess of $10,000,000 owed to such Grantor by any Person that is evidenced by a duly executed promissory note to be pledged and delivered to the Collateral Agent (except to the extent already represented by and superseded by the Intercompany Note delivered to the Collateral Agent), for the benefit of the Secured Parties, pursuant to the terms hereof.

(c) Upon delivery to the Collateral Agent, any Pledged Certificated Securities shall be accompanied by undated stock or security powers duly executed in blank or other instruments of transfer reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and by such other instruments and documents as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request (subject to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement). Each delivery of Pledged Certificated Securities shall be accompanied by a schedule describing the Pledged Certificated Securities, which schedule shall be deemed to supplement Schedule II and made a part hereof; provided that failure to supplement Schedule II shall not affect the validity of such pledge of such Pledged Securities. Each schedule so delivered shall supplement any prior schedules so delivered.

Section 2.03. Representations, Warranties and Covenants. Each Grantor represents, warrants and covenants to and with the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, that:

(a) as of the date hereof, Schedule II sets forth all Equity Interests owned by such Grantor required to be pledged by such Grantor hereunder in order to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and the percentage of the issued and outstanding units of each class of the Equity Interests of the issuer thereof represented by the Pledged Equity owned by such Grantor and all Pledged Debt owned by such Grantor;

(b) the Pledged Equity and Pledged Debt issued by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued by the issuers thereof and, in the case of the Pledged Equity, are fully paid and nonassessable (to the extent such concept is applicable), and in the case of the Pledged Debt, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the issuers thereof, except to the extent that enforceability of such obligations may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally;

(c) except for the security interests granted hereunder, such Grantor (i) is, subject to any transfers made in compliance with the Credit Agreement, the direct owner, beneficially and of record, of the Pledged Equity and Pledged Debt indicated on Schedule II, (ii) holds the same free and clear of all Liens, other than (A) Liens created by the Collateral Documents and (B) Liens expressly permitted pursuant to Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement, and (iii) if requested by the Collateral Agent, will defend its title or interest thereto or therein against any and all Liens (other than the Liens permitted pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)), however arising, of all Persons whomsoever;

(d) except for restrictions and limitations (i) imposed or permitted by the Loan Documents or securities laws generally and (ii) in the case of Pledged Equity of Persons that are not Subsidiaries, transfer restrictions that exist at the time of acquisition of Equity Interests in such Persons, the Pledged Collateral is freely transferable and assignable, and none of the Pledged Collateral is subject to any option, right of first refusal, shareholders agreement, charter or by-law provisions or contractual restriction of any nature that might prohibit, impair, delay or otherwise affect in any manner material and adverse to the Secured Parties the pledge of such Pledged Collateral hereunder, the sale or disposition thereof pursuant hereto or the exercise by the Collateral Agent of rights and remedies hereunder;

 

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(e) the execution and performance by the Grantors of this Agreement are within each Grantor’s corporate, limited liability company or limited partnership powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, limited liability company or limited partnership action or other organizational action;

(f) no consent or approval of any Governmental Authority, any securities exchange or any other Person was or is necessary to the validity of the pledge effected hereby, except for (i) filings and registrations necessary to perfect the Liens on the Collateral granted by the Grantors in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and (ii) the approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices and filings which have been duly obtained, taken, given or made and are in full force and effect (except to the extent not required to be obtained, taken, given, or made or to be in full force and effect pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement);

(g) by virtue of (i) the execution and delivery by each Grantor of this Agreement and (ii) the delivery of the Pledged Certificated Securities in accordance with this Agreement to the Collateral Agent in the State of New York (and assuming its continued possession therein), the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties has a legal, valid and perfected lien upon and security interest in such Pledged Securities as security for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations to the extent such perfection is governed by the UCC, subject only to Liens permitted by Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement; and

(h) the pledge effected hereby is effective to vest in the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the rights of a secured party in the Pledged Collateral to the extent intended hereby.

Subject to the terms of this Agreement, each Grantor hereby agrees that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, it will comply with instructions of the Collateral Agent with respect to the Equity Interests in such Grantor that constitute Pledged Equity hereunder that are not certificated without further consent by the applicable owner or holder of such Equity Interests.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, to the extent any provision of this Agreement or the Credit Agreement excludes any assets from the scope of the Pledged Collateral, or from any requirement to take any action to perfect any security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties in the Pledged Collateral, the representations, warranties and covenants made by any relevant Grantor in this Agreement with respect to the creation, perfection or priority (as applicable) of the security interest granted in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties (including, without limitation, this Section 2.03) shall be deemed not to apply to such excluded assets.

Section 2.04. Certification of Limited Liability Company and Limited Partnership Interests. No interest in any limited liability company or limited partnership controlled by any Grantor that constitutes Pledged Equity shall be represented by a certificate unless (i) the limited liability company agreement or partnership agreement expressly provides that such interests shall be a “security” within the meaning of Article 8 of the UCC of the applicable jurisdiction, and (ii) such certificate shall be delivered to the Collateral Agent in accordance with Section 2.02. Any limited liability company and any limited partnership controlled by any Grantor shall either (a) not include in its operative documents any provision that any Equity Interests in such limited liability company or such limited partnership be a “security” as defined under Article 8 of the UCC or (b) certificate any Equity Interests in any such limited liability company or such limited partnership. To the extent an interest in any limited liability company or limited partnership controlled by any Grantor and pledged under Section 2.01 is certificated or becomes certificated, (i) each such certificate shall be delivered to the Collateral Agent, pursuant to Section 2.02(a) and (ii) such Grantor shall fulfill all other requirements under Section 2.02 applicable in respect thereof.

 

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Section 2.05. Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Collateral Agent shall have given the Borrower at least one (1) Business Day’s prior written notice of its intent to exercise such rights, (a) the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, shall have the right to hold the Pledged Securities in its own name as pledgee, the name of its nominee (as pledgee or as sub-agent) or the name of the applicable Grantor, endorsed or assigned in blank or in favor of the Collateral Agent and each Grantor will promptly give to the Collateral Agent copies of any written notices or other written communications received by it with respect to Pledged Equity registered in the name of such Grantor and (b) the Collateral Agent shall have the right to exchange the certificates representing Pledged Securities for certificates of smaller or larger denominations for any purpose consistent with this Agreement, to the extent not prohibited by the documentation governing such Pledged Securities and applicable Laws.

Section 2.06. Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest.

(a) Unless and until an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Collateral Agent shall have provided at least one (1) Business Day’s prior written notice to the Borrower that the rights of the Grantors under this Section 2.06 are being suspended:

(i) Each Grantor shall be entitled to exercise any and all voting and/or other consensual rights and powers inuring to an owner of Pledged Securities or any part thereof and each Grantor agrees that it shall exercise such rights for purposes consistent with the terms of this Agreement, the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(ii) The Collateral Agent shall promptly (after reasonable advance notice by such Grantor) execute and deliver to each Grantor, or cause to be executed and delivered to such Grantor, all such proxies, powers of attorney and other instruments as such Grantor may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling such Grantor to exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to subparagraph (i) above.

(iii) Each Grantor shall be entitled to receive and retain any and all dividends, interest, principal and other distributions paid on or distributed in respect of the Pledged Securities to the extent and only to the extent that such dividends, interest, principal and other distributions are permitted by, and otherwise paid or distributed in accordance with, the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents and applicable Laws; provided that any noncash dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that would constitute Pledged Equity or Pledged Debt, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the outstanding Equity Interests of the issuer of any Pledged Securities or received in exchange for Pledged Securities or any part thereof, or in redemption thereof, or as a result of any merger, consolidation, acquisition or other exchange of assets to which such issuer may be a party or otherwise, shall be and become part of the Pledged Collateral, and, if received by any Grantor, shall not be commingled by such Grantor with any of its other funds or property but shall be held separate and apart therefrom, shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties and shall be delivered to the Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 2.02(a) and in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent). So long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Collateral Agent shall promptly deliver to each Grantor any Pledged Securities in its possession if requested to be delivered to the issuer thereof in connection with any exchange or redemption of such Pledged Securities permitted by the Credit Agreement in accordance with this Section 2.06(a)(iii).

 

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(b) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, after the Collateral Agent shall have notified the Borrower of the suspension of the Grantors’ rights under paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 2.06, then all rights of any Grantor to dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that such Grantor is authorized to receive pursuant to paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 2.06 shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Collateral Agent, which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to receive and retain such dividends, interest, principal or other distributions. All dividends, interest, principal or other distributions received by any Grantor contrary to the provisions of this Section 2.06 shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent, shall be segregated from other property or funds of such Grantor and shall be promptly (and in any event within 10 days or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion) delivered to the Collateral Agent upon demand in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent). Any and all money and other property paid over to or received by the Collateral Agent pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph (b) shall be retained by the Collateral Agent in an account to be established by the Collateral Agent upon receipt of such money or other property and shall, subject to the terms of any applicable Intercreditor Agreement, be applied in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.02. After all Events of Default have been cured or waived and the Borrower has delivered to the Collateral Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to that effect, the Collateral Agent shall promptly repay to each Grantor (without interest) all dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that such Grantor would otherwise be permitted to retain pursuant to the terms of paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 2.06 and that remain in such account.

(c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, after the Collateral Agent shall have provided the Borrower with notice of the suspension of its rights under paragraph (a)(i) of this Section 2.06, then all rights of any Grantor to exercise the voting and consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to paragraph (a)(i) of this Section 2.06, and the obligations of the Collateral Agent under paragraph (a)(ii) of this Section 2.06, shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Collateral Agent, which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to exercise such voting and consensual rights and powers; provided that, unless otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, the Collateral Agent shall have the right from time to time following and during the continuance of an Event of Default to permit the Grantors to exercise such rights. After all Events of Default have been cured or waived and the Borrower has delivered to the Collateral Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to that effect, each Grantor shall have the exclusive right to exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers that such Grantor would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to the terms of paragraph (a)(i) above, and the obligations of the Collateral Agent under paragraph (a)(ii) of this Section 2.06 shall be reinstated.

(d) Any notice given by the Collateral Agent to the Borrower under Section 2.05 or this Section 2.06 (i) shall be given in writing, (ii) may be given with respect to one or more Grantors at the same or different times and (iii) may suspend the rights of the Grantors under paragraph (a)(i) or paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 2.06 in part without suspending all such rights (as specified by the Collateral Agent in its sole and absolute discretion) and without waiving or otherwise affecting the Collateral Agent’s rights to give additional notices from time to time suspending other rights so long as an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

ARTICLE III

Security Interests in Personal Property

Section 3.01. Security Interest.

(a) As security for the payment or performance, as the case may be, in full of the Secured Obligations, including the Guaranty, each Grantor hereby assigns and pledges to the Collateral Agent, for

 

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the benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest (the “Security Interest”) in, all right, title or interest in or to any and all of the following assets and properties now owned or at any time hereafter acquired by such Grantor or in which such Grantor now has or at any time in the future may acquire any right, title or interest (collectively, the “Article 9 Collateral”):

(i) all Accounts;

(ii) all Chattel Paper;

(iii) all Documents;

(iv) all Equipment;

(v) all General Intangibles;

(vi) all Goods;

(vii) all Instruments;

(viii) all Inventory;

(ix) all Investment Property;

(x) all books and records pertaining to the Article 9 Collateral;

(xi) all Fixtures;

(xii) all Letter-of-Credit Rights but only to the extent constituting a Supporting Obligation for other Article 9 Collateral as to which perfection of a security interest in such Article 9 Collateral is accomplished by the filing of a UCC financing statement;

(xiii) all Intellectual Property; and

(xiv) to the extent not otherwise included, all Proceeds and products of any and all of the foregoing and all Supporting Obligations, collateral security and guarantees given by any Person with respect to any of the foregoing;

provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, this Agreement shall not constitute a grant of a security interest in any Excluded Assets and the term “Article 9 Collateral” shall not include any Excluded Assets.

(b) Subject to Section 3.01(e), each Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties at any time and from time to time to file in any relevant jurisdiction any initial financing statements with respect to the Collateral or any part thereof and amendments thereto that (i) indicate the Article 9 Collateral as “all assets” or “all personal property” of such Grantor or words of similar effect or as being of an equal or lesser scope or with greater detail and (ii) contain the information required by Article 9 of the UCC or the analogous legislation of each applicable jurisdiction for the filing of any financing statement or amendment, including whether such Grantor is an organization, the type of organization and, if required, any organizational identification number issued to such Grantor. Each Grantor agrees to provide such information to the Collateral Agent promptly upon any reasonable request.

 

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(c) The Security Interest is granted as security only and shall not subject the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to, or in any way alter or modify, any obligation or liability of any Grantor with respect to or arising out of the Article 9 Collateral.

(d) The Collateral Agent is authorized to file with the USPTO or the USCO (or any successor office) such documents executed by each Grantor which shall be executed by each Grantor upon reasonable request of the Collateral Agent as may be necessary or advisable for the purpose of creating, attaching and perfecting the Security Interest in United States Intellectual Property of each Grantor in which a security interest has been granted by each Grantor and naming any Grantor or the Grantors as debtors and the Collateral Agent as secured party. No Grantor shall be required to complete any filings governed by non-United States laws or take any other action with respect to the perfection of the Security Interests created hereby in any Intellectual Property subsisting in any non-United States jurisdiction.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Loan Documents, none of the Grantors shall be required, nor is the Collateral Agent authorized, (i) to perfect the Security Interests granted by this Agreement (including Security Interests in Investment Property and Fixtures) by any means other than by (A) filings pursuant to the UCC in the office of the secretary of state (or similar central filing office) of the relevant State(s), (B) filings with the USPTO or the USCO, as applicable, with respect to Intellectual Property of the Grantors as expressly required elsewhere herein, (C) delivery to the Collateral Agent to be held in its possession of all Collateral consisting of Instruments and certificated Pledged Equity as expressly required elsewhere herein or (D) other methods expressly provided herein, (ii) to enter into any deposit account control agreement, securities account control agreement or any other control agreement with respect to any deposit account, securities account or any other Collateral that requires perfection by “control” except as otherwise set forth in this Section 3.01(e), (iii) to take any action pursuant to this Agreement (other than the actions listed in clauses (i)(A) and (C) above) with respect to any assets located outside of the United States, (iv) to perfect in any assets subject to a certificate of title statute or (v) to deliver any Equity Interests pursuant to this Agreement except as expressly provided in Section 2.01, Section 2.02 or Section 2.04.

Section 3.02. Representations and Warranties. Each Grantor jointly and severally represents and warrants, as to itself and the other Grantors, to the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties that:

(a) Subject to Liens permitted by Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement, each Grantor has good and valid rights in and title (except as otherwise permitted by the Loan Documents) to the Article 9 Collateral with respect to which it has purported to grant a Security Interest hereunder and has full power and authority to grant to the Collateral Agent the Security Interest in such Article 9 Collateral pursuant hereto and to execute, deliver and perform its obligations in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, without the consent or approval of any other Person other than any consent or approval that has been obtained and those consents or approvals, the failure of which to be obtained or to be made could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) The Perfection Certificate has been duly prepared, completed and executed and the information set forth therein is correct and complete in all material respects (except the information therein with respect to the exact legal name of each Grantor shall be correct and complete in all respects) as of the Closing Date. Subject to Section 3.01(e), the UCC financing statements or other appropriate filings, recordings or registrations prepared by the Collateral Agent based upon the information provided to the Collateral Agent in the Perfection Certificate for filing in the applicable filing office (or specified by notice from the Borrower to the Collateral Agent after the Closing Date in the case of filings, recordings or registrations (other than filings required to be made in the USPTO and the USCO in order to perfect the Security Interest in Article 9 Collateral consisting of United States Patents, Trademarks and

 

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Copyrights and exclusive licenses of registered Copyright), in each case, as required by Section 6.11 of the Credit Agreement), are all of the filings, recordings and registrations that are necessary to establish a legal, valid and perfected security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent (for the benefit of the Secured Parties) in respect of all Article 9 Collateral in which the Security Interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registration in the United States (or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions pursuant to the UCC, and no further or subsequent filing, re-filing, recording, rerecording, registration or re-registration is necessary in any such jurisdiction, except as provided under applicable Law with respect to the filing of continuation statements.

(c) Each Grantor represents and warrants on the date hereof that (i) short-form Intellectual Property Security Agreements containing a description of all Article 9 Collateral consisting of United States registered Patents (and Patents for which United States registration applications are pending), United States registered Trademarks (and Trademarks for which United States registration applications are pending) and United States registered Copyrights and exclusive licenses of United States registered Copyrights, respectively (other than, in each case, any Excluded Assets), have been executed by the applicable Grantor owning any such Article 9 Collateral and have been delivered to the Collateral Agent for recording with the USPTO and the USCO pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 261, 15 U.S.C. § 1060 or 17 U.S.C. § 205 and the regulations thereunder, as applicable (for the benefit of the Secured Parties), in respect of all Article 9 Collateral consisting of United States registrations and/or applications for Patents, Trademarks and United States registered Copyrights and exclusive licenses of United States registered Copyrights and (ii) to the extent a security interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registration in the USPTO or USCO under the federal intellectual property laws, then the recording of such short-form Intellectual Property Security Agreements with the USPTO and the USCO will be sufficient to establish a legal, valid and perfected security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in all such Article 9 Collateral and no further or subsequent filing, re-filing, recording, rerecording, registration or re-registration is necessary (other than (i) such filings and actions as are necessary to perfect the Security Interest with respect to any Article 9 Collateral consisting of United States Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights (or registration or application for registration thereof) and exclusive licenses of United States registered Copyrights acquired or developed by any Grantor after the date hereof and (ii) the UCC financing and continuation statements contemplated in Section 3.02(b)).

(d) The Security Interest constitutes (i) a legal and valid security interest in all the Article 9 Collateral securing the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, (ii) subject to the filings described in Section 3.02(b), a perfected security interest in all Article 9 Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registering a financing statement or analogous document in the United States (or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions pursuant to the UCC and (iii) subject to the filings described in Section 3.02(c), a security interest that shall be perfected in all Article 9 Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected upon the receipt and recording of an Intellectual Property Security Agreement with the USPTO and the USCO, as applicable, within the three-month period after the date hereof pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 261 or 15 U.S.C. § 1060 or the one-month period after the date hereof pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 205. The Security Interest is and shall be prior to any other Lien on any of the Article 9 Collateral, other than any Liens expressly permitted pursuant to Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement.

(e) The Article 9 Collateral is held by the Grantors free and clear of any Lien, except for Liens expressly permitted pursuant to Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement. None of the Grantors has filed or consented to the filing of (i) any financing statement or analogous document under the UCC or any other applicable Laws covering any Article 9 Collateral, (ii) any assignment in which any Grantor assigns any Article 9 Collateral or any security agreement or similar instrument covering any Article 9 Collateral with the USPTO or the USCO or (iii) any assignment in which any Grantor assigns any Article 9 Collateral or any security agreement or similar instrument covering any Article 9 Collateral with any

 

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foreign governmental, municipal or other office, which financing statement or analogous document, assignment, security agreement or similar instrument is still in effect, except, in each case, for filings in favor of the Collateral Agent contemplated hereby, Liens expressly permitted pursuant to Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement and assignments permitted or not prohibited by the Credit Agreement.

Section 3.03. Covenants.

(a) The Borrower agrees to notify the Collateral Agent in writing promptly, but in any event within 60 days (or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), after any change in (i) the legal name of any Grantor, (ii) the identity or type of organization or corporate structure of any Grantor or (iii) the jurisdiction of organization of any Grantor. Each Grantor agrees to promptly provide the Collateral Agent, upon its reasonable request, the certified Organizational Documents reflecting any of the changes in the preceding sentence.

(b) Subject to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, Section 3.01(e) and Section 3.03(f)(iv), each Grantor shall, at its own expense, upon the reasonable request of the Collateral Agent, use commercially reasonable efforts necessary to defend title to the Article 9 Collateral against all Persons and to defend the Security Interest of the Collateral Agent in the Article 9 Collateral and the priority thereof against any Lien not expressly permitted pursuant to Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement; provided that, nothing in this Agreement shall prevent any Grantor from discontinuing the operation or maintenance of any of its assets or properties if such discontinuance is not prohibited by the Credit Agreement.

(c) Subject to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and Section 3.01(e), each Grantor agrees, at its own expense, to execute, acknowledge, deliver and cause to be duly filed all such further instruments and documents and to take all such actions as the Collateral Agent may from time to time reasonably request to better assure, preserve, protect and perfect the Security Interest and the rights and remedies created hereby, including the payment of any fees and taxes required in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the granting of the Security Interest and the filing of any financing statements or other documents in connection herewith or therewith. If any amount payable under or in connection with any of the Article 9 Collateral that is in excess of $10,000,000 shall be or become evidenced by any promissory note, other instrument or debt security, such note, instrument or debt security shall be promptly (and in any event within 60 days of its acquisition or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion) pledged and delivered to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, duly endorsed in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.

(d) At its option, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Collateral Agent may discharge past due taxes, assessments, charges, fees, Liens, security interests or other encumbrances at any time levied or placed on the Article 9 Collateral and not permitted pursuant to Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement, and may pay for the maintenance and preservation of the Article 9 Collateral to the extent any Grantor fails to do so as required by the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document and within a reasonable period of time after the Collateral Agent has requested that it do so, and each Grantor jointly and severally agrees to reimburse the Collateral Agent within 10 Business Days after demand for any payment made or any reasonable expense incurred by the Collateral Agent pursuant to the foregoing authorization; provided, however, the Grantors shall not be obligated to reimburse the Collateral Agent with respect to any Intellectual Property that any Grantor has failed to maintain or pursue, or otherwise allowed to lapse, terminate or be put into the public domain in accordance with Section 3.03(f)(iv). Nothing in this paragraph shall be interpreted as excusing any Grantor from the performance of, or imposing any obligation on the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party to cure or perform, any covenants or other promises of any Grantor with respect to taxes, assessments, charges, fees, Liens, security interests or other encumbrances and maintenance as set forth herein or in the other Loan Documents.

 

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(e) If at any time any Grantor shall take a security interest in any property of an Account Debtor or any other Person the value of which is in excess of $10,000,000 to secure payment and performance of an Account, such Grantor shall, subject to the terms of any applicable Intercreditor Agreement, promptly (but in any event within 60 days after such action by such Grantor or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion) assign such security interest to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, this Agreement shall not constitute a grant of a security interest in any Excluded Assets. Such assignment need not be filed of public record unless necessary to continue the perfected status of the security interest against creditors of and transferees from the Account Debtor or other Person granting the security interest.

(f) Intellectual Property Covenants.

(i) Other than to the extent not prohibited herein or in the Credit Agreement or with respect to registrations and applications no longer used or useful, except to the extent failure to act would not, as deemed by the applicable Grantor in its reasonable business judgment, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, with respect to registration or pending application of each item of its Intellectual Property for which such Grantor has standing to do so, each Grantor agrees to take, at its expense, all commercially reasonable steps, including, without limitation, in the USPTO, the USCO and any other Governmental Authority located in the United States, to pursue the registration and maintenance of each U.S. Patent, Trademark, or Copyright registration or application now or hereafter included in the Intellectual Property of such Grantor that are not Excluded Assets.

(ii) Other than to the extent not prohibited herein or in the Credit Agreement, or with respect to registrations and applications no longer used or useful, or except as would not, as deemed by the applicable Grantor in its reasonable business judgment, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no Grantor shall do or permit any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby any of its Intellectual Property, excluding Excluded Assets, may lapse, be terminated, or become invalid or unenforceable or placed in the public domain (or in the case of a trade secret, become publicly known).

(iii) Other than as excluded or as not prohibited herein or in the Credit Agreement, or with respect to Patents, Copyrights or Trademarks which are no longer used or useful in the applicable Grantor’s business operations or except where failure to do so would not, as deemed by the applicable Grantor in its reasonable business judgment, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Grantor shall take all reasonable steps to preserve and protect each item of its Intellectual Property, including, without limitation, maintaining the quality of any and all products or services used or provided in connection with any of the Trademarks, consistent with the quality of the products and services as of the date hereof, and taking commercially reasonable steps necessary to ensure that all licensed users of any of the Trademarks abide by the applicable license’s terms with respect to standards of quality.

(iv) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document prevents or shall be deemed to prevent any Grantor from disposing of, discontinuing the use or maintenance of, failing to pursue, or otherwise allowing to lapse, terminate or be put into the public domain, any of its Intellectual Property to the extent permitted by the Credit Agreement if such Grantor determines in its reasonable business judgment that such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business.

 

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(v) Each Grantor agrees that, should it obtain an ownership or other interest in any Intellectual Property constituting Article 9 Collateral after the Closing Date, (i) the provisions of this Agreement shall automatically apply thereto and (ii) any such Intellectual Property and, in the case of Trademarks, the goodwill symbolized thereby, shall automatically become Intellectual Property subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(vi) Within the same delivery period as required for the delivery of each Compliance Certificate required to be delivered under Section 6.02(a) of the Credit Agreement the Borrower shall (i) provide a list of any U.S. Intellectual Property registrations and applications and exclusive licenses of United States registered Copyrights constituting Article 9 Collateral of all Grantors not previously disclosed to the Collateral Agent, including such information as is necessary for such Grantor to make appropriate filings in the USPTO and USCO and (ii) execute and file with the USPTO and USCO, as applicable, an Intellectual Property Security Agreement to record the grant of the security interest hereunder in such Intellectual Property. As soon as practicable upon each such filing and recording, such Grantor shall deliver to the Collateral Agent true and correct copies of the relevant documents, instruments and receipts evidencing such filing and recording.

ARTICLE IV

Remedies

Section 4.01. Remedies Upon Default. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, it is agreed that the Collateral Agent shall have the right to exercise any and all rights afforded to a secured party with respect to the Collateral and the Secured Obligations, including the Guaranty, under the UCC or other applicable Law and also may (i) require each Grantor to, and each Grantor agrees that it will at its expense and upon request of the Collateral Agent, promptly assemble all or part of the Collateral as directed by the Collateral Agent and make it available to the Collateral Agent at a place and time to be designated by the Collateral Agent that is reasonably convenient to both parties; (ii) occupy any premises owned or, to the extent lawful and permitted, leased (it being acknowledged and agreed that the Grantors are not required to obtain any waiver or consent from any owner of such leased premises in connection with such occupancy or attempted occupancy) by any of the Grantors where the Collateral or any part thereof is assembled or located for a reasonable period in order to effectuate its rights and remedies hereunder or under Law, without obligation to such Grantor in respect of such occupation; provided that the Collateral Agent shall provide the applicable Grantor with reasonable prior notice thereof which in any event shall be at least 10 days prior to such occupancy; (iii) exercise any and all rights and remedies of any of the Grantors under or in connection with the Collateral, or otherwise in respect of the Collateral; provided that the Collateral Agent shall provide the applicable Grantor with reasonable notice thereof prior to such exercise (it being understood that the notice in the next paragraph is reasonable); and (iv) subject to the mandatory requirements of applicable Law and the notice requirements described below, sell or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Collateral securing the Secured Obligations at a public or private sale or at any broker’s board or on any securities exchange, for cash, upon credit or for future delivery as the Collateral Agent shall deem appropriate. The Collateral Agent shall be authorized at any such sale of securities (if it deems it advisable to do so) to restrict the prospective bidders or purchasers to Persons who will represent and agree that they are purchasing the Collateral for their own account for investment and not with a view to the distribution or sale thereof, and upon consummation of any such sale the Collateral Agent shall have the right to assign, transfer and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers thereof the Collateral so sold. Each such purchaser at any sale of Collateral shall hold the property sold absolutely, free from any claim or right on the part of any Grantor, and each Grantor hereby waives (to the extent permitted by Law) all rights of redemption, stay and appraisal which such Grantor now has or may at any time in the future have under any Law now existing or hereafter enacted.

 

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The Collateral Agent shall give the applicable Grantors at least 10 days’ written notice (which each Grantor agrees is reasonable notice within the meaning of Section 9-611 of the UCC or its equivalent in other jurisdictions) of the Collateral Agent’s intention to make any sale of Collateral. Such notice, in the case of a public sale, shall state the time and place for such sale and, in the case of a sale at a broker’s board or on a securities exchange, shall state the board or exchange at which such sale is to be made and the day on which the Collateral, or portion thereof, will first be offered for sale at such board or exchange. Any such public sale shall be held at such time or times within ordinary business hours and at such place or places as the Collateral Agent may fix and state in the notice (if any) of such sale. At any such sale, the Collateral, or portion thereof, to be sold may be sold in one lot as an entirety or in separate parcels, as the Collateral Agent may (in its sole and absolute discretion) determine. The Collateral Agent shall not be obligated to make any sale of any Collateral if it shall determine not to do so, regardless of the fact that notice of sale of such Collateral shall have been given. The Collateral Agent may, without notice or publication, adjourn any public or private sale or cause the same to be adjourned from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed for sale, and such sale may, without further notice, be made at the time and place to which the same was so adjourned. In case any sale of all or any part of the Collateral is made on credit or for future delivery, the Collateral so sold may be retained by the Collateral Agent until the sale price is paid by the purchaser or purchasers thereof, but the Collateral Agent shall not incur any liability in case any such purchaser or purchasers shall fail to take up and pay for the Collateral so sold and, in case of any such failure, such Collateral may be sold again upon like notice. At any public (or, to the extent permitted by Law, private) sale made pursuant to this Agreement, any Secured Party may bid for or purchase, free (to the extent permitted by Law) from any right of redemption, stay, valuation or appraisal on the part of any Grantor (all said rights being also hereby waived and released to the extent permitted by Law), the Collateral or any part thereof offered for sale and may make payment on account thereof by using any claim then due and payable to such Secured Party from any Grantor as a credit against the purchase price, and such Secured Party may, upon compliance with the terms of sale, hold, retain and dispose of such property without further accountability to any Grantor therefor. For purposes hereof, a written agreement to purchase the Collateral or any portion thereof shall be treated as a sale thereof; the Collateral Agent shall be free to carry out such sale pursuant to such agreement and no Grantor shall be entitled to the return of the Collateral or any portion thereof subject thereto, notwithstanding the fact that after the Collateral Agent shall have entered into such an agreement all Events of Default shall have been remedied and the Secured Obligations paid in full. As an alternative to exercising the power of sale herein conferred upon it, the Collateral Agent may proceed by a suit or suits at Law or in equity to foreclose this Agreement and to sell the Collateral or any portion thereof pursuant to a judgment or decree of a court or courts having competent jurisdiction or pursuant to a proceeding by a court-appointed receiver. Any sale pursuant to the provisions of this Section 4.01 shall be deemed to conform to the commercially reasonable standards as provided in Section 9-610(b) of the UCC or its equivalent in other jurisdictions.

Section 4.02. Application of Proceeds. Subject to the terms of any applicable Intercreditor Agreement, the Collateral Agent shall apply the proceeds of any collection or sale of Collateral, including any Collateral consisting of cash, in accordance with Section 8.04 of the Credit Agreement.

Subject to the terms of any applicable Intercreditor Agreement, the Collateral Agent shall have absolute discretion as to the time of application of any such proceeds, moneys or balances in accordance with this Agreement. Upon any sale of Collateral by the Collateral Agent (including pursuant to a power of sale granted by statute or under a judicial proceeding), the receipt of the Collateral Agent or of the officer making the sale shall be a sufficient discharge to the purchaser or purchasers of the Collateral so sold and such purchaser or purchasers shall not be obligated to see to the application of any part of the purchase money paid over to the Collateral Agent or such officer or be answerable in any way for the misapplication thereof.

 

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The Collateral Agent shall have no liability to any of the Secured Parties for actions taken in reliance on information supplied to it as to the amounts of unpaid principal and interest and other amounts outstanding with respect to the Secured Obligations, provided that nothing in this sentence shall prevent any Grantor from contesting any amounts claimed by any Secured Party in any information so supplied. All distributions made by the Collateral Agent pursuant to this Section 4.02 shall be (subject to any decree of any court of competent jurisdiction) final (absent manifest error).

Section 4.03. Grant of License to Use Intellectual Property. For the exclusive purpose of enabling the Collateral Agent to exercise rights and remedies under this Agreement at such time as the Collateral Agent shall be lawfully entitled to exercise such rights and remedies at any time after and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor hereby grants to the Collateral Agent, effective as of an Event of Default, a non-exclusive, royalty-free, limited license (until the waiver or cure of all Events of Default and the delivery by the Borrower to the Collateral Agent of a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to that effect) to use, license or sublicense any of the Intellectual Property now owned or hereafter acquired by such Grantor, and including in such license reasonable access to all media in which any of the licensed items may be recorded or stored and to all computer software and programs used for the compilation or printout thereof; provided, however, that all of the foregoing rights of the Collateral Agent to use such licenses, sublicenses and other rights, and (to the extent permitted by the terms of such licenses and sublicenses) all licenses and sublicenses granted thereunder, shall expire immediately upon the waiver or cure of all Events of Default and the delivery by the Borrower to the Collateral Agent of a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to that effect and shall be exercised by the Collateral Agent solely during the continuance of an Event of Default (it being understood that the foregoing license grant shall be re-instituted upon any subsequent Events of Default), and nothing in this Section 4.03 shall require Grantors to grant any license that is prohibited by any rule of law, statute or regulation, or is prohibited by, or constitutes a breach or default under or results in the termination of any contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document executed with a third party; provided, further, that any such license and any such license granted by the Collateral Agent to a third party (including the access rights set forth above) shall include reasonable and customary terms and conditions necessary to preserve the existence, validity and value of the affected Intellectual Property, including without limitation, provisions requiring the continuing confidential handling of trade secrets and confidential information, protecting data and system security, requiring the use of appropriate notices and prohibiting the use of false notices, quality control and inurement provisions with regard to Trademarks, patent designation provisions with regard to Patents, copyright notices and restrictions on decompilation and reverse engineering of copyrighted software (it being understood that (I) the incorporation of standard or customary terms and conditions used by the Grantor in its own intellectual property licenses or agreement as of the date of the Event of Default satisfies the foregoing criteria) and (II) without limiting any other rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or applicable Law, nothing in the foregoing license grant shall be construed as granting the Collateral Agent rights in and to such Intellectual Property above and beyond (x) the rights to such Intellectual Property that each Grantor has reserved for itself and (y) in the case of Intellectual Property that is licensed to any such Grantor by a third party, the extent to which such Grantor has the right to grant a sublicense to such Intellectual Property hereunder). For the avoidance of doubt, the use of such license by the Collateral Agent may be exercised, at the option of the Collateral Agent, only during the continuation of an Event of Default. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Collateral Agent may also exercise the rights afforded under Section 4.01 of this Agreement with respect to Intellectual Property contained in the Article 9 Collateral.

 

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ARTICLE V

Subordination

Section 5.01. Subordination.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, all rights of the Grantors to indemnity, contribution or subrogation under applicable Law or otherwise shall be fully subordinated to the payment in full in cash of the Secured Obligations. No failure on the part of the Borrower or any Grantor to make the payments required under applicable Law or otherwise shall in any respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Grantor with respect to its obligations hereunder, and each Grantor shall remain liable for the full amount of the obligations of such Grantor hereunder.

(b) Each Grantor hereby agrees that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and after notice from the Collateral Agent, all Indebtedness owed to it by any other Grantor shall be fully subordinated to the payment in full in cash of the Secured Obligations.

ARTICLE VI

Miscellaneous

Section 6.01. Notices. All communications and notices hereunder shall (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein) be in writing and given as provided in Section 10.02 of the Credit Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the Borrower or any other Grantor shall be given to it in care of the Borrower as provided in Section 10.02 of the Credit Agreement.

Section 6.02. Waivers; Amendment.

(a) No failure or delay by any Secured Party 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 such 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 of the Secured Parties herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any Grantor therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section 6.02, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan, the issuance of a Letter of Credit or the provision of services under Treasury Services Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether any Secured Party may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Collateral Agent and the Grantor or Grantors with respect to which such waiver, amendment or modification is to apply, subject to any consent required in accordance with Section 10.01 of the Credit Agreement.

Section 6.03. Collateral Agents Fees and Expenses; Indemnification.

(a) The parties hereto agree that the Collateral Agent shall be entitled to reimbursement of its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred hereunder and indemnity for its actions in connection herewith as provided in Sections 10.04 and 10.05 of the Credit Agreement; provided that each reference therein to the “Borrower” shall be deemed to be a reference to “each Grantor” and each reference therein to the “Administrative Agent” shall be deemed to be a reference to the “Collateral Agent”.

 

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(b) Any such amounts payable as provided hereunder shall be additional Secured Obligations secured hereby and by the other Collateral Documents. The provisions of this Section 6.03 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of any of the Secured Obligations, the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party. All amounts due under this Section 6.03 shall be payable within 30 days of written demand therefor.

Section 6.04. Successors and Assigns. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

Section 6.05. Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Grantors hereunder and in the other Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments prepared or delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the Secured Parties and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents, the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit and the provision of services under Treasury Services Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements, regardless of any investigation made by any Secured Party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that any Secured Party may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time any credit is extended under the Credit Agreement, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as this Agreement has not been terminated or released pursuant to Section 6.11 below.

Section 6.06. Counterparts; Effectiveness; Several Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery by facsimile or other electronic communication of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement shall be effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as to any Grantor when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of such Grantor shall have been delivered to the Collateral Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of the Collateral Agent, and thereafter shall be binding upon such Grantor and the Collateral Agent and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of such Grantor, the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns, except that no Grantor shall have the right to assign or transfer its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein or in the Collateral (and any such assignment or transfer shall be void) except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or the Credit Agreement. This Agreement shall be construed as a separate agreement with respect to each Grantor and may be amended, modified, supplemented, waived or released with respect to any Grantor without the approval of any other Grantor and without affecting the obligations of any other Grantor hereunder.

Section 6.07. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected or impaired thereby. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

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Section 6.08. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Service of Process.

(a) The terms of Sections 10.15 and 10.16 of the Credit Agreement with respect to governing law, submission to jurisdiction, venue and waiver of jury trial are incorporated herein by reference, mutatis mutandis, and the parties hereto agree to such terms.

(b) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 6.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by Law.

Section 6.09. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents 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 6.10. Security Interest Absolute. To the extent permitted by Law, all rights of the Collateral Agent hereunder, the Security Interest, the grant of a security interest in the Pledged Collateral and all obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document, any agreement with respect to any of the Secured Obligations or any other agreement or instrument relating to any of the foregoing, (b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Secured Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to any departure from the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement or instrument, (c) any exchange, release or non-perfection of any Lien on other collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent under or departure from any guarantee, securing or guaranteeing all or any of the Secured Obligations or (d) subject only to termination of a Grantor’s obligations hereunder in accordance with the terms of Section 6.11, any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Grantor in respect of the Secured Obligations or this Agreement.

Section 6.11. Termination or Release.

(a) This Agreement, the Security Interest and all other security interests granted hereby shall terminate with respect to all Secured Obligations and any Liens granted under this Agreement shall be automatically released upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Secured Obligations (other than (i) obligations under any Secured Hedge Agreement or Treasury Services Agreement not yet due and payable and (ii) contingent indemnification obligations not yet accrued and payable) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit in which the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations related thereto have been Cash Collateralized or if such Letters of Credit have been backstopped by letters of credit reasonably satisfactory to the relevant L/C Issuer or deemed reissued under another agreement reasonably satisfactory to the relevant L/C Issuer).

(b) A Subsidiary Party shall automatically be released from its obligations hereunder and the Security Interest in the Collateral of such Subsidiary Party shall be automatically released (collectively, a “Subsidiary Party Release”) upon the consummation of any transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement as a result of which such Subsidiary Party ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower or becomes an Excluded Subsidiary; provided (x) that no Subsidiary Party Release shall occur if such Subsidiary Party continues to be a guarantor in respect of any Junior Financing with a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount and (y) no Subsidiary Party Release shall occur if such Subsidiary Party becomes an Excluded Subsidiary as a result of clause (a) of the definition thereof unless (1) such release is otherwise approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders or (2) such Subsidiary Party became a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to a transaction where

 

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such Subsidiary Party becomes a bona fide joint venture where the other Person obtaining an equity interest in such Subsidiary Party is not an Affiliate of Holdings or the Borrower (other than as a result of such joint venture). At the sole option of the Borrower, Initial Holdings or any existing entity constituting “Holdings” under the Credit Agreement shall be automatically released from its obligations hereunder and the Security Interest in the Collateral of such Person shall be automatically released if such entity ceases to be the direct parent of the Borrower as a result of such transaction or designation permitted pursuant to the definition thereof and otherwise permitted under the Credit Agreement, subject to the assumption of all obligations of “Holdings” under the Loan Documents by such other Domestic Subsidiary of such entity that directly owns 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in the Borrower pursuant to the definition thereof in the Credit Agreement and satisfaction of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirements by such Domestic Subsidiary, including joining this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.12 below; provided that 100% of the Equity Interests of the Borrower shall be pledged to the Collateral Agent to secure the Secured Obligations.

(c) Upon any sale or other transfer by any Grantor of any Collateral that is permitted under the Credit Agreement (other than a sale or transfer to another Loan Party), or upon the effectiveness of any written consent to the release of the security interest granted hereby in any Collateral pursuant to Section 10.01 of the Credit Agreement, the security interest in such Collateral shall be automatically released.

(d) In connection with any termination or release pursuant to paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 6.11, the Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver to any Grantor, at such Grantor’s expense, all documents that such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release and shall perform such other actions reasonably requested by such Grantor to effect such release, including delivery of Pledged Certificated Securities then in the Collateral Agent’s possession; provided that without limitation to the operation of the automatic releases described in clauses (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 6.11, the Collateral Agent is not required to sign a release or take any other action unless such Grantor has delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such release satisfies the requirements in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) and such automatic release has occurred. A certificate of a Responsible Officer, delivered at the option of the Borrower, to the Collateral Agent with respect to any release described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 6.11 shall be conclusive evidence that such release satisfies the foregoing requirements and that such automatic release has occurred. Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section 6.11 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Collateral Agent.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, each Secured Approved Counterparty by the acceptance of the benefits under this Agreement hereby acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Security Interests granted under this Agreement of the Secured Obligations of any Grantor and its Subsidiaries under any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Treasury Services Agreement shall be automatically released upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all other Secured Obligations, in each case, unless the Secured Obligations under the Secured Hedge Agreement or the Treasury Services Agreement are due and payable at such time (it being understood and agreed that this Agreement and the Security Interests granted herein shall survive solely as to such due and payable Secured Obligations and until such time as such due and payable Secured Obligations have been paid in full) and (ii) any release of Collateral or of a Grantor, as the case may be, effected in the manner permitted by this Agreement shall not require the consent of any Secured Approved Counterparty.

Section 6.12. Additional Grantors.

(a) Pursuant to Section 6.11 of the Credit Agreement, certain additional Restricted Subsidiaries of the Borrower may be required to enter in this Agreement as Grantors. Upon execution and delivery by a Restricted Subsidiary of a Security Agreement Supplement, such Restricted Subsidiary shall become a Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Grantor herein.

 

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(b) From time to time, any Person that becomes Holdings under the Credit Agreement may be required to enter into this Agreement as a Grantor. Upon execution and delivery by such Person of a Security Agreement Supplement, such Person shall become a Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Grantor herein.

(c) The execution and delivery of any such instrument described in clauses (a) and (b) above shall not require the consent of any other Grantor hereunder. The rights and obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Grantor as a party to this Agreement.

Section 6.13. Collateral Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact. Each Grantor hereby appoints the Collateral Agent the attorney-in-fact of such Grantor for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Agreement and taking any action and executing any instrument that the Collateral Agent may deem necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes hereof at any time after and during the continuance of an Event of Default, which appointment is irrevocable during the continuance of such Event of Default and is coupled with an interest. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Collateral Agent shall have the right, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and notice by the Collateral Agent to the applicable Grantor of the Collateral Agent’s intent to exercise such rights, with full power of substitution either in the Collateral Agent’s name or in the name of such Grantor (a) to receive, endorse, assign and/or deliver any and all notes, acceptances, checks, drafts, money orders or other evidences of payment relating to the Collateral or any part thereof; (b) to demand, collect, receive payment of, give receipt for and give discharges and releases of all or any of the Collateral; (c) to sign the name of any Grantor on any invoice or bill of lading relating to any of the Collateral; (d) to send verifications of Accounts to any Account Debtor; (e) to commence and prosecute any and all suits, actions or proceedings at Law or in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect or otherwise realize on all or any of the Collateral or to enforce any rights in respect of any Collateral; (f) to settle, compromise, compound, adjust or defend any actions, suits or proceedings relating to all or any of the Collateral; (g) to notify, or to require any Grantor to notify, Account Debtors to make payment directly to the Collateral Agent; (h) to use, sell, assign, transfer, pledge, make any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with all or any of the Collateral, and to do all other acts and things necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, as fully and completely as though the Collateral Agent were the absolute owner of the Collateral for all purposes; (i) to make, settle and adjust claims in respect of Article 9 Collateral under policies of insurance, to endorse the name of such Grantor on any check, draft, instrument or other item of payment for the proceeds of such policies of insurance; (j) to make all determinations and decisions with respect thereto and (k) to obtain or maintain the policies of insurance required by Section 6.07 of the Credit Agreement or to pay any premium in whole or in part relating thereto; provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring or obligating the Collateral Agent to make any commitment or to make any inquiry as to the nature or sufficiency of any payment received by the Collateral Agent, or to present or file any claim or notice, or to take any action with respect to the Collateral or any part thereof or the moneys due or to become due in respect thereof or any property covered thereby. The Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties shall be accountable only for amounts actually received as a result of the exercise of the powers granted to them herein, and neither they nor their officers, directors, employees or agents shall be responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except for their own gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct or that of any of their Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, counsel, agents or attorneys-in-fact, in each case, as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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Section 6.14. General Authority of the Collateral Agent. By acceptance of the benefits of this Agreement and any other Collateral Documents, each Secured Party (whether or not a signatory hereto) shall be deemed irrevocably (a) to consent to the appointment of the Collateral Agent as its agent hereunder and under such other Collateral Documents, (b) to confirm that the Collateral Agent shall have the authority to act as the exclusive agent of such Secured Party for the enforcement of any provisions of this Agreement and such other Collateral Documents against any Grantor, the exercise of remedies hereunder or thereunder and the giving or withholding of any consent or approval hereunder or thereunder relating to any Collateral or any Grantor’s obligations with respect thereto, (c) to agree that it shall not take any action to enforce any provisions of this Agreement or any other Collateral Document against any Grantor, to exercise any remedy hereunder or thereunder or to give any consents or approvals hereunder or thereunder except as expressly provided in this Agreement or any other Collateral Document and (d) to agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and any other Collateral Documents.

Section 6.15. Reasonable Care. The Collateral Agent is required to use reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any of the Collateral in its possession; provided, that the Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have used reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any of the Collateral, if such Collateral is accorded treatment substantially similar to that which the Collateral Agent accords its own property.

Section 6.16. Delegation; Limitation. The Collateral Agent may execute any of the powers granted under this Agreement and perform any duty hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys-in-fact, and shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it without gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined in a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction).

Section 6.17. Reinstatement. The obligations of the Grantors under this Agreement shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower or other Loan Party in respect of the Secured Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Secured Obligations, whether as a result of any proceedings in bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise.

Section 6.18. Miscellaneous. The Collateral Agent shall not be deemed to have actual, constructive, direct or indirect notice or knowledge of the occurrence of any Event of Default unless and until the Collateral Agent shall have received a written notice of Event of Default or a written notice from the Grantor or the Secured Parties to the Collateral Agent in its capacity as Collateral Agent indicating that an Event of Default has occurred.

Section 6.19. Intercreditor Agreements. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, the terms of this Agreement, the Liens created hereby and the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent hereunder are subject to the terms of each applicable Intercreditor Agreement. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of this Agreement and an Intercreditor Agreement, the terms of that Intercreditor Agreement shall govern.

Section 6.20. Holdings Collateral. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the parties hereto agree that (a) with respect to Holdings, the Collateral shall be limited to now owned or hereafter acquired (i) Equity Interests of the Borrower (and any successor entity) owned by Holdings, including those that are listed on Schedule II, and any other Equity Interests of Borrower (and any successor entity) obtained in the future by Holdings and, in each case, the certificates representing all such Equity Interests; (ii) payments of principal or interest, dividends, cash, instruments and other property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of, in exchange for or upon the conversion of, and all other Proceeds received in respect of, the Equity Interests and securities

 

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referred to in clauses (i) above; (iii) subject to Section 2.06, all rights and privileges of Holdings with respect to the securities and other property referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above; and (iv) all Proceeds of any of the foregoing (collectively the “Holdings Collateral”) and (b) the representations, warranties and covenants set forth herein shall apply to Holdings only with respect to the Holdings Collateral.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

TU MIDCO, INC., as Grantor
By:   /s/ Kerina Natasha Gopaul
  Name: Kerina Natasha Gopaul
  Title: President

 

TU BIDCO, INC., as Grantor
By:   /s/ Kerina Natasha Gopaul
 

Name: Kerina Natasha Gopaul

 

Title: President

 

TASKUS, INC., as Grantor

By:   /s/ Bryce Maddock
  Name: Bryce Maddock
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

TASKUS USA, LLC., as Grantor
By:   /s/ Bryce Maddock
  Name: Bryce Maddock
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Security Agreement]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Collateral Agent
By:   /s/ Daniel J. Maniaci
  Name: Daniel J. Maniaci
  Title: VP

[Signature Page to Security Agreement]


Exhibit I to the

Security Agreement

SUPPLEMENT NO. ___ dated as of [•] (the “Supplement”), to the Security Agreement (the “Security Agreement”), dated as of September 25, 2019, among the Grantors identified therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent.

A. Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among TU MidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Initial Holdings”), TU BidCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, and each Lender from time to time party thereto.

B. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement and the Security Agreement.

C. The Grantors have entered into the Security Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to make Loans and the L/C Issuers to issue Letters of Credit. Section 6.12 of the Security Agreement provides that additional Restricted Subsidiaries of the Borrower may become Grantors under the Security Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. The undersigned (the “New Grantor”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement to become a Grantor under the Security Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to make additional Loans and the L/C Issuers to issue additional Letters of Credit and as consideration for Loans previously made and Letters of Credit previously issued.

Accordingly, the Collateral Agent and the New Grantor agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 6.12 of the Security Agreement, the New Grantor by its signature below becomes a Grantor under the Security Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor and the New Grantor hereby (a) agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Security Agreement applicable to it as a Grantor thereunder and (b) represents and warrants that the representations and warranties made by it as a Grantor thereunder are true and correct on and as of the date hereof. In furtherance of the foregoing, the New Grantor, as security for the payment and performance in full of the Secured Obligations, does hereby create and grant to the Collateral Agent, its successors and assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, their successors and assigns, a security interest in and lien on all of the New Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to the Collateral (as defined in the Security Agreement) of the New Grantor. Each reference to a “Grantor” in the Security Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Grantor. The Security Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Grantor represents and warrants to the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties that this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity.

SECTION 3. This Supplement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when the Collateral Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Supplement that bears the signature of the New Grantor. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Supplement by facsimile transmission or other electronic communication shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Supplement.

 

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SECTION 4. The New Grantor hereby represents and warrants that (a) set forth on Schedule I attached hereto is a true and correct schedule of the information required by Sections 2.02 of the Security Agreement with respect to Schedule II to the Security Agreement applicable to it, (b) set forth under its signature hereto is the true and correct legal name of the New Grantor, its jurisdiction of formation and the location of its chief executive office and (c) Schedule II attached hereto sets forth, as of the date hereof, (i) all of the New Grantor’s Patents constituting Article 9 Collateral, including the name of the registered owner, type, registration or application number and the expiration date (if already registered) of each such Patent owned by the New Grantor, (ii) all of the New Grantor’s Trademarks constituting Article 9 Collateral, including the name of the registered owner, the registration or application number and the expiration date (if already registered) of each such Trademark owned by the New Grantor and (iii) all of the New Grantor’s Copyrights constituting Article 9 Collateral, including the name of the registered owner, title and, if applicable, the registration number of each such Copyright owned by the New Grantor.

SECTION 5. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Security Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. THIS SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 7. If any provision of this Supplement is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Supplement shall not be affected or impaired thereby. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 8. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 6.01 of the Security Agreement.

SECTION 9. The New Grantor agrees to reimburse the Collateral Agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with the execution and delivery of this Supplement, including the reasonable fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Collateral Agent.

[Signature pages follow.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Grantor and the Collateral Agent have duly executed this Supplement to the Security Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW GRANTOR]

By:    

 

 

  Name:

 

  Title:

 

Legal Name:

Jurisdiction of Formation:

Location of Chief Executive office:

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Collateral Agent
By:    

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

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Legal Name:

Schedule I

to the Supplement No __ to the

Security Agreement

PLEDGED EQUITY AND PLEDGED DEBT

1. Pledged Equity:

 

Current Legal Entities Owned    Record Owner    Certificate No.
(to the extent certificated)
   No. Shares
                

2. Pledged Debt:

[List]


Exhibit II to the

Security Agreement

FORM OF

PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (SHORT FORM)

PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Patent Security Agreement, dated as of [                    ], by [                    ] and [_________] (individually, a “Grantor”, and, collectively, the “Grantors”), in favor of JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Grantors are party to a Security Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Security Agreement”) in favor of the Collateral Agent pursuant to which the Grantors are required to execute and deliver this Patent Security Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, to enter into the Credit Agreement, the Grantors hereby agree with the Collateral Agent as follows:

SECTION 1. Defined Terms. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Security Agreement and used herein have the meaning given to them in the Security Agreement.

SECTION 2. Grant of Security Interest in Patent Collateral. Each Grantor hereby pledges and grants to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a lien on and security interest in and to all of its right, title and interest in, to and under all the following Collateral (excluding any Excluded Assets) of such Grantor:

(a) All issued and applied for Patents of such Grantor, including those listed on Schedule I attached hereto.

SECTION 3. The Security Agreement. The security interest granted pursuant to this Patent Security Agreement is granted in conjunction with the security interest granted to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement and the Grantors hereby acknowledge and affirm that the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent with respect to the security interest in the Patents made and granted hereby are more fully set forth in the Security Agreement. In the event that any provision of this Patent Security Agreement is deemed to conflict with the Security Agreement, the provisions of the Security Agreement shall control unless the Collateral Agent shall otherwise determine.

SECTION 4. Termination. Upon the termination of the Security Agreement in accordance with Section 6.11 thereof, the Collateral Agent shall, at the expense of such Grantor, execute, acknowledge, and deliver to the Grantors an instrument reasonably requested by such Grantor in writing in recordable form releasing the lien on and security interest in the Patents under this Patent Security Agreement.

SECTION 5. Counterparts. This Patent Security Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Patent Security Agreement by signing and delivering one or more counterparts. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Patent Security Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Patent Security Agreement.

 

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SECTION 6.    Intercreditor Agreements. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, the terms of this Patent Security Agreement, the Liens created hereby and the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent hereunder are subject to the terms of each applicable Intercreditor Agreement. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of this Patent Security Agreement and an Intercreditor Agreement, the terms of that Intercreditor Agreement shall govern.

[Signature pages follow.]

 

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[GRANTOR]

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Collateral Agent

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

II-4


Schedule I

to

PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT

PATENT REGISTRATIONS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS

[See Attached]


Exhibit III to the

Security Agreement

FORM OF

TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT (SHORT FORM)

TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT

Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of [                ], by [                ] and [_________] (individually, a “Grantor”, and, collectively, the “Grantors”), in favor of JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Grantors are party to a Security Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Security Agreement”) in favor of the Collateral Agent pursuant to which the Grantors are required to execute and deliver this Trademark Security Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, to enter into the Credit Agreement, the Grantors hereby agree with the Collateral Agent as follows:

SECTION 1. Defined Terms. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Security Agreement and used herein have the meaning given to them in the Security Agreement.

SECTION 2. Grant of Security Interest in Trademark Collateral. Each Grantor hereby pledges and grants to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a lien on and security interest in and to all of its right, title and interest in, to and under all the following Collateral (excluding any Excluded Assets) of such Grantor:

(a) all Trademark registrations and applications of such Grantor, including those listed on Schedule I attached hereto.

SECTION 3. The Security Agreement. The security interest granted pursuant to this Trademark Security Agreement is granted in conjunction with the security interest granted to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement and the Grantors hereby acknowledge and affirm that the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent with respect to the security interest in the Trademarks made and granted hereby are more fully set forth in the Security Agreement. In the event that any provision of this Trademark Security Agreement is deemed to conflict with the Security Agreement, the provisions of the Security Agreement shall control unless the Collateral Agent shall otherwise determine.

SECTION 4. Termination. Upon the termination of the Security Agreement in accordance with Section 6.11 thereof, the Collateral Agent shall, at the expense of such Grantor, execute, acknowledge, and deliver to the Grantors an instrument reasonably requested by such Grantor in writing in recordable form releasing the lien on and security interest in the Trademarks under this Trademark Security Agreement.

 

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SECTION 5. Counterparts. This Trademark Security Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Trademark Security Agreement by signing and delivering one or more counterparts. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Trademark Security Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Trademark Security Agreement.

SECTION 6. Intercreditor Agreements. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, the terms of this Trademark Security Agreement, the Liens created hereby and the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent hereunder are subject to the terms of each applicable Intercreditor Agreement. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of this Trademark Security Agreement and an Intercreditor Agreement, the terms of that Intercreditor Agreement shall govern.

[Signature pages follow.]

 

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[GRANTOR]

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

III-3


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Collateral Agent

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

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Schedule I

Trademark Registrations and Applications

[See Attached]


Exhibit IV to the

Security Agreement

FORM OF

COPYRIGHT SECURITY AGREEMENT (SHORT FORM)

COPYRIGHT SECURITY AGREEMENT

Copyright Security Agreement, dated as of [                ], by [                ] and [_________] (individually, a “Grantor”, and, collectively, the “Grantors”), in favor of JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Grantors are party to a Security Agreement dated as of September 25, 2019 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Security Agreement”) in favor of the Collateral Agent pursuant to which the Grantors are required to execute and deliver this Copyright Security Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, to enter into the Credit Agreement, the Grantors hereby agree with the Collateral Agent as follows:

SECTION 1. Defined Terms. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Security Agreement and used herein have the meaning given to them in the Security Agreement.

SECTION 2. Grant of Security Interest in Copyright Collateral. Each Grantor hereby pledges and grants to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a lien on and security interest in and to all of its right, title and interest in, to and under all the following Collateral (excluding any Excluded Assets) of such Grantor:

(a) all registered Copyrights of such Grantor and exclusive licenses of United States registered Copyrights to which such Grantor is a party, including those listed on Schedule I attached hereto.

SECTION 3. The Security Agreement. The security interest granted pursuant to this Copyright Security Agreement is granted in conjunction with the security interest granted to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement and the Grantors hereby acknowledge and affirm that the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent with respect to the security interest in the Copyrights made and granted hereby are more fully set forth in the Security Agreement. In the event that any provision of this Copyright Security Agreement is deemed to conflict with the Security Agreement, the provisions of the Security Agreement shall control unless the Collateral Agent shall otherwise determine.

SECTION 4. Termination. Upon termination of the Security Agreement in accordance with Section 6.11 thereof, the Collateral Agent shall, at the expense of such Grantor, execute, acknowledge, and deliver to the Grantors an instrument reasonably requested by such Grantor in writing in recordable form releasing the lien on and security interest in the Copyrights under this Copyright Security Agreement.

 

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SECTION 5. Counterparts. This Copyright Security Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Copyright Security Agreement by signing and delivering one or more counterparts. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Copyright Security Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Copyright Security Agreement.

SECTION 6. Intercreditor Agreements. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, the terms of this Copyright Security Agreement, the Liens created hereby and the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent hereunder are subject to the terms of each applicable Intercreditor Agreement. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of this Copyright Security Agreement and an Intercreditor Agreement, the terms of that Intercreditor Agreement shall govern.

[Signature pages follow.]

 

IV-2


[GRANTOR]
By:    
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

IV-3


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Collateral Agent

By:    
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

IV-4


Schedule I

Copyright Registrations and exclusive licenses of United States registered Copyrights

[See Attached]

EX-10.13

Exhibit 10.13

EXECUTION VERSION

SUPPORT AND SERVICES AGREEMENT

This SUPPORT AND SERVICES AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is dated as of October 1, 2018 and is between TU TopCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with its successors, “Holdco”), TaskUs, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Holdco (together with its successors, the “Company”), Blackstone Capital Partners VII L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and Blackstone Capital Partners Asia L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (together with their alternative investment vehicles, their affiliated co-investing funds and their alternative investment vehicles, “BCP”), and Blackstone Management Partners L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (“BMP”) affiliated with The Blackstone Group L.P. (“Blackstone”).

BACKGROUND

1. From time to time Blackstone investment professionals provide support and services, including through business units designed to provide specific services, to its private equity portfolio companies (such as Holdco and Company) in order to enhance their value.

2. Holdco and BCP believe that such services will be beneficial to the Company, and BMP is willing to arrange for the provisions of such services upon request of the Company and subject to the terms and conditions described herein.

In consideration of the premises and agreements contained herein and of other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

AGREEMENT

SECTION 1. Portfolio Operations Support.

(a) Portfolio Operations Group. Blackstone has established a “Portfolio Operations” group, which provide hands-on support to help such portfolio companies become more productive, efficient and valuable.

(b) Engagement to Provide Support. As of the date hereof Holdco and the Company, jointly and severally, hereby engage BMP to arrange for Blackstone’s Portfolio Operations group to offer to them and their respective subsidiaries Ops Support (as defined below). To that end, upon request from Holdco and the Company, BMP intends to make available to Holdco and the Company and their respective subsidiaries the services customarily provided by Blackstone’s Portfolio Operations group to Blackstone’s private equity portfolio companies (the “Ops Support”), and the Company and the Portfolio Operations group shall mutually agree on the amount and type of Ops Support to be provided. BMP may, at any time, choose not to provide any such services.


SECTION 2. Other Services.

(a) Equity Healthcare. Blackstone has also established an “Equity Healthcare” group, which leverages the scale of Blackstone’s combined portfolio companies so as to hold down benefit and claims costs and deliver better quality health care to U.S. employees and their families. Upon request by Holdco and the Company, Holdco and the Company will enter into an agreement with BMP or its affiliated designee pursuant to which the Company will receive the healthcare-related services customarily provided by Blackstone’s Equity Healthcare group to Blackstone’s private equity portfolio companies. In consideration of such services, during the term of such agreement the Company will pay to BMP or its affiliated designee a “Per Employee Fee”, as described below.

Per Employee Fee. No later than the fifth business day of each month following the date on which Holdco and the Company entered into the agreement with GMP or its affiliated designee for healthcare-related services, Holdco and the Company will, jointly and severally, pay to BMP or its affiliated designee, as the Per Employee Fee in respect of that immediately preceding month, an aggregate amount equal to the Per Employee Fee multiplied by the highest number of employees of Holdco and its subsidiaries that receive medical benefits from Holdco or the Company or any of their other subsidiaries during such immediately preceding month. The Per Employee Fee is the current fee generally charged in this regard with respect to Blackstone’s portfolio companies generally.

(b) Group Purchasing. Blackstone facilitates a group purchasing program, which harnesses the purchasing power of a large number of Blackstone’s private equity portfolio companies. BMP agrees to make available to the Company the opportunity to participate in Blackstone’s group purchasing program. Any such participation would be at the Company’s direction and on terms mutually agreed by the Company and BMP. Holdco and the Company acknowledge that BMP may receive commissions, payments or fees from vendors or other third parties in connection with spending through Blackstone’s group purchasing program.

(c) No Other Services. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither BMP nor any of its affiliates will have any obligation to provide services to Holdco or the Company absent an agreement between BMP or its relevant affiliate and Holdco or the Company with respect to the scope of such services and the payment to be made for providing such services. It is further expressly agreed that the Ops Support or any other service provided by BMP hereunder will not include investment banking or other financial advisory services in connection with any specific acquisition, divestiture, disposition, merger, consolidation, restructuring, refinancing, recapitalization, issuance of private or public debt or equity securities (including, without limitation, an initial public offering of equity securities), financing or similar transaction by Holdco, the Company or any of their respective affiliates. If it is subsequently agreed that any such services may be provided, the relevant Blackstone entity may be entitled to receive additional compensation for providing services of the type specified in the preceding sentence by mutual agreement of the Company or such subsidiary, on the one hand, and the relevant Blackstone entity, on the other hand. For the avoidance of doubt, no services under this agreement shall be provided in connection with any public offering of debt or equity securities or otherwise as a broker.

 

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(d) Opportunity to Provide Future Services. If Holdco, the Company or any of its subsidiaries determines that it is advisable for Holdco, the Company or such subsidiary to hire a financial advisor, consultant, investment banker or any similar advisor in connection with any acquisition, divestiture, disposition, merger, consolidation, restructuring, refinancing, recapitalization, issuance of private or public debt or equity securities (including, without limitation, an initial public offering of equity securities), financing or similar transaction, it will notify BMP of such determination in writing. Promptly thereafter, upon the request of BMP, the parties will negotiate in good faith to agree upon appropriate services, compensation, indemnification and other terms upon which the Company or such subsidiary would hire the relevant Blackstone entity to provide such services. However, the Company or such subsidiary will not be required to hire Blackstone or any of its affiliates for such services.

(e) Monitoring of Ongoing Operations and Strategic Transactions. Even in the absence of discrete compensation, Blackstone expects to have its investment professionals actively monitor the operations of Holdco and the Company, including through regular on-site visits. In addition, Blackstone may from time to time, on behalf of Holdco or the Company, evaluate strategic transactions and other initiatives that are viewed by Blackstone as potentially being for the benefit of Holdco or the Company. Whether or not such transactions or initiatives are ultimately consummated or realized, as described below Blackstone and its affiliates will be entitled to reimbursement from Holdco and the Company of their reasonable out-out-pocket expenses incurred in connection with their efforts in this regard (including in connection with such ongoing monitoring); provided that Blackstone and its affiliates have obtained Company’s prior written consent to such monitoring or transactions.

 

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SECTION 3. Reimbursements.

(a) The Company will pay, or cause to be paid, directly, or reimburse BMP and its affiliates for, their respective Out-of-Pocket Expenses (as defined below), provided, however, that BMP and its affiliates have first provided advance written notice of the intent to incur such out-of-pocket expenses, the Company has provided its written consent to the incurrence of such out-of-pocket expenses and the expenses are reasonable. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “Out-of-Pocket Expenses” means the out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by BMP and its affiliates in connection with (i) the Ops Support, (ii) any other services provided or arranged by them under this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company (including prior to the Effective Time), (iii) in order to make Securities and Exchange Commission and other filings (such as antitrust or other regulatory filings or notices) required to be made by BCP or any of its affiliates in respect of or otherwise relating to the ownership or voting by BCP or any of its affiliates of equity securities of the Company or any of its successors or acquirers (i.e., relating to securities of any such successor or acquirer that may be acquired by BCP or its affiliates), or (iv) otherwise incurred by BMP or its affiliates from time to time in the future in connection with the direct or indirect acquisition, ownership, voting, or subsequent sale or transfer by BCP or its affiliates of capital stock of Holdco, the Company or any successor, including, without limitation, (A) fees and disbursements of any independent professionals and organizations, including independent accountants, outside legal counsel and other consultants, retained in connection therewith by BCP, BMP or any of their affiliates, (B) costs of any outside services or independent contractors such as financial printers, couriers, business publications, on-line financial services or similar services, retained or used by BCP, BMP or any of their respective affiliates in connection therewith, and (C) transportation and per diem cost in connection with travel to and from Blackstone’s offices and other locations on Company-related business, provided that such costs and expenses described in clause (C) shall be limited in accordance with the travel expense and reimbursement policies of Holdco and the Company or are otherwise reasonable. All payments or reimbursements for Out-of-Pocket Expenses will be made within 20 days of the request for payment or reimbursement.

(b) Deemed Reimbursement. Blackstone has identified and maintains a roster of “senior advisors”: individuals who are highly experienced in many of the industries in which BCP’s portfolio companies operate. BMP may from time to time arrange for one or more of such individuals to provide services to Holdco and the Company, either at the director level and/or as an employee or consultant, after obtaining the prior written consent of Company. To the extent Holdco and the Company pay reasonable compensation to any such individuals, BMP will be deemed to have been reimbursed under this Agreement in respect of any payment obligation Blackstone might otherwise have with respect to such individuals.

SECTION 4. Tax and Other Information and Reporting Responsibilities.

(a) Tax-Related Information – General. The Company will promptly make available to Blackstone all books, records and files of the Company, its subsidiaries and any Portfolio-Level Holding Company, as defined below (collectively, the “Portfolio Group”) with respect to tax matters as may be reasonably requested by Blackstone and shall use reasonable efforts to comply with any requests by Blackstone for any tax-related information (including any applicable state withholdings) of the Portfolio Group. A “Portfolio-Level Holding Company” means Holdco or any other entity (i) which owns, directly or indirectly, all or a portion of the equity of the Company and (ii) in which each of BCP and the Company’s management own, directly or indirectly, all or a portion of the equity.

 

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(b) Responsibility for Tax Returns. The Company will be responsible for the preparation, signing and filing of all tax returns and the maintenance of all books and records of each member of the Portfolio Group.

(c) Non-Qualifying Income. The Company will use its best efforts to avoid making, and to prevent any other member of the Portfolio Group from making, any investment, executing any contract or otherwise undertaking any activities that would generate income that is characterized as other than “qualifying income” as defined in Section 7704(d) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code that is allocable to BCP. The Company will promptly notify BMP in writing prior to making any investment, executing any contract or otherwise undertaking any activities that could reasonably be expected to result in more than 5.0% of the Portfolio Group’s (or any Portfolio-Level Holding Company’s) gross income for any calendar month of investment or undertaking or for any taxable year being characterized as other than “qualifying income” as defined in Section 7704(d) of the Code and allocable to BCP. In the event that the Company is unable to make such determination, the Company will consult with BCP to make such determination prior to the making of such investment, the execution of such contract or the undertaking of such activity.

(d) UBTI/ECI/CAI. Each member of the Portfolio Group shall conduct its activities so that no shareholder of Holdco is allocated any income that (i) is treated as “unrelated business taxable income” within the meaning of Section 512 or 514 of the Code, (ii) is treated as “effectively connected with a United States trade or business” within the meaning of Section 864 or 897 of the Code, or (iii) is derived from the conduct of a “commercial activity” within the meaning of Section 892 of the Code.

(e) Portfolio Company Information. Except as otherwise provided in the shareholders agreement between Holdco and its shareholders, For so long as BCP directly or indirectly owns equity in Holdco or the Company and continues to have a reporting obligation with respect thereto, either to investors or to governmental authorities, in order to facilitate (i) Blackstone’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the beneficial ownership by BCP and its affiliates of equity securities of Holdco or the Company, and (ii) BMP’s oversight of BCP’s investment in Holdco and the Company, each of Holdco and the Company agrees promptly to provide each of BCP and BMP with such information concerning it, including its finances and operations, as BMP or BCP may from time to time request. In furtherance of the foregoing, the each of Holdco and the Company agrees to provide each of BCP and BMP, in addition to other information that might be requested by BCP or BMP from time to time, (i) direct access to the its auditors and officers, (ii) the ability to link Blackstone’s systems into the its general ledger and other systems in order to enable BCP and BMP to retrieve data on a “real-time” basis, (iii) quarter-end reports, in a format to be prescribed by BMP, to be provided within 30 days after the end of each quarter, (iv) the right to visit and inspect any of the offices and properties of the it and its subsidiaries and inspect the books and records of the it and its subsidiaries, (v) copies of all materials provided to the its board of directors (or equivalent governing body) at the same time as provided to the directors (or their equivalent) of the it, (vi) access to appropriate officers and directors of Holdco and the Company at such times as may be requested by BCP or BMP, as the

 

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case may be, for consultation with each of BCP and BMP with respect to matters relating to the business and affairs of Holdco, the Company and their respective subsidiaries, (vii) information in advance with respect to any significant corporate actions, including, without limitation, extraordinary dividends, mergers, acquisitions or dispositions of assets, issuances of significant amounts of debt or equity and material amendments to the certificate of incorporation or by laws of Holdco, the Company or any of their respective subsidiaries, and to provide each of BCP and BMP, respectively, with the right to consult with Holdco, the Company and their respective subsidiaries with respect to such actions, and (viii) flash data, in a format to be prescribed by BMP, to be provided within ten days after the end of each quarter (all such information so furnished, the “Information”). Holdco and the Company each agrees to consider, in good faith, the recommendations of each of BCP and BMP in connection with the matters on which Holdco or the Company (as the case may be) is consulted as described above. Holdco and the Company each recognizes and confirms that BMP (a) will use and rely primarily on the Information and on information available from generally recognized public sources in performing the Ops Support and any other services contemplated by this Agreement or any other agreement with Holdco and/or the Company without having independently verified the same, (b) does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the Information and such other information and (c) is entitled to rely upon the Information without independent verification.

(f) Sharing of Information. Individuals associated with Blackstone may from time to time serve on the boards of directors Holdco and the Company and their respective subsidiaries. Holdco and the Company, on their own behalf and on behalf of their respective subsidiaries, recognize that such individuals (i) will from time to time receive non-public information concerning Holdco, the Company and their respective subsidiaries, and (ii) may share such information with other individuals associated with Blackstone. Such sharing will be for the dual purpose of facilitating support to such individuals in their capacity as directors and enabling BCP, as an equityholder, to better evaluate the Company’s performance and prospects. Holdco and the Company, on behalf of themselves and their respective subsidiaries, hereby irrevocably consent to such sharing.

SECTION 5. Indemnification.

(a) General. Holdco and the Company, on a joint and several basis, shall indemnify and hold harmless BMP, its affiliates and their respective partners (both general and limited), members (both managing and otherwise), officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (each such person being an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all actions, suits, proceedings, investigations, losses, demands, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, charges and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and expenses and any other litigation-related expenses), including in connection with seeking indemnification, whether joint or several (the “Liabilities”), based on or related to or in connection with (i) the Ops Support or any other services contemplated by this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company or Holdco or any of their respective affiliates or the engagement of BMP pursuant to, and the performance of the Ops Support or any other services contemplated by, this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company or Holdco or any of their respective affiliates, and (ii) the ownership or voting of equity securities of Holdco or the Company or any of their respective affiliates, whether or not pending or threatened, whether or not an Indemnified Party is a party, whether or not resulting in any liability and whether or not such action, claim, demand, suit,

 

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investigation or proceeding is initiated, brought or threatened by the Company or any other party. Holdco and the Company on a joint and several basis shall reimburse any Indemnified Party for all costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses and any other litigation-related expenses) as they are incurred in connection with investigating, preparing, pursuing, defending or assisting in the defense of any such pending or threatened action, claim, demand, suit, investigation or proceeding for which the Indemnified Party would be entitled to indemnification under the terms of the previous sentence, or any such matter based on, related to or in connection therewith, whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto. The Company and Holdco each agrees that it shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, directly or indirectly settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened action, claim, demand, suit, investigation or proceeding contemplated by this Section 5 (if any Indemnified Party is a party thereto or has been threatened to be made a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of the Indemnified Party from all liability, known or unknown, without future obligation or prohibition on the part of the Indemnified Party, based on, related to, or in connection with such action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding, and does not contain an admission of guilt or liability on the part of the Indemnified Party. The Company and Holdco will not be liable under the foregoing indemnification provision with respect to any particular loss, claim, demand, damage, liability, cost or expense of an Indemnified Party to the extent based on, related to or in connection with the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party. The attorneys’ fees and other expenses of an Indemnified Party shall be paid by the Company or Holdco as they are incurred upon receipt, in each case, of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnified Party to repay such amounts to the extent the same are incurred based on, related to or in connection with the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party.

(b) Primary, Non-Exclusive Rights. The rights of an Indemnified Party to indemnification hereunder will be in addition to any other rights and remedies any such person may have under any other agreement or instrument to which the Indemnified Party is or becomes a party or is or otherwise becomes a beneficiary or under any law or regulation. In that regard, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Company will be fully and primarily responsible for the payment to an Indemnified Party in respect of indemnification or advancement of expenses in connection with any jointly indemnifiable claim (as defined below), pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, irrespective of any right of recovery the Indemnified Party may have from the Indemnitee-related entities (as defined below). No right of advancement or recovery the Indemnified Party may have from the Indemnitee-related entities shall reduce or otherwise alter the rights of the Indemnified Party or the obligations of the Company hereunder. In the event that any of the Indemnitee-related entities shall make any payment to the Indemnified Party in respect of indemnification or advancement of expenses with respect to any jointly indemnifiable claim, the Indemnitee-related entity making such payment shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnified Party against the Company, and the Indemnified Party shall execute all papers reasonably required and shall do all things that may be reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents as may be necessary to enable the Indemnitee-related entities effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights. The Company and each Indemnified Party agree that each of the Indemnitee-related entities shall be third-party beneficiaries with respect to this Section, entitled to enforce this Section as though each such Indemnitee-related entity were a party to this Agreement.

 

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(c) Definitions. For purposes of this Section 5(c), the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(i) The term “jointly indemnifiable claims” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, any action, suit or proceeding for which an Indemnified Party shall be entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses from both the Indemnitee-related entities and the Company pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, any agreement or the certificate of incorporation, bylaws, partnership agreement, operating agreement, certificate of formation, certificate of limited partnership or comparable organizational documents of the Company or the Indemnitee-related entities, as applicable.

(ii) The term “Indemnitee-related entities” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise (other than the Company or any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise an Indemnified Party has agreed, on behalf of the Company or at the Company’s request, to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent and which service is covered by the indemnity described in this Agreement) from whom an Indemnified Party may be entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses with respect to which, in whole or in part, the Company may also have an indemnification or advancement obligation (other than as a result of obligations under an insurance policy).

SECTION 6. Disclaimer, Opportunities, Release and Limitation of Liability.

(a) Disclaimer; Standard of Care. BMP makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, in respect of the Ops Support or any other service to be provided hereunder or under any other agreement with the Company. In no event will BMP or any Indemnified Party be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates for any act, alleged act, omission or alleged omission that does not constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct. BMP will inform Company in writing of any significant and known negative impacts to Company of BMP’s activities under this Section 6.

(b) Freedom to Pursue Opportunities. In recognition that Blackstone and its affiliates currently have, and will in the future have or will consider acquiring, investments in numerous companies with respect to which Blackstone or its affiliates or employees may serve as an advisor, a director or in some other capacity, in recognition that Blackstone and its affiliates have myriad duties to various investors and partners, in anticipation that the Company, on the one hand, and Blackstone (or one or more affiliates, associated investment funds or portfolio companies), on the other hand, may engage in the same or similar activities or lines of business and have an interest in the same areas of corporate opportunities, in recognition of the benefits to be derived by the Company hereunder, and in recognition of the difficulties which may confront any advisor who desires and endeavors fully to satisfy such advisor’s duties in determining the full scope of such duties in any particular situation, the provisions of this Section 6(b) are set forth to regulate, define and guide the conduct of certain affairs of the Company as they may involve Blackstone. Except as Blackstone or BCP or BMP may otherwise agree in writing after the date hereof:

 

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(i) Blackstone and its affiliates shall have the right: (A) directly or indirectly to engage in any business and invest in debt, equity or other securities of, or provide advice to, any company or other entity, including, without limitation, any company, entity, business activities or lines of business that are the same as or similar to those pursued by, or competitive with, the Company and its subsidiaries; (B) directly or indirectly to do business with any client or customer of the Company and its subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; (C) to take any other action that Blackstone believes in good faith is necessary to or appropriate to fulfill its obligations as described in the first sentence of this Section 6(b); and (D) not to communicate, offer or present any potential transactions, matters or business opportunities (including any transaction, matter or opportunity that may be an investment, business opportunity or prospective economic or competitive advantage in which the Company or any of its affiliates could have an interest or expectancy) to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective equityholders, directors, managers or other affiliates, and to pursue, directly or indirectly, any such opportunity for themselves, and to direct any such opportunity to another person.

(ii) Blackstone and its affiliates shall have no duty (contractual or otherwise) to communicate or present any corporate opportunities to the Company or any of its affiliates or to refrain from any actions specified in Section 6(b)(i) hereof, and the Company, on its own behalf and on behalf of its affiliates, hereby irrevocably waives any right to require Blackstone or any of its affiliates to act in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 6(b).

(iii) Neither Blackstone nor any of its affiliates shall be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates for breach of any duty (contractual or otherwise) by reason of any activities or omissions of the types referred to in this Section 6(b) or of any such person’s participation therein.

(c) Release. The Company hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases and forever discharges Blackstone, BMP, BCP and their respective affiliates and their respective partners (both general and limited), members (both managing and otherwise), officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives from any and all liabilities, claims, causes of action, demands, actions, suits or proceedings related to, arising out of or in connection with the Ops Support or any other services contemplated by this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company or the engagement of BMP pursuant to, and the performance of the Ops Support or any other services contemplated by, this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company that the Company may have, or may claim to have, on or after the date hereof, except with respect to any act or omission that constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct.

(d) Limitation of Liability. In no event will BMP or any Indemnified Party be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates (i) for any indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, including, without limitation, lost profits or savings, whether or not such damages are foreseeable, or for any third-party claims (whether based in contract, tort or otherwise), related to, arising out of or in connection with the Ops Support or any other services contemplated by this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company or the engagement of BMP pursuant to, and the performance of the Ops Support or any other services contemplated by, this Agreement or any other agreement with the Company that the Company may have with any Blackstone entity, or

 

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may claim to have, on or after the date hereof, except with respect to any act or omission that constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct or (ii) for an amount in excess of the fees actually received by BMP or the relevant Blackstone entity hereunder or under any other applicable agreement.

SECTION 7. Miscellaneous.

(a) Amendments. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, or consent to any departure by any party hereto from any such provision, will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto. Any amendment, waiver or consent will be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given. The waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement will not operate as or be construed to be a waiver by such party of any subsequent breach.

(b) Notices. Any notices or other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing and will be sufficiently given if delivered personally or sent by email with confirmed receipt, or by overnight courier, addressed as follows or to such other address of which the parties may have given written notice:

if to BMP or BCP:

c/o The Blackstone Group L.P.

345 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10154

Attention:  

Amit Dixit

Mukesh Mehta

email:  

dixit@blackstone.com

mukesh.mehta@blackstone.com

with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017-3954

Attention: Michael Wolfson

email: mwolfson@stblaw.com

if to Holdco:

TU Topco, Inc.

c/o The Blackstone Group L.P.

345 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10154

Attention:  

Amit Dixit

Mukesh Mehta

email:  

dixit@blackstone.com

mukesh.mehta@blackstone.com

 

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with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017-3954

Attention: Michael Wolfson

email: mwolfson@stblaw.com

if to the Company:

c/o TaskUs, Inc.

3221 Donald Douglas Loop

South Santa Monica, CA 90405

Attention: Bryce Maddock

email: bryce@taskus.com

Unless otherwise specified herein, such notices or other communications will be deemed received (i) on the date delivered, if delivered personally or sent by email, in each case with confirmed receipt, and (ii) one business day after being sent by overnight courier.

(c) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all previous oral and written (and all contemporaneous oral) negotiations, commitments, agreements and understandings relating hereto.

(d) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REGARDLESS OF THE LAWS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GOVERN UNDER APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS THEREOF.

(e) Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. Each party hereto hereby (i) agrees than any action, directly or indirectly, arising out of, under or relating to this Agreement or the Transactions shall exclusively be brought in the Delaware Court of Chancery sitting in Wilmington, Delaware (the “Court of Chancery”) and shall exclusively be heard and determined by the Court of Chancery, unless the Court of Chancery determines that it does not then have subject matter jurisdiction over such action, in which case any such action shall then exclusively be brought in and shall exclusively be heard and determined by either the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in Manhattan or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) solely in connection with the action(s) contemplated by subsection (i) hereof, (A) irrevocably and unconditionally consents and submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts identified in subsection (i) hereof, (B) irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue in any of the courts identified in clause (i) of this paragraph (e), (C) irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim that any of the courts identified in such clause (i) is an inconvenient forum or does not have personal jurisdiction over any party hereto, and (D) agrees that mailing of process or other papers in connection with any such action in the manner provided herein or in such other manner as may be permitted by applicable law shall

 

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be valid and sufficient service thereof. 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 respect of any claim or action directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with this Agreement, the transactions or the services contemplated hereby.

(f) Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by Holdco or the Company without the prior written consent of BMP; provided, however, that (i) BMP may assign or transfer its duties or interests hereunder to any of its affiliates at the sole discretion of BMP, and (ii) BCP may, to the extent necessary to maintain venture capital operating company status, assign, on a “shared basis”, its rights under Section 4 to any affiliated private equity fund. Subject to the foregoing, the provisions of this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Subject to the next sentence, no person or party other than the parties hereto and their respective successors or permitted assigns is intended to be a beneficiary of this Agreement. The parties acknowledge and agree that BMP and its affiliates and their respective partners (both general and limited), members (both managing and otherwise), officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives as well as any assignee(s) of BCP as described in clause (ii) above, are intended to be third-party beneficiaries under Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 hereof, as applicable.

(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile), and all of said counterparts taken together will be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

(h) Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction will, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction will not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

(i) Payments. Each payment made by the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account or accounts as specified by BMP or the relevant recipient to the Company prior to such payment.

(j) Confidentiality. Without the prior written consent of BMP, the Company will not, and will not permit its parent holding company to, in either case directly or indirectly, disclose to any other person (other than employees and directors) this Agreement or the terms hereof or any of the terms, conditions or other facts with respect to any services provided hereunder, except such disclosure that, upon the advice of counsel, must be made in order to comply with applicable law, regulation or legal or judicial process. The term “person” as used in this letter agreement will be interpreted broadly to include the media and any corporation, company, group, partnership or other entity or individual.

(k) Captions. The captions in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be considered a part of or affect the construction or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.

[signature page follows]

 

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The undersigned have executed, or have caused to be executed, this Support and Services Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

BLACKSTONE MANAGEMENT PARTNERS L.L.C.
By:  

/s/ Christopher Striano

 

Name: Christopher Striano

 

Title: Senior Managing Director

 

BLACKSTONE CAPITAL PARTNERS VII L.P.

By: BLACKSTONE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES VII L.L.C.

By: BMA VII L.L.C.

By:  

/s/ Christopher Striano

 

Name: Christopher Striano

 

Title: Senior Managing Director

 

BLACKSTONE CAPITAL PARTNERS ASIA L.P.

By: BLACKSTONE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES ASIA L.P.

By: BMA ASIA L.L.C.

By:  

/s/ Christopher Striano

 

Name: Christopher Striano

 

Title: Senior Managing Director

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE – SUPPORT AND SERVICES AGREEMENT]


TU TOPCO, INC.
By:  

/s/ Kerina Natasha Gopaul

 

Name: Kerina Natasha Gopaul

 

Title: President

 

TASKUS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Ronak Ray

 

Name: Ronak Ray

 

Title: VP Global Head of Legal

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE – SUPPORT AND SERVICES AGREEMENT]

EX-21.1

Exhibit 21.1

Subsidiaries of TaskUs, Inc.

 

Name of Subsidiary

  

Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization

TU MidCo, Inc.    Delaware
TU BidCo, Inc.    Delaware
TaskUs Holdings, Inc.    Delaware
LizardBear Tasking, Inc.    Philippines
Ridiculously Good Outsourcing, Inc.    Canada
TaskUs Colombia SAS    Colombia
TaskUs Greece Single Member Private Company    Greece
TaskUs India Private Limited    India
TaskUs Ireland Private Limited    Ireland
TaskUs Limited    United Kingdom
TaskUs USA, LLC    Delaware
TaskUs, Inc., Taiwan Branch    Taiwan
TaskUs, S.A. de C.V.    Mexico