UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
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FORM
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For the fiscal year ended
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For the transition period from to
Commission file number
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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Incorporated in State of | |
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Incorporation or Organization) |
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
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(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large, accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large, accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (check one).
Large Accelerated Filer ¨
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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ¨ No
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Common Stock - $1.00 Par Value |
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Shares Outstanding as of September 7, 2021 |
The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates, computed by reference to the last sales price on December 31, 2020 (which was the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second quarter) was $
In Part III, portions of the registrant’s 2021 Proxy Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the Registrant’s fiscal year end.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I
Cautionary Statement Relevant to Forward-Looking Information for the Purpose of “Safe Harbor” Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
The Company and its representatives may from time to time make written or oral forward-looking statements with respect to long-term goals or anticipated results of the Company, including statements contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in its reports to stockholders.
Statements, including those in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, which are not historical or current facts, are “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. There are certain important factors that could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from those anticipated by some of the statements made herein. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty. Some of the factors that could affect results are the cyclical nature of the furniture industry, supply chain disruptions, litigation, the effectiveness of new product introductions and distribution channels, the product mix of sales, pricing pressures, the cost of raw materials and fuel, retention and recruitment of key employees, actions by governments including laws, regulations, taxes and tariffs, the amount of sales generated and the profit margins thereon, competition (both U.S. and foreign), credit exposure with customers, participation in multi-employer pension plans, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and general economic conditions. For further information regarding these risks and uncertainties, see the “Risk Factors” section in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The Company specifically declines to undertake any obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements that have been made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.
Item 1. Business
General
Flexsteel Industries, Inc., and Subsidiaries (the “Company”) is one of the largest manufacturers, importers and online marketers of residential furniture and products in the United States. Product offerings include a wide variety of furniture such as sofas, loveseats, chairs, reclining and rocker-reclining chairs, swivel rockers, sofa beds, convertible bedding units, occasional tables, desks, dining tables and chairs and bedroom furniture. A featured component in most of the upholstered furniture is a unique steel drop-in seat spring from which the name “Flexsteel” is derived. The Company distributes its products throughout the United States through its e-commerce channel and dealer network.
The Company operates in one reportable segment, furniture products. The Company’s furniture products business involves the distribution of manufactured and imported products consisting of a broad line of furniture for residential and contract markets. Set forth below is information for the past three fiscal years showing the Company’s net sales attributable to each of the areas of application:
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| For the years ended June 30, | |||||||
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
Residential |
| $ | 476,519 |
| $ | 331,879 |
| $ | 374,473 |
Contract |
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| 2,406 |
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| 35,047 |
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| 69,115 |
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| $ | 478,925 |
| $ | 366,926 |
| $ | 443,588 |
In fiscal 2020, the Company substantially completed its exit from the Commercial Office and custom design Hospitality product lines which served contract markets. During fiscal 2021, the Company substantially completed its restructuring activities related to the exit of its Vehicle Seating and the remainder of its Hospitality product lines, which also served contract markets.
Manufacturing and Offshore Sourcing
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, the Company operated manufacturing facilities located in Georgia and Juarez, Mexico. These on-going manufacturing operations are integral to the Company’s product offerings and distribution strategy by offering smaller and more frequent product runs of a wider product selection. The Company identifies and eliminates manufacturing inefficiencies and adjusts manufacturing schedules on a daily basis to meet customer requirements. The Company has established relationships with key suppliers to ensure prompt delivery of quality component parts. The Company’s production includes the use of selected component parts sourced offshore to enhance value in the marketplace.
The Company integrates manufactured products with finished products acquired from offshore suppliers who can meet quality specifications and scheduling requirements. The Company will continue to pursue and refine this blended strategy, offering customers manufactured goods, products manufactured utilizing imported component parts, and ready-to-deliver imported products. This blended focus on products allows the Company to provide a wide range of price points, styles and product categories to satisfy customer requirements.
Competition
The furniture industry is highly competitive and includes a large number of U.S. and foreign manufacturers and distributors, none of which dominates the market. The Company competes in markets with a large number of relatively small manufacturers; however, certain competitors have substantially greater sales volumes than the Company. The Company’s products compete based on style, quality, price, delivery, service and durability. The Company believes its patented, guaranteed-for-life Blue Steel Spring, manufacturing and sourcing capabilities, facility locations, commitment to customers, product quality, delivery, service, value and experienced production, sales, marketing and management teams, are some of its competitive advantages.
Seasonality
The Company’s business is not considered seasonal.
Foreign Operations
The Company has minimal export sales. On June 30, 2021, the Company had approximately 41 employees located in Asia to ensure Flexsteel’s quality standards are met and to coordinate the delivery of purchased products. The Company leases and operates three manufacturing facilities in Juarez, Mexico utilizing contracted labor. The three Juarez facilities totaled 553,000 square feet.
Customer Backlog
The approximate backlog of customer orders believed to be firm as of the end of the current fiscal year and the prior two fiscal years were as follows (in thousands):
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June 30, 2021 |
| June 30, 2020 |
| June 30, 2019 | |||
$ | 155,325 |
| $ | 46,900 |
| $ | 47,400 |
Raw Materials
The Company utilizes various types of wood, fabric, leather, filling material, high carbon spring steel, bar and wire stock, polyurethane foam and other raw materials in manufacturing furniture. While the Company purchases these materials from numerous outside suppliers, both U.S. and foreign, it is not dependent upon any single source of supply. The costs of certain raw materials fluctuate, but all continue to be readily available with the exception of polyurethane foam which experienced a shortage in February 2021 due to the deep freeze in Louisiana and Texas where most of the key chemical inputs for polyurethane foam are produced. As of June 30, 2021, the availability of polyurethane foam was still constrained.
Industry Factors
The Company has exposure to actions by governments, including tariffs, see “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Government Regulations
The Company is subject to various local, state, and federal laws, regulations and agencies that affect businesses generally, see “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations did not have a material effect upon our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021.
Environmental Matters
All of Flexsteel’s stakeholders have a responsibility to protect our employees and our environment. The officers of Flexsteel and its subsidiaries will use our role as business and community leaders to set the tone at the top to guide our management teams in their efforts to improve the workplace and the environment we directly impact. Because we are committed to sustainable business practices, to our people, and to our communities, we will continue to grow and expand the scope of our dedications to the stewardship of our valued
resources. The Company is subject to environmental laws and regulations with respect to product content and industrial waste. Further discussion is included in “Risk Factors” in Item 1A and “Legal Proceedings” in Item 3 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Trademarks and Patents
The Company owns the United States improvement patents to its Flexsteel guaranteed-for-life Blue Steel Spring – the all-riveted, high-carbon, steel-banded seating platform that gives upholstered and leather furniture the strength and comfort to last a lifetime, as well as patents on convertible beds. The Company has patents and owns certain trademarks in connection with its furniture products which are due to expire on dates ranging from 2021-2036.
It is not common in the furniture industry to obtain a patent for a furniture design. If a particular design of a furniture manufacturer is well accepted in the marketplace, it is common for other manufacturers to imitate the same design without recourse by the furniture manufacturer who initially introduced the design. Furniture products are designed by the Company’s own design staff and through the services of third-party designers. New models and designs of furniture, as well as new fabrics, are introduced continuously.
Employees
The Company had 665 employees as of June 30, 2021, including 8 employees who are covered by collective bargaining agreements. Management believes it has good relations with employees. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have implemented various measures to protect the physical health, mental health, and productivity of our workforce. These measures include, but are not limited to, enhanced cleaning and sanitizing within our facilities, and face covering requirements. In addition, we have adopted new policies and procedures for our employees and have taken steps within our workplaces to promote social distancing.
Available Information
Copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are available free of charge on our website (www.flexsteel.com) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file the material with or furnish it to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Additionally, the SEC maintains an internet site (www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. Information on our website or linked to our website is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
The Company is subject to a variety of risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors detailed below in conjunction with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Should any of these risks materialize the Company’s business, financial condition, and future prospects could be negatively impacted. There may be additional factors that are presently unknown to the Company or that the Company currently believes to be immaterial that could affect its business.
Risks related to our operations:
Business information systems could be impacted by disruptions and security breaches.
The Company employs information technology systems to support its global business. Security breaches and other disruptions to the Company’s information technology infrastructure could interfere with operations, compromise information belonging to the Company and its customers and suppliers and expose the Company to liability which could adversely impact the Company’s business and reputation. In the ordinary course of business, the Company relies on information technology networks and systems to process, transmit and store electronic information, and to manage or support a variety of business processes and activities. Additionally, the Company collects and stores certain data, including proprietary business information, and may have access to confidential or personal information in certain areas of its businesses that is subject to privacy and security laws, regulations, and customer-imposed controls. While security breaches and other disruptions to the Company’s information technology networks and infrastructure could happen, none have occurred to date that have had a material impact to the Company. Any such events could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability or penalties under privacy laws, disruption in operations, and damage to the Company’s reputation, which could adversely affect the Company’s business.
In addition, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have allowed certain of our employees the option to work from home. Although we continue to implement strong physical and cybersecurity measures to ensure that our business operations remain functional and to ensure uninterrupted service to our customers, our systems and our operations remain vulnerable to cyberattacks and other disruptions because a material portion of our employees work remotely as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and we cannot be certain that our mitigation efforts will be effective.
The implementation of a new business information system could disrupt the business.
The Company converted certain financial modules from its legacy ERP system to SAP during fiscal 2021, and it plans to convert additional modules in fiscal 2022, which include ordering, sourcing, warehousing and transportation. Implementation issues related to the new ERP system could arise and may result in the following:
Disruption of the Company’s domestic and international supply chain;
Inability to fill customer orders accurately and on a timely basis;
Inability to process payments to suppliers and vendors;
Negative impact on financial results;
Inability to fulfill federal, state and local tax filing requirements in a timely and accurate matter; and
Increased demands of management and associates to the detriment of other corporate initiatives.
The Company’s participation in multi-employer pension plans may have exposures under those plans that could extend beyond what its obligations would be with respect to its employees.
The Company participates in, and makes periodic contributions to, one multi-employer pension plan that covers union employees. Multi-employer pension plans are managed by trustee boards comprised of participating employer and labor union representatives, and the employers participating in a multi-employer pension plan are jointly responsible for maintaining the plan’s funding requirements. Based on the most recent information available to the Company, the present value of actuarially accrued liabilities of the multi-employer pension plan substantially exceeds the value of the assets held in trust to pay benefits. As a result of the Company’s participation, it could experience greater volatility in the overall pension funding obligations. The Company’s obligations may be impacted by the funded status of the plans, the plans’ investment performance, changes in the participant demographics, financial stability of contributing employers and changes in actuarial assumptions. See Note 12 Benefit and Retirement Plans of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information.
Future results may be affected by various legal proceedings and compliance risk, including those involving product liability, environmental, or other matters.
The Company faces the risk of exposure to product liability claims in the event the use of any of its products results in personal injury or property damage. In the event any of the Company’s products prove to be defective, it may be required to recall or redesign such products. The Company is also subject to various laws and regulations relating to environmental protection and the discharge of materials into the environment. The Company could incur substantial costs, including legal expenses, as a result of the noncompliance with, or liability for cleanup or other costs or damages under, environmental laws. Given the inherent uncertainty of litigation, these various legal proceedings and compliance matters could have a material impact on the business, operating results and financial condition. See Note 13 Commitments and Contingencies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information.
The Company’s success depends on its ability to recruit and retain key employees and highly skilled workers in a competitive labor market.
If the Company is not successful in recruiting and retaining key employees and highly skilled workers or experiences the unexpected loss of those employees, the operations may be negatively impacted.
Additionally, we are and will continue to be dependent upon our senior management team and other key personnel. Losing the services of one or more key members of our management team or other key personnel could adversely affect our operations. In addition, COVID-19 increases the risk that certain senior executive officers or a member of the board of directors could become ill, causing them to be incapacitated or otherwise unable to perform their duties for an extended absence. Furthermore, because of the nature of the disease, multiple people working in close proximity could also become ill simultaneously which could result in the same department having extended absences or a temporary shutdown of one or more of our manufacturing facilities or distribution centers. This could negatively impact the efficiency and effectiveness of processes and internal controls throughout the Company and our ability to service customers.
We have implemented work-from-home policies for certain employees. The effects of our work-from-home policies may negatively impact productivity and disrupt our business, the magnitude of which will depend, in part, on the length and severity of the restrictions and other limitations on our ability to conduct our business in the ordinary course.
Terms of collective bargaining agreements and labor disruptions could adversely impact results of operations.
Terms of collective bargaining agreements that prevent the Company from competing effectively could adversely affect its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The Company is committed to working with those groups to avert or resolve conflicts as they arise. However, there can be no assurance that these efforts will be successful.
We may not be able to collect amounts owed to us.
We grant 30-day payment terms to most customers. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, some customers have requested extended payment terms or informed us they will not pay amounts within agreed upon terms. Some of our customers have experienced, and may in the future experience, cash flow and credit-related issues. If the negative economic effects of COVID-19 were to persist or a similar pandemic or another major, unexpected event with negative economic effects were to occur, we may not be able to collect amounts owed to us or such payment may only occur after significant delay. While we perform credit evaluations of our customers, those evaluations may not prevent uncollectible trade accounts receivable. Credit evaluations involve significant management diligence and judgment, especially in the current environment. Should more customers experience liquidity issues than we anticipate, if payment is not received on a timely basis, or if a customer declares bankruptcy or closes stores, we may have difficulty collecting amounts owed to us by these customers, which could adversely affect our sales, earnings, financial condition, and liquidity.
Risks related to our industry:
The COVID-19 pandemic could have a material adverse effect on our ability to operate, our ability to keep employees safe from the pandemic, our results of operations, and financial condition.
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the current coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak to be a global pandemic, and the virus continues to spread in areas where we operate and sell our products. The COVID-19 pandemic and similar issues in the future could have a material adverse effect on our ability to operate; our ability to keep employees safe from the pandemic; our results of operations, and financial condition.
Public health organizations have recommended, and many governments have implemented, measures from time to time during the pandemic to slow and limit the transmission of the virus, including certain business shutdowns and shelter in place and social distancing requirements. Such preventive measures, or others we may voluntarily put in place, may have a material adverse effect on our business for an indefinite period of time, such as: the potential shut down of certain locations; decreased employee availability; potential border closures; and disruptions to the businesses of our selling channel partners, and others.
Our suppliers and customers also face these and other challenges, which have and could continue to lead to a disruption in our supply chain, raw material inflation or the inability to get the raw materials necessary to produce our products, increased shipping, and transport costs, as well as decreased consumer spending and decreased demand for our products. Although these disruptions may continue to occur, the long-term economic impact and near-term financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to, potential near-term or long-term risk of asset impairment, restructuring, and other charges, cannot be reliably quantified or estimated at this time due to the uncertainty of future developments.
Continuing inflation may hurt our profitability.
Cost inflation including significant increases in ocean container rates, raw materials prices, labor rates, and domestic transportation costs have and could continue to impact profitability. Continued imbalances between supply and demand for these resources may continue to exert upward pressure on costs. Our ability to recover these cost increases through price increases may continue to lag the cost increases, resulting in downward pressure on margins.
Future success depends on the Company’s ability to manage its global supply chain.
The Company acquires raw materials, component parts and certain finished products from external suppliers, both U.S. and foreign. Many of these suppliers are dependent upon other suppliers in countries other than where they are located. This global interdependence within the Company’s supply chain is subject to delays in delivery, availability, quality, and pricing. Changes in international trade policies including tariffs could disrupt the supply chain, increase cost and reduce competitiveness. The delivery of goods from these suppliers has been and may continue to be delayed by customs, labor issues, geo-political pressures, disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in political, economic, and social conditions, weather, laws and regulations. Unfavorable fluctuations in price, international trade policies, quality, delivery, and availability of these products could continue to adversely affect the Company’s ability to meet demands of customers and cause negative impacts to the Company’s cost structure, profitability and its cash flow.
Enacted tariffs and potential future increases in tariffs on manufactured goods imported from China or other countries could adversely affect our business. The tariff on certain manufactured furniture products imported from China on or after June 1, 2019, is currently 25%. Given ongoing uncertainty in relations, including trade negotiations between the United States and China, it is unclear as to whether the U.S. administration will take further tariff action or perhaps grant relief to actions already put in place. Inability to reduce acquisition costs or pass-through price increases may have an adverse impact on sales volume, earnings, and liquidity. Similarly, increases in pricing may have an adverse impact on the competitiveness of the Company’s products relative to other furniture manufacturers with less exposure to the tariff and could also lead to adverse impacts on volume, earnings, and liquidity.
Additionally, a disruption in supply from foreign countries could adversely affect our ability to timely fill customer orders for those products and decrease our sales, earnings, and liquidity. The main foreign countries we source from are Vietnam, China, Thailand, and Mexico. In early 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak in China resulted in the temporary shutdown or reduced capacity of our vendors’ factories. Consequently, we experienced some out-of-stocks, but in some cases we were able to provide substitutions out of inventory on hand, in-transit and from our domestic warehouses, but not enough to entirely mitigate the lost sales. Many of our vendors’ factories are back online, however, the COVID-19 outbreak caused travel restrictions due to government regulations. The travel restrictions have caused labor shortages for our Vietnam suppliers due to limited access to workers from other surrounding countries. Consequently, we may experience shortages of certain products. Our ability to transport products from foreign countries is also dependent on the availability and cost of ocean containers, both of which were materially and adversely impacted by COVID-19. It is unclear how our supply chain could be further impacted by COVID-19, including the spread of new variants, and there are many unknowns including how long we will be impacted, the severity of the impacts and the probability of a recurrence of COVID-19 or similar regional or global pandemics. If we were unsuccessful in obtaining those products from other sources or at comparable cost, a disruption in our supply chain could adversely affect our sales, earnings, financial condition, and liquidity.
Competition from U.S. and foreign finished product manufacturers may adversely affect the business, operating results or financial condition.
The furniture industry is very competitive and fragmented. The Company competes with U.S. and foreign manufacturers and distributors. As a result, the Company may not be able to maintain or raise the prices of its products in response to competitive pressures or increasing costs. Also, due to the large number of competitors and their wide range of product offerings, the Company may not be able to significantly differentiate its products (through styling, finish, and other construction techniques) from those of its competitors.
Additionally, most of our sales are to distribution channels that rely on physical stores to merchandise and sell our products and a significant shift in consumer preference toward purchasing products online could have a materially adverse impact on our sales and operating margin. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated and may continue to increase the shift to online furniture purchases by changing customer shopping patterns and behaviors, including decreased consumer willingness to visit physical retail locations.
These and other competitive pressures could cause us to lose market share, revenues, and customers, increase expenditures or reduce prices, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or liquidity.
Future costs of complying with various laws and regulations may adversely impact future operating results.
The Company’s business is subject to various laws and regulations which could have a significant impact on operations and the cost to comply with such laws and regulations could adversely impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, inadvertently failing to comply with such laws and regulations could produce negative consequences which could adversely impact the Company’s operations.
Failure to anticipate or respond to changes in consumer or designer tastes and fashions in a timely manner could adversely affect the Company’s business and decrease sales and earnings.
Furniture is a styled product and is subject to rapidly changing consumer and end-user trends and tastes and is highly fashion oriented. If the Company is not able to acquire sufficient fabric variety or if the Company is unable to predict or respond to changes in fashion trends, it may lose sales and have to sell excess inventory at reduced prices.
The Company’s products are considered deferrable purchases for consumers during economic downturns. Prolonged negative economic conditions could impact the business.
Economic downturns and prolonged negative economic conditions could affect consumer spending habits by decreasing the overall demand for home furnishing products. These events could impact retailers resulting in an impact on the Company’s business. A recovery in the Company’s sales could lag significantly behind a general economic recovery due to the deferrable nature and relatively significant cost of purchasing home furnishing products.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2. Properties
The Company owns the following facilities as of June 30, 2021:
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Location |
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Harrison, Arkansas(1) |
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| 92,000 |
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| Manufacturing (Held for Sale) |
Dublin, Georgia |
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| 315,000 |
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| Manufacturing |
Huntingburg, Indiana |
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| 611,000 |
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| Distribution |
Dubuque, Iowa |
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| 40,000 |
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| Corporate Office |
Edgerton, Kansas |
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| 500,000 |
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| Distribution |
Starkville, Mississippi(1) |
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| 349,000 |
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| Manufacturing (Held for Sale) |
(1)Facilities are classified as held for sale as of June 30, 2021. See Note 6 Assets Held for Sale of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for disclosure of the assets held for sale.
The Company leases the following facilities as of June 30, 2021:
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Location |
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| Principal Operations | ||
Sierra Ridge, California |
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| 211,000 |
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| Distribution |
High Point, North Carolina |
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| 62,000 |
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Las Vegas, Nevada |
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| 30,000 |
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| Showroom |
El Paso, Texas |
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| 19,000 |
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| Warehouse |
Dubuque, Iowa |
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| 2,800 |
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| Office |
Juarez, Mexico |
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| 225,000 |
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| Manufacturing |
Juarez, Mexico |
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| 131,000 |
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| Manufacturing |
Juarez, Mexico |
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| 197,000 |
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| Manufacturing |
Shenzhen, China |
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| 2,000 |
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| Office |
See Note 2 Leases of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion of the impairment of the right-of-use lease assets.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
See Note 13 Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for discussion of legal proceedings.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
PART II
Item 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Share Investment Performance
The following graph shows changes over the past five-year period in the value of $100 invested in: (1) Flexsteel’s common stock (FLXS); (2) The NASDAQ Global Market; (3) an industry peer group of the following: American Woodmark Corp, Bassett Furniture Ind., Culp Inc., Dixie Group Inc., Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., HNI Corp., Hooker Furniture Corp., Johnson Outdoors Inc., Kimball International, Knoll Inc., La-Z-Boy Inc., Lifetime Brands Inc., Lovesac Co., Patrick Industries Inc., Sleep Number Corp., and Trex Company, Inc.
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| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
Flexsteel | 100.00 | 138.65 | 104.40 | 46.37 | 36.07 | 115.36 |
NASDAQ | 100.00 | 128.19 | 167.17 | 177.22 | 203.71 | 318.38 |
Peer Group | 100.00 | 124.19 | 135.51 | 135.95 | 180.00 | 314.15 |
The Company’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol FLXS.
The Company estimates there were approximately 263 holders of common stock of the Company as of June 30, 2021. The payment of future cash dividends is within the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors and will depend, among other factors, on its earnings, capital requirements and operating and financial condition.
Purchases of Equity Securities
On June 1, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a $6 million share repurchase program through June 9, 2021. On August 20, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized an additional $8 million share repurchase program to begin on September 4, 2020, through September 3, 2021. On October 22, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized another $30 million share repurchase program through October 29, 2023. As of October 31, 2020, the $6 million and $8 million repurchase programs were completed. The following table summarizes the activity of the common stock repurchases under the program for the year ended June 30, 2021. All purchases were made in the open market.
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| Total Number |
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| Approximate Dollar Value | ||
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| Price Paid |
| of Shares Purchased |
| of Shares that May Yet | ||
Period |
| Purchased |
| per Share |
| as Part of Plan |
| Be Purchased | ||
As of June 30, 2020 |
| 132,197 |
| $ | 11.83 |
| 132,197 |
| $ | 4,429,960 |
July 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020 |
| 155,808 |
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| 14.46 |
| 155,808 |
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| 2,168,981 |
August 1, 2020, to August 31, 2020 |
| 116,562 |
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| 17.24 |
| 116,562 |
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| 153,690 |
September 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020 |
| 223,905 |
|
| 21.16 |
| 223,905 |
|
| 3,405,667 |
As of September 30, 2020 |
| 628,472 |
| $ | 16.81 |
| 628,472 |
| $ | 3,405,667 |
October 1, 2020, to October 31, 2020 |
| 132,326 |
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| 25.69 |
| 132,326 |
|
| 30,000,000 |
November 1, 2020, to November 30, 2020 |
| 132,831 |
|
| 29.55 |
| 132,831 |
|
| 26,067,622 |
December 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020 |
| 101,689 |
|
| 32.69 |
| 101,689 |
|
| 22,738,200 |
As of December 31, 2020 |
| 995,318 |
| $ | 21.31 |
| 995,318 |
| $ | 22,738,200 |
January 1, 2021, to January 31, 2021 |
| 84,012 |
|
| 35.15 |
| 84,012 |
|
| 19,780,863 |
February 1, 2021, to February 28, 2021 |
| 94,104 |
|
| 34.24 |
| 94,104 |
|
| 16,553,899 |
March 1, 2021, to March 31, 2021 |
| 75,536 |
|
| 35.23 |
| 75,536 |
|
| 13,888,648 |
As of March 31, 2021 |
| 1,248,970 |
| $ | 24.06 |
| 1,248,970 |
| $ | 13,888,648 |
April 1, 2021, to April 30, 2021 |
| 34,825 |
|
| 36.51 |
| 34,825 |
|
| 12,615,453 |
As of June 30, 2021 |
| 1,283,795 |
| $ | 24.40 |
| 1,283,795 |
| $ | 12,615,453 |
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
The selected financial data presented below should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The selected consolidated statements of income data of the Company are derived from the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
Five-Year Review
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(Amounts in thousands, except certain ratios and per share data) |
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| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 |
| 2018 |
| 2017 | |||||
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS |
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Net sales |
| $ | 478,925 |
| $ | 366,926 |
| $ | 443,588 |
| $ | 489,180 |
| $ | 468,764 |
Gross margin |
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| 96,730 |
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| 53,053 |
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| 69,940 |
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| 98,219 |
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| 108,651 |
Environmental remediation |
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| — |
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| — |
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| — |
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| 3,600 |
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| — |
ERP impairment |
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| — |
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| — |
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| 21,273 |
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| — |
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| — |
Restructuring expense |
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| 3,422 |
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| 34,222 |
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| 10,048 |
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| — |
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| — |
(Gain) on disposal of assets |
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| (5,881) |
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| (19,216) |
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| — |
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| — |
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| — |
Litigation settlement costs (reimbursement) |
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| 12 |
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| — |
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| 475 |
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| — |
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| (1,175) |
Operating income (loss) |
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| 31,200 |
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| (34,395) |
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| (43,154) |
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| 24,505 |
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| 37,264 |
Income (loss) before income taxes |
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| 31,467 |
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| (33,757) |
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| (42,608) |
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| 25,126 |
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| 37,586 |
Income tax provision (benefit) |
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| 8,419 |
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| (6,913) |
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| (10,003) |
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| 7,460 |
|
| 13,800 |
Net income (loss) |
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| 23,048 |
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| (26,844) |
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| (32,605) |
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| 17,666 |
|
| 23,786 |
Net income (loss), as a percent of sales |
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| 4.8% |
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| (7.3)% |
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| (7.4)% |
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| 3.6% |
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| 5.1% |
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding |
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| 7,468 |
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| 7,956 |
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| 7,889 |
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| 7,919 |
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| 7,886 |
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share |
| $ | 3.09 |
| $ | (3.37) |
| $ | (4.13) |
| $ | 2.23 |
| $ | 3.02 |
Cash dividends declared per common share |
| $ | 0.45 |
| $ | 0.71 |
| $ | 0.88 |
| $ | 0.88 |
| $ | 0.80 |
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SELECTED DATA AS OF JUNE 30 |
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Total assets |
| $ | 296,779 |
| $ | 237,259 |
| $ | 254,287 |
| $ | 284,293 |
| $ | 270,045 |
Shareholders’ equity |
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| 167,968 |
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| 175,505 |
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| 205,427 |
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| 241,698 |
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| 230,760 |
Trade receivables, net |
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| 55,986 |
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| 32,217 |
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| 38,157 |
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| 41,253 |
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| 42,362 |
Inventories |
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| 161,125 |
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| 70,565 |
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| 93,659 |
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| 96,204 |
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| 99,397 |
Property, plant and equipment, net |
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| 39,783 |
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| 43,312 |
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| 79,238 |
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| 90,725 |
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| 70,661 |
Capital expenditures |
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| 2,580 |
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| 3,688 |
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| 21,346 |
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| 29,447 |
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| 13,457 |
Depreciation expense |
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| 5,210 |
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| 8,370 |
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| 7,440 |
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| 7,367 |
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| 7,936 |
Working capital (current assets less |
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current liabilities) |
|
| 128,789 |
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| 128,381 |
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| 118,203 |
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| 148,705 |
|
| 158,055 |
Current ratio |
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| 2.3 to 1 |
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| 3.4 to 1 |
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| 3.5 to 1 |
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| 4.6 to 1 |
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| 5.2 to 1 |
Return on ending shareholders’ equity |
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| 13.7% |
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| (15.3)% |
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| (15.9)% |
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| 7.3% |
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| 10.3% |
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
General
The following analysis of the results of operations and financial condition of the Company should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Statement Regarding the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The World Health Organization (“WHO”) on March 11, 2020, declared novel coronavirus 2019 (“COVID-19”) a global pandemic. In response to this declaration, the Company has taken the following actions to maneuver the current economic landscape:
Employees that can perform work outside of the workplace may work from home,
Suspension of the Company’s 401K match effective June 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020,
Temporary 50% reduction of cash compensation for the Company’s Board of Directors through October 1, 2020,
Temporary 25% reduction of salary compensation for the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer through October 1, 2020,
Temporary elimination of all non-essential expenses and capital expenditures,
Temporary reduction of quarterly dividend payments; and
Negotiations with vendors to extend payment terms.
During the year ended June 30, 2021, we have seen improvement in our business conditions as retailers have reopened and orders have increased, however, we continue to see supply chain challenges faced by the furniture industry due to limited availability of ocean containers and significant increases in ocean container rates, limited availability and inflationary pressures in key materials, and labor shortages both in Asia and the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic remains fluid, including as a result of COVID-19 variants, and the extent of the ongoing impact to our business may be significant; however, we are unable to predict the extent or nature of these impacts at this time.
Business Update
On April 28, 2020, we announced the exit of our Vehicle Seating, and the remainder of the Hospitality product lines, and subsequently closed our Dubuque, Iowa and Starkville, Mississippi manufacturing facilities. We completed substantially all of the restructuring activities related to the exit of our Vehicle Seating and the remainder of the Hospitality product lines during fiscal 2021. Both product lines combined represented less than 1% of the Company’s total net sales for the fiscal year ended 2021.
Results of Operations
The following table has been prepared as an aid in understanding the Company’s results of operations on a comparative basis for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019. Amounts presented are percentages of the Company’s net sales.
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| For the years ended June 30, | ||||||||||
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| 2021 |
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| 2020 |
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| 2019 |
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Net sales |
|
| 100.0 | % |
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| 100.0 | % |
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| 100.0 | % |
Cost of goods sold |
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| 79.8 |
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| 85.5 |
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| 84.2 |
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Gross margin |
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| 20.2 |
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| 14.5 |
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| 15.8 |
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Selling, general and administrative |
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| 14.2 |
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| 19.7 |
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| 18.3 |
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Restructuring expense |
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| 0.7 |
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| 9.3 |
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| 2.3 |
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ERP impairment |
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| — |
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| — |
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| 4.8 |
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(Gain) on disposal of assets |
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| (1.2) |
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| (5.2) |
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| — |
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Litigation settlement costs |
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| 0.0 |
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| — |
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| 0.1 |
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Operating income (loss) |
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| 6.5 |
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| (9.4) |
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| (9.7) |
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Other income |
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| 0.1 |
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| 0.2 |
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| 0.1 |
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Interest (expense) |
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| (0.0) |
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| (0.0) |
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| (0.0) |
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Income (loss) before income taxes |
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| 6.6 |
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| (9.2) |
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| (9.6) |
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Income tax provision (benefit) |
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| 1.8 |
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| (1.9) |
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| (2.2) |
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Net income (loss) |
|
| 4.8 | % |
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| (7.3) | % |
|
| (7.4) | % |
Fiscal 2021 Compared to Fiscal 2020
Net sales were $478.9 million for the year ended June 30, 2021, compared to net sales of $366.9 million in the prior year, an increase of 30.5%. The increase in sales of $112.0 million was primarily driven by $138.8 million, or an increase of 51.1%, related to home furnishing products sold through retailers and $5.9 million, or an increase of 9.7%, for home furnishing products sold through e-commerce. Net sales growth in our home furnishing products were virtually in all product categories due to increased demand, partially offset by a decline of $32.7 million primarily due to the exit from our Vehicle Seating and Hospitality product lines during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.
Gross margin as a percent of net sales for the year ended June 30, 2021, was 20.2%, compared to 14.5% for the prior year, an increase of 570 basis points (“bps”). The 570 bps increase was primarily driven by structural cost reductions, operational efficiencies, and fixed cost leverage due to higher sales volume as compared to the prior year and lower inventory reserve due to demand.
Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $4.5 million in the year ended June 30, 2021, compared to the prior year. The decline in SG&A expenses was primarily due to a $3.5 million reduction in bad debt expense from the prior year driven by a customer bankruptcy. Higher sales commission expense resulting from increased sales was largely offset by other spending reductions and lower depreciation. As a percentage of net sales, SG&A was 14.2% in the year ended June 30, 2021, compared to the prior year of 19.7%. The 550 bps decline compared to the prior year was primarily due to cost leverage gained from higher sales, reductions in non-essential spending due to COVID-19, lower depreciation expense due to assets sold or being held for sale, and lower bad debt expense as discussed above during the year ended June 30, 2021.
Restructuring expenses were $3.5 million during the year ended June 30, 2021, primarily for on-going utilities and maintenance costs for our facilities listed as held for sale, professional fees, and employee termination costs as part of our previously announced comprehensive restructuring plan. See Note 5, Restructuring, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information.
During the year ended June 30, 2021, we completed the sale of our Dubuque, Iowa, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and one of our Harrison, Arkansas facilities, resulting in total net proceeds of $16.4 million, and a total gain of $5.9 million.
Income tax expense was $8.4 million, or an effective rate of 26.8%, during the year ended June 30, 2021, compared to income tax benefit of $6.9 million in the prior year, or an effective tax rate of 20.5%.
Net income was $23.0 million, or $3.09 per diluted share for the year ended June 30, 2021, compared to net loss of $26.8 million, or $3.37 per diluted share in the prior year.
Fiscal 2020 Compared to Fiscal 2019
Net sales for fiscal year 2020 were $366.9 million compared to $443.6 million in the prior fiscal year, a decrease of 17.3%. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, residential net sales were $331.9 million compared to $374.5 million for the year ended June 30, 2019, a decrease of 11.4%. The decline in residential net sales were primarily attributable to volume decreases on furniture imported from China as a result of the 25% tariff and the related price increases taken to the market, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic. The decline was partially offset by an increase in our ready to assemble furniture sold through e-commerce, which grew 35.7% year over year, primarily driven by increased demand.
Contract net sales were $35.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2020, a decrease of 49.3% from net sales of $69.1 million for the year ended June 30, 2019. The decline in contract net sales was primarily driven by our decision to exit the Commercial Office and custom-designed Hospitality product lines, coupled with a decline in healthcare and Vehicle Seating products due to demand. In April 2020, we announced the exit of our Vehicle Seating, and the remainder of the Hospitality product lines.
Gross margin for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, was 14.5% compared to 15.8% for the prior year period, a decline of 130 bps. The 130 bps decline was primarily driven by a decline of 280 bps due to lower volume and product mix, a decline of 60 bps for increased costs to improve delivery lead times, partially offset by 120 bps from valuation allowance on foreign VAT as a result of collections made during the fiscal year and 80 bps from restructuring cost improvements.
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses for the twelve months ended June 30, 2020, decreased $8.9 million to $72.4 million compared to $81.3 million for the year ended June 30, 2019. As a percentage of net sales, SG&A was 19.7% for the year ended June 30, 2020, compared to 18.3% of net sales in the prior year period. The increase in SG&A as a percentage of net sales was primarily driven by higher bad debt expense of $5.0 million attributable to a customer bankruptcy and the current economic environment, right-of-use lease asset impairments of $2.9 million, partially offset by current year restructuring savings and lower expenses on reduced volume.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, we incurred $34.2 million of restructuring expenses primarily for write-down of assets due to impairment, facility closures, professional fees, pension withdrawal liability and employee termination costs as part of our previously announced comprehensive transformation program. See Note 5 Restructuring of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, we completed the sale of our Riverside, California property for the sale price of $20.5 million generating net proceeds of $19.6 million after customary closing costs, prorations and commissions. This resulted in a recognized pre-tax gain on sale of $18.9 million.
For the twelve months ended June 30, 2020, the effective tax rate was 20.5% compared to 23.5% in the prior year period. The difference between the 2020 and 2019 rates relate to recording the current year benefit at a 35% federal tax rate rather than the current statutory rate of 21% due to the carryback benefit discussed below. In addition, we recorded an $8.4 million valuation allowance against the federal and state deferred tax assets of $10.6 million.
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted and signed into law in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Certain provisions of the CARES Act impacted the current fiscal year 2020. The CARES Act permits net operating losses (“NOLs”) incurred in tax years 2018, 2019, and 2020, (the Company’s fiscal years 2019, 2020 and 2021) to offset 100% of taxable income and be carried back to each of the five preceding taxable years to generate a refund of previously paid income taxes. The Company evaluated the impact of the CARES Act during the year ended June 30, 2020 and recorded an income tax receivable of $4.5 million for the benefit of carrying back the fiscal year 2020 NOL and an income tax receivable of $8.2M for the benefit of carrying back the fiscal year 2019 NOL. As the Company is carrying the losses back to years beginning before January 1, 2018, the receivables were recorded at the previous 35% federal tax rate rather than the current statutory rate of 21%.
The above factors resulted in a net loss of $26.8 million or $3.37 per diluted share for fiscal year 2020 compared to a net loss of $32.6 million or $4.13 per diluted share in the prior year period.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
COVID-19 update
Due to continued uncertainties because of COVID-19, we implemented measures to enhance our liquidity position and improve working capital. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020, we reduced our quarterly dividend from $0.22 per share to $0.05 per share. We extended a 25% salary reduction for our CEO and CFO/COO and 50% cash compensation reduction for our Board of Directors through October 1, 2020. To further bolster liquidity, on August 28, 2020, we entered into an agreement with Dubuque Bank & Trust Company, for a secured $25.0 million credit facility with a two-year term. The balance of borrowings on June 30, 2021, was $3.5 million.
Working capital (current assets less current liabilities) at June 30, 2021 was $128.8 million compared to $128.4 million at June 30, 2020. The $0.4 million increase in working capital reflects a $46.7 million increase in current assets offset by a $46.3 million increase in current liabilities. The increase in current assets is primarily due to a $90.6 million increase in inventory and a $25.2 million increase in trade receivables in response to increasing sales. These increases were offset by a decrease in cash of $46.9 million, a decline in other current assets of $9.1 million primarily due to a tax refund, and a decline of $11.7 million in assets held for sale due to the sale of facilities during the fiscal year. The increase in current liabilities is primarily due to an increase in accounts payable of $40.0 million and a $4.8 million increase in accrued liabilities primarily due to increases in advertising accruals, commission accruals and management incentive accruals. The decline in cash of $46.9 million was primarily due to $29.8 million share repurchases, and cash used in operating activities of $32.7 million, partially offset by $18.6 million of proceeds from the sale of the Company’s Dubuque, IA, Lancaster, PA and Harrison, AR, facilities. Capital expenditures were $2.6 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021.
A summary of operating, investing and financing cash flow is shown in the following table:
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| For the years ended June 30, | ||||
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 | ||
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
| $ | (32,692) |
| $ | 18,287 |
Net cash provided by investing activities |
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| 16,062 |
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| 16,785 |
Net cash (used in) financing activities |
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| (30,225) |
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| (9,122) |
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents |
| $ | (46,855) |
| $ | 25,950 |
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
For the twelve months ended June 30, 2021, cash used in operating activities was $32.7 million, which primarily consisted of net income of $23.0 million, adjusted for non-cash items including depreciation of $5.2 million, gain from the sale of capital assets of $5.9 million, change in deferred income taxes of $2.1 million, stock-based compensation of $3.7 million and bad debt expense of $1.6 million. Net cash used in operating assets and liabilities was $62.7 million. The cash used in operating assets and liabilities of $62.7 million, was primarily due to an increase in trade receivables of $25.2 million due to higher sales, an increase in inventory of $90.6 million due to inventory build for the beginning of fiscal 2022, partially offset by $9.4 million decline in other current assets primarily due to receipt of an income tax net refund of $5.6 million and increases in accounts payable of $40.0 million and accrued liabilities of $4.0 million.
For the twelve months ended June 30, 2020, net cash provided by operating activities was $18.3 million, which primarily consisted of net loss of $26.8 million, adjusted for non-cash depreciation of $8.4 million, gain from sale of capital assets of $19.0 million, stock-based compensation of $4.9 million, asset impairment charges of $20.4 million, change in deferred income taxes of $5.5 million and change in accounts receivable and VAT allowance of $0.5 million. Net cash provided by operating assets and liabilities was $25.6 million. The cash provided by operating assets and liabilities of $25.6 million, was primarily due to a decline in inventory and accounts receivable of $23.1 million and $4.4 million, respectively, coupled with an increase in accounts payable of $9.3 million, partially offset by a decline in accrued liabilities of $6.0 million.
Net cash provided by investing activities
For the twelve months ended June 30, 2021, net cash provided by investing activities was $16.1 million, primarily due to proceeds of $18.6 million for the sale of our Dubuque, IA and Lancaster, PA, facilities and one of our Harrison, Arkansas facilities, partially offset by capital expenditures of $2.6 million.
For the twelve months ended June 30, 2020, net cash provided by investing activities was $16.8 million, due to proceeds of $20.5 million for the sale of our Riverside, California facility and other capital assets, partially offset by capital expenditures of $3.7 million.
Net cash used in financing activities
For the twelve months ended June 30, 2021, net cash used in financing activities was $30.2 million, primarily due to $29.8 million for treasury stock purchases, dividends paid of $2.6 million and $1.3 million for tax payments on employee vested restricted shares.
For the twelve months ended June 30, 2020, net cash used in financing activities was $9.1 million, primarily due to dividends paid of $7.0 million, treasury stock purchases of $1.6 million and $0.6 million for tax payments on employee vested restricted shares.
Line of Credit
On August 28, 2020, we entered into a secured $25.0 million credit facility with Dubuque Bank & Trust Company, with a two-year term and interest of 1.50% plus LIBOR, subject to a floor of 3.0%, which floor was in effect on June 30, 2021. If LIBOR is redefined or becomes unavailable, the Bank has sole discretion to substitute another index and adjust the rate spread, however it cannot materially change the total interest cost without the Company’s advance written consent. The credit facility expires on August 28, 2022. The credit facility is secured by essentially all of the Company’s assets, excluding real property and requires the Company maintain compliance with certain financial and non-financial covenants. On June 30, 2021, the balance of the line of credit was $3.5 million.
Letters of credit outstanding at Wells Fargo Bank N.A. (“Wells”) as of June 30, 2021, totaled $1.1 million, of which $1.2 million of our cash held at Wells is pledged as collateral.
Contractual Obligations
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations on June 30, 2021, and the effect these obligations are expected to have on our liquidity and cash flow in the future (in thousands):
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| 2-3 |
| 4-5 |
| More than | |||
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| Total |
| 1 Year |
| Years |
| Years |
| 5 Years | |||||
Operating lease obligations |
| $ | 34,357 |
| $ | 6,790 |
| $ | 10,409 |
| $ | 5,264 |
| $ | 11,894 |
On June 30, 2021, we had no capital lease obligations, and no purchase obligations for raw materials or finished goods.
Financing Arrangements
See Note 9 Credit Arrangements of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Outlook
The COVID-19 global pandemic presented unprecedented challenges during fiscal 2021. Our focus for fiscal 2022 will be to remain financially agile with strong liquidity, accelerate profitable long-term growth in both retail and e-commerce sales channels, build global supply chain resiliency, expand sourcing, manufacturing and distribution capacity to support future growth, strengthen digital capabilities, reimagine the customer experience, and build strong culture and talent.
During fiscal 2022, the Company anticipates spending $11.5 million to $13.5 million for capital expenditures. The Company plans to spend approximately $7 million for manufacturing capacity expansion, approximately $2.5 million for manufacturing productivity improvements, and the remaining amounts for software maintenance and general maintenance. The Company believes it has access to adequate working capital to meet these requirements.
The discussion and analysis of our consolidated financial statements and results of operations are based on consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States of America. Preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires the use of estimates and judgments that affect the reported results. We use estimates based on the best information available in recording transactions and balances resulting from business operations. Estimates are used for such items as collectability of trade accounts receivable and inventory valuation. Ultimate results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Accounts Receivable Allowances – we establish accounts receivable allowances to reduce trade accounts receivable to an amount that reasonably approximates their net realizable value. Our accounts receivable allowances consist of an allowance for doubtful accounts which is established through review of open accounts, historical collection, and historical write-off amounts. The amount ultimately realized from trade accounts receivable may differ from the amount estimated in the consolidated financial statements.
Inventories – we value inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Our inventory valuation reflects markdowns for the excess of the cost over the amount expected to be realized and considers obsolete and excess inventory. Markdowns establish a new cost basis for the Company’s inventory. Subsequent changes in facts or circumstances do not result in the reversal of previously recorded markdowns or an increase in that newly established cost basis.
Valuation of Long–Lived Assets – we periodically review the carrying value of long-lived assets and estimated depreciable or amortizable lives for continued appropriateness. This review is based upon projections of anticipated future cash flows and is performed whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that asset carrying values may not be recoverable or that the estimated depreciable or amortizable lives may have changed. For assets held for sale, if the net book value of the asset is greater than its estimated fair value less cost to sell, an impairment is recorded for the excess of net book value over estimated fair value less cost to sell. We recorded impairments of none and $20.4 million in fiscal 2021 and 2020, respectively. The $20.4 million impairment recorded in fiscal 2020 include $2.9 million related to our leases of two showroom spaces.
Restructuring Costs – The Company groups exit or disposal cost obligations into three categories: Involuntary employee termination benefits, costs to terminate contracts, and other associated costs. Involuntary employee termination benefits must be a one-time benefit, and this element of restructuring cost is recognized as incurred upon communication of the plan to the identified employees. Costs to terminate contracts are recognized upon termination agreement with the provider. Other associated restructuring costs are expensed as incurred. Any inventory impairment costs as a result of restructuring activities are accounted for as cost of goods sold.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
See Item 8. Note 1 Significant Accounting Policies of the Notes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
General – Market risk represents the risk of changes in the value of a financial instrument, derivative or non-derivative, caused by fluctuations in interest rates, foreign exchange rates and equity prices. As discussed below, management of the Company does not believe that changes in these factors could cause material fluctuations in the Company’s results of operations or cash flows. The ability to import furniture products can be adversely affected by political issues in the countries where suppliers are located, as well as disruptions associated with shipping distances and negotiations with port employees. Other risks related to furniture product importation include government imposition of regulations and/or quotas; duties, taxes or tariffs on imports; and significant fluctuation in the value of the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies. Any of these factors could interrupt supply, increase costs, and decrease earnings.
Foreign Currency Risk – During fiscal years 2021, 2020, and 2019, the Company did not have sales, but had purchases and other expenses denominated in foreign currencies. The market risk associated with currency exchange rates and prices is not considered significant.
Interest Rate Risk – The Company’s primary market risk exposure regarding financial instruments is changes in interest rates. On June 30, 2021, the Company had $3.5 million outstanding on its line of credit.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
To the shareholders and the Board of Directors of Flexsteel Industries, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Flexsteel Industries, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the "Company") as of June 30, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2021, the related notes and the schedule listed in the Index at Item 15 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of June 30, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated September 8, 2021, expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting.
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the 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. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 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 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 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 financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current-period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Inventories— Refer to Notes 1 and 3 to the financial statements
Critical Audit Matter Description
The Company has inventories of $161.1 million as of June 30, 2021. The Company records inventories at the lower of cost or net realizable value utilizing the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method. The Company’s inventory valuation reflects markdowns for the excess of the cost over the amount expected to be realized. Markdowns establish a new cost basis for the Company’s inventories. Subsequent changes in facts or circumstances do not result in the reversal of previously recorded markdowns or an increase in that newly established cost basis.
Given the quantitative and qualitative materiality of the balance, coupled with the judgments and subjectivity involved to estimate the markdowns to the net realizable value of inventories, auditing management’s estimates of net realizable value required subjective auditor judgment.
How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit
Our audit procedures related to estimated net realizable value of manufactured inventories included the following, among others:
We tested the design and operating effectiveness of internal controls over the inventory valuation process, including controls over the inputs that are used in management’s inventory markdown for the excess of the cost over the amount expected to be realized.
We tested management's process to determine the inventory markdowns and net realizable value of inventory through inquiries of management, and evaluation of accounting policies and process documentation.
We tested the accuracy and completeness of the Company’s measurement of inventory markdowns using a sampling approach. We evaluated the appropriateness of methodologies and assumptions used by management to estimate markdown reserves including inventory quantities on-hand, historical sales activity, and other assumptions used by management.
We evaluated management’s measurement of the inventory markdowns and net realizable value by testing the mathematical accuracy of the Company’s calculation.
We performed retrospective reviews of actual products sold in the current year against prior year inventory markdowns to net realizable value.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Minneapolis, MN
September 8, 2021
We have served as the Company's auditor since 1965.
To the shareholders and the Board of Directors of Flexsteel Industries, Inc.
We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Flexsteel Industries, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of June 30, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule as of and for the year ended June 30, 2021, of the Company and our report dated September 8, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the 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 audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Minneapolis, MN
September 8, 2021
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Amounts in thousands)
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| June 30, | ||||
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ASSETS |
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CURRENT ASSETS: |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
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Trade receivables - less allowances: 2021, $ |
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Inventories |
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Other |
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Assets held for sale |
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Total current assets |
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NONCURRENT ASSETS: |
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Property, plant and equipment, net |
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Operating lease right-of-use assets |
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Deferred income taxes |
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Other assets |
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TOTAL |
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LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY |
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CURRENT LIABILITIES: |
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Accounts payable - trade |
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Current portion of operating lease liabilities |
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Accrued liabilities: |
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Payroll and related items |
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Insurance |
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Restructuring costs |
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Advertising |
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Environmental remediation |
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Other |
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Total current liabilities |
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LONG-TERM LIABILITIES: |
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Operating lease liabilities, less current maturities |
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Line of Credit |
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Other liabilities |
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Total liabilities |
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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Note 13) |
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SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY: |
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Common stock - $ |
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Additional paid-in capital |
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Treasury stock, at cost; |
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Retained earnings |
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Total shareholders' equity |
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TOTAL |
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See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
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| 2019 | |||
Net sales | $ | |
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Cost of goods sold |
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Gross margin |
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Selling, general and administrative |
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Restructuring expense |
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ERP impairment |
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(Gain) on disposal of assets |
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Litigation settlement costs |
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Operating income (loss) |
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Other income (expense): |
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Other income |
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Interest (expense) |
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Total other income |
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Income (loss) before income taxes |
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Income tax provision (benefit) |
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Net income (loss) | $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: |
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Basic |
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Diluted |
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Earnings (loss) per share of common stock |
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Basic | $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
Diluted | $ | |
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| $ | ( |
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(Amounts in thousands)
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| For the years ended June 30, | |||||||
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
Net income (loss) | $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
Other comprehensive income (loss): |
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Unrealized (losses) gains on securities |
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Reclassification of realized gains (losses) on securities to other income |
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Unrealized (losses) gains on securities before taxes |
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Income tax benefit (expense) related to securities gains (losses) |
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Net unrealized (losses) gains on securities |
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Minimum pension liability |
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Income tax expense related to minimum pension liability |
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Net minimum pension asset |
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Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax |
| — |
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| ( |
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Comprehensive income (loss) | $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
(Amounts in thousands)
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| Total Par |
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| Accumulated |
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| Value of |
| Additional |
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| Other |
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| Common |
| Paid-In |
| Treasury |
| Retained |
| Comprehensive |
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| Shares ($ |
| Capital |
| Stock |
| Earnings |
| (Loss) Income |
| Total | ||||||
Balance at June 30, 2018 |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
Issuance of common stock: |
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Stock options exercised, net |
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Unrealized gain on available for sale investments, net of tax |
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| — |
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Long-term incentive compensation |
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Stock-based compensation |
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Minimum pension liability adjustment, net of tax |
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Cash dividends declared |
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Net loss |
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Balance at June 30, 2019 |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Issuance of common stock: |
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Stock options exercised, net |
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| — |
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Unrealized gain on available for sale investments, net of tax |
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Long-term incentive compensation |
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Stock-based compensation |
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Treasury stock purchases |
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Cash dividends declared |
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Net loss |
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ASU 2016-02 adoption |
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Balance at June 30, 2020 |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
Issuance of common stock: |
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Stock options exercised, net |
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Long-term incentive compensation |
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Stock-based compensation |
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Treasury stock purchases |
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Cash dividends declared |
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Net Income |
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Balance at June 30, 2021 |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
Cash dividends declared per common share were $
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Amounts in thousands)
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| For the years ended June 30, | |||||||
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| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
OPERATING ACTIVITIES: |
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Net income (loss) |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: |
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Depreciation |
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Deferred income taxes |
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Stock-based compensation expense |
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Changes in provision for losses on accounts receivable |
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Change in reserve for VAT receivable |
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Dubuque and Starkville property, plant and equipment impairment |
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Right-of-use asset impairment |
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ERP impairment |
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(Gain) on disposition of capital assets |
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Defined benefit plan termination |
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Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
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Trade receivables |
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Inventories |
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Other current assets |
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| ( |
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| ( |
Other assets |
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| ( |
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| ( |
Accounts payable - trade |
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Accrued liabilities |
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| ( |
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Other long-term liabilities |
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| ( |
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Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
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INVESTING ACTIVITIES: |
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Purchases of investments |
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Proceeds from sale of investments |
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Proceeds from sale of capital assets |
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Capital expenditures |
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Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
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FINANCING ACTIVITIES: |
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Dividends paid |
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Treasury stock purchases |
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Proceeds from lines of credit |
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Payments on lines of credit |
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Proceeds from issuance of common stock |
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Shares withheld for tax payments on vested shares and options exercised |
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Net cash (used in) financing activities |
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(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents |
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Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year |
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Cash and cash equivalents at end of year |
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| $ | |
| $ | |
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SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION |
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Cash paid for amounts included in lease liabilities |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
Right-of-use assets exchanged for lease liabilities |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
Interest paid |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
Income taxes (refunded) paid |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
Capital expenditures in accounts payable |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Equipment.” Once an asset is classified as held for sale, the Company ceases deprecating the asset. The assets held for sale are being marketed for sale and it is the Company’s intention to complete the sale of the assets within the upcoming year.
The Company’s revenues result from the sale of goods and reflect the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled. Revenue is reduced by appropriate allowances, estimated returns, price concessions, or similar adjustments as applicable. The Company records revenue based on a five-step model in accordance with ASC 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). For its customer contracts, typically purchase orders, the Company identifies the performance obligations (goods), determines the transaction price, allocates the contract transaction price to the performance obligations, and recognizes the revenue when the performance obligation is transferred to the customer. A good is transferred when the customer obtains control of that good and risk of loss transfers at a point in time.
Provisions for customer volume rebates, product returns, discounts and allowances are variable consideration and are recorded as a reduction of revenue in the same period the related sales are recorded. Such provisions are calculated based upon historical data and discount percentages, set with each customer. Consideration given to customers for cooperative advertising is recognized as a reduction of revenue except to the extent there is a distinct good or service and evidence of the fair value of the advertising, in which case the expense is classified as selling, general and administrative expense (SG&A).
The Company has a limited lifetime warranty on all products. The Company does not offer the option to purchase warranties. The Company accounts for warranties under ASC 460, Guarantees, and not as variable consideration related to revenue.
Occasionally, the Company receives deposits from customers before it has transferred control of the product to customers, resulting in contract liabilities. These contract liabilities are reported within “Accounts payable - trade” in the consolidated balance sheets. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had $
Upon adoption of ASC 606, the Company elected the following practical expedients and policy elections:
The Company did not adjust contract prices for the effects of a significant financing component, as it expects the period when the goods or services are transferred to the customer and when the customer pays for those goods and services to be less than a year.
Costs for shipping and handling activities that occur before the customer obtains control of the product are accounted for as fulfillment activities. Accordingly, these expenses are recorded at the same time the Company recognizes revenue.
Incremental costs of obtaining a contract, specifically commissions, are recorded as an SG&A expense when incurred.
All taxes imposed on and concurrent with revenue-producing transactions and collected by the Company from a customer, including sales, use, excise, and franchise taxes are excluded from the measurement of the transaction price.
The following table disaggregates the Company’s net sales by product category:
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|
| For the years ended June 30, | |||||||
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
Residential |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Contract |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
|
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|
|
|
| June 30, | ||||
(in thousands) | 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 |
Basic shares | |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Potential common shares: |
|
|
|
|
|
Stock options | |
| — |
| - |
Long-term incentive plan | |
| — |
| - |
| |
| — |
| - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted shares | |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anti-dilutive shares | |
| |
| |
The Company accounts for its leases in accordance with ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASC 842”). ASC 842 requires lessees to (i) recognize a right of use asset (“ROU asset”) and a lease liability that is measured at the present value of the remaining lease payments, on the consolidated balance sheets, (ii) recognize a single lease cost, calculated over the lease term on a straight-line basis and (iii) classify lease related cash payments within operating and financing activities. The Company has made an accounting policy election to not recognize short-term leases on the consolidated balance sheets and all non-lease components, such as common area maintenance, were excluded. At any given time during the lease term, the lease liability represents the present value of the remaining lease payments, and the ROU asset is measured as the amount of the lease liability, adjusted for pre-paid rent, unamortized initial direct costs and the remaining balance of lease incentives received. Both the lease ROU asset and liability are reduced to zero at the end of the lease term.
The Company leases distribution centers and warehouses, manufacturing facilities, showrooms, and office space. At the lease inception date, the Company determines if an arrangement is, or contains a lease. Some of the Company’s leases include options to renew at similar terms. The Company assesses these options to determine if the Company is reasonably certain of exercising these options based on relevant economic and financial factors. Options that meet these criteria are included in the lease term at the lease commencement date.
For purposes of measuring the Company’s ROU asset and lease liability, the discount rate utilized by the Company was based on the average interest rates effective for the Company’s line of credit. Some of the Company’s leases contain variable rent payments, including common area maintenance and utilities. Due to the variable nature of these costs, they are not included in the measurement of the ROU asset and lease liability.
The components of the Company’s leases reflected on the Company’s consolidated statements of income were as follows:
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|
| ||
(in thousands) | June 30, 2021 |
| June 30, 2020 | ||||
Operating lease expense | $ | |
| $ | | ||
Variable lease expense |
| |
|
| | ||
Total lease expense | $ | |
| $ | |
Other information related to leases and future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases as were as follows:
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|
|
|
|
Fiscal year |
| June 30, 2021 |
| June 30, 2020 | |
(in thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Operating cash flows from operating leases |
| $ | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Operating leases |
| $ | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years): |
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|
|
Operating leases |
|
| |
| |
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|
|
Weighted-average discount rate: |
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|
|
Operating leases |
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| ||
|
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|
|
Fiscal year |
| June 30, 2021 |
| June 30, 2020 | |
(in thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
Within one year |
| $ | |
| |
After one year and within two years |
|
| |
| |
After two years and within three years |
|
| |
| |
After three years and within four years |
|
| |
| |
After four years and within five years |
|
| |
| |
After five years |
|
| |
| — |
Total future minimum lease payments |
| $ | |
| |
Less – Discount |
|
| |
| |
Lease liability |
| $ | |
| |
A comparison of inventories is as follows:
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| June 30, | ||||
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 | ||
Raw materials |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Work in process and finished parts |
|
| |
|
| |
Finished goods |
|
| |
|
| |
Total |
| $ | |
| $ | |
4. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
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| Estimated |
| June 30, | ||||
(in thousands) |
| Life (Years) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 | ||
Land |
|
|
| $ | |
| $ | |
Buildings and improvements |
|
|
| |
|
| | |
Machinery and equipment |
|
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| |
|
| | |
Delivery equipment |
|
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| |
|
| | |
Furniture and fixtures |
|
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| |
|
| | |
Computer software and hardware |
|
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| |
|
| | |
Construction in progress |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Total |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Less accumulated depreciation |
|
|
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Net |
|
|
| $ | |
| $ | |
On May 15, 2019, the Company announced its plans to exit the Commercial Office and custom-designed Hospitality product lines which represent approximately
On June 18, 2019, the Company announced it completed the analysis and planning process and set forth the comprehensive transformation program to be executed over a two-year period, which includes previously announced restructuring activities on May 15, 2019. The transformation program includes activities such as business simplification, process improvement, exiting of non-core businesses, facility closures, and reductions in work force. The Company has substantially completed the portion of the restructuring activities related to the exit of the Commercial Office and custom-designed Hospitality product lines.
On April 28, 2020, the Company announced it will exit the Vehicle Seating and the remainder of the Hospitality product lines, and subsequently closed its Dubuque, Iowa and Starkville, Mississippi manufacturing facilities. The Company has completed substantially all the restructuring activities related to the exit of the Vehicle Seating and the remainder of the Hospitality product lines during fiscal 2021.
As a result of these planned actions, the Company planned to incur pre-tax restructuring and related expenses of approximately $
The following is a summary of restructuring costs:
|
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|
|
|
| For the years ended June 30, | |||||||
(in thousands) | 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
Inventory impairment | $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
One-time employee termination benefits |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Contract (recoveries) termination costs |
| — |
|
| ( |
|
| |
Fixed asset impairments |
| — |
|
| |
|
| — |
Other associated costs |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Total restructuring and related expenses | $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Reported as: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of goods sold | $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Operating expenses | $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Other associated costs include legal and professional fees, stock-based compensation expense for retention restricted stock units in connection with the Company’s restructuring plan, on-going facilities and transition costs.
The roll forward of the accrued restructuring costs is as follows, for the years ended June 30, 2021, 2020, and 2019:
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| One-time |
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| |
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| Employee |
| Contract |
|
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| Other |
|
|
| |||
|
| Inventory |
| Termination |
| Termination |
| Fixed Asset |
| Associated |
|
|
| |||||
(in thousands) |
| Impairment |
| Benefits |
| Costs |
| Impairments |
| Costs |
| Total | ||||||
Accrual balance at June 30, 2019 |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Costs incurred |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| ( |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Expenses paid |
|
| — |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
| — |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Non-cash |
|
| ( |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Accrual balance at June 30, 2020 |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Costs incurred |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| |
|
| |
Expenses paid |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
| — |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Non-cash |
|
| — |
|
| ( |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| ( |
Accrual balance at June 30, 2021 |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | |
During fiscal year 2020, the Company committed to a plan to sell assets located at the Company’s Harrison, Arkansas, Dubuque, Iowa, and Starkville, Mississippi locations as part of the Company’s restructuring plan, see Note 5 Restructuring. A summary of the assets held for sale is included in the table below as of June 30, 2021.
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| Accumulated |
| Net Book | ||
Location | Asset Category |
| Cost |
| Depreciation |
| Value | |||
(in thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Harrison, Arkansas | Building & building improvements |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | — |
| Land & land improvements |
|
| |
|
| ( |
|
| |
| Machinery & equipment |
|
| |
|
| ( |
|
| — |
Starkville, Mississippi | Building & building improvements |
|
| |
|
| ( |
|
| |
| Land & land improvements |
|
| |
|
| ( |
|
| |
|
|
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| June 30, | ||||
(in thousands) | 2021 |
| 2020 | ||
Cash value of life insurance | $ | |
| $ | |
Other |
| |
|
| |
Total | $ | |
| $ | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| June 30, | ||||
(in thousands) | 2021 |
| 2020 | ||
Dividends | $ | |
| $ | |
Warranty |
| |
|
| |
Other |
| |
|
| |
Total | $ | |
| $ | |
The Company had an unsecured credit agreement with Wells Fargo Bank N.A. (“Wells”) that provided short-term capital financing up to $
On August 28, 2020, the Company entered into a secured $
Letters of credit outstanding at Wells Fargo Bank N.A. (“Wells”) as of June 30, 2021, totaled $
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted and signed into law in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Certain provisions of the CARES Act impacted the fiscal year 2020. The CARES Act permits net operating losses (“NOLs”) incurred in tax years 2018, 2019, and 2020, (the Company’s fiscal years 2019, 2020 and 2021) to offset 100% of taxable income and be carried back to each of the five preceding taxable years to generate a refund of previously paid income taxes. The Company evaluated the impact of the CARES Act during the year ended June 30, 2020, and recorded an income tax receivable of $
The Company recognizes deferred tax assets to the extent that they believe the assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax planning strategies, and results of recent operations. As of June 30, 2021, it was determined the Company has not reached a more likely than not position that the Company will realize all its deferred tax assets. Therefore, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance against the federal and state deferred tax assets of $
Income tax expense was calculated based upon the following components of income (loss) before income taxes for the years ended June 30:
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
United States |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
Outside the United States |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Income (loss) before income taxes |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The income tax benefit (provision) is as follows for the years ended June 30:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
Federal - current |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
| $ | |
State and other - current |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Deferred |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
| |
Total |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Reconciliation between the U.S. federal statutory tax rate and the effective tax rate is as follows for the years ended June 30:
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
Federal statutory tax rate |
|
| | % |
| | % |
| | % |
State taxes, net of federal effect |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Foreign rate differential |
|
| |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
Remeasurement of deferred tax assets and valuation allowance |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
| |
|
Beginning of year true ups |
|
| |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
Stock FMV over Award |
|
| ( |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
Tax rate change on net operating loss carryback related to CARES Act |
|
| — |
|
| |
|
| — |
|
Other |
|
| |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
|
Effective tax rate |
|
| | % |
| | % |
| | % |
The components of the gross liabilities related to unrecognized tax benefits and the related deferred tax assets are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| June 30, | ||||
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 | ||
Gross unrecognized tax benefits |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Accrued interest and penalties |
|
| |
|
| |
Gross liabilities related to unrecognized tax benefits |
| $ | |
| $ | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred tax assets |
|
| |
|
| |
Valuation allowance |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Net deferred tax assets |
| $ | — |
| $ | — |
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
Balance at July 1 |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year |
|
| |
|
| — |
|
| — |
Reductions for tax positions of prior years |
|
|
|
|
| — |
|
| ( |
Balance at June 30 |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
The Company records interest expense and penalties related to income taxes as income tax expense in the consolidated statements of income. The Company does not expect that there will be any positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly increase or decrease within the next twelve months. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits as of June 30, 2021, and 2020 that if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate was $
The primary components of deferred tax assets and (liabilities) are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| June 30, | ||||
(in thousands) |
| 2021 |
| 2020 | ||
Accounts receivable |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Inventory |
|
| |
|
| |
Self-insurance |
|
| |
|
| |
Payroll and related |
|
| |
|
| |
Accrued liabilities |
|
| |
|
| |
Property, plant and equipment |
|
| ( |
|
| |
Investment tax credit |
|
| |
|
| |
Valuation allowance |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Net operating loss carryover |
|
| |
|
| |
Lease assets |
|
| ( |
|
| ( |
Lease liabilities |
|
| |
|
| |
Other |
|
| |
|
| |
Total |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
At June 30, 2021, certain state tax attribute carryforwards of $
The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation plans in accordance with ASC 718, Stock Compensation, which requires the Company to measure all share-based payments at grant date fair value and recognize the cost over the requisite service period. Restricted shares and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) generally vest over
Total stock-based compensation expense was $
The Company has
(1) Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (“LTICP”)
The LTICP provides for RSUs to be awarded to officers and key employees based on performance targets set by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”). The Company selected fully-diluted earnings per share and total shareholder return as the performance goal for the performance period July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2021 (“2019-2021”). As of June 30, 2019, the performance period 2019-2021 was no longer attainable. For the July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2022 (“2020-2022”) and the July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023 (“2021-2023”) performance periods, the Committee selected Adjusted Earnings Before Interest and Tax with a defined percentage growth in fiscal year 2021 and 2022 as the performance goal. Since the 2019-2021 performance period is no longer attainable, only RSU’s granted for the 2020-2022 and 2021-2023 performance periods are included in the table below for the Company’s unvested LTICP RSUs during the year ended June 30, 2021:
|
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|
|
|
|
| Time Based Vest |
| Performance Based Vest |
| Total | |||||||||
|
|
|
| Weighted average |
|
|
| Weighted average |
|
|
| Weighted average | |||
|
|
|
| fair value |
|
|
| fair value |
|
|
| fair value | |||
(shares in thousands) |
| Shares |
| per share |
| Shares |
| per share |
| Shares |
| per share | |||
Unvested as of June 30, 2019 |
| — |
| $ | — |
| — |
| $ | — |
| — |
| $ | — |
Granted |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
| |
Forfeited |
| ( |
|
| |
| ( |
|
| |
| ( |
|
| |
Unvested as of June 30, 2020 |
| |
| $ | |
| |
| $ | |
| |
| $ | |
Granted |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
| |
Forfeited |
| ( |
|
| |
| ( |
|
| |
| ( |
|
| |
Unvested as of June 30, 2021 |
| |
| $ | |
| |
| $ | |
| |
| $ | |
Total unrecognized stock-based compensation related to the unvested LTICP RSUs was $
(2) 2013 Omnibus Stock Plan and 2009 Stock Option Plan
The 2013 Omnibus Stock Plan is for key employees, officers and directors and provides for the granting of incentive and nonqualified stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights and performance units.
Restricted shares and RSUs
A summary of the activity in the Company’s unvested restricted shares and unvested RSUs as June 30, 2021, is presented below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Weighted average | |
|
| Shares |
| fair value | |
|
| (in thousands) |
| per share | |
Unvested as of June 30, 2019 |
| |
|
| |
Granted |
| |
|
| |
Vested |
| ( |
|
| |
Forfeited |
| ( |
|
| |
Unvested as of June 30, 2020 |
| |
| $ | |
Granted |
| |
|
| |
Vested |
| ( |
|
| |
Forfeited |
| ( |
|
| |
Unvested as of June 20, 2021 |
| |
| $ | |
Total unrecognized stock-based compensation related to unvested restricted shares and unvested RSUs was $
Options
The weighted average grant date fair value of stock options granted during fiscal years 2021, 2020, and 2019 were $
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| For the years ended June 30, | |||||||
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 | |||
Dividend yield |
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Expected volatility |
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Risk-free interest rate |
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Expected life (in years) |
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The expected volatility and expected life are determined based on historical data. The interest rate is based on U.S. Treasury risk-free rate in affect at the date of grant for the periods corresponding with the expected term of options.
A summary of the activity of the Company’s stock option plans during the years ended June 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, is presented below:
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| Weighted | |
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| Shares |
| Average | |
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| (in thousands) |
| Exercise Price | |
Outstanding at June 30, 2019 |
| |
| $ | |
Granted |
| |
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Exercised |
| ( |
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Cancelled |
| ( |
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| |
Outstanding at June 30, 2020 |
| |
| $ | |
Granted |
| |
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| |
Exercised |
| ( |
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| |
Cancelled |
| ( |
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Outstanding at June 30, 2021 |
| |
| $ | |
The following table summarizes information for options outstanding at June 30, 2021:
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| Options |
| Weighted Average | |||
Range of |
| Outstanding |
| Remaining |
| Exercise | ||
Prices |
| (in thousands) |
| Life (Years) |
| Price | ||
$ | |
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| $ | |
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$ | |
| |
| |
| $ | |
Total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to options was $
Stock-based compensation granted outside a plan
During the quarter ended December 31, 2018, the Company awarded its Chief Executive Officer
Defined Contribution and Retirement Plans
The Company sponsors a defined contribution retirement plan, which covers substantially all employees. The Company’s total matching contribution expense was $
Multi-employer Pension Plans
The Company contributes to
The Company’s participation in the current and previous defined benefit pension plans for the annual period ended June 30, 2021, is outlined in the following table. Unless otherwise noted, the most recent Pension Protection Act zone status available in 2021 and 2020 is for the plan’s year-end at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The zone status is based on information that the Company received from the plan and is certified by the plan’s actuary. Among other factors, plans in the red zone are generally less than
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| Pension Protection |
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| Expiration Date |
| Number of | ||
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| Act Zone Status |
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| Company Contributions |
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| of Collective |
| Company | ||||||||
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| EIN/Pension |
| June 30, |
| Rehabilitation |
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| (in thousands) |
| Surcharge |
| Bargaining |
| Employees | ||||||||
Pension Fund |
| Plan Number |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| Plan Status |
| 2021 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 |
| Imposed |
| Agreement |
| in Plan | |||
Central States SE and |
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| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
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Steelworkers Pension Trust |
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| — |
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| Not applicable |
| — | |||||
Central Pension Fund |
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| — |
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| Not applicable |
| — | |||||
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| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
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With the closure of the Company’s Dubuque, Iowa and Starkville, Mississippi manufacturing facilities, the collective bargaining agreements for the Steelworkers Pension Trust and Central Pension Fund was terminated as of June 30, 2020. As of June 30, 2021, the Company has withdrawn from the Steelworkers Pension Trust and has recorded a withdrawal liability of $
Environmental Matters – In March 2016, the Company received a General Notice Letter for the Lane Street Groundwater Superfund Site (the “Lane Street Site”) located in Elkhart, Indiana from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In April 2016, the EPA issued their proposed clean-up plan for groundwater pollution and request for public comment. The Company responded to the request for public comment in May 2016. The EPA issued a Record of Decision selecting a remedy in August 2016 and estimated total costs to remediate of $
In April 2018, the EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order for Remedial Design and Remedial Action (the “Order”) against the Company. The Order was issued under Section 106(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. §9606(a). The Order directs the Company to perform remedial design and remedial action for the Lane Street Site. The Order was to be effective May 29, 2018. To ensure completion of the remediation work, the EPA required the Company to secure financial assurance in the initial amount a $
Employment Matters – The lawsuit entitled Juan Hernandez, et al. v. Flexsteel Industries, Inc. (“Hernandez I”), was filed on February 21, 2019, in the Superior Court for the County of Riverside by former employees Juan Hernandez and Richard Diaz (together, “Plaintiffs”). On April 29, 2019, Plaintiffs filed a second similarly titled lawsuit in the Superior Court for the County of Riverside (“Hernandez II”). Hernandez II is brought by the same attorneys as Hernandez I and features a single cause of action for civil penalties under the Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”). The Company agreed to resolve both Hernandez I and Hernandez II in principle and on a class-wide basis for $
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(in thousands, except per share amounts) |
| For the Quarter Ended | ||||||||||
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| September 30 |
| December 31 |
| March 31 |
| June 30 | ||||
Fiscal 2021: |
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Net sales |
| $ | |
| $ | |
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| $ | |
Gross margin |
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Operating income |
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Net income |
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Earnings per share: |
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Basic |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Diluted |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
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| For the Quarter Ended | ||||||||||
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| September 30 |
| December 31 |
| March 31 |
| June 30 | ||||
Fiscal 2020: |
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Net sales |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | |
Gross margin |
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Operating income (loss) |
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| ( |
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| ( |
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Net income (loss) |
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| ( |
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| ( |
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Earnings (loss) per share: |
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Basic |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
Diluted |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
| $ | ( |
On September 8, 2021, the Company, as borrower, entered into a credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the “Lender”) and the other lenders party thereto. The Credit Agreement has a term and provides for up to a $
On August 20, 2021, Flexsteel entered into a lease agreement for the construction of a
building available for use by the Company for purposes of completing any leasehold improvements required by the Company prior to beginning operations. The lease term begins on June 1, 2022, and ends on May 31, 2034, with
On July 27, 2021, the Company entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the sale of its Harrison, Arkansas facility (see note 6 Assets held for sale). Completion of the sale is dependent upon Buyer financing and completion of a Phase 1 environmental study.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures – Based on their evaluation as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer have concluded that disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) were effective as of June 30, 2021.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting – Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company performed an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of its management, including the CEO and CFO, to assess the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures under the Exchange Act as of June 30, 2021. In making this assessment, the Company used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013). Based on those criteria, management concluded that the internal control over financial reporting is effective as of June 30, 2021.
The effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2021, has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
No change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) occurred during the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2021 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information
On September 8, 2021, the Company, as borrower, entered into a credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the “Lender”) and the other lenders party thereto. The Credit Agreement has a five-year term and provides for up to a $85 million revolving line of credit. Subject to certain conditions, the Credit Agreement also provides for the issuance of letters of credit in an aggregate amount up to $5,000,000 which, upon issuance, would be deemed advances under the revolving line of credit. The Company’s $1.2 million of letters of credit previously issued by Lender will be treated as outstanding under the Credit Agreement. Proceeds of borrowings shall be used to refinance all indebtedness owing to Dubuque Bank & Trust and for working capital purposes. The Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement are secured by substantially all of its assets, excluding real property.
Subject to certain conditions, borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at 1.25% or 1.50% per annum plus LIBOR. If LIBOR becomes unavailable, the replacement rate will be determined pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement.
The Credit Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants, including a financial covenant to maintain a fixed coverage ratio of not less than 1.00:1.00. In addition, the Loan Agreement places restrictions on the Company’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, to create liens or other encumbrances, to sell or otherwise dispose of assets, and to merge or consolidate with other entities.
The full terms and conditions of this financing are set forth in the Credit Agreement. A copy of the Credit Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.22 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
In accordance with General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K, the Company intends to file with the SEC the information required by this item not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Form 10-K.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
In accordance with General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K, the Company intends to file with the SEC the information required by this item not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Form 10-K.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
In accordance with General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K, the Company intends to file with the SEC the information required by this item not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Form 10-K.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
In accordance with General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K, the Company intends to file with the SEC the information required by this item not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Form 10-K.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
In accordance with General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K, the Company intends to file with the SEC the information required by this item not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Form 10-K.
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statements and Schedules
Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedules
See “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements” in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Schedule II is included in Part II, Item 8, all other financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are not required or are not applicable or because the information required in those schedules either is not material or is included in the consolidated financial statements or the accompanying notes.
Exhibits
The exhibits listed in the accompanying index to exhibits are filed or incorporated as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The following financial statement schedules for the years ended June 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019 are submitted herewith:
VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
For the Years Ended June 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019
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(in thousands) |
| Balance at |
| (Additions) |
| Deductions from |
| Balance at End | ||||
Description |
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Accounts Receivable Allowances: | ||||||||||||
2021 |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
2020 |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
2019(1) |
| $ | |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ |
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VAT Allowances: | ||||||||||||
2021 |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
2020 |
| $ | |
| $ | — |
| $ | ( |
| $ | |
2019 |
| $ | — |
| $ | |
| $ | ( |
| $ |
(1)The beginning balance was adjusted by $
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. |
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| By: | /S/ Jerald K. Dittmer |
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| Jerald K. Dittmer |
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| Chief Executive Officer |
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| (Principal Executive Officer) |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| /S/ Jerald K. Dittmer |
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| Jerald K. Dittmer |
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| Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| /S/ Derek P. Schmidt |
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| Derek P. Schmidt |
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| Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer (Principal Financial Accounting Officer) |
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| /S/ Thomas M. Levine |
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| Thomas M. Levine |
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| Chair of the Board of Directors |
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| /S/ Mary C. Bottie |
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| Mary C. Bottie |
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| Director |
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| /S/ William S. Creekmuir |
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| William S. Creekmuir |
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| Director |
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| /S/ Matthew A. Kaness |
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| Matthew A. Kaness |
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| Director |
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| /S/ Eric S. Rangen |
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| Eric S. Rangen |
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| Director |
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Date: | September 8, 2021 |
| /S/ Kathryn P. Dickson |
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| Kathryn P. Dickson |
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| Director |
Exhibit Index
* | Management contracts, compensatory plans and arrangements required to be filed as an exhibit to this report. |
† | Filed herewith |
101.INS | XBRL Instance Document** |
101.SCH | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document |
101.CAL | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document |
101.LAB | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document |
101.DEF | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document |
101.PRE | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |
104.Cover Page | Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101) |
** | In accordance with Regulation S-T, the XBRL-related information in Exhibit 101 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K shall be deemed to be “furnished” and not “filed.” |
Exhibit 10.10
NOTIFICATION OF RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD
UNDER THE FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
Name of Grantee: |
|
Restricted Stock Award: |
Grant Date: |
1.Notification of Award. Flexsteel Industries, Inc. (the “Company”), hereby grants to you (“Employee”) a Restricted Stock Award under this Notification of Award (the “Notification of Award”). The Restricted Stock Award represents the right to receive shares of common stock of the Company (the “Shares”) under the terms and conditions described in this Notification of Award and in the Company’s 2013 Omnibus Stock Plan (the “Plan”), provided upon request.
2. Vesting. The Employee’s rights in and to the number of Shares so indicated shall become vested upon the earliest of the following dates or events to occur:
a. |
On _________, 202_, [#] shares shall vest if the Employee is employed and in good standing with the Company on such date; |
b. |
On _________, 202_, [#] shares shall vest if the Employee is employed and in good standing with the Company on such date; |
c. |
On _________, 202_, [#] shares shall vest if the Employee is employed and in good standing with the Company on such date; |
d. |
On the date of the Employee’s death while employed with the Company all unvested Shares shall vest; |
e. |
On the date the Employee is determined to be disabled under the Company’s long-term disability plan for entitlement to benefits thereunder (“Disability”) all unvested Shares shall vest; |
f. |
On the date of an Involuntary Termination within 30 days before or 12 months following a Change in Control of the Company (See Attachment A, “Definitions”) all unvested Shares shall vest; |
g. |
[On the date Employee’s employment with the Company is terminated, if termination for other than Cause (See Attachment A, “Definitions”) occurs on or after Employee reaches the age of 62 and is the result of other than death or disability, then Employee shall be entitled to receive a pro rata portion of the Restricted Stock Award, including previously vested shares, based , on the number of days employed by the Company during the period beginning on the Grant Date and ending June 30, 202__.] |
Notwithstanding any earlier vesting as provided above, the Employee shall have no rights in or to the restricted stock or payment under this Notification of Award if the Employee is terminated for Cause (See Attachment A, “Definitions”)
3. Dividends. During the period prior to vesting (as defined in Section 2 above), dividends will be paid quarterly on the unvested Shares unless such Shares have been forfeited hereunder. Dividends shall otherwise be considered a part of the Restricted Stock Award.
4.Forfeiture Restriction. In the event of Employee’s cessation of employment with or service to the Company for any reason, all of the Shares which have not otherwise vested pursuant to the vesting schedule set forth in Section 2 above shall thereupon be forfeited immediately and without any further action by the
Company (the “Forfeiture Restriction”). Upon occurrence of such a forfeiture, the Company shall become the legal and beneficial owner of the unvested Shares and all rights and interests therein or relating thereto, and the Company shall have the right to retain and transfer to its own name the number of unvested Shares being forfeited by Employee. The unvested Shares and Employee’s executed stock assignment (See Attachment B, “Stock Assignment”) to this Notification of Award shall be held by the Company in accordance with in accordance with Section 6 until the Shares are forfeited as provided in this Section 4, until such unvested Shares are fully released from the Forfeiture Restriction, or until such time as this Notification of Award is no longer in effect. Employee hereby authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Company, or such other person designated by the Company, to transfer the unvested Shares which have been forfeited pursuant to this Section 4 from Employee to the Company. The Company will provide to the Employee a separate Stock Assignment for each certificate of Shares.
5.Release of Shares from Forfeiture Restriction. The Shares shall be released from the Forfeiture Restriction in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in Section 2 of this Notification of Award. Any of the Shares which, from time to time, have not yet been released from the Forfeiture Restriction are referred to herein as “Unreleased Shares.” As soon as administratively practicable following the release of any Shares from the Forfeiture Restriction, the Company shall, as applicable, either deliver to the Employee the certificate or certificates representing such Shares in the Company’s possession belonging to the Employee, or, if the Shares are held in book entry form, then the Company shall remove the notations on the book form. The Employee (or the beneficiary or personal representative of the Employee in the event of the Employee’s death or incapacity, as the case may be) shall deliver to the Company any representations or other documents or assurances as the Company or its representatives deem necessary or advisable in connection with any such delivery.
6.Escrow. The Unreleased Shares and Employee’s executed Stock Assignment shall be held by the Company until the Shares are forfeited as provided in Section 4, until such Unreleased Shares are fully released from the Forfeiture Restriction, or until such time as this Notification of Award no longer is in effect. In such event, Employee shall not retain physical custody of any certificates representing Unreleased Shares issued to Employee. Employee, by acceptance of this Notification of Award, shall be deemed to appoint, and does so appoint, the Company and each of its authorized representatives as Employee’s attorney(s)-in-fact to effect any transfer of forfeited Unreleased Shares to the Company as may be required pursuant to the Plan or this Notification of Award, and to execute such representations or other documents or assurances as the Company or such representatives deem necessary or advisable in connection with any such transfer. The Company, or its designee, shall not be liable for any act it may do or omit to do with respect to holding the Shares in escrow and while acting in good faith an in the exercise of its judgment.
7. Withholding Taxes. The Company has the right to deduct and withhold any taxes due as a result of this Restricted Stock Award. The Company may, in its discretion, elect to withhold cash from other compensation payable to the Employee by the Company or withhold shares otherwise payable to you under this Notification of Award to satisfy applicable federal, state, and local withholding tax requirements with respect to the Restricted Stock Award and dividends. The Employee agrees to pay to the Company, when due, any amount necessary to satisfy applicable federal, state, and local withholding tax requirements with respect to the Restricted Stock Award and dividends. The Company will process payment of the amount determined under this Section 7 through the Employee’s payroll along with applicable withholding taxes.
Restricted Stock Award |
2 |
|
Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
|
|
8.Forfeiture and Repayment. If you receive or become entitled to receive a payment under this Notification of Award within six months before your Separation from Service with the Company, the Company, in its sole discretion, may require you to forfeit or return the Award, as the case may be, in the event you: (a) engage in Competitive Activity at any time during your employment or within a two-year period after your Separation from Service or (b) engage in Improper Use of Confidential Information at any time. (See Attachment A, “Definitions”.) The Company also reserves the right to require you to pay back to the Company any amount received under the Award as described in Section 18 of the Plan. Further, in no event will you be entitled to any of the Unreleased Shares under this Notification of Award if you have a termination for Cause. Any repayment due under this Section 8 or Section 18 of the Plan will be made by you either in the Shares, or in a dollar amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares determined on the date of repayment, you received under the Award. The Committee, in its discretion, will determine which method of payment is acceptable.
9.Employment of Employee. Nothing in this Notification of Award shall be construed as constituting a commitment, guaranty, agreement or understanding of any kind or nature that the Company shall continue to employ the Employee, and this Notification of Award shall not affect in any way the right of the Company or its subsidiaries to terminate the employment of the Employee at any time for any reason. The Company shall have the right to reduce or recoup amounts due under the Notification of Award, but only to the extent such reduction or recoupment is specifically required by any federal or Minnesota law or regulation with respect to amounts due under this Notification of Award.
10.Transferability. The Employee shall not sell, transfer, pledge, assign or otherwise encumber any of the Restricted Stock Award, whether voluntarily, involuntarily or by operation of law. Any purported transfer, pledge or encumbrance of such Restricted Stock Award shall be void and unenforceable against the Company, and no purported transferee shall acquire any right or interest with respect to the Restricted Stock Award or the payment therefor as a result.
11.Rights of Stockholder. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or this Notification of Award, upon issuance of the Shares by the Company, Employee shall have all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to said Shares, subject to the restrictions herein, including the right to vote the Shares and to receive all dividends or other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares.
12.Legends. The certificate or certificates representing the Shares, if any, shall bear the following legend (as well as any legends required by applicable state and federal corporate and securities laws):
THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE IN FAVOR OF THE COMPANY AND MAY BE TRANSFERRED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF A RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THE STOCKHOLDER, A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY.
13.Governing Law. This Notification of Award shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, without regard to the principles of rules of any jurisdiction with respect to conflict of laws.
Restricted Stock Award |
3 |
|
Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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14.Incorporation of Plan. Except to the extent specifically provided in this Notification of Award, this grant shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan, which shall be incorporated as though fully set forth herein. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Notification of Award shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of the Plan and the provisions of this Notification of Award, the provisions of the Plan will govern.
15.Entire Notification of Award; Modification. This Notification of Award sets forth all of the promises, conditions, understandings, warranties and representations between the parties with respect to the Restricted Stock Award, and there are no promises, agreements, conditions, understandings, warranties or representations, oral or written, express or implied, between the parties with respect to the Restricted Stock Award other than as set forth in this Notification of Award, the Plan and referenced and related attachments to the Plan. This Notification of Award is, and is intended by the parties to be, an integration of any and all prior agreements or understandings, oral or written, with respect to the Restricted Stock Award. Except as provided in Section 14, any change in, or modification of, this Agreement shall be valid only if in writing and signed by the parties to this Agreement.
16.Notices. Any and all notices provided for in this Notification of Award shall be addressed: (i) if to the Company, to the principal executive office of the Company to the attention of Secretary, and (ii) if to the Employee, to the address of the Employee as reflected in the records of the Company.
17.Invalid or Unenforceable Provisions. The invalidity or unenforceability of any particular provisions of this Notification of Award shall not affect the other provisions, and this Notification of Award shall be construed in all respects as if that invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.
18. Acknowledgment. Your receipt of this Notification of Award constitutes your agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Notification of Award and the Plan.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Employee have executed this Notification of Award to be effective as of the Grant Date.
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. |
EMPLOYEE |
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Jerald K. DittmeBy: Jerald K. Dittmer |
By: |
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Its: President & CEIts: President & CEO |
Restricted Stock Award |
4 |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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ATTACHMENT A
Definitions
The Capitalized terms used in this Notification of Award have the meanings set forth below.
“Cause” means:
(i)The willful and continued failure of the Employee to perform substantially the Employee’s duties as established from time to time by the Company’s management (other than any such failure resulting from a Disability), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to the Employee by the Company’s management that specifically identifies the manner in which the management believes that the Employee has not substantially performed the Employee’s duties; or
(ii)Dishonesty, fraud, misappropriation of funds, theft relating to the Employee’s position, harassment, an act of violence, acts punishable by law, misconduct as described in the Flexsteel Employee Handbook, as amended from time to time, or such other serious misconduct as will be determined by the Company to constitute conduct that warrants forfeiture pursuant to the Plan and this Notification of Award.
“Change in Control” means any of the following (but only if such event meets the definition of “change in control” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code):
(i) |
Any individual, entity or group becomes a “Beneficial Owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of at least thirty percent (30%) but less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company in a transaction that is not previously approved by the Board of Directors of the Company; |
(ii) |
Any individual, entity or group becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company; |
(iii) |
The person who were directors of the Company immediately prior to any contested election or series of contested elections, tender offer, exchange offer, merger, consolidation, other business combination, or any combination of the foregoing cease to constitute a majority of the members of the Board of Directors immediately following such occurrence; |
(iv) |
Any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination where the individuals or entities who constituted the Company’s shareholders immediately prior to the combination will not immediately after the combination own at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting securities of the business resulting from the combination; |
(v) |
The sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company to any individual, entity or group not affiliated with the Company; |
(vi) |
The liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or |
(vii) |
The occurrence of any other event by which the Company no longer operates as an independent public company. |
Restricted Stock Award |
5 |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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“Competitive Activity” means any of the following regardless of whether it is undertaken, directly or indirectly, on your own behalf or on behalf of any person or entity other than the Company, including, without limitation as a proprietor, principal, agent, partner, officer, director, stockholder, employee, member of any association, contractor, consultant or otherwise:
(i)Engaging in any business activity, in any geographic market in which the Company is then engaged in business that is competitive with the business of the Company
(ii) Hiring or soliciting for employment any person who is then an employee of the Company;
(iii)Inducing or attempting to induce any person to end his or her employment relationship with the Company;
(iv)Soliciting business concerning any business (as described in Section (i) above) from any person or entity who is, or who was, a client, customer, prospective client or prospective customer of the Company; or
(v) Taking any action to divert business from, or inducing or attempting to induce any customer or prospective customer or any vendor, supplier or other business relation to cease doing business with the Company.
“Improper Use of Confidential Information” means:
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(i) |
Any use or disclosure of Confidential Information except as required for the performance of the Employee's duties as an employee of the Company; |
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(ii) |
Any act or omission that directly or indirectly would materially reduce the value of Confidential Information except for such acts or omissions that are required for the performance of the Employee’s duties as an employee of the Company. |
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(iii) |
Notwithstanding anything in Sections (i) or (ii) above, Improper Use of Confidential Information does not include: |
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(A) |
any disclosure, use or other act or omission that is expressly authorized in writing, in advance by the Company; or |
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(B) |
any required disclosure of Confidential Information by law or legal process, if: (x) the Employee provides prompt notice to the Company in writing, and prior to disclosing any Confidential Information, so that the Company may elect to seek an appropriate protective order to prevent disclosure at the Company’s option and expense; and (y) the Employee cooperates with the Company in any efforts to seek a protective order. |
Restricted Stock Award |
6 |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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For purposes of this definition, “Confidential Information” means any non-public information regarding the Company or any of its owners, directors, representatives, agents, employees, suppliers, vendors, shareholders, members, clients, customers, or other third parties or entities with whom the Company does business and which the Employee has learned or developed in the past as a result of Employee’s employment by or association with the Company or which the Employee learns or develops while providing services to the Company. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, trade secrets, information about customers, prospective customers, marketing strategies, business strategies, sales strategies, products, services, key personnel, suppliers, pricing, technology, computer software code, methods, processes, designs, research, development systems, techniques, finances, accounting, purchasing, forecasts, or planning. All information disclosed to the Employee or to which the Employee obtains access in whatever form, whether originated by the Employee or by others, during the period that the Employee provides services to the Company will be presumed to be Confidential Information if it is treated by the Company as being Confidential Information or if the Employee has a reasonable basis to believe it to be Confidential Information. For these purposes, Confidential Information will not include knowledge or information: (i) that is now or subsequently becomes generally publicly known, other than as a direct or indirect result of Improper Use or Disclosure of Confidential Information by an Employee; or (ii) that is independently made available to the Employee in good faith by a third party who has not violated any legal duty or confidential relationship with the Company.
“Involuntary Termination” has the meaning set forth in U.S. Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(n). Generally, this means that the Company has terminated your employment under circumstances where you have not initiated or requested the termination and you are willing and able to continue your employment. An “involuntary termination,” for these purposes, also includes your separation from service due to “good reason” if your separation occurs due to a material diminution in your base compensation; a material diminution of your authority, duties or responsibilities; or a material change in the geographic location at which you must perform services. In order for a separation from service to be considered a “good reason” separation from service, you must provide a written notice to the Company of the existence of the condition within a 30-day period following the initial existence of the condition, upon which the Company must be provided a period of at least 90 days during which it may remedy the condition.
Restricted Stock Award |
7 |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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ATTACHMENT B
STOCK ASSIGNMENT
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, ____________________, hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. (the “Company”), a Minnesota corporation, __________ shares of the Company’s common stock, standing in its name of the books of the Company represented by Certificate No. ______ herewith and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ________________________ to transfer the said stock on the books of the Company with full power of substitution on the premises.
This Stock Assignment may be used only in accordance with the Notification of Restricted Stock Award between the Company and the undersigned dated July 1, 2019.
___________________________________
INSTRUCTIONS: Please do not fill in the blanks other than the signature line. The purpose of this assignment is to enable the Company to enforce the Forfeiture Restriction as set forth in the Notification of Restricted Stock Award, without requiring additional signatures on the part of the Employee.
Restricted Stock Award |
8 |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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Exhibit 10.2
CASH INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
NOTIFICATION OF AWARD
TO:
1.Performance Award. Flexsteel Industries, Inc., (the “Company”), grants to you an Award under the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Cash Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) provided upon request.
Grant Date: July 1, 2017 |
Performance Period: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 |
Base Salary: $XXX |
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Target Percentage Participation %: XX% |
Target Cash Value: $XX |
2.Performance Goals. To be eligible to receive payment under this Award, you must meet the Performance Goals set forth below. If the threshold goal amount is not reached, no amounts will be paid in any category.
Weighting % |
Target Cash Value |
GOAL(S) |
Goal Achievement Posts |
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Threshold 40% |
TARGET 100% |
Outstanding 160% |
Special 200% |
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100% |
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(See attachment for annual goal details.)
3.Calculation of Award. Following the close of the Performance Period, the Award payable to you will be calculated by the achievement of the Performance Goal(s) against the Target Performance Award to determine your Award payout for the Performance Period.
4.Employment Requirement. In general, in order to receive an Award payment under this Notification of Award, you must be employed by the Company through the last day of the Performance Period. However, if your employment is terminated during a Performance Period as a result of your death, disability, on or after reaching age 62, or an Involuntary Termination for reasons other than Cause within 30 days before or 12 months following a Change in Control (See Attachment A, “Definitions”) you (or your beneficiary in the case of your death) will be entitled to receive a pro rata portion of the Award based on the number of days you were employed by the Company during the Performance Period.
5.Payment of Award. Your Award for a Performance Period will be paid to you in a cash lump sum after the audited financials for the Performance Period are completed, but no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Performance Period, unless a delay is otherwise permitted under the terms of the Plan. Under certain circumstances, the payment may be made at an earlier date, as determined by the Committee, as long as the acceleration does not result in a violation of Section 409A or 162(m) of the Code.
6. Withholding Taxes. The Company may deduct and withhold from any payment due you under this Notification of Award or any other compensation payable to you by the Company any taxes due as a result of the Award payout.
7. Beneficiary Designation. If your employment is terminated as a result of death during a Performance Period, an amount may be payable upon your death as provided in Section 4 of this Notification of Award. The Plan permits each Participant to designate a beneficiary to receive payments that may be due in the event of death. Any beneficiary can be named, and you may change your beneficiaries at any time by submitting such designation, in writing, to the Company. (See Attachment B, “Beneficiary Designation of Employee”).
8.Forfeiture and Repayment. If you receive or become entitled to receive a payment under this Award within six months before your Separation from Service with the Company, the Company, in its sole discretion, may require you to forfeit or return the Award, as the case may be, in the event you: (a) engage in Competitive Activity at any time during your employment or within a two-year period after your Separation from Service or (b) engage in Improper Use of Confidential Information at any time. (See Attachment A, “Definitions”.) The Company also reserves the right to require you to pay back to the Company any amount received under the Award as described in Section 6.5 of the Plan. Further, in no event will you be entitled to an Award under this Notification of Award if you have a Termination for Cause at any time before the payment date of the Award.
9.No Employment Contract. Nothing contained in the Plan or this Notification of Award creates any right to your continued employment or otherwise affects your status as an employee at will. You acknowledge that the Company and you each have the right to terminate your employment at any time for any reason or for no reason at all, subject only to the terms of any written employment agreement between you and the Company.
10. Governing Terms. The Award is subject to the terms of this Notification of Award and the terms of the Plan. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Notification of Award and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will govern. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Notification of Award will have the meanings given to them in the Plan.
11.Acknowledgment. Your receipt of this Notification of Award constitutes your agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Notification of Award and the Plan.
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. |
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Acknowledgment of Receipt: |
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Jerald K. DittmeJerald K. Dittmer |
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Name |
Date |
President & CEPresident & CEO |
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Cash Incentive Compensation Plan Notice of Award
ATTACHMENT A
CASH INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
NOTIFICATION OF AWARD DEFINITIONS
The Capitalized terms used in this Notification of Award have the meanings set forth below.
“Change in Control” means any of the following (but only if such event meets the definition of “change in control” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code):
(i) |
Any individual, entity or group becomes a “Beneficial Owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of at least thirty percent (30%) but less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company in a transaction that is not previously approved by the Board of Directors of the Company; |
(ii) |
Any individual, entity or group becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company; |
(iii) |
The person who were directors of the Company immediately prior to any contested election or series of contested elections, tender offer, exchange offer, merger, consolidation, other business combination, or any combination of the foregoing cease to constitute a majority of the members of the Board of Directors immediately following such occurrence; |
(iv) |
Any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination where the individuals or entities who constituted the Company’s shareholders immediately prior to the combination will not immediately after the combination own at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting securities of the business resulting from the combination; |
(v) |
The sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company to any individual, entity or group not affiliated with the Company; |
(vi) |
The liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or |
(vii) |
The occurrence of any other event by which the Company no longer operates as an independent public company. |
“Competitive Activity” means any of the following regardless of whether it is undertaken, directly or indirectly, on your own behalf or on behalf of any person or entity other than the Company, including without limitation as a proprietor, principal, agent, partner, officer, director, stockholder, employee, member of any association, contractor, consultant or otherwise:
(i)Engaging in any business activity, in any geographic market in which the Company is then engaged in business that is competitive with the business of the Company; or
(ii)Hiring or soliciting for employment any person who is then an employee of the Company; or
(iii)Inducing or attempting to induce any person to end his or her employment relationship with the Company; or
Cash Incentive Compensation Plan Notice of Award
(iv)Soliciting business concerning any business (as described in Section (i) above) from any person or entity who is, or who was, a client, customer, prospective client or prospective customer of the Company; or
(v)Taking any action to divert business from, or inducing or attempting to induce any customer or prospective customer or any vendor, supplier or other business relation to cease doing business with the Company.
“Improper Use of Confidential Information” means:
(i)Any use or disclosure of Confidential Information except as required for the performance of the Participant's duties as an employee of the Company;
(ii)Any act or omission that directly or indirectly would materially reduce the value of Confidential Information except for such acts or omissions that are required for the performance of the Participant’s duties as an employee of the Company.
(iii)Notwithstanding anything in Sections (i) or (ii) above, Improper Use of Confidential Information does not include:
(A)any disclosure, use or other act or omission that is expressly authorized in writing, in advance by the Company; or
(B)any required disclosure of Confidential Information by law or legal process, if: (x) the Participant provides prompt notice to the Company in writing, and prior to disclosing any Confidential Information, so that the Company may elect to seek an appropriate protective order to prevent disclosure at the Company’s option and expense; and (y) the Participant cooperates with the Company in any efforts to seek a protective order.
For purposes of this definition, “Confidential Information” means any non-public information regarding the Company or any of its owners, directors, representatives, agents, employees, suppliers, vendors, shareholders, members, clients, customers, or other third parties or entities with whom the Company does business and which the Participant has learned or developed in the past as a result of Participant’s employment by or association with the Company or which the Participant learns or develops while providing services to the Company. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, trade secrets, information about customers, prospective customers, marketing strategies, business strategies, sales strategies, products, services, key personnel, suppliers, pricing, technology, computer software code, methods, processes, designs, research, development systems, techniques, finances, accounting, purchasing, forecasts, or planning. All information disclosed to the Participant or to which the Participant obtains access in whatever form, whether originated by the Participant or by others, during the period that the Participant provides services to the Company will be presumed to be Confidential Information if it is treated by the Company as being Confidential Information or if the Participant has a reasonable basis to believe it to be Confidential Information. For these purposes, Confidential Information will not include knowledge or information: (i) that is now or subsequently becomes generally publicly known, other than as a direct or indirect result of Improper Use or Disclosure of Confidential Information by a Participant; or (ii) that is independently made available to the Participant in good faith by a third party who has not violated any legal duty or confidential relationship with the Company.
Cash Incentive Compensation Plan Notice of Award
“Involuntary Termination” has the meaning set forth in U.S. Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(n). Generally, this means that the Company has terminated your employment under circumstances where you have not initiated or requested the termination and you are willing and able to continue your employment. An “involuntary termination,” for these purposes, also includes your separation from service due to “good reason” if your separation occurs due to a material diminution in your base compensation; a material diminution of your authority, duties or responsibilities; or a material change in the geographic location at which you must perform services. In order for a separation from service to be considered a “good reason” separation from service, you must provide a written notice to the Company of the existence of the condition within a 30-day period following the initial existence of the condition, upon which the Company must be provided a period of at least 90 days during which it may remedy the condition.
“Termination for Cause” means the involuntary termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company as a result of dishonesty, fraud, misappropriation of funds, theft relating to the Participant’s position, harassment, an act of violence, acts punishable by law, misconduct as described in the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Employee Handbook, as amended from time to time, or such other serious misconduct as will be determined by the Company to constitute conduct that warrants forfeiture pursuant to the Plan and Section 8 of this Notification of Award.
Cash Incentive Compensation Plan Notice of Award
CASH INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION OF EMPLOYEE
Under the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Cash Incentive Compensation Plan, I, «First_Name» «Last_Name», hereby designate the following as beneficiary of any portion of my award which has been earned according to the terms of the Plan and unpaid at the time of my death.
Signature: ________________________________
Name: «First_Name» «Last_Name»
Date: ____________________________________
*This election is valid until a later dated designation is completed and filed with the Company.
Cash Incentive Compensation Plan Notice of Award
Exhibit 10.22
CREDIT AGREEMENT
by and among
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Agent,
THE LENDERS THAT ARE PARTIES HERETO
as the Lenders,
and
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
as Borrower
Dated as of September 8, 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1 |
DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION. |
1 |
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1.1. |
Definitions |
1 |
1.2. |
Accounting Terms |
56 |
1.3. |
Code |
57 |
1.4. |
Construction |
57 |
1.5. |
Time References |
58 |
1.6. |
Schedules and Exhibits |
58 |
1.7. |
Divisions |
58 |
1.8. |
Rates |
58 |
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2 |
LOANS AND TERMS OF PAYMENT. |
59 |
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2.1. |
Revolving Loans. |
59 |
2.2. |
[Reserved] |
59 |
2.3. |
Borrowing Procedures and Settlements. |
61 |
2.4. |
Payments; Reductions of Commitments; Prepayments. |
69 |
2.5. |
Promise to Pay; Promissory Notes. |
72 |
2.6. |
Interest Rates and Letter of Credit Fee: Rates, Payments, and Calculations. |
73 |
2.7. |
Crediting Payments |
75 |
2.8. |
Designated Account |
75 |
2.9. |
Maintenance of Loan Account; Statements of Obligations |
75 |
2.10. |
Fees. |
75 |
2.11. |
Letters of Credit. |
76 |
2.12. |
Special Provisions Applicable to LIBOR Loans. |
86 |
2.13. |
Capital Requirements. |
88 |
2.14. |
Incremental Facilities |
89 |
2.15. |
Joint and Several Liability of Borrowers. |
91 |
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3 |
CONDITIONS; TERM OF AGREEMENT. |
95 |
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3.1. |
Conditions Precedent to the Initial Extension of Credit |
95 |
3.2. |
Conditions Precedent to all Extensions of Credit |
95 |
3.3. |
Maturity |
96 |
3.4. |
Effect of Maturity |
96 |
3.5. |
Early Termination by Borrowers |
96 |
3.6. |
Conditions Subsequent |
96 |
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4 |
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. |
96 |
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4.1. |
Due Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries. |
97 |
4.2. |
Due Authorization; No Conflict. |
98 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
4.3. |
Governmental Consents |
98 |
4.4. |
Binding Obligations; Perfected Liens. |
98 |
4.5. |
Title to Assets; No Encumbrances |
99 |
4.6. |
Litigation. |
99 |
4.7. |
Compliance with Laws |
99 |
4.8. |
No Material Adverse Effect |
99 |
4.9. |
Solvency. |
99 |
4.10. |
Employee Benefits |
100 |
4.11. |
Environmental Condition |
100 |
4.12. |
Complete Disclosure |
101 |
4.13. |
Patriot Act |
101 |
4.14. |
Indebtedness |
101 |
4.15. |
Payment of Taxes |
102 |
4.16. |
Margin Stock |
102 |
4.17. |
Governmental Regulation |
102 |
4.18. |
OFAC; Sanctions; Anti-Corruption Laws; Anti-Money Laundering Laws |
102 |
4.19. |
Employee and Labor Matters |
103 |
4.20. |
Material Contracts |
103 |
4.21. |
Leases |
103 |
4.22. |
Eligible Accounts |
104 |
4.23. |
Eligible Inventory |
104 |
4.24. |
Location of Inventory |
104 |
4.25. |
Inventory Records |
104 |
4.26. |
Hedge Agreements |
104 |
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5 |
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS. |
104 |
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5.1. |
Financial Statements, Reports, Certificates |
104 |
5.2. |
Reporting |
105 |
5.3. |
Existence |
105 |
5.4. |
Maintenance of Properties |
105 |
5.5. |
Taxes |
105 |
5.6. |
Insurance. |
105 |
5.7. |
Inspection. |
106 |
5.8. |
Compliance with Laws |
107 |
5.9. |
Environmental |
107 |
5.10. |
Disclosure Updates |
107 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
5.11. |
Formation of Subsidiaries |
108 |
5.12. |
Further Assurances |
108 |
5.13. |
[Reserved] |
109 |
5.14. |
Compliance with ERISA and the IRC |
109 |
5.15. |
Location of Inventory; Chief Executive Office |
110 |
5.16. |
OFAC; Sanctions; Anti-Corruption Laws; Anti-Money Laundering Laws |
110 |
5.17. |
Material Contracts |
110 |
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6 |
NEGATIVE COVENANTS. |
110 |
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6.1. |
Indebtedness |
110 |
6.2. |
Liens |
111 |
6.3. |
Restrictions on Fundamental Changes |
111 |
6.4. |
Disposal of Assets |
111 |
6.5. |
Nature of Business |
111 |
6.6. |
Prepayments and Amendments |
112 |
6.7. |
Restricted Payments |
112 |
6.8. |
Accounting Methods |
113 |
6.9. |
Investments |
113 |
6.10. |
Transactions with Affiliates |
113 |
6.11. |
Use of Proceeds |
114 |
6.12. |
Limitation on Issuance of Equity Interests |
114 |
6.13. |
Inventory with Bailees |
115 |
6.14. |
Employee Benefits |
115 |
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7 |
FINANCIAL COVENANT. |
115 |
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8 |
EVENTS OF DEFAULT. |
115 |
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8.1. |
Payments |
116 |
8.2. |
Covenants |
116 |
8.3. |
Judgments |
116 |
8.4. |
Voluntary Bankruptcy, etc |
117 |
8.5. |
Involuntary Bankruptcy, etc |
117 |
8.6. |
Default Under Other Agreements |
117 |
8.7. |
Representations, etc |
117 |
8.8. |
Guaranty |
117 |
8.9. |
Security Documents |
117 |
8.10. |
Loan Documents |
117 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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8.11. |
Change of Control |
118 |
8.12. |
ERISA |
118 |
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9 |
RIGHTS AND REMEDIES. |
118 |
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9.1. |
Rights and Remedies |
118 |
9.2. |
Remedies Cumulative |
119 |
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10 |
WAIVERS; INDEMNIFICATION. |
119 |
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10.1. |
Demand; Protest; etc |
119 |
10.2. |
The Lender Group's Liability for Collateral |
119 |
10.3. |
Indemnification |
119 |
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11 |
NOTICES. |
121 |
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12 |
CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE; JURY TRIAL WAIVER; JUDICIAL REFERENCE PROVISION. |
122 |
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|
13 |
ASSIGNMENTS AND PARTICIPATIONS; SUCCESSORS. |
125 |
|
|
|
13.1. |
Assignments and Participations. |
125 |
13.2. |
Successors |
129 |
|
|
|
14 |
AMENDMENTS; WAIVERS. |
130 |
|
|
|
14.1. |
Amendments and Waivers. |
130 |
14.2. |
Replacement of Certain Lenders. |
132 |
14.3. |
No Waivers; Cumulative Remedies |
133 |
|
|
|
15 |
AGENT; THE LENDER GROUP. |
133 |
|
|
|
15.1. |
Appointment and Authorization of Agent |
133 |
15.2. |
Delegation of Duties |
134 |
15.3. |
Liability of Agent |
134 |
15.4. |
Reliance by Agent |
134 |
15.5. |
Notice of Default or Event of Default |
135 |
15.6. |
Credit Decision |
135 |
15.7. |
Costs and Expenses; Indemnification |
136 |
15.8. |
Agent in Individual Capacity |
137 |
15.9. |
Successor Agent |
137 |
15.10. |
Lender in Individual Capacity |
138 |
15.11. |
Collateral Matters. |
138 |
15.12. |
Restrictions on Actions by Lenders; Sharing of Payments. |
140 |
15.13. |
Agency for Perfection |
141 |
15.14. |
Payments by Agent to the Lenders |
141 |
-iv-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
15.15. |
Concerning the Collateral and Related Loan Documents |
141 |
15.16. |
Field Examination Reports; Confidentiality; Disclaimers by Lenders; Other Reports and Information |
141 |
15.17. |
Several Obligations; No Liability |
142 |
|
|
|
16 |
WITHHOLDING TAXES. |
143 |
|
|
|
16.1. |
Payments |
143 |
16.2. |
Exemptions. |
143 |
16.3. |
Reductions. |
145 |
16.4. |
Refunds |
146 |
|
|
|
17 |
GENERAL PROVISIONS. |
147 |
|
|
|
17.1. |
Effectiveness |
147 |
17.2. |
Section Headings |
147 |
17.3. |
Interpretation |
147 |
17.4. |
Severability of Provisions |
147 |
17.5. |
Bank Product Providers |
147 |
17.6. |
Debtor-Creditor Relationship |
148 |
17.7. |
Counterparts; Electronic Execution |
148 |
17.8. |
Revival and Reinstatement of Obligations; Certain Waivers |
148 |
17.9. |
Confidentiality. |
149 |
17.10. |
Survival |
151 |
17.11. |
Patriot Act; Due Diligence |
151 |
17.12. |
Integration |
151 |
17.13. |
Flexsteel as Agent for Borrowers |
152 |
17.14. |
Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions |
152 |
17.15. |
Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs |
153 |
17.16. |
Erroneous Payments. |
154 |
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EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES
Exhibit A-1 |
Form of Assignment and Acceptance |
Exhibit B-1 |
Form of Borrowing Base Certificate |
Exhibit C-1 |
Form of Compliance Certificate |
Exhibit J-1 |
Form of Joinder |
Exhibit P-1 |
Form of Perfection Certificate |
|
|
Schedule A-1 |
Agent's Account |
Schedule A-2 |
Authorized Persons |
Schedule C-1 |
Commitments |
Schedule C-2 |
Customs Brokers |
Schedule D-1 |
Designated Account |
Schedule E-1 |
Existing Letters of Credit |
Schedule P-1 |
Permitted Investments |
Schedule P-2 |
Permitted Liens |
Schedule 3.1 |
Conditions Precedent |
Schedule 3.6 |
Conditions Subsequent |
Schedule 4.1(b) |
Capitalization of Borrowers |
Schedule 4.1(c) |
Capitalization of Borrowers' Subsidiaries |
Schedule 4.1(d) |
Subscriptions, Options, Warrants, Calls |
Schedule 4.6(b) |
Litigation |
Schedule 4.10 |
Employee Benefits |
Schedule 4.11 |
Environmental Matters |
Schedule 4.14 |
Permitted Indebtedness |
Schedule 4.20 |
Material Contracts |
Schedule 4.24 |
Location of Inventory |
Schedule 5.1 |
Financial Statements, Reports, Certificates |
Schedule 5.2 |
Collateral Reporting |
Schedule 6.5 |
Nature of Business |
-viii-
CREDIT AGREEMENT
THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT, is entered into as of September 8, 2021 by and among the lenders identified on the signature pages hereof (each of such lenders, together with its successors and permitted assigns, is referred to hereinafter as a "Lender", as that term is hereinafter further defined), WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as administrative agent for each member of the Lender Group and the Bank Product Providers (in such capacity, together with its successors and assigns in such capacity, "Agent"), Flexsteel Industries, Inc., a Minnesota corporation ("Flexsteel"), and those additional Persons that are joined as a party hereto by executing the form of Joinder attached hereto as Exhibit J-1 (each, a "Borrower" and individually and collectively, jointly and severally, the "Borrowers").
The parties agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION.
1.1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following definitions:
"Acceptable Appraisal" means, with respect to an appraisal of Inventory, the most recent appraisal of such property received by Agent (a) from an appraisal company satisfactory to Agent, (b) the scope and methodology (including, to the extent relevant, any sampling procedure employed by such appraisal company) of which are satisfactory to Agent, and (c) the results of which are satisfactory to Agent, in each case, in Agent's Permitted Discretion.
"Account" means an account (as that term is defined in the Code).
"Account Debtor" means any Person who is obligated on an Account, chattel paper, or a general intangible.
"Account Party" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.11(h) of this Agreement.
"Accounting Changes" means changes in accounting principles required by the promulgation of any rule, regulation, pronouncement or opinion by the Financial Accounting Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (or successor thereto or any agency with similar functions).
"Acquired Indebtedness" means Indebtedness of a Person whose assets or Equity Interests are acquired by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in a Permitted Acquisition; provided, that such Indebtedness (a) is either purchase money Indebtedness or a Capital Lease with respect to Equipment or mortgage financing with respect to Real Property, (b) was in existence prior to the date of such Permitted Acquisition, and (c) was not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Permitted Acquisition.
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"Acquisition" means (a) the purchase or other acquisition by a Person or its Subsidiaries of all or substantially all of the assets of (or any division or business line of) any other Person, or (b) the purchase or other acquisition (whether by means of a merger, consolidation, or otherwise) by a Person or its Subsidiaries of all of the Equity Interests of any other Person.
"Additional Documents" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 5.12 of this Agreement.
"Administrative Borrower" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.13 of this Agreement.
"Administrative Questionnaire" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 13.1(a) of this Agreement.
"Affected Lender" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.13(b) of this Agreement.
"Affiliate" means, as applied to any Person, any other Person who controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, "control" means the possession, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, of the power to direct the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of Equity Interests, by contract, or otherwise; provided, that for purposes of the definition of Eligible Accounts and Section 6.10 of this Agreement: (a) if any Person owns directly or indirectly 10% or more of the Equity Interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other members of the governing body of a Person or 10% or more of the partnership or other ownership interests of a Person (other than as a limited partner of such Person), then both such Persons shall be Affiliates of each other, (b) each director (or comparable manager) of a Person shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of such Person, and (c) each partnership in which a Person is a general partner shall be deemed an Affiliate of such Person.
"Agent" has the meaning specified therefor in the preamble to this Agreement.
"Agent-Related Persons" means Agent, together with its Affiliates, officers, directors, employees, attorneys, and agents.
"Agent's Account" means the Deposit Account of Agent identified on Schedule A‑1 to this Agreement (or such other Deposit Account of Agent that has been designated as such, in writing, by Agent to Borrowers and the Lenders).
"Agent's Liens" means the Liens granted by each Loan Party or its Subsidiaries to Agent under the Loan Documents and securing the Obligations.
"Agreement" means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
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"Announcements" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 1.8 of this Agreement.
"Anti-Corruption Laws" means the FCPA, the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010, as amended, and all other applicable laws and regulations or ordinances concerning or relating to bribery or corruption in any jurisdiction in which any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is located or is doing business.
"Anti-Money Laundering Laws" means the applicable laws or regulations in any jurisdiction in which any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is located or is doing business that relates to money laundering, any predicate crime to money laundering, or any financial record keeping and reporting requirements related thereto.
"Applicable Margin" means, as of any date of determination and with respect to Base Rate Loans or LIBOR Loans, as applicable, the applicable margin set forth in the following table that corresponds to the Average Excess Availability of Borrowers for the most recently completed month; provided, that for the period from the Closing Date through and including November 30, 2021, the Applicable Margin shall be set at the margin in the row styled "Level II"; provided further, that any time an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Applicable Margin shall be set at the margin in the row styled "Level II":
Level |
Average Excess Availability |
Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans which are Revolving Loans (the "Base Rate Margin") |
Applicable Margin for LIBOR Loans which are Revolving Loans (the "LIBOR Rate Margin") |
I |
> 25% of the Maximum Revolver Amount |
0.00 percentage points |
1.25 percentage points |
II |
< 25% of the Maximum Revolver Amount |
0.00 percentage points |
1.50 percentage points |
The Applicable Margin shall be re-determined as of the first day of each month.
"Application Event" means the occurrence of (a) a failure by Borrowers to repay all of the Obligations in full on the Maturity Date, or (b) an Event of Default and the election by Agent or the Required Lenders to require that payments and proceeds of Collateral be applied pursuant to Section 2.4(b)(iii) of this Agreement.
"Applicable Rate" means, (i) Daily One Month LIBOR plus the LIBOR Rate Margin, or (ii) if Daily One Month LIBOR is no longer available or cannot be calculated for any reason (including as a result of any market disruption generally) or Wells Fargo determines that it is unlawful or impractical to offer the Daily One Month LIBOR, the Base Rate plus the Base Rate Margin.
"Assignee" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 13.1(a) of this Agreement.
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"Assignment and Acceptance" means an Assignment and Acceptance Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 to this Agreement.
"Authorized Person" means any one of the individuals identified as an officer of a Borrower on Schedule A-2 to this Agreement, or any other individual identified by Administrative Borrower as an authorized person and authenticated through Agent's electronic platform or portal in accordance with its procedures for such authentication.
"Availability" means, as of any date of determination, the amount that Borrowers are entitled to borrow as Revolving Loans under Section 2.1 of this Agreement (after giving effect to the then outstanding Revolver Usage).
"Available Revolver Increase Amount" means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the result of (a) $25,000,000, minus (b) the aggregate principal amount of Increases to the Revolver Commitments previously made pursuant to Section 2.14 of this Agreement.
"Average Excess Availability" means, with respect to any period, the sum of the aggregate amount of Availability for each day in such period (as calculated by Agent as of the end of each respective day) divided by the number of days in such period.
"Average Revolver Usage" means, with respect to any period, the sum of the aggregate amount of Revolver Usage for each day in such period (calculated as of the end of each respective day) divided by the number of days in such period.
"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.
"Bank Product" means any one or more of the following financial products or accommodations extended to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries by a Bank Product Provider: (a) credit cards (including commercial cards (including so-called "purchase cards", "procurement cards" or "p-cards")), (b) payment card processing services, (c) debit cards, (d) stored value cards, (e) Cash Management Services, or (f) transactions under Hedge Agreements.
"Bank Product Agreements" means those agreements entered into from time to time by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries with a Bank Product Provider in connection with the obtaining of any of the Bank Products.
"Bank Product Collateralization" means providing cash collateral (pursuant to documentation reasonably satisfactory to Agent) to be held by Agent for the benefit of the Bank Product Providers (other than the Hedge Providers) in an amount determined by Agent
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as sufficient to satisfy the reasonably estimated credit exposure, operational risk or processing risk with respect to the then existing Bank Product Obligations (other than Hedge Obligations).
"Bank Product Obligations" means (a) all obligations, liabilities, reimbursement obligations, fees, or expenses owing by each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries to any Bank Product Provider pursuant to or evidenced by a Bank Product Agreement and irrespective of whether for the payment of money, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising, (b) all Hedge Obligations, and (c) all amounts that Agent or any Lender is obligated to pay to a Bank Product Provider as a result of Agent or such Lender purchasing participations from, or executing guarantees or indemnities or reimbursement obligations to, a Bank Product Provider with respect to the Bank Products provided by such Bank Product Provider to a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries.
"Bank Product Provider" means Wells Fargo or any of its Affiliates, including each of the foregoing in its capacity, if applicable, as a Hedge Provider.
"Bank Product Reserves" means, as of any date of determination, those reserves that Agent deems necessary or appropriate to establish (based upon the Bank Product Providers' determination of the liabilities and obligations of each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries in respect of Bank Product Obligations) in respect of Bank Products then provided or outstanding.
"Bankruptcy Code" means title 11 of the United States Code, as in effect from time to time.
"Base Rate" means the greatest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus ½%, and (b) the rate of interest announced, from time to time, within Wells Fargo at its principal office in San Francisco as its "prime rate", with the understanding that the "prime rate" is one of Wells Fargo's base rates (not necessarily the lowest of such rates) and serves as the basis upon which effective rates of interest are calculated for those loans making reference thereto and is evidenced by the recording thereof after its announcement in such internal publications as Wells Fargo may designate (and, if any such announced rate is below zero, then the rate determined pursuant to this clause (b) shall be deemed to be zero).
"Base Rate Loan" means each portion of the Revolving Loans that bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the Base Rate.
"Base Rate Margin" has the meaning set forth in the definition of Applicable Margin.
"Benchmark" means, initially, USD LIBOR, provided, that, if a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to USD LIBOR or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.12(c).
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"Benchmark Replacement" means, with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event or Early Opt-in Election, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:
(a) the sum of: (i) Daily Simple SOFR and (ii) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment:
(b) the sum of (i) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by Agent and Administrative Borrower as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark giving due consideration to (A) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (B) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement to the then-current Benchmark for Dollar-denominated syndicated or bilateral credit facilities and (ii) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (a) or (b) of this definition would be less than 0.00%, then the Benchmark Replacement shall be deemed to be 0.00% for the purposes of the Loan Documents.
"Benchmark Replacement Adjustment" means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any setting of such Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement:
(a) for purposes of clause (a) of the definition of "Benchmark Replacement", an amount equal to 0.11448% (11.448 basis points); and
(b) for purposes of clause (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement”, the spread adjustment, or method of calculating or determining such spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by Agent and Administrative Borrower giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for Dollar-denominated syndicated or bilateral credit facilities.
"Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes" means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Business Day”, the timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, prepayment provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of the Benchmark Replacement
-6-
exists, in such other manner of administration as Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of any Loan Document).
"Benchmark Replacement Date" means the earlier to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(a) in the case of clause (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (i) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (ii) the date on which the administrator of the Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof);
(b) in the case of clause (c) of the definition of "Benchmark Transition Event," the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein; or
(c) in the case of an Early Opt-in Election, the date specified in writing by Agent to a Lenders and Administrative Borrower.
For the avoidance of doubt, if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination.
"Benchmark Transition Event" means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(a) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of the Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof);
(b) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or
(c) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of the Benchmark (or the published component used in the
-7-
calculation thereof) announcing that such Benchmark (or such component thereof) is no longer representative.
"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 a "defined benefit plan" (as defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA) for which any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates has been an "employer" (as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA) within the past six years.
"BHC Act Affiliate" of a Person means an "affiliate" (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such Person.
"Board of Directors" means, as to any Person, the board of directors (or comparable managers) of such Person, or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of the board of directors (or comparable managers).
"Board of Governors" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States (or any successor).
"Borrower" and "Borrowers" have the respective meanings specified therefor in the preamble to this Agreement.
"Borrower Materials" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.9(c) of this Agreement.
"Borrowing" means a borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made on the same day by the Lenders (or Agent on behalf thereof), or by Swing Lender in the case of a Swing Loan, or by Agent in the case of an Extraordinary Advance.
"Borrowing Base" means, as of any date of determination, the result of:
(a) 90% of the amount of Eligible Investment Grade Accounts, less the amount, if any, of the Dilution Reserve applicable to such Accounts, plus
(b) 85% of the amount of Eligible Non-Investment Grade Accounts, less the amount, if any, of the Dilution Reserve applicable to such Accounts, plus
(c) the sum of:
(i) the lesser of (1) the product of 70% multiplied by the value (calculated at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices) of Eligible Finished Goods Inventory at such time, and (2) the product of 85% multiplied by the Net Recovery Percentage identified in the most recent Acceptable Appraisal of Inventory, multiplied by the value (calculated at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices) of Eligible Finished
-8-
Goods Inventory (such determination may be made as to different categories of Eligible Finished Goods Inventory based upon the Net Recovery Percentage applicable to such categories) at such time, plus
(ii) the least of (1) $2,500,000, (2) the product of 70% multiplied by the value (calculated at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices) of Eligible Excess Finished Goods Inventory at such time, and (3) the product of 85% multiplied by the Net Recovery Percentage identified in the most recent Acceptable Appraisal of Inventory, multiplied by the value (calculated at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices) of Eligible Excess Finished Goods Inventory (such determination may be made as to different categories of Eligible Excess Finished Goods Inventory based upon the Net Recovery Percentage applicable to such categories) at such time, plus
(iii) the lesser of (1) the product of 70% multiplied by the value (calculated at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices) of Eligible Raw Material Inventory at such time, and (2) the product of 85% multiplied by the Net Recovery Percentage identified in the most recent Acceptable Appraisal of Inventory, multiplied by the value (calculated at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices) of Eligible Raw Material Inventory (such determination may be made as to different categories of Eligible Raw Material Inventory based upon the Net Recovery Percentage applicable to such categories) at such time, plus
(iv) the least of (1) $25,000,000, (2) 70% of the value (calculated at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices) of Eligible In-Transit Inventory consisting of finished goods, and (3) the product of 85% multiplied by the Net Recovery Percentage identified in the most recent Acceptable Appraisal of Inventory, multiplied by the value (calculated at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices) of Eligible In-Transit Inventory consisting of finished goods (such determination may be made as to different categories of finished goods Inventory based upon the Net Recovery Percentage applicable to such categories) at such time, minus
(d) the aggregate amount of Reserves, if any, established by Agent from time to time under Section 2.1(c) of this Agreement.
"Borrowing Base Certificate" means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1 to this Agreement, which such form of Borrowing Base Certificate may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (including without limitation changes to the format thereof), as approved by Agent in Agent's sole discretion.
"Business Day" means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which banks are authorized or required to close in the state of Illinois, except that, if a determination of a Business Day shall relate to a LIBOR Loan, the term "Business Day" also
-9-
shall exclude any day on which banks are closed for dealings in Dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
"Capital Expenditures" means, with respect to any Person for any period, the amount of all expenditures by such Person and its Subsidiaries during such period that are capital expenditures as determined in accordance with GAAP, whether such expenditures are paid in cash or financed, but excluding, without duplication (a) with respect to the purchase price of assets that are purchased substantially contemporaneously with the trade-in of existing assets during such period, the amount that the gross amount of such purchase price is reduced by the credit granted by the seller of such assets for the assets being traded in at such time, (b) expenditures made during such period to consummate one or more Permitted Acquisitions, and (c) expenditures during such period that, pursuant to a written agreement, are reimbursed by a third Person (excluding any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates).
"Capitalized Lease Obligation" means that portion of the obligations under a Capital Lease that is required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP.
"Capital Lease" means a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP.
"Cash Equivalents" means (a) marketable direct obligations issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof, (b) marketable direct obligations issued or fully guaranteed by any state of the United States or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from either Standard & Poor's Rating Group ("S&P") or Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), (c) commercial paper maturing no more than 270 days from the date of creation thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having a rating of at least A-1 from S&P or at least P-1 from Moody's, (d) certificates of deposit, time deposits, overnight bank deposits or bankers' acceptances maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any bank organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia or any United States branch of a foreign bank having at the date of acquisition thereof combined capital and surplus of not less than $1,000,000,000, (e) Deposit Accounts maintained with (i) any bank that satisfies the criteria described in clause (d) above, or (ii) any other bank organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof so long as the full amount maintained with any such other bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, (f) repurchase obligations of any commercial bank satisfying the requirements of clause (d) of this definition or of any recognized securities dealer having combined capital and surplus of not less than $1,000,000,000, having a term of not more than seven days, with respect to securities satisfying the criteria in clauses (a) or (d) above, (g) debt securities with maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition backed by standby letters of credit issued by any commercial bank satisfying the criteria described in clause (d) above, and (h) Investments in money market funds substantially all of whose assets are invested in the types of assets described in clauses (a) through (g) above.
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"Cash Management Services" means any cash management or related services including treasury, depository, return items, overdraft, controlled disbursement, merchant store value cards, e-payables services, electronic funds transfer, interstate depository network, automatic clearing house transfer (including the Automated Clearing House processing of electronic funds transfers through the direct Federal Reserve Fedline system) and other cash management arrangements.
"CFC" means a controlled foreign corporation (as that term is defined in the IRC) in which any Loan Party is a "United States shareholder" within the meaning of Section 951(b) of the IRC.
"Change in Law" means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement of: (a) the adoption or effectiveness of any law, rule, regulation, judicial ruling, judgment or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation, judicial ruling, judgment or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application by any Governmental Authority of any law, rule, regulation, guideline or treaty, or (c) the making or issuance by any Governmental Authority of any request, rule, guideline or directive, whether or not having the force of law; provided, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith, and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives concerning capital adequacy 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 shall, in each case, be deemed to be a "Change in Law," regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.
"Change of Control" means that:
(a) any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert, shall have acquired beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, of Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower (or other securities convertible into such Equity Interests) representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of all Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote for the election of members of the Board of Directors of Administrative Borrower,
(b) any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert, shall have acquired by contract or otherwise, or shall have entered into a contract or arrangement that, upon consummation thereof, will result in its or their acquisition of the power to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of Administrative Borrower or control over the Equity Interests of such Person entitled to vote for members of the Board of Directors of Administrative Borrower on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such Equity Interests that such Person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right) representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of such Equity Interests,
(c) during any period of 24 consecutive months commencing on or after the Closing Date, the occurrence of a change in the composition of the Board of Directors of
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Administrative Borrower such that a majority of the members of such Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors, or
(d) Borrowers fail to own and control, directly or indirectly, 100% of the Equity Interests of each other Loan Party.
"Closing Date" means the date of the making of the initial Revolving Loan (or other extension of credit) under this Agreement.
"Code" means the Illinois Uniform Commercial Code, as in effect from time to time.
"Collateral" means all assets and interests in assets and proceeds thereof now owned or hereafter acquired by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries in or upon which a Lien is granted by such Person in favor of Agent or the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents other than Excluded Property.
"Collateral Access Agreement" means a landlord waiver, bailee letter, or acknowledgement agreement of any lessor, warehouseman, processor, consignee, or other Person in possession of, having a Lien upon, or having rights or interests in any Loan Party's or its Subsidiaries' books and records, Equipment, or Inventory, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent.
"Collections" means, all cash, checks, notes, instruments, and other items of payment (including insurance proceeds, cash proceeds of asset sales, rental proceeds and tax refunds).
"Commitment" means, with respect to each Lender, its Revolver Commitment, and, with respect to all Lenders, their Revolver Commitments, in each case as such Dollar amounts are set forth beside such Lender's name under the applicable heading on Schedule C-1 to this Agreement or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which such Lender became a Lender under this Agreement, as such amounts may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments made in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.1 of this Agreement.
"Commodity Exchange Act" means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.
"Compliance Certificate" means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C-1 to this Agreement delivered by the chief financial officer or treasurer of Administrative Borrower to Agent.
"Confidential Information" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.9(a) of this Agreement.
"Continuing Director" means (a) any member of the Board of Directors who was a director (or comparable manager) of Administrative Borrower on the Closing Date, and (b) any individual who becomes a member of the Board of Directors after the Closing
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Date if such individual was approved, appointed or nominated for election to the Board of Directors by a majority of the Continuing Directors.
"Control Agreement" means a control agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, executed and delivered by a Loan Party or one of its Subsidiaries, Agent, and the applicable securities intermediary (with respect to a Securities Account) or bank (with respect to a Deposit Account).
"Copyright Security Agreement" has the meaning specified therefor in the Guaranty and Security Agreement.
"Covenant Testing Period" means a period (a) commencing on the last day of the fiscal month of Borrowers most recently ended prior to a Covenant Trigger Event for which Borrowers are required to deliver to Agent monthly, quarterly or annual financial statements pursuant to Schedule 5.1 to this Agreement, and (b) continuing through and including the first day after such Covenant Trigger Date that Availability has equaled or exceeded the greater of 10% of the Maximum Revolver Amount and (ii) $8,500,000 for 60 consecutive days.
"Covenant Trigger Event" means if at any time Availability is less than the greater of (i) 10% of the Maximum Revolver Amount and (ii) $8,500,000.
"Covered Entity" means any of the following:
(a) a "covered entity" as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(b) a "covered bank" as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(c) a "covered FSI" as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
"Covered Party" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.15 of this Agreement.
"Customs Brokers" shall mean the persons listed on Schedule C-2 hereto or such other person or persons as may be selected by Administrative Borrower after the date hereof and after written notice by Administrative Borrower to Agent who are reasonably acceptable to Agent to handle the receipt of Inventory within the United States or to clear Inventory through the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection or other domestic or foreign export control authorities or otherwise perform port of entry services to process Inventory imported by a Borrower from outside the United States (such persons sometimes being referred to herein individually as a "Customs Broker"), provided, that, as to each such person, (a) Agent shall have received a customs broker agreement by such person in favor of Agent (in form and substance satisfactory to Agent) duly authorized, executed and delivered by such person, (b) such agreement shall be in full force and effect and (c) such person shall be in compliance in all material respects with the terms thereof.
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"Daily One Month LIBOR" means, as to any day, the rate per annum as published by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (or any successor or other commercially available source of the London interbank offered rate as Lender may designate from time to time) as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on such day (or, for any day that is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) for US dollar deposits for a one month period (and, if any such published rate is below zero, then the rate determined pursuant to this definition shall be deemed to be zero). Each determination of Daily One Month LIBOR shall be made by Lender and shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.
"Daily Simple SOFR" means, for any day, SOFR, with the conventions for this rate (which will include a lookback) being established by Agent in accordance with the conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining "Daily Simple SOFR" for syndicated business loans; provided, that if Agent decides that any such convention is not administratively feasible for Agent, then Agent may establish another convention in its reasonable discretion.
"Default" means an event, condition, or default that, with the giving of notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
"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.
"Defaulting Lender" means any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies Agent and Administrative Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender's determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable Default or Event of Default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to Agent, Issuing Bank, or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit) within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified any Borrower, Agent or Issuing Bank in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender's obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender's determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable Default or Event of Default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by Agent or Administrative Borrower, to confirm in writing to Agent and Administrative Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided, that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by Agent and Administrative Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of any Insolvency Proceeding, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or
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federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-in Action; provided, that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender upon delivery of written notice of such determination to Administrative Borrower, Issuing Bank, and each Lender.
"Defaulting Lender Rate" means (a) for the first three days from and after the date the relevant payment is due, the Base Rate, and (b) thereafter, the Applicable Rate.
"Deposit Account" means any deposit account (as that term is defined in the Code).
"Designated Account" means the Deposit Account of Administrative Borrower identified on Schedule D-1 to this Agreement (or such other Deposit Account of Administrative Borrower located at Designated Account Bank that has been designated as such, in writing, by Borrowers to Agent).
"Designated Account Bank" has the meaning specified therefor in Schedule D-1 to this Agreement (or such other bank that is located within the United States that has been designated as such, in writing, by Borrowers to Agent).
"Dilution" means, as of any date of determination, a percentage, based upon the experience of the immediately prior 12 months, that is the result of dividing the Dollar amount of (a) bad debt write-downs, discounts, advertising allowances, credits, or other dilutive items with respect to Borrowers' Accounts during such period, by (b) Borrowers' billings with respect to Accounts during such period.
"Dilution Reserve" means, as of any date of determination, an amount sufficient to reduce the advance rate against Eligible Accounts by the extent to which Dilution is in excess of , with respect to Eligible Non-Investment Grade Accounts" 5% or, with respect to Eligible Investment Grade Accounts, 2.5%.
"Disqualified Equity Interests" means any Equity Interests that, by their terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interests into which they are convertible or for which they are exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition (a) matures or are 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),
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(b) are redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), in whole or in part, (c) provide for the scheduled payments of dividends in cash, or (d) are or become 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 180 days after the Maturity Date.
"Dollars" or "$" means United States dollars.
"Domestic Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary of any Loan Party that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.
"Drawing Document" means any Letter of Credit or other document presented for purposes of drawing under any Letter of Credit, including by electronic transmission such as SWIFT, electronic mail, facsimile or computer generated communication.
"Early Opt-in Election" means, if the then-current Benchmark is USD LIBOR, the occurrence of:
(a) a notification by Agent to (or the request by Administrative Borrower to Agent to notify) each of the other parties hereto that at least five currently outstanding Dollar-denominated syndicated or bilateral credit facilities at such time contain (as a result of amendment or as originally executed) a SOFR-based rate (including SOFR, a term SOFR or any other rate based upon SOFR) as a benchmark interest rate, and
(b) the joint election by Agent and Administrative Borrower to trigger a fallback from USD LIBOR and the provision by Lender of written notice of such election to Administrative Borrower.
"Earn-Outs" means unsecured liabilities of a Loan Party arising under an agreement to make any deferred payment as a part of the Purchase Price for a Permitted Acquisition, including performance bonuses or consulting payments in any related services, employment or similar agreement, in an amount that is subject to or contingent upon the revenues, income, cash flow or profits (or the like) of the target of such Permitted Acquisition.
"EBITDA" means, with respect to any fiscal period and with respect to Borrowers determined, in each case, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP:
(a) the consolidated net income (or loss),
minus
(b) without duplication, the sum of the following amounts for such period to the extent included in determining consolidated net income (or loss) for such period:
(i) unusual or non-recurring gains, and
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(ii) interest income,
plus
(c) without duplication, the sum of the following amounts for such period to the extent deducted in determining consolidated net income (or loss) for such period:
(i) non-cash unusual or non-recurring losses,
(ii) Interest Expense,
(iii) income taxes, and
(iv) depreciation and amortization.
For the purposes of calculating EBITDA for any period of twelve consecutive months (each, a "Reference Period"), if at any time during such Reference Period (and after the Closing Date), any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries shall have made a Permitted Acquisition, EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to such Permitted Acquisition, are factually supportable, and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case to be mutually and reasonably agreed upon by Borrowers and Agent) or in such other manner acceptable to Agent as if any such Permitted Acquisition or adjustment occurred on the first day of such Reference Period.
"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.
"Eligible Accounts" means those Accounts created by a Borrower in the ordinary course of its business, that arise out of such Borrower's sale of goods or rendition of services, that comply with each of the representations and warranties respecting Eligible Accounts made in the Loan Documents, and that are not excluded as ineligible by virtue of one or more of the excluding criteria set forth below; provided, that such criteria may be revised from time to time by Agent in Agent's Permitted Discretion to address the results of any information with respect to the Borrowers' business or assets of which Agent becomes
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aware after the Closing Date, including any field examination performed by (or on behalf of) Agent from time to time after the Closing Date. In determining the amount to be included, Eligible Accounts shall be calculated net of customer deposits, unapplied cash, taxes, finance charges, service charges, discounts, credits, allowances, and rebates. Eligible Accounts shall not include the following:
(a) Accounts that the Account Debtor has failed to pay within 90 days of original invoice date or 60 days of due date,
(b) Accounts owed by an Account Debtor (or its Affiliates) where 50% or more of all Accounts owed by that Account Debtor (or its Affiliates) are deemed ineligible under clause (a) above,
(c) Accounts with selling terms of more than 90 days,
(d) Accounts with respect to which the Account Debtor is an Affiliate of any Borrower or an employee or agent of any Borrower or any Affiliate of any Borrower,
(e) Accounts (i) arising in a transaction wherein goods are placed on consignment or are sold pursuant to a guaranteed sale, a sale or return, a sale on approval, a bill and hold, or any other terms by reason of which the payment by the Account Debtor may be conditional, or (ii) with respect to which the payment terms are "C.O.D.", cash on delivery or other similar terms,
(f) Accounts that are not payable in Dollars,
(g) Accounts with respect to which the Account Debtor either (i) does not maintain its chief executive office in the United States or Canada, or (ii) is not organized under the laws of the United States or Canada or any state or province thereof, or (iii) is the government of any foreign country or sovereign state, or of any state, province, municipality, or other political subdivision thereof, or of any department, agency, public corporation, or other instrumentality thereof, unless (A) the Account is supported by an irrevocable letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to Agent (as to form, substance, and issuer or domestic confirming bank) that has been delivered to Agent and, if requested by Agent, is directly drawable by Agent, or (B) the Account is covered by credit insurance in form, substance, and amount, and by an insurer, reasonably satisfactory to Agent,
(h) Accounts with respect to which the Account Debtor is either (i) the United States or any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States (exclusive, however, of Accounts with respect to which Borrowers have complied, to the reasonable satisfaction of Agent, with the Assignment of Claims Act, 31 USC §3727), or (ii) any state of the United States or any other Governmental Authority,
(i) Accounts with respect to which the Account Debtor is a creditor of a Borrower, has or has asserted a right of recoupment or setoff, or has disputed its obligation to pay all or any portion of the Account, to the extent of such claim, right of recoupment or setoff, or dispute,
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(j) Accounts with respect to an Account Debtor whose Eligible Accounts owing to Borrowers exceed 10% (such percentage, as applied to a particular Account Debtor, being subject to reduction by Agent in its Permitted Discretion if the creditworthiness of such Account Debtor deteriorates) of all Eligible Accounts, to the extent of the obligations owing by such Account Debtor in excess of such percentage; provided, that in each case, the amount of Eligible Accounts that are excluded because they exceed the foregoing percentage shall be determined by Agent based on all of the otherwise Eligible Accounts prior to giving effect to any eliminations based upon the foregoing concentration limit,
(k) Accounts with respect to which the Account Debtor is subject to an Insolvency Proceeding, is not Solvent, has gone out of business, or as to which any Borrower has received notice of an imminent Insolvency Proceeding or a material impairment of the financial condition of such Account Debtor,
(l) Accounts, the collection of which, Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, believes to be doubtful, including by reason of the Account Debtor's financial condition,
(m) Accounts that are not subject to a valid and perfected first priority Agent's Lien,
(n) Accounts with respect to which (i) the goods giving rise to such Account have not been shipped and billed to the Account Debtor, or (ii) the services giving rise to such Account have not been performed and billed to the Account Debtor,
(o) Accounts with respect to which the Account Debtor is a Sanctioned Person or Sanctioned Entity,
(p) Accounts (i) that represent the right to receive progress payments or other advance billings that are due prior to the completion of performance by the applicable Borrower of the subject contract for goods or services, or (ii) that represent credit card sales, or
(q) Accounts owned by a target acquired in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or Permitted Investment, or Accounts owned by a Person that is joined to this Agreement as a Borrower pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, until the completion of a field examination with respect to such Accounts, in each case, satisfactory to Agent in its Permitted Discretion.
"Eligible Excess Finished Goods Inventory" means Inventory that (a) qualifies as Eligible Inventory and consists of first quality finished goods held for sale in the ordinary course of Borrowers' business and (b) as of any date of determination, consists of Inventory in excess of 52 weeks demand as determined by Agent in its Permitted Discretion or Inventory with no sales during the then preceding 12 months period.
"Eligible Finished Goods Inventory" means Inventory that qualifies as Eligible Inventory and consists of first quality finished goods held for sale in the ordinary course of Borrowers' business; provided, that, Eligible Finished Goods Inventory shall exclude Eligible Excess Finished Goods Inventory.
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"Eligible In-Transit Inventory" means those items of Inventory that do not qualify as Eligible Inventory solely because they are not in a location set forth on Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement (as such Schedule 4.24 may be amended from time to time in accordance with Section 5.14) or in transit among such locations and a Borrower does not have actual and exclusive possession thereof, but as to which,
(a) such Inventory currently is in transit (whether by vessel, air, or land) from a location outside of the continental United States to a location set forth on Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement (as such Schedule 4.24 may be amended from time to time in accordance with Section 5.14),
(b) title to such Inventory has passed to a Borrower and Agent shall have received such evidence thereof as it may from time to time require,
(c) such Inventory is insured against types of loss, damage, hazards, and risks, and in amounts, satisfactory to Agent in its Permitted Discretion, and Agent shall have received a copy of the certificate of marine cargo insurance in connection therewith in which it has been named as an additional insured and loss payee in a manner acceptable to Agent,
(d) such Inventory either:
(i) (A) is the subject of a negotiable bill of lading governed by the laws of a state within the United States (x) that is consigned to Agent or one of its Customs Brokers (either directly or by means of endorsements), (y) that was issued by the carrier (including a non-vessel operating common carrier) in possession of the Inventory that is subject to such bill of lading, and (z) that either is in the possession of Agent or a Customs Broker (in each case in the continental United States) and (B) the documents of title related thereto are subject to the valid and perfected first priority Lien of Agent,
(ii) (A) is the subject of a negotiable forwarder's cargo receipt governed by the laws of a state within the United States and is not the subject of a bill of lading (other than a negotiable bill of lading consigned to, and in the possession of, a consolidator or Agent, or their respective agents) and such negotiable cargo receipt on its face indicates the name of the Customs Broker as a carrier or multimodal transport operator and has been signed or otherwise authenticated by it in such capacity or as a named agent for or on behalf of the carrier or multimodal transport operator, in any case respecting such Inventory (x) consigned to Agent or one of its Customs Brokers that is handling the importing, shipping and delivery of such Inventory (either directly or by means of endorsements), (y) that was issued by a consolidator respecting the subject Inventory, and (z) that is in the possession of Agent or a Customs Broker (in each case in the continental United States) and (B) the documents of title related thereto are subject to the valid and perfected first priority Lien of Agent, or
(iii) at any time prior to the In-Transit Trigger Date, is the subject of a non-negotiable seaway bill or other similar non-negotiable bill of lading or similar document governed by the laws of a state within the United States (x) that is consigned to Agent or one of its Customs Brokers (either directly or by means of endorsements), (y) was
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issued by the carrier (including a non-vessel operating common carrier) in possession of the Inventory that is subject to such non-negotiable document, and (z) that conspicuously states on its face that the Inventory that is subject to such non-negotiable document is subject to the Lien of Agent,
(e) such Inventory is in the possession of a common carrier (including on behalf of any non-vessel operating common carrier) that has issued the bill of lading or other document of title with respect thereto or the Customs Broker handling the importing, shipping and delivery of such Inventory;
(f) Agent determines that such Inventory is not subject to (i) any Person's right of reclamation, repudiation, stoppage in transit or diversion or (ii) any other right or claim of any other Person which is (or is capable of being) senior to, or pari passu with, the Lien of Agent or Agent determines that any Person's right or claim impairs, or interferes with, directly or indirectly, the ability of Agent to realize on, or reduces the amount that Agent may realize from the sale or other disposition of such Inventory;
(g) Administrative Borrower has provided (i) a certificate to Agent that certifies that, to the best knowledge of such Borrower, such Inventory meets all of Borrowers' representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents concerning Eligible In-Transit Inventory, that it knows of no reason why such Inventory would not be accepted by such Borrower when it arrives in the continental United States and that the shipment as evidenced by the documents conforms to the related order documents, and (ii) upon Agent's request, a copy of the invoice, packing slip and manifest with respect thereto,
(h) such Inventory is subject to a Letter of Credit, or
(i) such Inventory shall not have been in transit for more than thirty (30) days.
"Eligible Inventory" means Inventory of a Borrower, that complies with each of the representations and warranties respecting Eligible Inventory made in the Loan Documents, and that is not excluded as ineligible by virtue of one or more of the excluding criteria set forth below; provided, that such criteria may be revised from time to time by Agent in Agent's Permitted Discretion to address the results of any information with respect to the Borrowers' business or assets of which Agent becomes aware after the Closing Date, including any field examination or appraisal performed or received by Agent from time to time after the Closing Date. In determining the amount to be so included, Inventory shall be valued at the lower of cost or market on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical accounting practices. An item of Inventory shall not be included in Eligible Inventory if:
(a) a Borrower does not have good, valid, and marketable title thereto,
(b) a Borrower does not have actual and exclusive possession thereof (either directly or through a bailee or agent of a Borrower),
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(c) it is not located at one of the locations in the continental United States set forth on Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement (as such Schedule 4.24 may be amended from time to time in accordance with Section 5.14) (or in-transit from one such location to another such location),
(d) it is stored at locations holding less than $100,000 of the aggregate value of such Borrower's Inventory,
(e) it is in-transit to or from a location of a Borrower (other than in-transit from one location set forth on Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement to another location set forth on Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement (as such Schedule 4.24 may be amended from time to time in accordance with Section 5.14)),
(f) it is located on real property leased by a Borrower or in a contract warehouse or with a bailee, in each case, unless either (i) it is subject to a Collateral Access Agreement executed by the lessor or warehouseman, as the case may be, and it is segregated or otherwise separately identifiable from goods of others, if any, stored on the premises, or (ii) Agent has established a Landlord Reserve with respect to such location,
(g) it is the subject of a bill of lading or other document of title,
(h) it is not subject to a valid and perfected first priority Agent's Lien,
(i) it consists of goods returned or rejected by a Borrower's customers,
(j) it consists of goods that are obsolete, slow moving, spoiled or are otherwise past the stated expiration, "sell-by" or "use by" date applicable thereto, restrictive or custom items or otherwise is manufactured in accordance with customer-specific requirements, work-in-process, or goods that constitute spare parts, packaging and shipping materials, supplies used or consumed in Borrowers' business, bill and hold goods, defective goods, "seconds," or Inventory acquired on consignment,
(k) it is subject to third party intellectual property, licensing or other proprietary rights, unless Agent is satisfied that such Inventory can be freely sold by Agent on and after the occurrence of an Event of a Default despite such third party rights, or
(l) it was acquired in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or Permitted Investment, or such Inventory is owned by a Person that is joined to this Agreement as a Borrower pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, until the completion of an Acceptable Appraisal of such Inventory and the completion of a field examination with respect to such Inventory that is satisfactory to Agent in its Permitted Discretion.
"Eligible Investment Grade Account" means, at any time, any Eligible Account if the Account Debtor in respect of such Eligible Account has a corporate credit rating of BBB- or higher by S&P or Baa3 or higher by Moody's.
"Eligible Non-Investment Grade Account" means, at any time, any Eligible Account that is not an Eligible Investment Grade Accounts.
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"Eligible Raw Material Inventory" means Inventory that qualifies as Eligible Inventory and consists of goods that are first quality raw materials and that are not located in open pallets or containers.
"Employee Benefit Plan" means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA, (a) that is or within the preceding six (6) years has been sponsored, maintained or contributed to by any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate or (b) to which any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate has, or has had at any time within the preceding six (6) years, any liability, contingent or otherwise.
"Environmental Action" means any written complaint, summons, citation, notice, directive, order, claim, litigation, investigation, judicial or administrative proceeding, judgment, letter, or other written communication from any Governmental Authority, or any third party involving violations of Environmental Laws or releases of Hazardous Materials (a) from any assets, properties, or businesses of any Borrower, any Subsidiary of any Borrower, or any of their predecessors in interest, (b) from adjoining properties or businesses, or (c) from or onto any facilities which received Hazardous Materials generated by any Borrower, any Subsidiary of any Borrower, or any of their predecessors in interest.
"Environmental Law" means any applicable federal, state, provincial, foreign or local statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, binding and enforceable guideline, binding and enforceable written policy, or rule of common law now or hereafter in effect and in each case as amended, or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent decree or judgment, in each case, to the extent binding on any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, relating to the environment, the effect of the environment on employee health, or Hazardous Materials, in each case as amended from time to time.
"Environmental Liabilities" means all liabilities, monetary obligations, losses, damages, costs and expenses (including all reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel, experts, or consultants, and costs of investigation and feasibility studies), fines, penalties, sanctions, and interest incurred as a result of any claim or demand, or Remedial Action required, by any Governmental Authority or any third party, and which relate to any Environmental Action.
"Environmental Lien" means any Lien in favor of any Governmental Authority for Environmental Liabilities.
"Equipment" means equipment (as that term is defined in the Code).
"Equity Interests" means, with respect to a Person, all of the shares, options, warrants, interests, participations, or other equivalents (regardless of how designated) of or in such Person, whether voting or nonvoting, including capital stock (or other ownership or profit interests or units), preferred stock, or any other "equity security" (as such term is defined in Rule 3a11-1 of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act).
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"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any successor statute thereto.
"ERISA Affiliate" means (a) any Person subject to ERISA whose employees are treated as employed by the same employer as the employees of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries under IRC Section 414(b), (b) any trade or business subject to ERISA whose employees are treated as employed by the same employer as the employees of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries under IRC Section 414(c), (c) solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the IRC, any organization subject to ERISA that is a member of an affiliated service group of which any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is a member under IRC Section 414(m), or (d) solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the IRC, any Person subject to ERISA that is a party to an arrangement with any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries and whose employees are aggregated with the employees of such Loan Party or its Subsidiaries under IRC Section 414(o).
"Erroneous Payment" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.16 of this Agreement.
"Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.16 of this Agreement.
"Erroneous Payment Impacted Loans" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.16 of this Agreement.
"Erroneous Payment Return Deficiency" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.16 of this Agreement.
"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.
"Event of Default" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 8 of this Agreement.
"Excess Availability" means, as of any date of determination, the amount equal to Availability minus the aggregate amount, if any, of all trade payables of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries aged in excess of historical levels with respect thereto and all book overdrafts of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries in excess of historical practices with respect thereto, in each case as determined by Agent in its Permitted Discretion.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect from time to time.
"Excluded Property" means (i) any rights or interests in any license, contract or agreement to which a Loan Party is a party to the extent, but only to the extent, that such a grant would, under the terms of such license, contract or agreement, result in a breach of the terms of, or constitute a default under, such license, lease, contract or agreement and such prohibition or restriction has not been waived or the consent of the other party to such
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contract, lease, permit, license, or license agreement has not been obtained (provided, that (A) the foregoing exclusions of this clause (i) shall in no way be construed (1) to apply to the extent that any described prohibition or restriction is ineffective under Section 9-406, 9-407, 9-408, or 9-409 of the Code or other applicable law, or (2) to apply to the extent that any consent or waiver has been obtained that would permit Agent's security interest or lien to attach notwithstanding the prohibition or restriction on the pledge of such contract, lease, permit, license, or license agreement and (B) the foregoing exclusions of clauses (i) and (ii) shall in no way be construed to limit, impair, or otherwise affect any of Agent's, any other member of the Lender Group's or any Bank Product Provider's continuing security interests in and liens upon any rights or interests of any Grantor in or to (1) monies due or to become due under or in connection with any described license, lease, contract, agreement or Equity Interests (including any Accounts or Equity Interests), or (2) any proceeds from the sale, license, lease, or other dispositions of any such contract, lease, permit, license, license agreement, or Equity Interests), (ii) any intent-to-use trademark application prior to the filing and acceptance of evidence of the use of such trademark in interstate commerce to the extent, if any, that and solely during the period, if any, in which the grant of a security interest therein would impair the validity or enforceability of such intent-to-use trademark application under Applicable Law, or (iii) any fee or leasehold interest in Real Property.
"Excluded Swap Obligation" means, with respect to any Loan Party, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guaranty of such Loan Party of (including by virtue of the joint and several liability provisions of Section 2.15), or the grant by such Loan Party 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) by virtue of such Loan Party's failure for any reason to constitute an "eligible contract participant" as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder at the time the guaranty of such Loan Party or the grant of such security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. 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 swaps for which such guaranty or security interest is or becomes illegal.
"Excluded Taxes" means (i) any tax imposed on the net income or net profits of any Lender or any Participant (including any branch profits taxes), in each case imposed by the jurisdiction (or by any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof) in which such Lender or such Participant is organized or the jurisdiction (or by any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof) in which such Lender's or such Participant's principal office is located in or as a result of a present or former connection between such Lender or such Participant and the jurisdiction or taxing authority imposing the tax (other than any such connection arising solely from such Lender or such Participant having executed, delivered or performed its obligations or received payment under, or enforced its rights or remedies under this Agreement or any other Loan Document), (ii) United States federal withholding taxes that would not have been imposed but for a Lender's or a Participant's failure to comply with the requirements of Section 16.2 of this Agreement, (iii) any United States federal withholding taxes that would be imposed on amounts payable to a Foreign Lender based upon the applicable withholding rate in effect at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a
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party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office, other than a designation made at the request of a Loan Party), except that Excluded Taxes shall not include (A) any amount that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was previously entitled to receive pursuant to Section 16.1 of this Agreement, if any, with respect to such withholding tax at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office), and (B) additional United States federal withholding taxes that may be imposed after the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office), as a result of a change in law, rule, regulation, treaty, order or other decision or other Change in Law with respect to any of the foregoing by any Governmental Authority, and (iv) any United States federal withholding taxes imposed under FATCA.
"Existing Credit Facility" means that certain Credit Agreement by and between Borrower and Dubuque Bank and Trust Company dated August 28, 2020, as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time.
"Existing Letters of Credit" means those letters of credit described on Schedule E-1 to this Agreement.
"Extraordinary Advances" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.3(d)(iii) of this Agreement.
"FATCA" means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the IRC, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), and (a) any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, (b) any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the IRC, and (c) any intergovernmental agreement entered into by the United States (or any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules, or practices adopted pursuant to any such intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection therewith).
"FCA" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 1.8 of this Agreement.
"FCPA" means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
"Federal Funds Rate" means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum equal to, for each day during such period, the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it (and, if any such rate is below zero, then the rate determined pursuant to this definition shall be deemed to be zero).
"Federal Reserve Board" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
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"Fee Letter" means that certain fee letter, dated as of even date with this Agreement, among Borrowers and Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent.
"Fixed Charges" means, with respect to any fiscal period and with respect to Borrowers determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, the sum, without duplication, of (a) Interest Expense required to be paid (other than interest paid-in-kind, amortization of financing fees, and other non-cash Interest Expense) during such period, (b) scheduled principal payments in respect of Indebtedness that are required to be paid during such period, (c) all federal, state, and local income taxes required to be paid during such period, (d) all Restricted Payments paid (whether in cash or other property, other than common Equity Interests) during such period, and (e) to the extent not otherwise deducted from EBITDA for such period, all payments required to be made during such period in respect of any funding deficiency or funding shortfall with respect to any Pension Plan or for any Withdrawal Liability.
"Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" means, with respect to any fiscal period and with respect to Borrowers determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, the ratio of (a) EBITDA for such period minus Unfinanced Capital Expenditures made (to the extent not already incurred in a prior period) or incurred during such period, to (b) Fixed Charges for such period.
For the purposes of calculating Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for any Reference Period, if at any time during such Reference Period (and after the Closing Date), any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries shall have made a Permitted Acquisition, Fixed Charges and Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for such Reference Period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto or in such other manner acceptable to Agent as if any such Permitted Acquisition occurred on the first day of such Reference Period.
"Flexsteel" has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.
"Floor" means the benchmark rate floor, if any, provided in this Agreement initially (as of the execution of this Agreement, the modification, amendment or renewal of this Agreement or otherwise) with respect to USD LIBOR.
"Flow of Funds Agreement" means a flow of funds agreement, dated as of even date with this Agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, executed and delivered by Borrowers and Agent.
"Foreign Lender" means any Lender or Participant that is not a United States person within the meaning of IRC section 7701(a)(30).
"Foreign Subsidiary" means any direct or indirect subsidiary of any Loan Party that is organized under the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.
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"FSHC" means any direct or indirect Domestic Subsidiary that holds no material assets other than the equity of one or more direct or indirect Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs.
"Funded Indebtedness" means, as of any date of determination, all Indebtedness for borrowed money or letters of credit of Borrowers, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, including, in any event, but without duplication, with respect to the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, the Revolver Usage, and the amount of their Capitalized Lease Obligations.
"Funding Date" means the date on which a Borrowing occurs.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the United States, consistently applied.
"Governing Documents" means, with respect to any Person, the certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws, or other organizational documents of such Person.
"Governmental Authority" means the government of any nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether at the national, state, territorial, provincial, county, municipal or any other level, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of, or pertaining to, government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
"Guarantor" means (a) each Person that guaranties all or a portion of the Obligations, including any Person that is a "Guarantor" under the Guaranty and Security Agreement, and (b) each other Person that becomes a guarantor after the Closing Date pursuant to Section 5.11 of this Agreement.
"Guaranty and Security Agreement" means a guaranty and security agreement, dated as of even date with this Agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, executed and delivered by each of the Loan Parties to Agent.
"Hazardous Materials" means (a) substances that are defined or listed in, or otherwise classified pursuant to, any applicable laws or regulations as "hazardous substances," "hazardous materials," "hazardous wastes," "toxic substances," or any other formulation intended to define, list, or classify substances by reason of deleterious properties such as ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, or "EP toxicity", (b) oil, petroleum, or petroleum derived substances, natural gas, natural gas liquids, synthetic gas, drilling fluids, produced waters, and other wastes associated with the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas, or geothermal resources, (c) any flammable substances or explosives or any radioactive materials, and (d) asbestos in any form or electrical equipment that contains any oil or dielectric fluid containing levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in excess of 50 parts per million.
"Hedge Agreement" means a "swap agreement" as that term is defined in Section 101(53B)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
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"Hedge Obligations" means any and all obligations or liabilities, whether absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising, of each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries arising under, owing pursuant to, or existing in respect of Hedge Agreements entered into with one or more of the Hedge Providers.
"Hedge Provider" means Wells Fargo or any of its Affiliates.
"IBA" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 1.8 of this Agreement.
"Increase" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.14.
"Increase Date" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.14.
"Increase Joinder" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.14.
"Increased Reporting Event" means if at any time Availability is less than the greater of (a) 10% of the Maximum Revolver Amount, and (b) $8,500,000.
"Increased Reporting Period" means the period commencing after the continuance of an Increased Reporting Event and continuing until the date when no Increased Reporting Event has occurred for 60 consecutive days.
"Indebtedness" as to any Person means (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, or other similar instruments and all reimbursement or other obligations in respect of letters of credit, bankers acceptances, or other financial products, (c) all obligations of such Person as a lessee under Capital Leases, (d) all obligations or liabilities of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, irrespective of whether such obligation or liability is assumed, (e) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of assets (other than trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of business and repayable in accordance with customary trade practices and, for the avoidance of doubt, other than royalty payments payable in the ordinary course of business in respect of non-exclusive licenses) and any earn-out or similar obligations, (f) all monetary obligations of such Person owing under Hedge Agreements (which amount shall be calculated based on the amount that would be payable by such Person if the Hedge Agreement were terminated on the date of determination), (g) any Disqualified Equity Interests of such Person, and (h) any obligation of such Person guaranteeing or intended to guarantee (whether directly or indirectly guaranteed, endorsed, co-made, discounted, or sold with recourse) any obligation of any other Person that constitutes Indebtedness under any of clauses (a) through (g) above. For purposes of this definition, (i) the amount of any Indebtedness represented by a guaranty or other similar instrument shall be the lesser of the principal amount of the obligations guaranteed and still outstanding and the maximum amount for which the guaranteeing Person may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Indebtedness, and (ii) the amount of any Indebtedness which is limited or is non-recourse to a Person or for which recourse is limited to an identified asset shall be valued at the lesser of (A) if applicable, the limited amount of such obligations, and (B) if applicable, the fair market value of such assets securing such obligation.
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"Indemnified Liabilities" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 10.3 of this Agreement.
"Indemnified Person" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 10.3 of this Agreement.
"Indemnified Taxes" means, (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by, or on account of any obligation of, any Loan Party under any Loan Document, and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in the foregoing clause (a), Other Taxes.
"Insolvency Proceeding" means any proceeding commenced by or against any Person under any provision of the Bankruptcy Code or under any other state or federal bankruptcy or insolvency law, assignments for the benefit of creditors, formal or informal moratoria, compositions, extensions generally with creditors, or proceedings seeking reorganization, arrangement, or other similar relief.
"Intercompany Subordination Agreement" means an intercompany subordination agreement, dated as of even date with this Agreement, executed and delivered by each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries, and Agent, the form and substance of which is reasonably satisfactory to Agent.
"Interest Expense" means, for any period, the aggregate of the interest expense of Borrowers for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
"In-Transit Trigger Date" means the date that is sixty days after Availability being less than the greater of (i) 17.5% of the Maximum Revolver Amount and (ii) $14,850,000.
"Inventory" means inventory (as that term is defined in the Code).
"Inventory Reserves" means, as of any date of determination, (a) Landlord Reserves in respect of Inventory, (b) those reserves that Agent deems necessary or appropriate, in its Permitted Discretion and subject to Section 2.1(c), to establish and maintain (including reserves for slow moving Inventory and Inventory shrinkage) with respect to Eligible Inventory or the Maximum Revolver Amount, including based on the results of appraisals, and (c) with respect to Eligible In-Transit Inventory, those reserves that Agent deems necessary or appropriate, in its Permitted Discretion and subject to Section 2.1(c), to establish and maintain with respect to Eligible In-Transit Inventory or the Maximum Revolver Amount (i) for the estimated costs relating to unpaid freight charges, warehousing or storage charges, taxes, duties, and other similar unpaid costs associated with the acquisition of such Eligible In-Transit Inventory, plus (ii) for the estimated reclamation claims of unpaid sellers of such Eligible In-Transit Inventory.
"Investment" means, with respect to any Person, any investment by such Person in any other Person (including Affiliates) in the form of loans, guarantees, advances, capital contributions (excluding (a) commission, travel, and similar advances to officers and
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employees of such Person made in the ordinary course of business, and (b) bona fide accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business), or acquisitions of Indebtedness, Equity Interests, or all or substantially all of the assets of such other Person (or of any division or business line of such other Person), and any other items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. The amount of any Investment shall be the original cost of such Investment plus the cost of all additions thereto, without any adjustment for increases or decreases in value, or write-ups, write-downs, or write-offs with respect to such Investment.
"IRC" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as in effect from time to time.
"ISP" means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the International Standby Practices 1998 (International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590) and any version or revision thereof accepted by the Issuing Bank for use.
"Issuer Document" means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, a letter of credit application, a letter of credit agreement, or any other document, agreement or instrument entered into (or to be entered into) by a Borrower in favor of Issuing Bank and relating to such Letter of Credit.
"Issuing Bank" means Wells Fargo or any other Lender that, at the request of Borrowers and with the consent of Agent, agrees, in such Lender's sole discretion, to become an Issuing Bank for the purpose of issuing Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.11 of this Agreement, and Issuing Bank shall be a Lender.
"Joinder" means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit J-1 to this Agreement.
"Landlord Reserve" means, as to each location at which a Borrower has Inventory or books and records located and as to which a Collateral Access Agreement has not been received by Agent, a reserve in an amount equal to 3 months' rent, storage charges, fees or other amounts under the lease or other applicable agreement relative to such location or, if greater and Agent so elects, the number of months' rent, storage charges, fess or other amounts for which the landlord, bailee, warehouseman or other property owner will have, under applicable law, a Lien in the Inventory of such Borrower to secure the payment of such amounts under the lease or other applicable agreement relative to such location.
"Lender" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement, shall include Issuing Bank and the Swing Lender, and shall also include any other Person made a party to this Agreement pursuant to the provisions of Section 13.1 of this Agreement and "Lenders" means each of the Lenders or any one or more of them.
"Lender Group" means each of the Lenders (including Issuing Bank and the Swing Lender) and Agent, or any one or more of them.
"Lender Group Expenses" means all (a) costs or expenses (including taxes and insurance premiums) required to be paid by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries under any
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of the Loan Documents that are paid, advanced, or incurred by the Lender Group, (b) documented out-of-pocket fees or charges paid or incurred by Agent in connection with the Lender Group's transactions with each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries under any of the Loan Documents, including, photocopying, notarization, couriers and messengers, telecommunication, public record searches, filing fees, recording fees, publication, real estate surveys, real estate title policies and endorsements, and environmental audits, (c) Agent's customary fees and charges imposed or incurred in connection with any background checks or OFAC/PEP searches related to any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, (d) Agent's customary fees and charges (as adjusted from time to time) with respect to the disbursement of funds (or the receipt of funds) to or for the account of any Borrower (whether by wire transfer or otherwise), together with any out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith, (e) customary charges imposed or incurred by Agent resulting from the dishonor of checks payable by or to any Loan Party, (f) reasonable, documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses paid or incurred by the Lender Group to correct any default or enforce any provision of the Loan Documents, or during the continuance of an Event of Default, in gaining possession of, maintaining, handling, preserving, storing, shipping, selling, preparing for sale, or advertising to sell the Collateral, or any portion thereof, irrespective of whether a sale is consummated, (g) field examination, appraisal, and valuation fees and expenses of Agent related to any field examinations, appraisals, or valuation to the extent of the fees and charges (and up to the amount of any limitation) provided in Section 5.7(c) of this Agreement, (h) Agent's and Lenders' reasonable, documented costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys' fees and expenses) relative to third party claims or any other lawsuit or adverse proceeding paid or incurred, whether in enforcing or defending the Loan Documents or otherwise in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, Agent's Liens in and to the Collateral, or the Lender Group's relationship with any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, (i) Agent's reasonable and documented costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys' fees and due diligence expenses) incurred in advising, structuring, drafting, reviewing, administering (including travel, meals, and lodging), syndicating (including reasonable costs and expenses relative to CUSIP, DXSyndicate™, SyndTrak or other communication costs incurred in connection with a syndication of the loan facilities), or amending, waiving, or modifying the Loan Documents, and (j) Agent's and each Lender's reasonable and documented costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys, accountants, consultants, and other advisors fees and expenses) incurred in terminating, enforcing (including attorneys, accountants, consultants, and other advisors fees and expenses incurred in connection with a "workout," a "restructuring," or an Insolvency Proceeding concerning any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or in exercising rights or remedies under the Loan Documents), or defending the Loan Documents, irrespective of whether a lawsuit or other adverse proceeding is brought, or in taking any enforcement action or any Remedial Action with respect to the Collateral.
"Lender Group Representatives" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.9 of this Agreement.
"Lender-Related Person" means, with respect to any Lender, such Lender, together with such Lender's Affiliates, officers, directors, employees, attorneys, and agents.
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"Letter of Credit" means a letter of credit (as that term is defined in the Code) issued by Issuing Bank.
"Letter of Credit Collateralization" means either (a) providing cash collateral (pursuant to documentation reasonably satisfactory to Agent (including that Agent has a first priority perfected Lien in such cash collateral), including provisions that specify that the Letter of Credit Fees and all commissions, fees, charges and expenses provided for in Section 2.11(k) of this Agreement (including any fronting fees) will continue to accrue while the Letters of Credit are outstanding) to be held by Agent for the benefit of the Revolving Lenders in an amount equal to 105% of the then existing Letter of Credit Usage, (b) delivering to Agent documentation executed by all beneficiaries under the Letters of Credit, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and Issuing Bank, terminating all of such beneficiaries' rights under the Letters of Credit, or (c) providing Agent with a standby letter of credit, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, from a commercial bank acceptable to Agent (in its sole discretion) in an amount equal to 105% of the then existing Letter of Credit Usage (it being understood that the Letter of Credit Fee and all fronting fees set forth in this Agreement will continue to accrue while the Letters of Credit are outstanding and that any such fees that accrue must be an amount that can be drawn under any such standby letter of credit).
"Letter of Credit Disbursement" means a payment made by Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
"Letter of Credit Exposure" means, as of any date of determination with respect to any Lender, such Lender's participation in the Letter of Credit Usage pursuant to Section 2.11(e) on such date.
"Letter of Credit Fee" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.6(b) of this Agreement.
"Letter of Credit Indemnified Costs" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.11(f) of this Agreement.
"Letter of Credit Related Person" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.11(f) of this Agreement.
"Letter of Credit Sublimit" means $5,000,000.
"Letter of Credit Usage" means, as of any date of determination, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit, plus (b) the aggregate amount of outstanding reimbursement obligations with respect to Letters of Credit which remain unreimbursed or which have not been paid through a Revolving Loan.
"LIBOR Loan" means each portion of a Revolving Loan that bears interest at a rate determined by reference to Daily One Month LIBOR.
"LIBOR Rate Margin" has the meaning set forth in the definition of Applicable Margin.
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"Lien" means any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, charge, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, easement, lien (statutory or other), security interest, or other security arrangement and any other preference, priority, or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever, including any conditional sale contract or other title retention agreement, the interest of a lessor under a Capital Lease and any synthetic or other financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing.
"Line Cap" means, as of any date of determination, the lesser of (a) the Maximum Revolver Amount, and (b) the Borrowing Base as of such date of determination.
"Litigation Reserve" means a reserve equal to the portion of the amount payable in respect of that litigation described in Item 2 of Schedule 4.6(b) that is not fully covered (other than to the extent of customary deductibles) by insurance pursuant to which the insurer has not denied coverage.
"Loan" means any Revolving Loan, Swing Loan, or Extraordinary Advance made (or to be made) hereunder.
"Loan Account" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.9 of this Agreement.
"Loan Documents" means this Agreement, the Control Agreements, any Copyright Security Agreement, any Borrowing Base Certificate, the Fee Letter, the Guaranty and Security Agreement, the Intercompany Subordination Agreement, any Issuer Documents, the Letters of Credit, any Patent Security Agreement, any Trademark Security Agreement, any note or notes executed by Borrowers in connection with this Agreement and payable to any member of the Lender Group, and any other instrument or agreement entered into, now or in the future, by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries and any member of the Lender Group in connection with this Agreement (but specifically excluding Bank Product Agreements).
"Loan Party" means any Borrower or any Guarantor.
"Margin Stock" as defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors as in effect from time to time.
"Material Adverse Effect" means (a) a material adverse effect in the business, operations, results of operations, assets, liabilities or financial condition of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) a material impairment of the Loan Parties' and their Subsidiaries' ability to perform their obligations under the Loan Documents to which they are parties or of the Lender Group's ability to enforce the Obligations or realize upon the Collateral (other than as a result of as a result of an action taken or not taken that is solely in the control of Agent), or (c) a material impairment of the enforceability or priority of Agent's Liens with respect to all or a material portion of the Collateral.
"Material Contract" means, with respect to any Person, (a) each contract or agreement to which such Person or any of its Subsidiaries is a party involving aggregate
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consideration payable to or by such Person or such Subsidiary of $2,500,000 or more (other than purchase orders in the ordinary course of the business of such Person or such Subsidiary and other than contracts that by their terms may be terminated by such Person or Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its business upon less than 60 days' notice without penalty or premium), and (b) all other contracts or agreements, the loss of which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
"Maturity Date" means September 8, 2026.
"Maximum Revolver Amount" means $85,000,000, decreased by the amount of reductions in the Revolver Commitments made in accordance with Section 2.4(c) of this Agreement and increased by the amount of any Increase made in accordance with Section 2.14 of this Agreement.
"Moody's" has the meaning specified therefor in the definition of Cash Equivalents.
"Multiemployer Plan" means any multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA with respect to which any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate has an obligation to contribute or has any liability, contingent or otherwise or could be assessed withdrawal liability assuming a complete withdrawal from any such multiemployer plan.
"Net Cash Proceeds" means:
(a) with respect to any sale or disposition by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries of assets, the amount of cash proceeds received (directly or indirectly) from time to time (whether as initial consideration or through the payment of deferred consideration) by or on behalf of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, in connection therewith after deducting therefrom only (i) the amount of any Indebtedness secured by any Permitted Lien on any asset (other than (A) Indebtedness owing to Agent or any Lender under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents and (B) Indebtedness assumed by the purchaser of such asset) which is required to be, and is, repaid in connection with such sale or disposition, (ii) reasonable fees, commissions, and expenses related thereto and required to be paid by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with such sale or disposition, (iii) taxes paid or payable to any taxing authorities by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with such sale or disposition, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that the amounts so deducted are, at the time of receipt of such cash, actually paid or payable to a Person that is not an Affiliate of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, and are properly attributable to such transaction, and (iv) all amounts that are set aside as a reserve (A) for adjustments in respect of the purchase price of such assets, (B) for any liabilities associated with such sale or casualty, to the extent such reserve is required by GAAP, and (C) for the payment of unassumed liabilities relating to the assets sold or otherwise disposed of at the time of, or within 30 days after, the date of such sale or other disposition, to the extent that in each case the funds described above in this clause (iv) are (x) deposited into escrow with a third party escrow agent or set aside in a separate Deposit Account that is subject to a Control Agreement in favor of Agent, and (y) paid to Agent as a prepayment of
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the applicable Obligations in accordance with Section 2.4(e) of this Agreement at such time when such amounts are no longer required to be set aside as such a reserve; and
(b) with respect to the issuance or incurrence of any Indebtedness by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or the issuance by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries of any Equity Interests, the aggregate amount of cash received (directly or indirectly) from time to time (whether as initial consideration or through the payment or disposition of deferred consideration) by or on behalf of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with such issuance or incurrence, after deducting therefrom only (i) reasonable fees, commissions, and expenses related thereto and required to be paid by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with such issuance or incurrence, and (ii) taxes paid or payable to any taxing authorities by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with such issuance or incurrence, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that the amounts so deducted are, at the time of receipt of such cash, actually paid or payable to a Person that is not an Affiliate of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, and are properly attributable to such transaction.
"Net Recovery Percentage" means, as of any date of determination, the percentage of the book value of Borrowers' Inventory that is estimated to be recoverable in an orderly liquidation of such Inventory net of all associated costs and expenses of such liquidation, such percentage to be determined as to each category of Inventory and to be as specified in the most recent Acceptable Appraisal of Inventory.
"Non-Consenting Lender" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 14.2(a) of this Agreement.
"Non-Defaulting Lender" means each Lender other than a Defaulting Lender.
"Notification Event" means (a) the occurrence of a "reportable event" described in Section 4043 of ERISA for which the 30-day notice requirement has not been waived by applicable regulations issued by the PBGC, (b) the withdrawal of any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan during a plan year in which it was a "substantial employer" as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA, (c) the termination of a Pension Plan, the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan or the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination, under Section 4041 of ERISA, if the plan assets are not sufficient to pay all plan liabilities, (d) the institution of proceedings to terminate, or the appointment of a trustee with respect to, any Pension Plan by the PBGC or any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan administrator, (e) any other event or condition that would constitute grounds under Section 4042(a) of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan, (f) the imposition of a Lien pursuant to the IRC or ERISA in connection with any Employee Benefit Plan or the existence of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to result in the imposition of a Lien, (g) the partial or complete withdrawal of any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan (other than any withdrawal that would not constitute an Event of Default under Section 8.12), (h) any event or condition that results in the reorganization or insolvency of a Multiemployer Plan under Sections of ERISA, (i) any event or condition that results in the termination of a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA or the institution by
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the PBGC of proceedings to terminate or to appoint a trustee to administer a Multiemployer Plan under ERISA, (j) any Pension Plan being in "at risk status" within the meaning of IRC Section 430(i), (k) any Multiemployer Plan being in "endangered status" or "critical status" within the meaning of IRC Section 432(b) or the determination that any Multiemployer Plan is or is expected to be insolvent or in reorganization within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA, (l) with respect to any Pension Plan, any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate incurring a substantial cessation of operations within the meaning of ERISA Section 4062(e), (m) an "accumulated funding deficiency" within the meaning of the IRC or ERISA (including Section 412 of the IRC or Section 302 of ERISA) or the failure of any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan to meet the minimum funding standards within the meaning of the IRC or ERISA (including Section 412 of the IRC or Section 302 of ERISA), in each case, whether or not waived, (n) the filing of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standards within the meaning of the IRC or ERISA (including Section 412 of the IRC or Section 302 of ERISA) with respect to any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan, (o) the failure to make by its due date a required payment or contribution with respect to any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan, (p) any event that results in or could reasonably be expected to result in a liability by a Loan Party pursuant to Title I of ERISA or the excise tax provisions of the IRC relating to Employee Benefit Plans or any event that results in or could reasonably be expected to result in a liability to any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Title IV of ERISA or Section 401(a)(29) of the IRC, or (q) any of the foregoing is reasonably likely to occur in the following 30 days.
"Obligations" means (a) all loans (including the Revolving Loans (inclusive of Extraordinary Advances and Swing Loans)), debts, principal, interest (including any interest that accrues after the commencement of an Insolvency Proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in whole or in part as a claim in any such Insolvency Proceeding), reimbursement or indemnification obligations with respect to Letters of Credit (irrespective of whether contingent), premiums, liabilities (including all amounts charged to the Loan Account pursuant to this Agreement), obligations (including indemnification obligations), fees (including the fees provided for in the Fee Letter), Lender Group Expenses (including any fees or expenses that accrue after the commencement of an Insolvency Proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in whole or in part as a claim in any such Insolvency Proceeding), guaranties, and all covenants and duties of any other kind and description owing by any Loan Party arising out of, under, pursuant to, in connection with, or evidenced by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents and irrespective of whether for the payment of money, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising, and including all interest not paid when due and all other expenses or other amounts that any Loan Party is required to pay or reimburse by the Loan Documents or by law or otherwise in connection with the Loan Documents, and (b) all Bank Product Obligations; provided that, anything to the contrary contained in the foregoing notwithstanding, the Obligations shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligation. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of Borrowers under the Loan Documents include the obligation to pay (i) the principal of the Revolving Loans, (ii) interest accrued on the Revolving Loans, (iii) the amount necessary to reimburse Issuing Bank for amounts paid or payable pursuant to Letters of Credit, (iv) Letter of Credit commissions, fees (including fronting fees) and charges, (v) Lender Group Expenses, (vi) fees payable under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and
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(vii) indemnities and other amounts payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document. Any reference in this Agreement or in the Loan Documents to the Obligations shall include all or any portion thereof and any extensions, modifications, renewals, or alterations thereof, both prior and subsequent to any Insolvency Proceeding.
"OFAC" means The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
"Originating Lender" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 13.1(e) of this Agreement.
"Other Taxes" means all present or future stamp, court, excise, value added, or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document.
"Overadvance" means, as of any date of determination, that the Revolver Usage is greater than any of the limitations set forth in Section 2.1 or Section 2.11 of this Agreement.
"Participant" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 13.1(e) of this Agreement.
"Participant Register" has the meaning set forth in Section 13.1(i) of this Agreement.
"Patent Security Agreement" has the meaning specified therefor in the Guaranty and Security Agreement.
"Patriot Act" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 4.13 of this Agreement.
"Payment Conditions" means, at the time of determination with respect to a proposed payment to fund a Specified Transaction, that:
(a) no Default or Event of Default then exists or would arise as a result of the consummation of such Specified Transaction,
(b) both (i) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries is equal to or greater than 1.10:1.00 for the trailing 12 month period most recently ended for which financial statements are required to have been delivered to Agent pursuant to Schedule 5.1 to this Agreement (calculated on a pro forma basis as if such proposed payment is a Fixed Charge made on the last day of such 12 month period (it being understood that such proposed payment shall also be a Fixed Charge made on the last day of such 12 month period for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio under this clause (b) for any subsequent proposed payment to fund a Specific Transaction)), and (ii) Availability, (x) at all times during the 60 consecutive days immediately preceding the
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date of such proposed payment and the consummation of such Specified Transaction, calculated on a pro forma basis as if such proposed payment was made, and the Specified Transaction was consummated, on the first day of such period, and (y) after giving effect to such proposed payment and Specified Transaction, in each case, is not less than 15% of the Maximum Revolver Amount, and
(c) Administrative Borrower has delivered a certificate to Agent certifying that all conditions described in clauses (a) and (b) above have been satisfied.
"Payment Recipient" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.16 of this Agreement.
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor agency.
"Pension Plan" means any Employee Benefit Plan, other than a Multiemployer Plan, which is subject to the provisions of Title IV or Section 302 of ERISA or Sections 412 or 430 of the Code sponsored, maintained, or contributed to by any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate or to which any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate has any liability, contingent or otherwise.
"Perfection Certificate" means a certificate in the form of Exhibit P-1 to this Agreement.
"Permitted Acquisition" means any Acquisition so long as:
(a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from the consummation of the proposed Acquisition and the proposed Acquisition is consensual,
(b) no Indebtedness will be incurred, assumed, or would exist with respect to any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries as a result of such Acquisition, other than Indebtedness permitted under clauses (f) or (g) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness, and no Liens will be incurred, assumed, or would exist with respect to the assets of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries as a result of such Acquisition other than Permitted Liens,
(c) Borrowers have provided Agent with written confirmation, supported by reasonably detailed calculations, that on a pro forma basis (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to such proposed Acquisition, are factually supportable, and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case, determined as if the combination had been accomplished at the beginning of the relevant period; such eliminations and inclusions to be mutually and reasonably agreed upon by Borrowers and Agent) created by adding the historical combined financial statements of Borrowers (including the combined financial statements of any other Person or assets that were the subject of a prior Permitted Acquisition during the relevant period) to the historical consolidated financial statements of the Person to be acquired (or the historical financial statements related to the assets to be acquired) pursuant to the proposed Acquisition, the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries (i) would have been in compliance with the financial
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covenant in Section 7 of this Agreement for the fiscal month ended immediately prior to the proposed date of consummation of such proposed Acquisition regardless of whether such financial covenant(s) are required to be tested for such fiscal month, and (ii) are projected to be in compliance with the financial covenant(s) in Section 7 of this Agreement for each of the twelve fiscal months in the period ended one year after the proposed date of consummation of such proposed Acquisition assuming that such financial covenant will be required to be tested in each such fiscal month,
(d) Borrowers have provided Agent with its due diligence package relative to the proposed Acquisition, including forecasted balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and cash flow statements of the Person or assets to be acquired, all prepared on a basis consistent with such Person's (or assets') historical financial statements, together with appropriate supporting details and a statement of underlying assumptions for the one year period following the date of the proposed Acquisition, on a quarter by quarter basis), in form and substance (including as to scope and underlying assumptions) reasonably satisfactory to Agent,
(e) the assets being acquired or the Person whose Equity Interests are being acquired did not have negative EBITDA during the 12 consecutive month period most recently concluded prior to the date of the proposed Acquisition,
(f) Borrowers have provided Agent with written notice of the proposed Acquisition at least 15 Business Days prior to the anticipated closing date of the proposed Acquisition and, not later than five Business Days prior to the anticipated closing date of the proposed Acquisition, copies of the acquisition agreement and other material documents relative to the proposed Acquisition, which agreement and documents must be reasonably acceptable to Agent,
(g) the assets being acquired (other than a de minimis amount of assets in relation to Borrowers' and their Subsidiaries' total assets), or the Person whose Equity Interests are being acquired, are useful in or engaged in, as applicable, the business of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries or a business reasonably related thereto,
(h) the assets being acquired (other than a de minimis amount of assets in relation to the assets being acquired) are located within the United States, or the Person whose Equity Interests are being acquired is organized in a jurisdiction located within the United States,
(i) the subject assets or Equity Interests, as applicable, are being acquired directly by a Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries that is a Loan Party, and, in connection therewith, the applicable Loan Party shall have complied with Section 5.11 or 5.12 of this Agreement, as applicable, of this Agreement and, in the case of an acquisition of Equity Interests, the Person whose Equity Interests are acquired shall become a Loan Party and the applicable Loan Party shall have demonstrated to Agent that the new Loan Parties have received consideration sufficient to make the joinder documents binding and enforceable against such new Loan Parties, and
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(j) the Payment Conditions are satisfied.
"Permitted Discretion" means a determination made in the exercise of reasonable (from the perspective of a secured asset-based lender) business judgment.
"Permitted Dispositions" means:
(a) sales, abandonment, or other dispositions of Equipment that is substantially worn, damaged, or obsolete or no longer used or useful in the ordinary course of business,
(b) sales, leases or subleases of Real Property not useful in the conduct of the business of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as reasonably determined by Administrative Borrower,
(c) sales of Inventory to buyers in the ordinary course of business,
(d) the use or transfer of money or Cash Equivalents in a manner that is not prohibited by the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents,
(e) the licensing, on a non-exclusive basis, of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business,
(f) the granting of Permitted Liens,
(g) the sale or discount, in each case without recourse, of accounts receivable (other than Eligible Accounts) arising in the ordinary course of business, but only in connection with the compromise or collection thereof,
(h) any involuntary loss, damage or destruction of property,
(i) any involuntary condemnation, seizure or taking, by exercise of the power of eminent domain or otherwise, or confiscation or requisition of use of property,
(j) the leasing or subleasing of assets of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business,
(k) the sale or issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Administrative Borrower,
(l) (i) the lapse of registered patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries to the extent not economically desirable in the conduct of its business, or (ii) the abandonment of patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business so long as (in each case under clauses (i) and (ii)), (A) with respect to copyrights, such copyrights are not material revenue generating copyrights, and (B) such lapse is not materially adverse to the interests of the Lender Group,
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(m) the making of Restricted Payments that are expressly permitted to be made pursuant to this Agreement,
(n) the making of Permitted Investments,
(o) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would immediately result therefrom, transfers of assets (i) from any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries to a Loan Party, and (ii) from any Subsidiary of any Loan Party that is not a Loan Party to any other Subsidiary of any Loan Party,
(p) dispositions of assets acquired by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition consummated within 12 months of the date of the proposed disposition so long as (i) the consideration received for the assets to be so disposed is at least equal to the fair market value of such assets, (ii) the assets to be so disposed are not necessary or economically desirable in connection with the business of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, and (iii) the assets to be so disposed are readily identifiable as assets acquired pursuant to the subject Permitted Acquisition, and
(q) sales or other dispositions of assets not otherwise permitted in clauses (a) through (p) above (other than sales or other dispositions of Accounts in connection with securitization or factoring arrangements), so long as (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would immediately result therefrom, (ii) each such sale or disposition is in an arm's-length transaction and the applicable Loan Party or its Subsidiary receives at least the fair market value of the assets so disposed as reasonably determined by Borrowers, (iii) the consideration received by the applicable Loan Party or its Subsidiary consists of at least 75% cash and Cash Equivalents and is paid at the time of the closing of such sale or disposition, and (iv) the aggregate amount of the cash and non-cash proceeds received from all assets sold or disposed of pursuant to this clause (p) shall not exceed $5,000,000 in any fiscal year of Parent (for this purpose, using the fair market value of property other than cash);
provided, that if, as of any date of determination, sales or dispositions by the Loan Parties during the period of time from the first day of the month in which such date of determination occurs until such date of determination, either individually or in the aggregate, involve $1,000,000 or more of assets included in the Borrowing Base (based on the fair market value of the assets so disposed) (the "Threshold Amount"), then Borrowers shall have, prior to consummation of the sale or disposition that causes the assets included in the Borrowing that are disposed of during such period to exceed the Threshold Amount, delivered to Agent an updated Borrowing Base Certificate that reflects the removal of the applicable assets from the Borrowing Base.
"Permitted Indebtedness" means:
(a) Indebtedness in respect of the Obligations,
(b) Indebtedness as of the Closing Date set forth on Schedule 4.14 to this Agreement and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of such Indebtedness,
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(c) Permitted Purchase Money Indebtedness and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of such Indebtedness,
(d) Indebtedness arising in connection with the endorsement of instruments or other payment items for deposit,
(e) Indebtedness consisting of (i) unsecured guarantees incurred in the ordinary course of business with respect to surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, completion guarantee and similar obligations; (ii) unsecured guarantees arising with respect to customary indemnification obligations to purchasers in connection with Permitted Dispositions; and (iii) unsecured guarantees with respect to Indebtedness of any Loan Party or one of its Subsidiaries, to the extent that the Person that is obligated under such guaranty could have incurred such underlying Indebtedness,
(f) unsecured Indebtedness of any Loan Party that is incurred on the date of the consummation of a Permitted Acquisition solely for the purpose of consummating such Permitted Acquisition so long as (i) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, (ii) such unsecured Indebtedness is not incurred for working capital purposes, (iii) such unsecured Indebtedness does not mature prior to the date that is 6 months after the Maturity Date, (iv) such unsecured Indebtedness does not amortize until 6 months after the Maturity Date, (v) such unsecured Indebtedness does not provide for the payment of interest thereon in cash or Cash Equivalents prior to the date that is 6 months after the Maturity Date, and (vi) such Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to Agent and is otherwise on terms and conditions (including economic terms and absence of covenants) reasonably satisfactory to Agent,
(g) Acquired Indebtedness in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 outstanding at any one time,
(h) Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business under performance, surety, statutory, or appeal bonds,
(i) Indebtedness owed to any Person providing property, casualty, liability, or other insurance to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, so long as the amount of such Indebtedness is not in excess of the amount of the unpaid cost of, and shall be incurred only to defer the cost of, such insurance for the year in which such Indebtedness is incurred and such Indebtedness is outstanding only during such year,
(j) the incurrence by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries of Indebtedness under Hedge Agreements that is incurred for the bona fide purpose of hedging the interest rate, commodity, or foreign currency risks associated with such Loan Party's or such Subsidiary's operations and not for speculative purposes,
(k) Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business in respect of credit cards, credit card processing services, debit cards, stored value cards, commercial cards (including so-called "purchase cards", "procurement cards" or "p-cards"), or Cash Management Services,
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(l) unsecured Indebtedness of any Loan Party owing to employees, former employees, former officers, directors, or former directors (or any spouses, ex-spouses, or estates of any of the foregoing) incurred in connection with the repurchase or redemption by such Loan Party of the Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower that has been issued to such Persons, so long as (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the incurrence of such Indebtedness, (ii) the aggregate amount of all such Indebtedness outstanding at any one time does not exceed $500,000, and (iii) such Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to Agent,
(m) contingent liabilities in respect of any indemnification obligation, adjustment of purchase price, non-compete, or similar obligation of any Loan Party incurred in connection with the consummation of one or more Permitted Acquisitions,
(n) Indebtedness comprising Permitted Investments,
(o) unsecured Indebtedness incurred in respect of netting services, overdraft protection, and other like services, in each case, incurred in the ordinary course of business,
(p) unsecured Indebtedness of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries in respect of Earn-Outs owing to sellers of assets or Equity Interests to such Loan Party or its Subsidiaries that is incurred in connection with the consummation of one or more Permitted Acquisitions so long as such unsecured Indebtedness is on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to Agent,
(q) Indebtedness in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding for all Subsidiaries of each Loan Party that are CFCs; provided, that such Indebtedness is not directly or indirectly recourse to any of the Loan Parties or of their respective assets,
(r) accrual of interest, accretion or amortization of original issue discount, or the payment of interest in kind, in each case, on Indebtedness that otherwise constitutes Permitted Indebtedness,
(s) Subordinated Indebtedness, the aggregate outstanding amount of which does not exceed $2,500,000, and
(t) any other unsecured Indebtedness incurred by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed $1,000,000 at any one time.
"Permitted Intercompany Advances" means loans made by (a) a Loan Party to another Loan Party, (b) a Subsidiary of a Loan Party that is not a Loan Party to another Subsidiary of a Loan Party that is not a Loan Party, (c) a Subsidiary of a Loan Party that is not a Loan Party to a Loan Party, so long as the parties thereto are party to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement, and (d) a Loan Party to a Subsidiary of a Loan Party that is not a Loan Party so long as (i) the aggregate amount of all such loans (by type, not by the
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borrower) does not exceed $500,000 outstanding at any one time, (ii) at the time of the making of such loan, no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, and (iii) Borrowers have Availability of $30,000,000 or greater immediately after giving effect to each such loan.
"Permitted Investments" means:
(a) Investments in cash and Cash Equivalents,
(b) Investments in negotiable instruments deposited or to be deposited for collection in the ordinary course of business,
(c) advances made in connection with purchases of goods or services in the ordinary course of business,
(d) Investments received in settlement of amounts due to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries effected in the ordinary course of business or owing to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of Insolvency Proceedings involving an account debtor or upon the foreclosure or enforcement of any Lien in favor of a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries,
(e) Investments owned by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule P-1 to this Agreement,
(f) guarantees permitted under the definition of Permitted Indebtedness,
(g) Permitted Intercompany Advances,
(h) Equity Interests or other securities acquired in connection with the satisfaction or enforcement of Indebtedness or claims due or owing to a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries (in bankruptcy of customers or suppliers or otherwise outside the ordinary course of business) or as security for any such Indebtedness or claims,
(i) deposits of cash made in the ordinary course of business to secure performance of operating leases,
(j) (i) non-cash loans and advances to employees, officers, and directors of a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries for the purpose of purchasing Equity Interests in Administrative Borrower so long as the proceeds of such loans are used in their entirety to purchase such Equity Interests in Administrative Borrower, and (ii) loans and advances to employees and officers of a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business for any other business purpose and in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000 at any one time,
(k) Permitted Acquisitions,
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(l) Investments in the form of capital contributions and the acquisition of Equity Interests made by any Loan Party in any other Loan Party (other than capital contributions to or the acquisition of Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower),
(m) Investments resulting from entering into (i) Bank Product Agreements, or (ii) agreements relative to obligations permitted under clause (j) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness,
(n) equity Investments by any Loan Party in any Subsidiary of such Loan Party which is required by law to maintain a minimum net capital requirement or as may be otherwise required by applicable law,
(o) Investments held by a Person acquired in a Permitted Acquisition to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such Permitted Acquisition and were in existence on the date of such Permitted Acquisition,
(p) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, any other Investments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,500,000 during the term of this Agreement, and
(q) Investments consisting of non-cash consideration received in connection with Permitted Dispositions, so long as the non-cash consideration received in connection with any Permitted Disposition does not exceed 25% of the total consideration received in connection with such Permitted Disposition.
"Permitted Liens" means:
(a) Liens granted to, or for the benefit of, Agent to secure the Obligations,
(b) Liens for unpaid taxes, assessments, or other governmental charges or levies that either (i) are not yet delinquent, or (ii) do not have priority over Agent's Liens and the underlying taxes, assessments, or charges or levies are the subject of Permitted Protests,
(c) judgment Liens arising solely as a result of the existence of judgments, orders, or awards that do not constitute an Event of Default under Section 8.3 of this Agreement,
(d) Liens set forth on Schedule P-2 to this Agreement; provided, that to qualify as a Permitted Lien, any such Lien described on Schedule P-2 to this Agreement shall only secure the Indebtedness that it secures on the Closing Date and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof,
(e) the interests of lessors under operating leases and non-exclusive licensors under license agreements,
(f) purchase money Liens on fixed assets or the interests of lessors under Capital Leases to the extent that such Liens or interests secure Permitted Purchase Money Indebtedness and so long as (i) such Lien attaches only to the fixed asset purchased or
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acquired and the proceeds thereof, and (ii) such Lien only secures the Indebtedness that was incurred to acquire the fixed asset purchased or acquired or any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof,
(g) Liens arising by operation of law in favor of warehousemen, landlords, carriers, mechanics, materialmen, laborers, or suppliers, incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money, and which Liens either (i) are for sums not yet delinquent, or (ii) are the subject of Permitted Protests,
(h) Liens on amounts deposited to secure any Borrower's and its Subsidiaries' obligations in connection with worker's compensation or other unemployment insurance,
(i) Liens on amounts deposited to secure any Borrower's and its Subsidiaries' obligations in connection with the making or entering into of bids, tenders, or leases in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money,
(j) Liens on amounts deposited to secure any Borrower's and its Subsidiaries' reimbursement obligations with respect to surety or appeal bonds obtained in the ordinary course of business,
(k) with respect to any Real Property, easements, rights of way, and zoning restrictions that do not materially interfere with or impair the use or operation thereof,
(l) non-exclusive licenses of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business,
(m) Liens that are replacements of Permitted Liens to the extent that the original Indebtedness is the subject of permitted Refinancing Indebtedness and so long as the replacement Liens only encumber those assets that secured the original Indebtedness,
(n) rights of setoff or bankers' liens upon deposits of funds in favor of banks or other depository institutions, solely to the extent incurred in connection with the maintenance of such Deposit Accounts in the ordinary course of business,
(o) Liens granted in the ordinary course of business on the unearned portion of insurance premiums securing the financing of insurance premiums to the extent the financing is permitted under the definition of Permitted Indebtedness,
(p) Liens 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,
(q) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement with respect to a Permitted Acquisition,
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(r) Liens assumed by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries in connection with a Permitted Acquisition that secure Acquired Indebtedness that is Permitted Indebtedness, and
(s) other Liens which do not secure Indebtedness for borrowed money or letters of credit and as to which the aggregate amount of the obligations secured thereby does not exceed $1,000,000.
"Permitted Protest" means the right of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries to protest any Lien (other than any Lien that secures the Obligations), taxes (other than payroll taxes or taxes that are the subject of a United States federal tax lien), or rental payment; provided, that (a) a reserve with respect to such obligation is established on such Loan Party's or its Subsidiaries' books and records in such amount as is required under GAAP, (b) any such protest is instituted promptly and prosecuted diligently by such Loan Party or its Subsidiary, as applicable, in good faith, and (c) Agent is satisfied that, while any such protest is pending, there will be no impairment of the enforceability, validity, or priority of any of Agent's Liens.
"Permitted Purchase Money Indebtedness" means, as of any date of determination, Indebtedness (other than the Obligations, but including Capitalized Lease Obligations), incurred after the Closing Date and at the time of, or within 20 days after, the acquisition of any fixed assets for the purpose of financing all or any part of the acquisition cost thereof, in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any one time not in excess of $1,000,000.
"Person" means natural persons, corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, general partnerships, limited liability partnerships, joint ventures, trusts, land trusts, business trusts, or other organizations, irrespective of whether they are legal entities, and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.
"Platform" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.9(c) of this Agreement.
"Post-Increase Revolver Lenders" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.14 of this Agreement.
"Pre-Increase Revolver Lenders" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.14 of this Agreement.
"Projections" means Borrowers' forecasted (a) balance sheets, (b) profit and loss statements, and (c) cash flow statements, all prepared on a basis consistent with Borrowers' historical financial statements, together with appropriate supporting details and a statement of underlying assumptions.
"Pro Rata Share" means, as of any date of determination:
(a) with respect to a Lender's obligation to make all or a portion of the Revolving Loans, with respect to such Lender's right to receive payments of interest, fees,
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and principal with respect to the Revolving Loans, and with respect to all other computations and other matters related to the Revolver Commitments or the Revolving Loans, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the Revolving Loan Exposure of such Lender, by (ii) the aggregate Revolving Loan Exposure of all Lenders,
(b) with respect to a Lender's obligation to participate in the Letters of Credit, with respect to such Lender's obligation to reimburse Issuing Bank, and with respect to such Lender's right to receive payments of Letter of Credit Fees, and with respect to all other computations and other matters related to the Letters of Credit, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the Revolving Loan Exposure of such Lender, by (ii) the aggregate Revolving Loan Exposure of all Lenders; provided, that if all of the Revolving Loans have been repaid in full and all Revolver Commitments have been terminated, but Letters of Credit remain outstanding, Pro Rata Share under this clause shall be the percentage obtained by dividing (A) the Letter of Credit Exposure of such Lender, by (B) the Letter of Credit Exposure of all Lenders, and
(c) with respect to all other matters and for all other matters as to a particular Lender (including the indemnification obligations arising under Section 15.7 of this Agreement), the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the Revolving Loan Exposure of such Lender, by (ii) the aggregate Revolving Loan Exposure of all Lenders, in any such case as the applicable percentage may be adjusted by assignments permitted pursuant to Section 13.1; provided, that if all of the Loans have been repaid in full and all Commitments have been terminated, Pro Rata Share under this clause shall be the percentage obtained by dividing (A) the Letter of Credit Exposure of such Lender, by (B) the Letter of Credit Exposure of all Lenders.
"Protective Advances" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.3(d)(i) of this Agreement.
"Public Lender" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.9(c) of this Agreement.
"Purchase Price" means, with respect to any Acquisition, an amount equal to the aggregate consideration, whether cash, property or securities (including the fair market value of any Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower issued in connection with such Acquisition and including the maximum amount of Earn-Outs), paid or delivered by a Loan Party or one of its Subsidiaries in connection with such Acquisition (whether paid at the closing thereof or payable thereafter and whether fixed or contingent), but excluding therefrom (a) any cash of the seller and its Affiliates used to fund any portion of such consideration, and (b) any cash or Cash Equivalents acquired in connection with such Acquisition.
"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).
"QFC Credit Support" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.15 of this Agreement.
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"Qualified Equity Interests" means and refers to any Equity Interests issued by Administrative Borrower (and not by one or more of its Subsidiaries) that is not a Disqualified Equity Interest.
"Real Property" means any estates or interests in real property now owned or hereafter acquired by any Loan Party or one of its Subsidiaries and the improvements thereto.
"Receivable Reserves" means, as of any date of determination, those reserves that Agent deems necessary or appropriate, in its Permitted Discretion and subject to Section 2.1(c), to establish and maintain (including Landlord Reserves for books and records locations and reserves for rebates, discounts, warranty claims, and returns) with respect to the Eligible Accounts or the Maximum Revolver Amount.
"Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.
"Reference Period" has the meaning set forth in the definition of EBITDA.
"Reference Time" with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (a) if such Benchmark is USD LIBOR, 11:00 a.m., London time, on the day that is two (2) Business Days preceding the date of such setting, and (b) if such Benchmark is not USD LIBOR, the time determined by Agent in its reasonable discretion.
"Refinancing Indebtedness" means refinancings, renewals, or extensions of Indebtedness so long as:
(a) such refinancings, renewals, or extensions do not result in an increase in the principal amount of the Indebtedness so refinanced, renewed, or extended, other than by the amount of premiums paid thereon and the fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith and by the amount of unfunded commitments with respect thereto,
(b) such refinancings, renewals, or extensions do not result in a shortening of the final stated maturity or the average weighted maturity (measured as of the refinancing, renewal, or extension) of the Indebtedness so refinanced, renewed, or extended, nor are they on terms or conditions that, taken as a whole, are or could reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders,
(c) if the Indebtedness that is refinanced, renewed, or extended was subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, then the terms and conditions of the refinancing, renewal, or extension must include subordination terms and conditions that are at least as favorable to the Lender Group as those that were applicable to the refinanced, renewed, or extended Indebtedness,
(d) the Indebtedness that is refinanced, renewed, or extended is not recourse to any Person that is liable on account of the Obligations other than those Persons which were obligated with respect to the Indebtedness that was refinanced, renewed, or extended,
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(e) if the Indebtedness that is refinanced, renewed or extended was unsecured, such refinancing, renewal or extension shall be unsecured, and
(f) if the Indebtedness that is refinanced, renewed, or extended was secured (i) such refinancing, renewal, or extension shall be secured by substantially the same or less collateral as secured such refinanced, renewed or extended Indebtedness on terms no less favorable to Agent or the Lender Group and (ii) the Liens securing such refinancing, renewal or extension shall not have a priority more senior than the Liens securing such Indebtedness that is refinanced, renewed or extended.
"Register" has the meaning set forth in Section 13.1(h) of this Agreement.
"Registered Loan" has the meaning set forth in Section 13.1(h) of this Agreement.
"Related Fund" means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course and that is administered, advised or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender, or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers, advises or manages a Lender.
"Relevant Governmental Body" means the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.
"Remedial Action" means all actions taken to (a) clean up, remove, remediate, contain, treat, monitor, assess, evaluate, or in any way address Hazardous Materials in the indoor or outdoor environment, (b) prevent or minimize a release or threatened release of Hazardous Materials so they do not migrate or endanger or threaten to endanger public health or welfare or the indoor or outdoor environment, (c) restore or reclaim natural resources or the environment, (d) perform any pre-remedial studies, investigations, or post-remedial operation and maintenance activities, or (e) conduct any other actions with respect to Hazardous Materials required by Environmental Laws.
"Replacement Lender" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.13(b) of this Agreement.
"Report" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 15.16 of this Agreement.
"Required Availability" means that Excess Availability exceeds $25,000,000.
"Required Lenders" means, at any time, Lenders having or holding more than 50% of the aggregate Revolving Loan Exposure of all Lenders; provided, that (i) the Revolving Loan Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in the determination of the Required Lenders, and (ii) at any time there are two or more Lenders (who are not Affiliates of one another or Defaulting Lenders), "Required Lenders" must include at least two Lenders (who are not Affiliates of one another).
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"Reserves" means, as of any date of determination, Inventory Reserves, Receivables Reserves, Bank Product Reserves, Litigation Reserve and those other reserves that Agent deems necessary or appropriate, in its Permitted Discretion and subject to Section 2.1(c), to establish and maintain (including reserves with respect to (a) sums that any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries are required to pay under any Section of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (such as taxes, assessments, insurance premiums, or, in the case of leased assets, rents or other amounts payable under such leases) and has failed to pay, and (b) amounts owing by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries to any Person to the extent secured by a Lien on, or trust over, any of the Collateral (other than a Permitted Lien), which Lien or trust, in the Permitted Discretion of Agent likely would have a priority superior to Agent's Liens (such as Liens or trusts in favor of landlords, warehousemen, carriers, mechanics, materialmen, laborers, or suppliers, or Liens or trusts for ad valorem, excise, sales, or other taxes where given priority under applicable law) in and to such item of the Collateral) with respect to the Borrowing Base or the Maximum Revolver Amount.
"Restricted Payment" means (a) any declaration or payment of any dividend or the making of any other payment or distribution, directly or indirectly, on account of Equity Interests issued by Administrative Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (including any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving Administrative Borrower) or to the direct or indirect holders of Equity Interests issued by Administrative Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in their capacity as such (other than dividends or distributions payable in Qualified Equity Interests issued by Administrative Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (b) any purchase, redemption, making of any sinking fund or similar payment, or other acquisition or retirement for value (including in connection with any merger or consolidation involving Administrative Borrower) any Equity Interests issued by Administrative Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (c) any making of any payment to retire, or to obtain the surrender of, any outstanding warrants, options, or other rights to acquire Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower now or hereafter outstanding.
"Revolver Commitment" means, with respect to each Revolving Lender, its Revolver Commitment, and, with respect to all Revolving Lenders, their Revolver Commitments, in each case as such Dollar amounts are set forth beside such Revolving Lender's name under the applicable heading on Schedule C-1 to this Agreement or in the Assignment and Acceptance or Increase Joinder pursuant to which such Revolving Lender became a Revolving Lender under this Agreement, as such amounts may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments made in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.1 of this Agreement, and as such amounts may be decreased by the amount of reductions in the Revolver Commitments made in accordance with Section 2.4(c) hereof.
"Revolver Usage" means, as of any date of determination, the sum of (a) the amount of outstanding Revolving Loans (inclusive of Swing Loans and Protective Advances), plus (b) the amount of the Letter of Credit Usage.
"Revolving Lender" means a Lender that has a Revolving Loan Exposure or Letter of Credit Exposure.
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"Revolving Loan Exposure" means, with respect to any Revolving Lender, as of any date of determination (a) prior to the termination of the Revolver Commitments, the amount of such Lender's Revolver Commitment, and (b) after the termination of the Revolver Commitments, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loans of such Lender.
"Revolving Loans" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.1(a) of this Agreement.
"Sanctioned Entity" means (a) a country or territory or a government of a country or territory, (b) an agency of the government of a country or territory, (c) an organization directly or indirectly controlled by a country or territory or its government, or (d) a Person resident in or determined to be resident in a country or territory, in each case of clauses (a) through (d) that is a target of Sanctions, including a target of any country sanctions program administered and enforced by OFAC.
"Sanctioned Person" means, at any time (a) any Person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by OFAC, OFAC's consolidated Non-SDN list or any other Sanctions-related list maintained by any Governmental Authority, (b) a Person or legal entity that is a target of Sanctions, (c) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Entity, or (d) any Person directly or indirectly owned or controlled (individually or in the aggregate) by or acting on behalf of any such Person or Persons described in clauses (a) through (c) above.
"Sanctions" means individually and collectively, respectively, any and all economic sanctions, trade sanctions, financial sanctions, sectoral sanctions, secondary sanctions, trade embargoes anti-terrorism laws and other sanctions laws, regulations or embargoes, including those imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by: (a) the United States of America, including those administered by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, or through any existing or future executive order, (b) the United Nations Security Council, (c) the European Union or any European Union member state, (d) Her Majesty's Treasury of the United Kingdom, or (e) any other Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over any member of Lender Group or any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates.
"S&P" has the meaning specified therefor in the definition of Cash Equivalents.
"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any successor thereto.
"Securities Account" means a securities account (as that term is defined in the Code).
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.
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"Settlement" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.3(e)(i) of this Agreement.
"Settlement Date" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.3(e)(i) of this Agreement.
"SOFR" means a rate per annum equal to the secured overnight financing rate published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website.
"SOFR Administrator" means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).
"SOFR Administrator's Website" means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.
"Solvent" means, with respect to any Person as of any date of determination, that (a) at fair valuations, the sum of such Person's debts (including contingent liabilities) is less than all of such Person's assets, (b) such Person is not engaged or about to engage in a business or transaction for which the remaining assets of such Person are unreasonably small in relation to the business or transaction or for which the property remaining with such Person is an unreasonably small capital, (c) such Person has not incurred and does not intend to incur, or reasonably believe that it will incur, debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they become due (whether at maturity or otherwise), and (d) such Person is "solvent" or not "insolvent", as applicable within the meaning given those terms and similar terms under applicable laws relating to fraudulent transfers and conveyances. For purposes of this definition, the amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all of the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability (irrespective of whether such contingent liabilities meet the criteria for accrual under Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 5).
"Specified Transaction" means any Permitted Acquisition or Restricted Payment (or declaration of any Restricted Payment).
"Standard Letter of Credit Practice" means, for Issuing Bank, any domestic or foreign law or letter of credit practices applicable in the city in which Issuing Bank issued the applicable Letter of Credit or, for its branch or correspondent, such laws and practices applicable in the city in which it has advised, confirmed or negotiated such Letter of Credit, as the case may be, in each case, (a) which letter of credit practices are of banks that regularly issue letters of credit in the particular city, and (b) which laws or letter of credit practices are required or permitted under ISP or UCP, as chosen in the applicable Letter of Credit.
"Subordinated Indebtedness" means any Indebtedness of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries incurred from time to time that is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations and is subject to a subordination agreement in form and substance acceptable to Agent or contains terms and conditions of subordination that are acceptable to Agent.
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"Subsidiary" of a Person means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other entity in which that Person directly or indirectly owns or controls the Equity Interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other entity.
"Supermajority Lenders" means, at any time, Revolving Lenders having or holding more than 66 2/3% of the aggregate Revolving Loan Exposure of all Revolving Lenders; provided, that (i) the Revolving Loan Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in the determination of the Supermajority Lenders, and (ii) at any time there are two or more Revolving Lenders (who are not Affiliates of one another), "Supermajority Lenders" must include at least two Revolving Lenders (who are not Affiliates of one another or Defaulting Lenders).
"Supported QFC" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.15 of this Agreement.
"Swap Obligation" means, with respect to any Loan Party, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a "swap" within the meaning of section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
"Swing Lender" means Wells Fargo or any other Lender that, at the request of Borrowers and with the consent of Agent agrees, in such Lender's sole discretion, to become the Swing Lender under Section 2.3(b) of this Agreement.
"Swing Loan" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.3(b) of this Agreement.
"Swing Loan Exposure" means, as of any date of determination with respect to any Lender, such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Swing Loans on such date.
"Taxes" means any taxes, levies, imposts, duties, fees, assessments or other charges of whatever nature now or hereafter imposed by any jurisdiction or by any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, and all interest, penalties or similar liabilities with respect thereto.
"Tax Lender" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 14.2(a) of this Agreement.
"Trademark Security Agreement" has the meaning specified therefor in the Guaranty and Security Agreement.
"UCP" means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits 2007 Revision, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600 and any version or revision thereof accepted by Issuing Bank for use.
"Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement" means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
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"Unfinanced Capital Expenditures" means Capital Expenditures (a) not financed with the proceeds of any incurrence of Indebtedness (other than the incurrence of any Revolving Loans), the proceeds of any sale or issuance of Equity Interests or equity contributions, the proceeds of any asset sale (other than the sale of Inventory in the ordinary course of business) or any insurance proceeds, and (b) that are not reimbursed by a third person (excluding any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates) in the period such expenditures are made pursuant to a written agreement.
"United States" means the United States of America.
"Unused Line Fee" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.10(b) of this Agreement.
"U.S. Special Resolution Regimes" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.15 of this Agreement.
"USD LIBOR" means the London interbank offered rate for Dollars.
"Voidable Transfer" has the meaning specified therefor in Section 17.8 of this Agreement.
"Wells Fargo" means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association.
"Withdrawal Liability" means liability with respect to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
"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.
1.2. Accounting Terms. All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with GAAP; provided, that if Administrative Borrower notifies Agent that Borrowers request an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any Accounting Change occurring after the Closing Date or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if Agent notifies Administrative 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 Accounting Change or in the application thereof, then Agent and Borrowers agree that they will negotiate in good faith amendments to the provisions of this Agreement that are directly affected by such Accounting Change with the intent of having the respective positions of the Lenders and Borrowers after such Accounting Change conform as nearly as possible to their respective positions immediately before such Accounting Change took effect and, until any such amendments have been agreed upon and agreed to by the Required Lenders, the provisions in this Agreement shall be calculated as if no such Accounting Change had occurred. When
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used herein, the term "financial statements" shall include the notes and schedules thereto. Whenever the term "Borrowers" is used in respect of a financial covenant or a related definition, it shall be understood to mean the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, unless the context clearly requires otherwise. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (a) all financial statements delivered hereunder shall be prepared, and all financial covenants contained herein shall be calculated, without giving effect to any election under the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board's Accounting Standards Codification Topic 825 (or any similar accounting principle) permitting a Person to value its financial liabilities or Indebtedness at the fair value thereof, and (b) the term "unqualified opinion" as used herein to refer to opinions or reports provided by accountants shall mean an opinion or report that is (i) unqualified, and (ii) does not include any explanation, supplemental comment, or other comment concerning the ability of the applicable Person to continue as a going concern or concerning the scope of the audit.
1.3. Code. Any terms used in this Agreement that are defined in the Code shall be construed and defined as set forth in the Code unless otherwise defined herein; provided, that to the extent that the Code is used to define any term herein and such term is defined differently in different Articles of the Code, the definition of such term contained in Article 9 of the Code shall govern.
1.4. Construction. Unless the context of this Agreement or any other Loan Document clearly requires otherwise, references to the plural include the singular, references to the singular include the plural, the terms "includes" and "including" are not limiting, and the term "or" has, except where otherwise indicated, the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase "and/or." The words "hereof," "herein," "hereby," "hereunder," and similar terms in this Agreement or any other Loan Document refer to this Agreement or such other Loan Document, as the case may be, as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement or such other Loan Document, as the case may be. Section, subsection, clause, schedule, and exhibit references herein are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified. Any reference in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document to any agreement, instrument, or document shall include all alterations, amendments, changes, extensions, modifications, renewals, replacements, substitutions, joinders, and supplements, thereto and thereof, as applicable (subject to any restrictions on such alterations, amendments, changes, extensions, modifications, renewals, replacements, substitutions, joinders, and supplements set forth 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. Any reference herein or in any other Loan Document to the satisfaction, repayment, or payment in full of the Obligations shall mean (a) the payment or repayment in full in immediately available funds of (i) the principal amount of, and interest accrued and unpaid with respect to, all outstanding Loans, together with the payment of any premium applicable to the repayment of the Loans, (ii) all Lender Group Expenses that have accrued and are unpaid regardless of whether demand has been made therefor, and (iii) all fees or charges that have accrued hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including the Letter of Credit Fee and the Unused Line Fee) and are unpaid, (b) in the case of contingent reimbursement obligations with respect to Letters of Credit, providing Letter of Credit Collateralization, (c) in the case of obligations with respect to Bank Products (other than Hedge Obligations), providing Bank Product Collateralization, (d) the receipt by Agent of
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cash collateral in order to secure any other contingent Obligations for which a claim or demand for payment has been made on or prior to such time or in respect of matters or circumstances known to Agent or a Lender at such time that are reasonably expected to result in any loss, cost, damage, or expense (including reasonable and documented attorneys' fees and legal expenses), such cash collateral to be in such amount as Agent reasonably determines is appropriate to secure such contingent Obligations, (e) the payment or repayment in full in immediately available funds of all other outstanding Obligations (including the payment of any termination amount then applicable (or which would or could become applicable as a result of the repayment of the other Obligations) under Hedge Agreements provided by Hedge Providers) other than (i) unasserted contingent indemnification Obligations, (ii) any Bank Product Obligations (other than Hedge Obligations) that, at such time, are allowed by the applicable Bank Product Provider to remain outstanding without being required to be repaid or cash collateralized, and (iii) any Hedge Obligations that, at such time, are allowed by the applicable Hedge Provider to remain outstanding without being required to be repaid, and (f) the termination of all of the Commitments of the Lenders. Any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person's successors and assigns. Any requirement of a writing contained herein or in any other Loan Document shall be satisfied by the transmission of a Record.
1.5. Time References. Unless the context of this Agreement or any other Loan Document clearly requires otherwise, all references to time of day refer to Central standard time or Central daylight saving time, as in effect in Chicago, Illinois on such day. For purposes of the computation of a period of time from a specified date to a later specified date, unless otherwise expressly provided, the word "from" means "from and including" and the words "to" and "until" each means "to and including"; provided, that with respect to a computation of fees or interest payable to Agent or any Lender, such period shall in any event consist of at least one full day.
1.6. Schedules and Exhibits. All of the schedules and exhibits attached to this Agreement shall be deemed incorporated herein by reference.
1.7. Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction's laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.
1.8. Rates. The interest rate on LIBOR Loans may be determined by reference to the Daily One Month LIBOR, which is derived from the London interbank offered rate. The London interbank offered rate is intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other in the London interbank market. On March 5, 2021, ICE Benchmark Administration ("IBA"), the administrator of the London interbank offered rate, and the Financial Conduct Authority (the "FCA"), the regulatory supervisor of IBA, announced in public statements (the "Announcements") that the final publication or representativeness date for the London interbank offered rate for Dollars for:
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(a) 1‑week and 2‑month tenor settings will be December 31, 2021 and (b) overnight, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month and 12-month tenor settings will be June 30, 2023. No successor administrator for IBA was identified in such Announcements. As a result, it is possible that immediately after such dates, the London interbank offered rate for such tenors may no longer be available or may no longer be deemed a representative reference rate upon which to determine the interest rate on LIBOR Loans or Base Rate Loans (when determined by reference to clause (c) of the definition of Base Rate). There is no assurance that the dates set forth in the Announcements will not change or that IBA or the FCA will not take further action that could impact the availability, composition or characteristics of any London interbank offered rate. Public and private sector industry initiatives have been and continue, as of the date hereof, to be underway to implement new or alternative reference rates to be used in place of the London interbank offered rate. In the event that the London interbank offered rate or any other then-current Benchmark is no longer available or in certain other circumstances set forth in Section 2.12(c), such Section 2.12(c) provides a mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. Agent will notify Administrative Borrower, pursuant to Section 2.12(c), of any change to the reference rate upon which the interest rate on LIBOR Loans and Base Rate Loans (when determined by reference to clause (c) of the definition of Base Rate) is based. However, Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, (i) the continuation of, administration of, submission of, calculation of or any other matter related to the London interbank offered rate or other rates in the definition of "Daily One Month LIBOR" or with respect to any alternative, successor or replacement rate thereto (including any then-current Benchmark or any Benchmark Replacement), including whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement), as it may or may not be adjusted pursuant to Section 2.12(c), will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, Daily One Month LIBOR or any other Benchmark, or have the same volume or liquidity as did the London interbank offered rate or any other Benchmark prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, or (ii) the effect, implementation or composition of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. Agent and its Affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of a Benchmark, any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) or any relevant adjustments thereto and such transactions may be adverse to a Borrower. Agent may select information sources or services in its discretion to ascertain any Benchmark, any component definition thereof or rates referenced in the definition thereof, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to any Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.
2. LOANS AND TERMS OF PAYMENT.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and during the term of this Agreement, each Revolving Lender agrees (severally, not jointly or jointly and
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severally) to make revolving loans ("Revolving Loans") to Borrowers in an amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the lesser of:
(i) such Lender's Revolver Commitment, or
(ii) such Lender's Pro Rata Share of an amount equal to the lesser of:
(A) the amount equal to (1) the Maximum Revolver Amount, less (2) the sum of (y) the Letter of Credit Usage at such time, plus (z) the principal amount of Swing Loans outstanding at such time, and
(B) the amount equal to (1) the Borrowing Base as of such date (based upon the most recent Borrowing Base Certificate delivered by Borrowers to Agent, as adjusted for Reserves established by Agent in accordance with Section 2.1(c)), less (2) the sum of (x) the Letter of Credit Usage at such time, plus (y) the principal amount of Swing Loans outstanding at such time.
(b) Amounts borrowed pursuant to this Section 2.1 may be repaid and, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, reborrowed at any time during the term of this Agreement. The outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loans, together with interest accrued and unpaid thereon, shall constitute Obligations and shall be due and payable on the Maturity Date or, if earlier, on the date on which they otherwise become due and payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
(c) Anything to the contrary in this Section 2.1 notwithstanding, Agent shall have the right (but not the obligation) at any time, in the exercise of its Permitted Discretion, to establish and increase or decrease Reserves and against the Borrowing Base or the Maximum Revolver Amount. The amount of any Reserve established by Agent, and any changes to the eligibility criteria set forth in the definitions of Eligible Accounts, Eligible Inventory, Eligible Finished Goods Inventory, Eligible Excess Finished Goods Inventory, Eligible Raw Material Inventory and Eligible In-Transit Inventory shall have a reasonable relationship to the event, condition, other circumstance, or fact that is the basis for such reserve or change in eligibility and shall not be duplicative of any other reserve established and currently maintained or eligibility criteria. Upon establishment or increase in Reserves, Agent agrees to make itself available to discuss the Reserve or increase, and Borrowers may take such action as may be required so that the event, condition, circumstance, or fact that is the basis for such reserve or increase no longer exists, in a manner and to the extent reasonably satisfactory to Agent in the exercise of its Permitted Discretion. In no event shall such opportunity limit the right of Agent to establish or change such Reserve, unless Agent shall have determined, in its Permitted Discretion, that the event, condition, other circumstance, or fact that was the basis for such Reserve or such change no longer exists or has otherwise been adequately addressed by Borrowers.
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2.3. Borrowing Procedures and Settlements.
(a) Procedure for Borrowing Revolving Loans. Each Borrowing shall be made by a written request by an Authorized Person delivered to Agent (which may be delivered through Agent's electronic platform or portal) and received by Agent no later than 11:00 a.m. (i) on the Business Day that is the requested Funding Date in the case of a request for a Swing Loan, and (ii) on the Business Day that is one Business Day prior to the requested Funding Date in the case of all other requests, specifying (A) the amount of such Borrowing, and (B) the requested Funding Date (which shall be a Business Day); provided, that Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to accept as timely requests that are received later than 11:00 a.m. on the applicable Business Day. All Borrowing requests which are not made on-line via Agent's electronic platform or portal shall be subject to (and unless Agent elects otherwise in the exercise of its sole discretion, such Borrowings shall not be made until the completion of) Agent's authentication process (with results satisfactory to Agent) prior to the funding of any such requested Revolving Loan.
(b) Making of Swing Loans. In the case of a Revolving Loan and so long as any of (i) the aggregate amount of Swing Loans made since the last Settlement Date, minus all payments or other amounts applied to Swing Loans since the last Settlement Date, plus the amount of the requested Swing Loan does not exceed $8,500,000, or (ii) Swing Lender, in its sole discretion, agrees to make a Swing Loan notwithstanding the foregoing limitation, Swing Lender shall make a Revolving Loan (any such Revolving Loan made by Swing Lender pursuant to this Section 2.3(b) being referred to as a "Swing Loan" and all such Revolving Loans being referred to as "Swing Loans") available to Borrowers on the Funding Date applicable thereto by transferring immediately available funds in the amount of such Borrowing to the Designated Account. Each Swing Loan shall be deemed to be a Revolving Loan hereunder and shall be subject to all the terms and conditions (including Section 3) applicable to other Revolving Loans, except that all payments (including interest) on any Swing Loan shall be payable to Swing Lender solely for its own account. Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3(d)(ii), Swing Lender shall not make and shall not be obligated to make any Swing Loan if Swing Lender has actual knowledge that (i) one or more of the applicable conditions precedent set forth in Section 3 will not be satisfied on the requested Funding Date for the applicable Borrowing, or (ii) the requested Borrowing would exceed the Availability on such Funding Date. Swing Lender shall not otherwise be required to determine whether the applicable conditions precedent set forth in Section 3 have been satisfied on the Funding Date applicable thereto prior to making any Swing Loan. The Swing Loans shall be secured by Agent's Liens, constitute Revolving Loans and Obligations, and bear interest at the Applicable Rate.
(c) Making of Revolving Loans.
(i) In the event that Swing Lender is not obligated to make a Swing Loan, then after receipt of a request for a Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.3(a)(i), Agent shall notify the Lenders by telecopy, telephone, email, or other electronic form of transmission, of the requested Borrowing; such notification to be sent on the Business Day that is at least one Business Day prior to the requested Funding Date. If Agent has notified the Lenders of a requested Borrowing on the Business Day that is one Business Day prior to
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the Funding Date, then each Lender shall make the amount of such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the requested Borrowing available to Agent in immediately available funds, to Agent's Account, not later than 10:00 a.m. on the Business Day that is the requested Funding Date. After Agent's receipt of the proceeds of such Revolving Loans from the Lenders, Agent shall make the proceeds thereof available to Borrowers on the applicable Funding Date by transferring immediately available funds equal to such proceeds received by Agent to the Designated Account; provided, that subject to the provisions of Section 2.3(d)(ii), no Lender shall have an obligation to make any Revolving Loan, if (1) one or more of the applicable conditions precedent set forth in Section 3 will not be satisfied on the requested Funding Date for the applicable Borrowing unless such condition has been waived, or (2) the requested Borrowing would exceed the Availability on such Funding Date.
(ii) Unless Agent receives notice from a Lender prior to 9:30 a.m. on the Business Day that is the requested Funding Date relative to a requested Borrowing as to which Agent has notified the Lenders of a requested Borrowing that such Lender will not make available as and when required hereunder to Agent for the account of Borrowers the amount of that Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Borrowing, Agent may assume that each Lender has made or will make such amount available to Agent in immediately available funds on the Funding Date and Agent may (but shall not be so required), in reliance upon such assumption, make available to Borrowers a corresponding amount. If, on the requested Funding Date, any Lender shall not have remitted the full amount that it is required to make available to Agent in immediately available funds and if Agent has made available to Borrowers such amount on the requested Funding Date, then such Lender shall make the amount of such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the requested Borrowing available to Agent in immediately available funds, to Agent's Account, no later than 10:00 a.m. on the Business Day that is the first Business Day after the requested Funding Date (in which case, the interest accrued on such Lender's portion of such Borrowing for the Funding Date shall be for Agent's separate account). If any Lender shall not remit the full amount that it is required to make available to Agent in immediately available funds as and when required hereby and if Agent has made available to Borrowers such amount, then that Lender shall be obligated to immediately remit such amount to Agent, together with interest at the Defaulting Lender Rate for each day until the date on which such amount is so remitted. A notice submitted by Agent to any Lender with respect to amounts owing under this Section 2.3(c)(ii) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error. If the amount that a Lender is required to remit is made available to Agent, then such payment to Agent shall constitute such Lender's Revolving Loan for all purposes of this Agreement. If such amount is not made available to Agent on the Business Day following the Funding Date, Agent will notify Administrative Borrower of such failure to fund and, upon demand by Agent, Borrowers shall pay such amount to Agent for Agent's account, together with interest thereon for each day elapsed since the date of such Borrowing, at a rate per annum equal to the interest rate applicable at the time to the Revolving Loans composing such Borrowing.
(d) Protective Advances and Optional Overadvances.
(i) Any contrary provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document notwithstanding (but subject to Section 2.3(d)(iv)), at any time (A) after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Default or an Event of Default, or (B) that any
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of the other applicable conditions precedent set forth in Section 3 are not satisfied, Agent hereby is authorized by Borrowers and the Lenders, from time to time, in Agent's sole discretion, to make Revolving Loans to, or for the benefit of, Borrowers, on behalf of the Revolving Lenders, that Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, deems necessary or desirable (1) to preserve or protect the Collateral, or any portion thereof, or (2) to enhance the likelihood of repayment of the Obligations (other than the Bank Product Obligations) (the Revolving Loans described in this Section 2.3(d)(i) shall be referred to as "Protective Advances").
(ii) Any contrary provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document notwithstanding, the Lenders hereby authorize Agent or Swing Lender, as applicable, and either Agent or Swing Lender, as applicable, may, but is not obligated to, knowingly and intentionally, continue to make Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans) to Borrowers notwithstanding that an Overadvance exists or would be created thereby, so long as (A) after giving effect to such Revolving Loans, the outstanding Revolver Usage does not exceed the Borrowing Base by more than 10% of the Borrowing Base, and (B) subject to Section 2.3(d)(iv) below, after giving effect to such Revolving Loans, the outstanding Revolver Usage (except for and excluding amounts charged to the Loan Account for interest, fees, or Lender Group Expenses) does not exceed the Maximum Revolver Amount. In the event Agent obtains actual knowledge that the Revolver Usage exceeds the amounts permitted by this Section 2.3(d), regardless of the amount of, or reason for, such excess, Agent shall notify the Lenders as soon as practicable (and prior to making any (or any additional) intentional Overadvances (except for and excluding amounts charged to the Loan Account for interest, fees, or Lender Group Expenses) unless Agent determines that prior notice would result in imminent harm to the Collateral or its value, in which case Agent may make such Overadvances and provide notice as promptly as practicable thereafter), and the Lenders with Revolver Commitments thereupon shall, together with Agent, jointly determine the terms of arrangements that shall be implemented with Borrowers intended to reduce, within a reasonable time, the outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loans to Borrowers to an amount permitted by the preceding sentence. In such circumstances, if any Lender with a Revolver Commitment objects to the proposed terms of reduction or repayment of any Overadvance, the terms of reduction or repayment thereof shall be implemented according to the determination of the Required Lenders. The foregoing provisions are meant for the benefit of the Lenders and Agent and are not meant for the benefit of Borrowers, which shall continue to be bound by the provisions of Section 2.4(e).
(iii) Each Protective Advance and each Overadvance (each, an "Extraordinary Advance") shall be deemed to be a Revolving Loan hereunder. Prior to Settlement of any Extraordinary Advance, all payments with respect thereto, including interest thereon, shall be payable to Agent solely for its own account. Each Revolving Lender shall be obligated to settle with Agent as provided in Section 2.3(e) (or Section 2.3(g), as applicable) for the amount of such Lender's Pro Rata Share of any Extraordinary Advance. The Extraordinary Advances shall be repayable on demand, secured by Agent's Liens, constitute Obligations hereunder, and bear interest at the Applicable Rate. The provisions of this Section 2.3(d) are for the exclusive benefit of Agent, Swing Lender, and the Lenders and are not intended to benefit Borrowers (or any other Loan Party) in any way.
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(iv) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, no Extraordinary Advance may be made by Agent if such Extraordinary Advance would cause the aggregate Revolver Usage to exceed the Maximum Revolver Amount or any Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Revolver Usage to exceed such Lender's Revolver Commitments; provided that Agent may make Extraordinary Advances in excess of the foregoing limitations so long as such Extraordinary Advances that cause the aggregate Revolver Usage to exceed the Maximum Revolver Amount or a Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Revolver Usage to exceed such Lender's Revolver Commitments are for Agent's sole and separate account and not for the account of any Lender. No Lender shall have an obligation to settle with Agent for such Extraordinary Advances that cause the aggregate Revolver Usage to exceed the Maximum Revolver Amount or a Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Revolver Usage to exceed such Lender's Revolver Commitments as provided in Section 2.3(e) (or Section 2.3(g), as applicable).
(e) Settlement. It is agreed that each Lender's funded portion of the Revolving Loans is intended by the Lenders to equal, at all times, such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Revolving Loans. Such agreement notwithstanding, Agent, Swing Lender, and the other Lenders agree (which agreement shall not be for the benefit of Borrowers) that in order to facilitate the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, settlement among the Lenders as to the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) shall take place on a periodic basis in accordance with the following provisions:
(i) Agent shall request settlement ("Settlement") with the Lenders on a weekly basis, or on a more frequent basis if so determined by Agent in its sole discretion (1) on behalf of Swing Lender, with respect to the outstanding Swing Loans, (2) for itself, with respect to the outstanding Extraordinary Advances, and (3) with respect to any Loan Party's or any of their Subsidiaries' payments or other amounts received, as to each by notifying the Lenders by telecopy, telephone, or other similar form of transmission, of such requested Settlement, no later than 2:00 p.m. on the Business Day immediately prior to the date of such requested Settlement (the date of such requested Settlement being the "Settlement Date"). Such notice of a Settlement Date shall include a summary statement of the amount of outstanding Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) for the period since the prior Settlement Date. Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein (including Section 2.3(g)): (y) if the amount of the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) made by a Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender exceeds such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) as of a Settlement Date, then Agent shall, by no later than 12:00 p.m. on the Settlement Date, transfer in immediately available funds to a Deposit Account of such Lender (as such Lender may designate), an amount such that each such Lender shall, upon receipt of such amount, have as of the Settlement Date, its Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances), and (z) if the amount of the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) made by a Lender is less than such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) as of a Settlement Date, such Lender shall no later than 12:00 p.m. on the Settlement Date transfer in immediately available funds to Agent's Account, an amount such that each such Lender shall, upon
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transfer of such amount, have as of the Settlement Date, its Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances). Such amounts made available to Agent under clause (z) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be applied against the amounts of the applicable Swing Loans or Extraordinary Advances and, together with the portion of such Swing Loans or Extraordinary Advances representing Swing Lender's Pro Rata Share thereof, shall constitute Revolving Loans of such Lenders. If any such amount is not made available to Agent by any Lender on the Settlement Date applicable thereto to the extent required by the terms hereof, Agent shall be entitled to recover for its account such amount on demand from such Lender together with interest thereon at the Defaulting Lender Rate.
(ii) In determining whether a Lender's balance of the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) is less than, equal to, or greater than such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) as of a Settlement Date, Agent shall, as part of the relevant Settlement, apply to such balance the portion of payments actually received in good funds by Agent with respect to principal, interest, fees payable by Borrowers and allocable to the Lenders hereunder, and proceeds of Collateral.
(iii) Between Settlement Dates, Agent, to the extent Extraordinary Advances or Swing Loans are outstanding, may pay over to Agent or Swing Lender, as applicable, any payments or other amounts received by Agent, that in accordance with the terms of this Agreement would be applied to the reduction of the Revolving Loans, for application to the Extraordinary Advances or Swing Loans. Between Settlement Dates, Agent, to the extent no Extraordinary Advances or Swing Loans are outstanding, may pay over to Swing Lender any payments or other amounts received by Agent, that in accordance with the terms of this Agreement would be applied to the reduction of the Revolving Loans, for application to Swing Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loans. If, as of any Settlement Date, payments or other amounts of the Loan Parties or their Subsidiaries received since the then immediately preceding Settlement Date have been applied to Swing Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loans other than to Swing Loans, as provided for in the previous sentence, Swing Lender shall pay to Agent for the accounts of the Lenders, and Agent shall pay to the Lenders (other than a Defaulting Lender if Agent has implemented the provisions of Section 2.3(g)), to be applied to the outstanding Revolving Loans of such Lenders, an amount such that each such Lender shall, upon receipt of such amount, have, as of such Settlement Date, its Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loans. During the period between Settlement Dates, Swing Lender with respect to Swing Loans, Agent with respect to Extraordinary Advances, and each Lender with respect to the Revolving Loans other than Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances, shall be entitled to interest at the applicable rate or rates payable under this Agreement on the daily amount of funds employed by Swing Lender, Agent, or the Lenders, as applicable.
(iv) Anything in this Section 2.3(e) to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender, Agent shall be entitled to refrain from remitting settlement amounts to the Defaulting Lender and, instead, shall be entitled to elect to implement the provisions set forth in Section 2.3(g).
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(f) Notation. Consistent with Section 13.1(h), Agent, as a non-fiduciary agent for Borrowers, shall maintain a register showing the principal amount and stated interest of the Revolving Loans, owing to each Lender, including the Swing Loans owing to Swing Lender, and Extraordinary Advances owing to Agent, and the interests therein of each Lender, from time to time and such register shall, absent manifest error, conclusively be presumed to be correct and accurate.
(g) Defaulting Lenders.
(i) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.4(b)(iii), Agent shall not be obligated to transfer to a Defaulting Lender any payments made by Borrowers to Agent for the Defaulting Lender's benefit or any proceeds of Collateral that would otherwise be remitted hereunder to the Defaulting Lender, and, in the absence of such transfer to the Defaulting Lender, Agent shall transfer any such payments (A) first, to Agent to the extent of any Extraordinary Advances that were made by Agent and that were required to be, but were not, paid by Defaulting Lender, (B) second, to Swing Lender to the extent of any Swing Loans that were made by Swing Lender and that were required to be, but were not, paid by the Defaulting Lender, (C) third, to Issuing Bank, to the extent of the portion of a Letter of Credit Disbursement that was required to be, but was not, paid by the Defaulting Lender, (D) fourth, to each Non-Defaulting Lender ratably in accordance with their Commitments (but, in each case, only to the extent that such Defaulting Lender's portion of a Revolving Loan (or other funding obligation) was funded by such other Non-Defaulting Lender), (E) fifth, in Agent's sole discretion, to a suspense account maintained by Agent, the proceeds of which shall be retained by Agent and may be made available to be re-advanced to or for the benefit of Borrowers (upon the request of Borrowers and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 3.2) as if such Defaulting Lender had made its portion of Revolving Loans (or other funding obligations) hereunder, and (F) sixth, from and after the date on which all other Obligations have been paid in full, to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with tier (L) of Section 2.4(b)(iii). Subject to the foregoing, Agent may hold and, in its discretion, re-lend to Borrowers for the account of such Defaulting Lender the amount of all such payments received and retained by Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender. Solely for the purposes of voting or consenting to matters with respect to the Loan Documents (including the calculation of Pro Rata Share in connection therewith) and for the purpose of calculating the fee payable under Section 2.10(b), such Defaulting Lender shall be deemed not to be a "Lender" and such Lender's Commitment shall be deemed to be zero; provided, that the foregoing shall not apply to any of the matters governed by Section 14.1(a)(i) through (iii). The provisions of this Section 2.3(g) shall remain effective with respect to such Defaulting Lender until the earlier of (y) the date on which all of the Non-Defaulting Lenders, Agent, Issuing Bank, and Borrowers shall have waived, in writing, the application of this Section 2.3(g) to such Defaulting Lender, or (z) the date on which such Defaulting Lender makes payment of all amounts that it was obligated to fund hereunder, pays to Agent all amounts owing by Defaulting Lender in respect of the amounts that it was obligated to fund hereunder, and, if requested by Agent, provides adequate assurance of its ability to perform its future obligations hereunder (on which earlier date, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any remaining cash collateral held by Agent pursuant to Section 2.3(g)(ii) shall be released to Borrowers). The operation of this Section 2.3(g) shall not be construed to increase or otherwise affect the Commitment
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of any Lender, to relieve or excuse the performance by such Defaulting Lender or any other Lender of its duties and obligations hereunder, or to relieve or excuse the performance by any Borrower of its duties and obligations hereunder to Agent, Issuing Bank, or to the Lenders other than such Defaulting Lender. Any failure by a Defaulting Lender to fund amounts that it was obligated to fund hereunder shall constitute a material breach by such Defaulting Lender of this Agreement and shall entitle Borrowers, at their option, upon written notice to Agent, to arrange for a substitute Lender to assume the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender, such substitute Lender to be reasonably acceptable to Agent. In connection with the arrangement of such a substitute Lender, the Defaulting Lender shall have no right to refuse to be replaced hereunder, and agrees to execute and deliver a completed form of Assignment and Acceptance in favor of the substitute Lender (and agrees that it shall be deemed to have executed and delivered such document if it fails to do so) subject only to being paid its share of the outstanding Obligations (other than Bank Product Obligations, but including (1) all interest, fees, and other amounts that may be due and payable in respect thereof, and (2) an assumption of its Pro Rata Share of its participation in the Letters of Credit); provided, that any such assumption of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender shall not be deemed to constitute a waiver of any of the Lender Groups' or Borrowers' rights or remedies against any such Defaulting Lender arising out of or in relation to such failure to fund. In the event of a direct conflict between the priority provisions of this Section 2.3(g) and any other provision contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such provisions be read together and construed, to the fullest extent possible, to be in concert with each other. In the event of any actual, irreconcilable conflict that cannot be resolved as aforesaid, the terms and provisions of this Section 2.3(g) shall control and govern.
(ii) If any Swing Loan or Letter of Credit is outstanding at the time that a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:
(A) such Defaulting Lender's Swing Loan Exposure and Letter of Credit Exposure shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares but only to the extent (x) the sum of all Non-Defaulting Lenders' Pro Rata Share of Revolver Usage plus such Defaulting Lender's Swing Loan Exposure and Letter of Credit Exposure does not exceed the total of all Non-Defaulting Lenders' Revolver Commitments and (y) the conditions set forth in Section 3.2 are satisfied at such time;
(B) if the reallocation described in clause (A) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, Borrowers shall within one Business Day following notice by Agent (x) first, prepay such Defaulting Lender's Swing Loan Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (A) above), and (y) second, cash collateralize such Defaulting Lender's Letter of Credit Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (A) above), pursuant to a cash collateral agreement to be entered into in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, for so long as such Letter of Credit Exposure is outstanding; provided, that Borrowers shall not be obligated to cash collateralize any Defaulting Lender's Letter of Credit Exposure if such Defaulting Lender is also Issuing Bank;
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(C) if Borrowers cash collateralize any portion of such Defaulting Lender's Letter of Credit Exposure pursuant to this Section 2.3(g)(ii), Borrowers shall not be required to pay any Letter of Credit Fees to Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.6(b) with respect to such cash collateralized portion of such Defaulting Lender's Letter of Credit Exposure during the period such Letter of Credit Exposure is cash collateralized;
(D) to the extent the Letter of Credit Exposure of the Non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to this Section 2.3(g)(ii), then the Letter of Credit Fees payable to the Non-Defaulting Lenders pursuant to Section 2.6(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such Non-Defaulting Lenders' Letter of Credit Exposure;
(E) to the extent any Defaulting Lender's Letter of Credit Exposure is neither cash collateralized nor reallocated pursuant to this Section 2.3(g)(ii), then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of Issuing Bank or any Lender hereunder, all Letter of Credit Fees that would have otherwise been payable to such Defaulting Lender under Section 2.6(b) with respect to such portion of such Letter of Credit Exposure shall instead be payable to Issuing Bank until such portion of such Defaulting Lender's Letter of Credit Exposure is cash collateralized or reallocated;
(F) so long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swing Lender shall not be required to make any Swing Loan and Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend, or increase any Letter of Credit, in each case, to the extent (x) the Defaulting Lender's Pro Rata Share of such Swing Loans or Letter of Credit cannot be reallocated pursuant to this Section 2.3(g)(ii), or (y) the Swing Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, has not otherwise entered into arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Swing Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, and Borrowers to eliminate the Swing Lender's or Issuing Bank's risk with respect to the Defaulting Lender's participation in Swing Loans or Letters of Credit; and
(G) Agent may release any cash collateral provided by Borrowers pursuant to this Section 2.3(g)(ii) to Issuing Bank and Issuing Bank may apply any such cash collateral to the payment of such Defaulting Lender's Pro Rata Share of any Letter of Credit Disbursement that is not reimbursed by Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.11(d). Subject to Section 17.14, 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.
(h) Independent Obligations. All Revolving Loans (other than Swing Loans and Extraordinary Advances) shall be made by the Lenders contemporaneously and in accordance with their Pro Rata Shares. It is understood that (i) no Lender shall be responsible for any failure by any other Lender to perform its obligation to make any Revolving Loan (or other extension of credit) hereunder, nor shall any Commitment of any Lender be increased or decreased as a result of any failure by any other Lender to perform its obligations hereunder, and (ii) no failure by any Lender to perform its obligations hereunder shall excuse any other Lender from its obligations hereunder.
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2.4. Payments; Reductions of Commitments; Prepayments.
(a) Payments by Borrowers.
(i) (i) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by Borrowers shall be made to Agent's Account for the account of the Lender Group and shall be made in immediately available funds, no later than 1:30 p.m. on the date specified herein; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, any payments deposited into a Controlled Account shall be deemed not to be received by Agent on any Business Day unless immediately available funds have been credited to Agent's Account prior to 1:30 p.m. on such Business Day. Any payment received by Agent in immediately available funds in Agent's Account later than 1:30 p.m. shall be deemed to have been received (unless Agent, in its sole discretion, elects to credit it on the date received) on the following Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue until such following Business Day.
(ii) Unless Agent receives notice from Borrowers prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Lenders that Borrowers will not make such payment in full as and when required, Agent may assume that Borrowers have made (or will make) such payment in full to Agent on such date in immediately available funds and Agent may (but shall not be so required), in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent Borrowers do not make such payment in full to Agent on the date when due, each Lender severally shall repay to Agent on demand such amount distributed to such Lender, together with interest thereon at the Defaulting Lender Rate for each day from the date such amount is distributed to such Lender until the date repaid.
(b) Apportionment and Application.
(i) So long as no Application Event has occurred and is continuing and except as otherwise provided herein with respect to Defaulting Lenders, all principal and interest payments received by Agent shall be apportioned ratably among the Lenders (according to the unpaid principal balance of the Obligations to which such payments relate held by each Lender) and all payments of fees and expenses received by Agent (other than fees or expenses that are for Agent's separate account or for the separate account of Issuing Bank) shall be apportioned ratably among the Lenders having a Pro Rata Share of the type of Commitment or Obligation to which a particular fee or expense relates.
(ii) Subject to Section 2.4(b)(v) and Section 2.4(e), all payments to be made hereunder by Borrowers shall be remitted to Agent and all such payments, and all proceeds of Collateral received by Agent, shall be applied, so long as no Application Event has occurred and is continuing and except as otherwise provided herein with respect to Defaulting Lenders, to reduce the balance of the Revolving Loans outstanding and, thereafter, to Borrowers (to be wired to the Designated Account) or such other Person entitled thereto under applicable law.
(iii) At any time that an Application Event has occurred and is continuing and except as otherwise provided herein with respect to Defaulting Lenders, all
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payments remitted to Agent and all proceeds of Collateral received by Agent shall be applied as follows:
(A) first, to pay any Lender Group Expenses (including cost or expense reimbursements) or indemnities then due to Agent under the Loan Documents and to pay interest and principal on Extraordinary Advances that are held solely by Agent pursuant to the terms of Section 2.4(d)(iv), until paid in full,
(B) second, to pay any fees or premiums then due to Agent under the Loan Documents, until paid in full,
(C) third, to pay interest due in respect of all Protective Advances, until paid in full,
(D) fourth, to pay the principal of all Protective Advances, until paid in full,
(E) fifth, ratably, to pay any Lender Group Expenses (including cost or expense reimbursements) or indemnities then due to any of the Lenders under the Loan Documents, until paid in full,
(F) sixth, ratably, to pay any fees or premiums then due to any of the Lenders under the Loan Documents, until paid in full,
(G) seventh, to pay interest accrued in respect of the Swing Loans, until paid in full,
(H) eighth, to pay the principal of all Swing Loans, until paid in full,
(I) ninth, ratably, to pay interest accrued in respect of the Revolving Loans (other than Protective Advances and Swing Loans), until paid in full,
(J) tenth, ratably
i. ratably, to pay the principal of all Revolving Loans (other than Protective Advances and Swing Loans), until paid in full,
ii. to Agent, to be held by Agent, for the benefit of Issuing Bank (and for the ratable benefit of each of the Lenders that have an obligation to pay to Agent, for the account of Issuing Bank, a share of each Letter of Credit Disbursement), as cash collateral in an amount up to 105% of the Letter of Credit Usage (to the extent permitted by applicable law, such cash collateral shall be applied to the reimbursement of any Letter of Credit Disbursement as and when such disbursement occurs and, if a Letter of Credit expires undrawn, the cash collateral held by Agent in respect of such Letter of Credit shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be reapplied pursuant to this Section 2.4(b)(iii), beginning with tier (A) hereof),
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iii. ratably, to (y) the Bank Product Providers based upon amounts then certified by each applicable Bank Product Provider to Agent (in form and substance satisfactory to Agent) to be due and payable to such Bank Product Provider on account of Bank Product Obligations, and (z) with any balance to be paid to Agent, to be held by Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Bank Product Providers, as cash collateral (which cash collateral may be released by Agent to the applicable Bank Product Provider and applied by such Bank Product Provider to the payment or reimbursement of any amounts due and payable with respect to Bank Product Obligations owed to the applicable Bank Product Provider as and when such amounts first become due and payable and, if and at such time as all such Bank Product Obligations are paid or otherwise satisfied in full, the cash collateral held by Agent in respect of such Bank Product Obligations shall be reapplied pursuant to this Section 2.4(b)(iii), beginning with tier (A) hereof),
(K) eleventh, to pay any other Obligations other than Obligations owed to Defaulting Lenders,
(L) twelfth, ratably to pay any Obligations owed to Defaulting Lenders; and
(M) thirteenth, to Borrowers (to be wired to the Designated Account) or such other Person entitled thereto under applicable law.
(iv) Agent promptly shall distribute to each Lender, pursuant to the applicable wire instructions received from each Lender in writing, such funds as it may be entitled to receive, subject to a Settlement delay as provided in Section 2.3(e).
(v) In each instance, so long as no Application Event has occurred and is continuing, Section 2.4(b)(ii) shall not apply to any payment made by Borrowers to Agent and specified by Borrowers to be for the payment of specific Obligations then due and payable (or prepayable) under any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(vi) For purposes of Section 2.4(b)(iii), "paid in full" of a type of Obligation means payment in cash or immediately available funds of all amounts owing on account of such type of Obligation, including interest accrued after the commencement of any Insolvency Proceeding, default interest, interest on interest, and expense reimbursements, irrespective of whether any of the foregoing would be or is allowed or disallowed in whole or in part in any Insolvency Proceeding.
(vii) In the event of a direct conflict between the priority provisions of this Section 2.4 and any other provision contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such provisions be read together and construed, to the fullest extent possible, to be in concert with each other. In the event of any actual, irreconcilable conflict that cannot be resolved as aforesaid, if the conflict relates to the provisions of Section 2.3(g) and this Section 2.4, then the provisions of Section 2.3(g) shall control and govern, and if otherwise, then the terms and provisions of this Section 2.4 shall control and govern.
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(c) Reduction of Commitments. The Revolver Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date or earlier termination thereof pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. Borrowers may reduce the Revolver Commitments, without premium or penalty, to an amount (which may be zero) not less than the sum of (A) the Revolver Usage as of such date, plus (B) the principal amount of all Revolving Loans not yet made as to which a request has been given by Borrowers under Section 2.3(a), plus (C) the amount of all Letters of Credit not yet issued as to which a request has been given by Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.11(a). Each such reduction shall be in an amount which is not less than $5,000,000 (unless the Revolver Commitments are being reduced to zero and the amount of the Revolver Commitments in effect immediately prior to such reduction are less than $5,000,000), shall be made by providing not less than ten Business Days prior written notice to Agent, and shall be irrevocable. The Revolver Commitments, once reduced, may not be increased. Each such reduction of the Revolver Commitments shall reduce the Revolver Commitments of each Lender proportionately in accordance with its ratable share thereof. In connection with any reduction in the Revolver Commitments prior to the Maturity Date, if any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries owns any Margin Stock, Borrowers shall deliver to Agent an updated Form U-1 (with sufficient additional originals thereof for each Lender), duly executed and delivered by the Borrowers, together with such other documentation as Agent shall reasonably request, in order to enable Agent and the Lenders to comply with any of the requirements under Regulations T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
(d) Optional Prepayments. Borrowers may prepay the principal of any Revolving Loan at any time in whole or in part, without premium or penalty.
(e) Mandatory Prepayments; Borrowing Base. If, at any time, (i) the Revolver Usage on such date exceeds (ii) the lesser of (A) the Borrowing Base reflected in the Borrowing Base Certificate most recently delivered by Borrowers to Agent, or (B) the Maximum Revolver Amount, in all cases as adjusted for Reserves established by Agent in accordance with Section 2.1(c), then Borrowers shall immediately prepay the Obligations in accordance with Section 2.4(f) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of such excess.
(f) Application of Payments. Each prepayment pursuant to Section 2.4(e) shall, (A) so long as no Application Event shall have occurred and be continuing, be applied, first, to the outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loans until paid in full, and second, to cash collateralize the Letters of Credit in an amount equal to 105% of the then outstanding Letter of Credit Usage, and (2) if an Application Event shall have occurred and be continuing, be applied in the manner set forth in Section 2.4(b)(iii).
2.5. Promise to Pay; Promissory Notes.
(a) Borrowers agree to pay the Lender Group Expenses on the earlier of (i) the first day of the month following the date on which the applicable Lender Group Expenses were first incurred, or (ii) the date on which demand therefor is made by Agent (it being acknowledged and agreed that any charging of such costs, expenses or Lender Group Expenses to the Loan Account pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.6(d) shall be deemed to constitute a demand for payment thereof for the purposes of this subclause (ii)).
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Borrowers promise to pay all of the Obligations (including principal, interest, premiums, if any, fees, costs, and expenses (including Lender Group Expenses)) in full on the Maturity Date or, if earlier, on the date on which the Obligations (other than the Bank Product Obligations) become due and payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. Borrowers agree that their obligations contained in the first sentence of this Section 2.5(a) shall survive payment or satisfaction in full of all other Obligations.
(b) Any Lender may request that any portion of its Commitments or the Loans made by it be evidenced by one or more promissory notes. In such event, Borrowers shall execute and deliver to such Lender the requested promissory notes payable to the order of such Lender in a form furnished by Agent and reasonably satisfactory to Borrowers. Thereafter, the portion of the Commitments and Loans evidenced by such promissory notes and interest thereon shall at all times be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein.
2.6. Interest Rates and Letter of Credit Fee: Rates, Payments, and Calculations.
(a) Interest Rates. Except as provided in Section 2.6(c) and Section 2.12(c), all Obligations (except for undrawn Letters of Credit) that have been charged to the Loan Account pursuant to the terms hereof shall bear interest at the Applicable Rate.
(b) Letter of Credit Fee. Borrowers shall pay Agent (for the ratable benefit of the Revolving Lenders), a Letter of Credit fee (the "Letter of Credit Fee") (which fee shall be in addition to the fronting fees and commissions, other fees, charges and expenses set forth in Section 2.11(k)) that shall accrue at a per annum rate equal to the LIBOR Rate Margin times the times the average amount of the Letter of Credit Usage during the immediately preceding month.
(c) Default Rate. (i) Automatically upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default under Section 8.4 or 8.5 and (ii) upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any other Event of Default (other than an Event of Default under Section 8.4 or 8.5), at the direction of Agent or the Required Lenders, and upon written notice by Agent to Borrowers of such direction (provided, that such notice shall not be required for any Event of Default under Section 8.1), (A) all Loans and all Obligations (except for undrawn Letters of Credit) that have been charged to the Loan Account pursuant to the terms hereof shall bear interest at a per annum rate equal to two percentage points above the per annum rate otherwise applicable thereunder, and (B) the Letter of Credit Fee shall be increased to two percentage points above the per annum rate otherwise applicable hereunder.
(d) Payment. Except to the extent provided to the contrary in Section 2.10, or Section 2.11(k), (i) all interest and all other fees payable hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents (other than Letter of Credit Fees) shall be due and payable, in arrears, on the first day of each month, (ii) all Letter of Credit Fees payable hereunder, and all fronting fees and all commissions, other fees, charges and expenses provided for in Section 2.11(k) shall be due and payable, in arrears, on the first Business Day of each month, and
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(iii) all costs and expenses payable hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents, and all other Lender Group Expenses shall be due and payable on (x) with respect to Lender Group Expenses outstanding as of the Closing Date, the Closing Date, and (y) otherwise, the earlier of (A) the first day of the month following the date on which the applicable costs, expenses, or Lender Group Expenses were first incurred, or (B) the date on which demand therefor is made by Agent (it being acknowledged and agreed that any charging of such costs, expenses or Lender Group Expenses to the Loan Account pursuant to the provisions of the following sentence shall be deemed to constitute a demand for payment thereof for the purposes of this subclause (y)). Borrowers hereby authorize Agent, from time to time without prior notice to Borrowers, to charge to the Loan Account (A) on the first day of each month, all interest accrued during the prior month on the Revolving Loans hereunder, (B) on the first Business Day of each month, all Letter of Credit Fees accrued or chargeable hereunder during the prior month, (C) as and when incurred or accrued, all fees and costs provided for in Section 2.10(a) or (c), (D) on the first day of each month, the Unused Line Fee accrued during the prior month pursuant to Section 2.10(b), (E) as and when due and payable, all other fees payable hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents, (F) on the Closing Date and thereafter as and when incurred or accrued, all other Lender Group Expenses, and (G) as and when due and payable all other payment obligations payable under any Loan Document or any Bank Product Agreement (including any amounts due and payable to the Bank Product Providers in respect of Bank Products). All amounts (including interest, fees, costs, expenses, Lender Group Expenses, or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document or under any Bank Product Agreement) charged to the Loan Account shall thereupon constitute Revolving Loans hereunder, shall constitute Obligations hereunder, and shall accrue interest at the Applicable Rate.
(e) Computation. All interest and fees chargeable under the Loan Documents shall be computed on the basis of a 360 day year, in each case, for the actual number of days elapsed in the period during which the interest or fees accrue. The interest rate on non-contingent Obligations shall increase or decrease by an amount equal to each increase or decrease in Daily One Month LIBOR in the case of LIBOR Loans effective on the date of any change in Daily One Month LIBOR, and if at any time there are Base Rate Loans, an amount equal to each increase or decrease in the Base Rate effective on the date of any change in the Base Rate.
(f) Intent to Limit Charges to Maximum Lawful Rate. In no event shall the interest rate or rates payable under this Agreement, plus any other amounts paid in connection herewith, exceed the highest rate permissible under any law that a court of competent jurisdiction shall, in a final determination, deem applicable. Borrowers and the Lender Group, in executing and delivering this Agreement, intend legally to agree upon the rate or rates of interest and manner of payment stated within it; provided, that anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, if such rate or rates of interest or manner of payment exceeds the maximum allowable under applicable law, then, ipso facto, as of the date of this Agreement, Borrowers are and shall be liable only for the payment of such maximum amount as is allowed by law, and payment received from Borrowers in excess of such legal maximum, whenever received, shall be applied to reduce the principal balance of the Obligations to the extent of such excess.
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2.7. Crediting Payments. The receipt of any payment item by Agent shall not be required to be considered a payment on account unless such payment item is a wire transfer of immediately available funds made to Agent's Account or unless and until such payment item is honored when presented for payment. Should any payment item not be honored when presented for payment, then Borrowers shall be deemed not to have made such payment. Anything to the contrary contained herein notwithstanding, any payment item shall be deemed received by Agent only if it is received into Agent's Account on a Business Day on or before 1:30 p.m. If any payment item is received into Agent's Account on a non-Business Day or after 1:30 p.m. on a Business Day (unless Agent, in its sole discretion, elects to credit it on the date received), it shall be deemed to have been received by Agent as of the opening of business on the immediately following Business Day.
2.8. Designated Account. Agent is authorized to make the Revolving Loans, and Issuing Bank is authorized to issue the Letters of Credit, under this Agreement based upon telephonic or other instructions received from anyone purporting to be an Authorized Person or, without instructions, if pursuant to Section 2.6(d). Borrowers agree to establish and maintain the Designated Account with the Designated Account Bank for the purpose of receiving the proceeds of the Revolving Loans requested by Borrowers and made by Agent or the Lenders hereunder. Unless otherwise agreed by Agent and Borrowers, any Revolving Loan or Swing Loan requested by Borrowers and made by Agent or the Lenders hereunder shall be made to the Designated Account.
2.9. Maintenance of Loan Account; Statements of Obligations. Agent shall maintain an account on its books in the name of Borrowers (the "Loan Account") on which Borrowers will be charged with all Revolving Loans (including Extraordinary Advances and Swing Loans) made by Agent, Swing Lender, or the Lenders to Borrowers or for Borrowers' account, the Letters of Credit issued or arranged by Issuing Bank for Borrowers' account, and with all other payment Obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including, accrued interest, fees and expenses, and Lender Group Expenses. In accordance with Section 2.7, the Loan Account will be credited with all payments received by Agent from Borrowers or for Borrowers' account. Agent shall make available to Borrowers monthly statements regarding the Loan Account, including the principal amount of the Revolving Loans, interest accrued hereunder, fees accrued or charged hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and a summary itemization of all charges and expenses constituting Lender Group Expenses accrued hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and each such statement, absent manifest error, shall be conclusively presumed to be correct and accurate and constitute an account stated between Borrowers and the Lender Group unless, within 30 days after Agent first makes such a statement available to Borrowers, Borrowers shall deliver to Agent written objection thereto describing the error or errors contained in such statement.
(a) Agent Fees. Borrowers shall pay to Agent, for the account of Agent, as and when due and payable under the terms of the Fee Letter, the fees set forth in the Fee Letter.
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(b) Unused Line Fee. Borrowers shall pay to Agent, for the ratable account of the Revolving Lenders, an unused line fee (the "Unused Line Fee") in an amount equal to 0.25% per annum times the result of (i) the aggregate amount of the Revolver Commitments, less (ii) the Average Revolver Usage during the immediately preceding month (or portion thereof), which Unused Line Fee shall be due and payable, in arrears, on the first day of each month from and after the Closing Date up to the first day of the month prior to the date on which the Obligations are paid in full and on the date on which the Obligations are paid in full.
(c) Field Examination and Other Fees. Subject to any limitations set forth in Section 5.7(c), Borrowers shall pay to Agent, field examination, appraisal, and valuation fees and charges, as and when incurred or chargeable, as follows (i) a fee of $1,000 per day, per examiner, plus out-of-pocket expenses (including travel, meals, and lodging) for each field examination of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries performed by or on behalf of Agent, and (ii) the fees, charges or expenses paid or incurred by Agent if it elects to employ the services of one or more third Persons to appraise the Collateral, or any portion thereof, or to assess any Loan Party's or its Subsidiaries' business valuation.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, upon the request of Borrowers made in accordance herewith, and prior to the Maturity Date, Issuing Bank agrees to issue a requested standby Letter of Credit or a sight commercial Letter of Credit for the account of Borrowers. By submitting a request to Issuing Bank for the issuance of a Letter of Credit, Borrowers shall be deemed to have requested that Issuing Bank issue the requested Letter of Credit. Each request for the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or the amendment or extension of any outstanding Letter of Credit, shall be (i) irrevocable and made in writing by an Authorized Person, (ii) delivered to Agent and Issuing Bank via telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission reasonably acceptable to Agent and Issuing Bank and reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, or extension, and (iii) subject to Issuing Bank's authentication procedures with results satisfactory to Issuing Bank. Each such request shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and Issuing Bank and (i) shall specify (A) the amount of such Letter of Credit, (B) the date of issuance, amendment, or extension of such Letter of Credit, (C) the proposed expiration date of such Letter of Credit, (D) the name and address of the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit, and (E) such other information (including, the conditions to drawing, and, in the case of an amendment or extension, identification of the Letter of Credit to be so amended or extended) as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, or extend such Letter of Credit, and (ii) shall be accompanied by such Issuer Documents as Agent or Issuing Bank may request or require, to the extent that such requests or requirements are consistent with the Issuer Documents that Issuing Bank generally requests for Letters of Credit in similar circumstances. Issuing Bank's records of the content of any such request will be conclusive. Anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, Issuing Bank may, but shall not be obligated to, issue a Letter of Credit that supports the obligations of a Loan Party or one of its Subsidiaries in respect of (x) a lease of real property to the extent that the face amount of such Letter of Credit exceeds the highest rent (including all rent-like charges) payable under such lease for a period of one year, or (y) an employment contract to the extent
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that the face amount of such Letter of Credit exceeds the highest compensation payable under such contract for a period of one year.
(b) Issuing Bank shall have no obligation to issue a Letter of Credit if any of the following would result after giving effect to the requested issuance:
(i) the Letter of Credit Usage would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit, or
(ii) the Letter of Credit Usage would exceed the Maximum Revolver Amount less the outstanding amount of Revolving Loans (including Swing Loans), or
(iii) the Letter of Credit Usage would exceed the Borrowing Base at such time less the outstanding principal balance of the Revolving Loans (inclusive of Swing Loans) at such time.
(c) In the event there is a Defaulting Lender as of the date of any request for the issuance of a Letter of Credit, Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue or arrange for such Letter of Credit to the extent (i) the Defaulting Lender's Letter of Credit Exposure with respect to such Letter of Credit may not be reallocated pursuant to Section 2.3(g)(ii), or (ii) Issuing Bank has not otherwise entered into arrangements reasonably satisfactory to it and Borrowers to eliminate Issuing Bank's risk with respect to the participation in such Letter of Credit of the Defaulting Lender, which arrangements may include Borrowers cash collateralizing such Defaulting Lender's Letter of Credit Exposure in accordance with Section 2.3(g)(ii). Additionally, Issuing Bank shall have no obligation to issue or extend a 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 Issuing Bank from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to Issuing Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over Issuing Bank shall prohibit or request that Issuing Bank refrain from the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular, or (B) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally, or (C) if amounts demanded to be paid under any Letter of Credit will not or may not be in United States Dollars.
(d) Any Issuing Bank (other than Wells Fargo or any of its Affiliates) shall notify Agent in writing no later than the Business Day prior to the Business Day on which such Issuing Bank issues any Letter of Credit. In addition, each Issuing Bank (other than Wells Fargo or any of its Affiliates) shall, on the first Business Day of each week, submit to Agent a report detailing the daily undrawn amount of each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank during the prior calendar week. Borrowers and the Lender Group hereby acknowledge and agree that all Existing Letters of Credit shall constitute Letters of Credit under this Agreement on and after the Closing Date with the same effect as if such Existing Letters of Credit were issued by Issuing Bank at the request of Borrowers on the Closing Date. Each Letter of Credit shall be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Issuing Bank, including the requirement that the amounts payable thereunder must be payable in
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Dollars. If Issuing Bank makes a payment under a Letter of Credit, Borrowers shall pay to Agent an amount equal to the applicable Letter of Credit Disbursement on the Business Day such Letter of Credit Disbursement is made and, in the absence of such payment, the amount of the Letter of Credit Disbursement immediately and automatically shall be deemed to be a Revolving Loan hereunder (notwithstanding any failure to satisfy any condition precedent set forth in Section 3) and, initially, shall bear interest at the Applicable Rate. If a Letter of Credit Disbursement is deemed to be a Revolving Loan hereunder, Borrowers' obligation to pay the amount of such Letter of Credit Disbursement to Issuing Bank shall be automatically converted into an obligation to pay the resulting Revolving Loan. Promptly following receipt by Agent of any payment from Borrowers pursuant to this paragraph, Agent shall distribute such payment to Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to Section 2.11(e) to reimburse Issuing Bank, then to such Revolving Lenders and Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.
(e) Promptly following receipt of a notice of a Letter of Credit Disbursement pursuant to Section 2.11(d), each Revolving Lender agrees to fund its Pro Rata Share of any Revolving Loan deemed made pursuant to Section 2.11(d) on the same terms and conditions as if Borrowers had requested the amount thereof as a Revolving Loan and Agent shall promptly pay to Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit) and without any further action on the part of Issuing Bank or the Revolving Lenders, Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have granted to each Revolving Lender, and each Revolving Lender shall be deemed to have purchased, a participation in each Letter of Credit issued by Issuing Bank, in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of such Letter of Credit, and each such Revolving Lender agrees to pay to Agent, for the account of Issuing Bank, such Revolving Lender's Pro Rata Share of any Letter of Credit Disbursement made by Issuing Bank under the applicable Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to Agent, for the account of Issuing Bank, such Revolving Lender's Pro Rata Share of each Letter of Credit Disbursement made by Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by Borrowers on the date due as provided in Section 2.11(d), or of any reimbursement payment that is required to be refunded (or that Agent or Issuing Bank elects, based upon the advice of counsel, to refund) to Borrowers for any reason. Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to deliver to Agent, for the account of Issuing Bank, an amount equal to its respective Pro Rata Share of each Letter of Credit Disbursement pursuant to this Section 2.11(e) shall be absolute and unconditional and such remittance shall be made notwithstanding the occurrence or continuation of an Event of Default or Default or the failure to satisfy any condition set forth in Section 3. If any such Revolving Lender fails to make available to Agent the amount of such Revolving Lender's Pro Rata Share of a Letter of Credit Disbursement as provided in this Section, such Revolving Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender and Agent (for the account of Issuing Bank) shall be entitled to recover such amount on demand from such Revolving Lender together with interest thereon at the Defaulting Lender Rate until paid in full.
(f) Each Borrower agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each member of the Lender Group (including Issuing Bank and its branches, Affiliates, and correspondents) and each such Person's respective directors, officers, employees, attorneys
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and agents (each, including Issuing Bank, a "Letter of Credit Related Person") (to the fullest extent permitted by law) from and against any and all claims, demands, suits, actions, investigations, proceedings, liabilities, fines, costs, penalties, and damages, and all reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of attorneys, experts, or consultants and all other costs and expenses actually incurred in connection therewith or in connection with the enforcement of this indemnification (as and when they are incurred and irrespective of whether suit is brought), which may be incurred by or awarded against any such Letter of Credit Related Person (other than Taxes, which shall be governed by Section 16) (the "Letter of Credit Indemnified Costs"), and which arise out of or in connection with, or as a result of:
(i) any Letter of Credit or any pre-advice of its issuance;
(ii) any transfer, sale, delivery, surrender or endorsement (or lack thereof) of any Drawing Document at any time(s) held by any such Letter of Credit Related Person in connection with any Letter of Credit;
(iii) any action or proceeding arising out of, or in connection with, any Letter of Credit (whether administrative, judicial or in connection with arbitration), including any action or proceeding to compel or restrain any presentation or payment under any Letter of Credit, or for the wrongful dishonor of, or honoring a presentation under, any Letter of Credit;
(iv) any independent undertakings issued by the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit;
(v) any unauthorized instruction or request made to Issuing Bank in connection with any Letter of Credit or requested Letter of Credit, or any error, omission, interruption or delay in such instruction or request, whether transmitted by mail, courier, electronic transmission, SWIFT, or any other telecommunication including communications through a correspondent;
(vi) an adviser, confirmer or other nominated person seeking to be reimbursed, indemnified or compensated;
(vii) any third party seeking to enforce the rights of an applicant, beneficiary, nominated person, transferee, assignee of Letter of Credit proceeds or holder of an instrument or document;
(viii) the fraud, forgery or illegal action of parties other than the Letter of Credit Related Person;
(ix) any prohibition on payment or delay in payment of any amount payable by Issuing Bank to a beneficiary or transferee beneficiary of a Letter of Credit arising out of Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, or Sanctions;
(x) Issuing Bank's performance of the obligations of a confirming institution or entity that wrongfully dishonors a confirmation;
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(xi) any foreign language translation provided to Issuing Bank in connection with any Letter of Credit;
(xii) any foreign law or usage as it relates to Issuing Bank's issuance of a Letter of Credit in support of a foreign guaranty including the expiration of such guaranty after the related Letter of Credit expiration date and any resulting drawing paid by Issuing Bank in connection therewith; or
(xiii) the acts or omissions, whether rightful or wrongful, of any present or future de jure or de facto governmental or regulatory authority or cause or event beyond the control of the Letter of Credit Related Person;
provided, that such indemnity shall not be available to any Letter of Credit Related Person claiming indemnification under clauses (i) through (xiii) above to the extent that such Letter of Credit Indemnified Costs may be finally determined in a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted directly from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Letter of Credit Related Person claiming indemnity. Borrowers hereby agree to pay the Letter of Credit Related Person claiming indemnity on demand from time to time all amounts owing under this Section 2.11(f). If and to the extent that the obligations of Borrowers under this Section 2.11(f) are unenforceable for any reason, Borrowers agree to make the maximum contribution to the Letter of Credit Indemnified Costs permissible under applicable law. This indemnification provision shall survive termination of this Agreement and all Letters of Credit.
(g) The liability of Issuing Bank (or any other Letter of Credit Related Person) under, in connection with or arising out of any Letter of Credit (or pre-advice), regardless of the form or legal grounds of the action or proceeding, shall be limited to direct damages suffered by Borrowers that are caused directly by Issuing Bank's gross negligence or willful misconduct in (i) honoring a presentation under a Letter of Credit that on its face does not at least substantially comply with the terms and conditions of such Letter of Credit, (ii) failing to honor a presentation under a Letter of Credit that strictly complies with the terms and conditions of such Letter of Credit, or (iii) retaining Drawing Documents presented under a Letter of Credit. Borrowers' aggregate remedies against Issuing Bank and any Letter of Credit Related Person for wrongfully honoring a presentation under any Letter of Credit or wrongfully retaining honored Drawing Documents shall in no event exceed the aggregate amount paid by Borrowers to Issuing Bank in respect of the honored presentation in connection with such Letter of Credit under Section 2.11(d), plus interest at the Applicable Rate. Borrowers shall take action to avoid and mitigate the amount of any damages claimed against Issuing Bank or any other Letter of Credit Related Person, including by enforcing its rights against the beneficiaries of the Letters of Credit. Any claim by Borrowers under or in connection with any Letter of Credit shall be reduced by an amount equal to the sum of (x) the amount (if any) saved by Borrowers as a result of the breach or alleged wrongful conduct complained of, and (y) the amount (if any) of the loss that would have been avoided had Borrowers taken all reasonable steps to mitigate any loss, and in case of a claim of wrongful dishonor, by specifically and timely authorizing Issuing Bank to effect a cure.
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(h) Borrowers are responsible for the final text of the Letter of Credit as issued by Issuing Bank, irrespective of any assistance Issuing Bank may provide such as drafting or recommending text or by Issuing Bank's use or refusal to use text submitted by Borrowers. Borrowers understand that the final form of any Letter of Credit may be subject to such revisions and changes as are deemed necessary or appropriate by Issuing Bank, and Borrowers hereby consent to such revisions and changes not materially different from the application executed in connection therewith. Borrowers are solely responsible for the suitability of the Letter of Credit for Borrowers' purposes. If Borrowers request Issuing Bank to issue a Letter of Credit for an affiliated or unaffiliated third party (an "Account Party"), (i) such Account Party shall have no rights against Issuing Bank; (ii) Borrowers shall be responsible for the application and obligations under this Agreement; and (iii) communications (including notices) related to the respective Letter of Credit shall be among Issuing Bank and Borrowers. Borrowers will examine the copy of the Letter of Credit and any other documents sent by Issuing Bank in connection therewith and shall promptly notify Issuing Bank (not later than three (3) Business Days following Borrowers' receipt of documents from Issuing Bank) of any non-compliance with Borrowers' instructions and of any discrepancy in any document under any presentment or other irregularity. Borrowers understand and agree that Issuing Bank is not required to extend the expiration date of any Letter of Credit for any reason. With respect to any Letter of Credit containing an "automatic amendment" to extend the expiration date of such Letter of Credit, Issuing Bank, in its sole and absolute discretion, may give notice of non-extension of such Letter of Credit and, if Borrowers do not at any time want the then current expiration date of such Letter of Credit to be extended, Borrowers will so notify Agent and Issuing Bank at least 30 calendar days before Issuing Bank is required to notify the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or any advising bank of such non-extension pursuant to the terms of such Letter of Credit.
(i) Borrowers' reimbursement and payment obligations under this Section 2.11 are absolute, unconditional and irrevocable and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever, including:
(i) any lack of validity, enforceability or legal effect of any Letter of Credit, any Issuer Document, this Agreement, or any Loan Document, or any term or provision therein or herein;
(ii) payment against presentation of any draft, demand or claim for payment under any Drawing Document that does not comply in whole or in part with the terms of the applicable Letter of Credit or which proves to be fraudulent, forged or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, or which is signed, issued or presented by a Person or a transferee of such Person purporting to be a successor or transferee of the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit;
(iii) Issuing Bank or any of its branches or Affiliates being the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit;
(iv) Issuing Bank or any correspondent honoring a drawing against a Drawing Document up to the amount available under any Letter of Credit even if such
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Drawing Document claims an amount in excess of the amount available under the Letter of Credit;
(v) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries may have at any time against any beneficiary or transferee beneficiary, any assignee of proceeds, Issuing Bank or any other Person;
(vi) Issuing Bank or any correspondent honoring a drawing upon receipt of an electronic presentation under a Letter of Credit requiring the same, regardless of whether the original Drawing Documents arrive at Issuing Bank's counters or are different from the electronic presentation;
(vii) any other event, circumstance or conduct whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing that might, but for this Section 2.11(i), constitute a legal or equitable defense to or discharge of, or provide a right of set-off against, any Borrower's or any of its Subsidiaries' reimbursement and other payment obligations and liabilities, arising under, or in connection with, any Letter of Credit, whether against Issuing Bank, the beneficiary or any other Person; or
(viii) the fact that any Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;
provided, that subject to Section 2.11(g) above, the foregoing shall not release Issuing Bank from such liability to Borrowers as may be finally determined in a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction against Issuing Bank following reimbursement or payment of the obligations and liabilities, including reimbursement and other payment obligations, of Borrowers to Issuing Bank arising under, or in connection with, this Section 2.11 or any Letter of Credit.
(j) Without limiting any other provision of this Agreement, Issuing Bank and each other Letter of Credit Related Person (if applicable) shall not be responsible to Borrowers for, and Issuing Bank's rights and remedies against Borrowers and the obligation of Borrowers to reimburse Issuing Bank for each drawing under each Letter of Credit shall not be impaired by:
(i) honor of a presentation under any Letter of Credit that on its face substantially complies with the terms and conditions of such Letter of Credit, even if the Letter of Credit requires strict compliance by the beneficiary;
(ii) honor of a presentation of any Drawing Document that appears on its face to have been signed, presented or issued (A) by any purported successor or transferee of any beneficiary or other Person required to sign, present or issue such Drawing Document or (B) under a new name of the beneficiary;
(iii) acceptance as a draft of any written or electronic demand or request for payment under a Letter of Credit, even if nonnegotiable or not in the form of a draft or notwithstanding any requirement that such draft, demand or request bear any or adequate reference to the Letter of Credit;
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(iv) the identity or authority of any presenter or signer of any Drawing Document or the form, accuracy, genuineness or legal effect of any Drawing Document (other than Issuing Bank's determination that such Drawing Document appears on its face substantially to comply with the terms and conditions of the Letter of Credit);
(v) acting upon any instruction or request relative to a Letter of Credit or requested Letter of Credit that Issuing Bank in good faith believes to have been given by a Person authorized to give such instruction or request;
(vi) any errors, omissions, interruptions or delays in transmission or delivery of any message, advice or document (regardless of how sent or transmitted) or for errors in interpretation of technical terms or in translation or any delay in giving or failing to give notice to any Borrower;
(vii) any acts, omissions or fraud by, or the insolvency of, any beneficiary, any nominated person or entity or any other Person or any breach of contract between any beneficiary and any Borrower or any of the parties to the underlying transaction to which the Letter of Credit relates;
(viii) assertion or waiver of any provision of the ISP or UCP that primarily benefits an issuer of a letter of credit, including any requirement that any Drawing Document be presented to it at a particular hour or place;
(ix) payment to any presenting bank (designated or permitted by the terms of the applicable Letter of Credit) claiming that it rightfully honored or is entitled to reimbursement or indemnity under Standard Letter of Credit Practice applicable to it;
(x) acting or failing to act as required or permitted under Standard Letter of Credit Practice applicable to where Issuing Bank has issued, confirmed, advised or negotiated such Letter of Credit, as the case may be;
(xi) honor of a presentation after the expiration date of any Letter of Credit notwithstanding that a presentation was made prior to such expiration date and dishonored by Issuing Bank if subsequently Issuing Bank or any court or other finder of fact determines such presentation should have been honored;
(xii) dishonor of any presentation that does not strictly comply or that is fraudulent, forged or otherwise not entitled to honor; or
(xiii) honor of a presentation that is subsequently determined by Issuing Bank to have been made in violation of international, federal, state or local restrictions on the transaction of business with certain prohibited Persons.
(k) Borrowers shall pay immediately upon demand to Agent for the account of Issuing Bank as non-refundable fees, commissions, and charges (it being acknowledged and agreed that any charging of such fees, commissions, and charges to the Loan Account pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.6(d) shall be deemed to constitute a demand for payment thereof for the purposes of this Section 2.11(k)): (i) a fronting fee which shall be
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imposed by Issuing Bank equal to .250% per annum times the average amount of the Letter of Credit Usage during the immediately preceding month, plus (ii) any and all other customary commissions, fees and charges then in effect imposed by, and any and all expenses incurred by, Issuing Bank, or by any adviser, confirming institution or entity or other nominated person, relating to Letters of Credit, at the time of issuance of any Letter of Credit and upon the occurrence of any other activity with respect to any Letter of Credit (including transfers, assignments of proceeds, amendments, drawings, extensions or cancellations).
(l) If by reason of (x) any Change in Law, or (y) compliance by Issuing Bank or any other member of the Lender Group with any direction, request, or requirement (irrespective of whether having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority or monetary authority including, Regulation D of the Board of Governors as from time to time in effect (and any successor thereto):
(i) any reserve, deposit, or similar requirement is or shall be imposed or modified in respect of any Letter of Credit issued or caused to be issued hereunder or hereby, or any Loans or obligations to make Loans hereunder or hereby, or
(ii) there shall be imposed on Issuing Bank or any other member of the Lender Group any other condition regarding any Letter of Credit, Loans, or obligations to make Loans hereunder,
and the result of the foregoing is to increase, directly or indirectly, the cost to Issuing Bank or any other member of the Lender Group of issuing, making, participating in, or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount receivable in respect thereof, then, and in any such case, Agent may, at any time within a reasonable period after the additional cost is incurred or the amount received is reduced, notify Borrowers, and Borrowers shall pay within 30 days after demand therefor, such amounts as Agent may specify to be necessary to compensate Issuing Bank or any other member of the Lender Group for such additional cost or reduced receipt, together with interest on such amount from the date of such demand until payment in full thereof at the Applicable Rate; provided, that (A) Borrowers shall not be required to provide any compensation pursuant to this Section 2.11(l) for any such amounts incurred more than 180 days prior to the date on which the demand for payment of such amounts is first made to Borrowers, and (B) if an event or circumstance giving rise to such amounts is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof. The determination by Agent of any amount due pursuant to this Section 2.11(l), as set forth in a certificate setting forth the calculation thereof in reasonable detail, shall, in the absence of manifest or demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding on all of the parties hereto.
(m) Each standby Letter of Credit shall expire not later than the date that is 12 months after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit; provided, that any standby Letter of Credit may provide for the automatic extension thereof for any number of additional periods each of up to one year in duration; provided further, that with respect to any Letter of Credit which extends beyond the Maturity Date, Letter of Credit Collateralization shall be provided therefor on or before the date that is five Business Days
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prior to the Maturity Date. Each commercial Letter of Credit shall expire on the earlier of (i) 120 days after the date of the issuance of such commercial Letter of Credit and (ii) five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.
(n) If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, or (ii) Availability shall at any time be less than zero, then on the Business Day following the date when Administrative Borrower receives notice from Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Obligations has been accelerated, Revolving Lenders with Letter of Credit Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total Letter Credit Exposure) demanding Letter of Credit Collateralization pursuant to this Section 2.11(n) upon such demand, Borrowers shall provide Letter of Credit Collateralization with respect to the then existing Letter of Credit Usage. If Borrowers fail to provide Letter of Credit Collateralization as required by this Section 2.11(n), the Revolving Lenders may (and, upon direction of Agent, shall) advance, as Revolving Loans the amount of the cash collateral required pursuant to the Letter of Credit Collateralization provision so that the then existing Letter of Credit Usage is cash collateralized in accordance with the Letter of Credit Collateralization provision (whether or not the Revolver Commitments have terminated, an Overadvance exists or the conditions in Section 3 are satisfied).
(o) Unless otherwise expressly agreed by Issuing Bank and Borrowers when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the UCP shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit.
(p) Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have acted with due diligence and reasonable care if Issuing Bank's conduct is in accordance with Standard Letter of Credit Practice or in accordance with this Agreement.
(q) In the event of a direct conflict between the provisions of this Section 2.11 and any provision contained in any Issuer Document, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such provisions be read together and construed, to the fullest extent possible, to be in concert with each other. In the event of any actual, irreconcilable conflict that cannot be resolved as aforesaid, the terms and provisions of this Section 2.11 shall control and govern.
(r) The provisions of this Section 2.11 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the repayment in full of the Obligations with respect to any Letters of Credit that remain outstanding.
(s) At Borrowers' costs and expense, Borrowers shall execute and deliver to Issuing Bank such additional certificates, instruments and/or documents and take such additional action as may be reasonably requested by Issuing Bank to enable Issuing Bank to issue any Letter of Credit pursuant to this Agreement and related Issuer Document, to protect, exercise and/or enforce Issuing Banks' rights and interests under this Agreement or to give effect to the terms and provisions of this Agreement or any Issuer Document. Each Borrower irrevocably appoints Issuing Bank as its attorney-in-fact and authorizes Issuing Bank, without notice to Borrowers, to execute and deliver ancillary documents and letters
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customary in the letter of credit business that may include but are not limited to advisements, indemnities, checks, bills of exchange and issuance documents. The power of attorney granted by the Borrowers is limited solely to such actions related to the issuance, confirmation or amendment of any Letter of Credit and to ancillary documents or letters customary in the letter of credit business. This appointment is coupled with an interest.
2.12. Special Provisions Applicable to LIBOR Loans.
(a) The Daily One Month LIBOR may be adjusted by Agent with respect to any Lender on a prospective basis to take into account any additional or increased costs to such Lender of maintaining or obtaining any eurodollar deposits or increased costs (other than Taxes which shall be governed by Section 16), in each case, due to changes in applicable law, including any Changes in Law and changes in the reserve requirements imposed by the Board of Governors, which additional or increased costs would increase the cost of funding or maintaining loans bearing interest at the Daily One Month LIBOR. In any such event, the affected Lender shall give Borrowers and Agent notice of such a determination and adjustment and Agent promptly shall transmit the notice to each other Lender and, upon its receipt of the notice from the affected Lender, Borrowers may, by notice to such affected Lender (A) require such Lender to furnish to Borrowers a statement setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for adjusting such Daily One Month LIBOR and the method for determining the amount of such adjustment, or (B) repay the LIBOR Rate Loans of such Lender with respect to which such adjustment is made (together with any amounts due under Section 2.12(b)).
(b) Subject to the provisions set forth in Section 2.12(c) below, in the event that any change in market conditions or any Change in Law shall at any time after the date hereof, in the reasonable opinion of any Lender, make it unlawful or impractical for such Lender to fund or maintain LIBOR Rate Loans or to continue such funding or maintaining, or to determine or charge interest rates at the Daily One Month LIBOR, such Lender shall give notice of such changed circumstances to Agent and Borrowers and Agent promptly shall transmit the notice to each other Lender and (y) interest upon the LIBOR Rate Loans of such Lender thereafter shall accrue interest at the rate then applicable to Base Rate Loans, and (z) interest based on the Daily One Month LIBOR shall not be available until such Lender determines that it would no longer be unlawful or impractical to do so.
(c) Benchmark Replacement Setting.
(i) Benchmark Replacement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document, if a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then (a) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, any Loan Document and (b) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in connection with an Early Opt-in Election,
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such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to Lenders without any amendment to any Loan Document, or further action or consent of any other party to, any Loan Document, so long as Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.
(ii) Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with a Benchmark Replacement, Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any Loan Party.
(iii) Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. Agent will promptly notify Administrative Borrower and the Lenders of (a) any occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date, (b) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, and (c) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.12(c), including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in Agent’s Permitted Discretion and without consent from any Loan Party
(iv) London Interbank Offered Rate Benchmark Transition Event. On March 5, 2021, the ICE Benchmark Administration (the "IBA"), the administrator of the London interbank offered rate, and the Financial Conduct Authority, the regulatory supervisor of the IBA, announced in public statements (the "Announcements") that the final publication or representativeness date for Dollars for (a) 1-week and 2-month London interbank offered rate tenor settings will be December 31, 2021 and (b) overnight, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month and 12-month London interbank offered rate tenor settings will be June 30, 2023. No successor administrator for the IBA was identified in such Announcements. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that the Announcements resulted in the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event with respect to the London interbank offered rate pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents and that any obligation of Agent to notify any parties of such Benchmark Transition Event pursuant to clause (iii) of this Section 2.12(c) shall be deemed satisfied.
(d) No Requirement of Matched Funding. Anything to the contrary contained herein notwithstanding, neither Agent, nor any Lender, nor any of their Participants, is required actually to acquire eurodollar deposits to fund or otherwise match fund any Obligation as to which interest accrues at Daily One Month LIBOR.
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(a) If, after the date hereof, Issuing Bank or any Lender determines that (i) any Change in Law regarding capital, liquidity or reserve requirements for banks or bank holding companies, or (ii) compliance by Issuing Bank or such Lender, or their respective parent bank holding companies, with any guideline, request or directive of any Governmental Authority regarding capital adequacy or liquidity requirements (whether or not having the force of law), has the effect of reducing the return on Issuing Bank's, such Lender's, or such holding companies' capital or liquidity as a consequence of Issuing Bank's or such Lender's commitments, Loans, participations or other obligations hereunder to a level below that which Issuing Bank, such Lender, or such holding companies could have achieved but for such Change in Law or compliance (taking into consideration Issuing Bank's, such Lender's, or such holding companies' then existing policies with respect to capital adequacy or liquidity requirements and assuming the full utilization of such entity's capital) by any amount deemed by Issuing Bank or such Lender to be material, then Issuing Bank or such Lender may notify Borrowers and Agent thereof. Following receipt of such notice, Borrowers agree to pay Issuing Bank or such Lender on demand the amount of such reduction of return of capital as and when such reduction is determined, payable within 30 days after presentation by Issuing Bank or such Lender of a statement in the amount and setting forth in reasonable detail Issuing Bank's or such Lender's calculation thereof and the assumptions upon which such calculation was based (which statement shall be deemed true and correct absent manifest error). In determining such amount, Issuing Bank or such Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods. Failure or delay on the part of Issuing Bank or any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of Issuing Bank's or such Lender's right to demand such compensation; provided, that Borrowers shall not be required to compensate Issuing Bank or a Lender pursuant to this Section for any reductions in return incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that Issuing Bank or such Lender notifies Borrowers of such Change in Law giving rise to such reductions and of such Lender's intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further, that if such claim arises by reason of the Change in Law that is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
(b) If Issuing Bank or any Lender requests additional or increased costs referred to in Section 2.11(l) or Section 2.12(a) or amounts under Section 2.13(a) or sends a notice under Section 2.12(b) relative to changed circumstances (such Issuing Bank or Lender, an "Affected Lender"), then, at the request of Administrative Borrower, such Affected Lender shall use reasonable efforts to promptly designate a different one of its lending offices or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices or branches, if (i) in the reasonable judgment of such Affected Lender, such designation or assignment would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.11(l), Section 2.12(a) or Section 2.13(a), as applicable, or would eliminate the illegality or impracticality of funding or maintaining LIBOR Loans, and (ii) in the reasonable judgment of such Affected Lender, such designation or assignment would not subject it to any material unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be materially disadvantageous to it. Borrowers agree to pay all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by such Affected Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment. If, after such
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reasonable efforts, such Affected Lender does not so designate a different one of its lending offices or assign its rights to another of its offices or branches so as to eliminate Borrowers' obligation to pay any future amounts to such Affected Lender pursuant to Section 2.11(l), Section 2.12(a) or Section 2.13(a), as applicable, or to enable Borrowers to obtain LIBOR Loans, then Borrowers (without prejudice to any amounts then due to such Affected Lender under Section 2.11(l), Section 2.12(a) or Section 2.13(a), as applicable) may, unless prior to the effective date of any such assignment the Affected Lender withdraws its request for such additional amounts under Section 2.11(l), Section 2.12(a) or Section 2.13(a), as applicable, or indicates that it is no longer unlawful or impractical to fund or maintain LIBOR Loans, may designate a different Issuing Bank or substitute a Lender or prospective Lender, in each case, reasonably acceptable to Agent to purchase the Obligations owed to such Affected Lender and such Affected Lender's commitments hereunder (a "Replacement Lender"), and if such Replacement Lender agrees to such purchase, such Affected Lender shall assign to the Replacement Lender its Obligations and commitments, and upon such purchase by the Replacement Lender, which such Replacement Lender shall be deemed to be "Issuing Bank" or a "Lender" (as the case may be) for purposes of this Agreement and such Affected Lender shall cease to be "Issuing Bank" or a "Lender" (as the case may be) for purposes of this Agreement.
(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the protection of Sections 2.11(l), 2.12, and 2.13 shall be available to Issuing Bank and each Lender (as applicable) regardless of any possible contention of the invalidity or inapplicability of the law, rule, regulation, judicial ruling, judgment, guideline, treaty or other change or condition which shall have occurred or been imposed, so long as it shall be customary for issuing banks or lenders affected thereby to comply therewith. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, neither Issuing Bank nor any Lender shall demand compensation pursuant to this Section 2.13 if it shall not at the time be the general policy or practice of Issuing Bank or such Lender (as the case may be) to demand such compensation in similar circumstances under comparable provisions of other credit agreements, if any.
(a) At any time during the period from and after the Closing Date through but excluding the date that is the fourth year anniversary of the Closing Date, at the option of Borrowers (but subject to the conditions set forth in clause (b) below), the Revolver Commitments and the Maximum Revolver Amount may be increased by an amount in the aggregate for all such increases of the Revolver Commitments and the Maximum Revolver Amount not to exceed the Available Revolver Increase Amount (each such increase, an "Increase"). Agent shall invite each Lender to increase its Revolver Commitments (it being understood that no Lender shall be obligated to increase its Revolver Commitments) in connection with a proposed Increase at the interest margin proposed by Borrowers, and if sufficient Lenders do not agree to increase their Revolver Commitments in connection with such proposed Increase, then Agent or Borrowers may invite any prospective lender who is reasonably satisfactory to Agent and Borrowers to become a Lender in connection with a proposed Increase. Any Increase shall be in an amount of at least $5,000,000 and integral multiples of $5,000,000 in excess thereof. In no event may the Revolver Commitments and the Maximum Revolver Amount be increased pursuant to this Section 2.14 on more than
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four occasions in the aggregate for all such Increases. Additionally, for the avoidance of doubt, it is understood and agreed that in no event shall the aggregate amount of the Increases to the Revolver Commitments exceed $25,000,000.
(b) Each of the following shall be conditions precedent to any Increase of the Revolver Commitments and the Maximum Revolver Amount:
(i) Agent or Borrowers have obtained the commitment of one or more Lenders (or other prospective lenders) reasonably satisfactory to Agent and Borrowers to provide the applicable Increase and any such Lenders (or prospective lenders), Borrowers, and Agent have signed a joinder agreement to this Agreement (an "Increase Joinder"), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, to which such Lenders (or prospective lenders), Borrowers, and Agent are party,
(ii) each of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.2 are satisfied,
(iii) in connection with any Increase, if any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries owns or will acquire any Margin Stock, Borrowers shall deliver to Agent an updated Form U-1 (with sufficient additional originals thereof for each Lender), duly executed and delivered by the Borrowers, together with such other documentation as Agent shall reasonably request, in order to enable Agent and the Lenders to comply with any of the requirements under Regulations T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board,
(iv) Borrowers have delivered to Agent updated pro forma Projections (after giving effect to the applicable Increase) for the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries evidencing compliance on a pro forma basis with Section 7 for the twelve months (on a month-by-month basis) immediately following the proposed date of the applicable Increase (calculated as if a Covenant Testing Period was in effect during the entire twelve month period), and
(v) The interest rate margins with respect to the Revolving Loans to be made pursuant to the increased Revolver Commitments shall be the same as the interest rate margin applicable to Revolving Loans hereunder immediately prior to the date of the effectiveness of the increased Revolver Commitments and the Maximum Revolver Amount (such date, the "Increase Date").
(c) Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, all references in this Agreement and any other Loan Document to Revolving Loans shall be deemed, unless the context otherwise requires, to include Revolving Loans made pursuant to the increased Revolver Commitments and Maximum Revolver Amount pursuant to this Section 2.14.
(d) Each of the Lenders having a Revolver Commitment prior to the Increase Date (the "Pre-Increase Revolver Lenders") shall assign to any Lender which is acquiring a new or additional Revolver Commitment on the Increase Date (the "Post-Increase Revolver Lenders"), and such Post-Increase Revolver Lenders shall purchase from each Pre-Increase Revolver Lender, at the principal amount thereof, such interests in the Revolving Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit on such Increase Date as
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shall be necessary in order that, after giving effect to all such assignments and purchases, such Revolving Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit will be held by Pre-Increase Revolver Lenders and Post-Increase Revolver Lenders ratably in accordance with their Pro Rata Share after giving effect to such increased Revolver Commitments.
(e) The Revolving Loans, Revolver Commitments, and Maximum Revolver Amount established pursuant to this Section 2.14 shall constitute Revolving Loans, Revolver Commitments, and Maximum Revolver Amount under, and shall be entitled to all the benefits afforded by, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and shall, without limiting the foregoing, benefit equally and ratably from any guarantees and the security interests created by the Loan Documents. Borrowers shall take any actions reasonably required by Agent to ensure and demonstrate that the Liens and security interests granted by the Loan Documents continue to be perfected under the Code or otherwise after giving effect to the establishment of any such new Revolver Commitments and Maximum Revolver Amount.
2.15. Joint and Several Liability of Borrowers.
(a) Each Borrower is accepting joint and several liability hereunder and under the other Loan Documents in consideration of the financial accommodations to be provided by the Lender Group under this Agreement, for the mutual benefit, directly and indirectly, of each Borrower and in consideration of the undertakings of the other Borrowers to accept joint and several liability for the Obligations.
(b) Each Borrower, jointly and severally, hereby irrevocably and unconditionally accepts, not merely as a surety but also as a co-debtor, joint and several liability with the other Borrowers, with respect to the payment and performance of all of the Obligations (including any Obligations arising under this Section 2.15), it being the intention of the parties hereto that all the Obligations shall be the joint and several obligations of each Borrower without preferences or distinction among them. Accordingly, each Borrower hereby waives any and all suretyship defenses that would otherwise be available to such Borrower under applicable law.
(c) If and to the extent that any Borrower shall fail to make any payment with respect to any of the Obligations as and when due, whether upon maturity, acceleration, or otherwise, or to perform any of the Obligations in accordance with the terms thereof, then in each such event the other Borrowers will make such payment with respect to, or perform, such Obligations until such time as all of the Obligations are paid in full, and without the need for demand, protest, or any other notice or formality.
(d) The Obligations of each Borrower under the provisions of this Section 2.15 constitute the absolute and unconditional, full recourse Obligations of each Borrower enforceable against each Borrower to the full extent of its properties and assets, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the provisions of this Agreement (other than this Section 2.15(d)) or any other circumstances whatsoever.
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(e) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, each Borrower hereby waives presentments, demands for performance, protests and notices, including notices of acceptance of its joint and several liability, notice of any Revolving Loans or any Letters of Credit issued under or pursuant to this Agreement, notice of the occurrence of any Default, Event of Default, notices of nonperformance, notices of protest, notices of dishonor, notices of acceptance of this Agreement, notices of the existence, creation, or incurring of new or additional Obligations or other financial accommodations or of any demand for any payment under this Agreement, notice of any action at any time taken or omitted by Agent or Lenders under or in respect of any of the Obligations, any right to proceed against any other Borrower or any other Person, to proceed against or exhaust any security held from any other Borrower or any other Person, to protect, secure, perfect, or insure any security interest or Lien on any property subject thereto or exhaust any right to take any action against any other Borrower, any other Person, or any collateral, to pursue any other remedy in any member of the Lender Group's or any Bank Product Provider's power whatsoever, any requirement of diligence or to mitigate damages and, generally, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all demands, notices and other formalities of every kind in connection with this Agreement (except as otherwise provided in this Agreement), any right to assert against any member of the Lender Group or any Bank Product Provider, any defense (legal or equitable), set-off, counterclaim, or claim which each Borrower may now or at any time hereafter have against any other Borrower or any other party liable to any member of the Lender Group or any Bank Product Provider, any defense, set-off, counterclaim, or claim, of any kind or nature, arising directly or indirectly from the present or future lack of perfection, sufficiency, validity, or enforceability of the Obligations or any security therefor, and any right or defense arising by reason of any claim or defense based upon an election of remedies by any member of the Lender Group or any Bank Product Provider including any defense based upon an impairment or elimination of such Borrower's rights of subrogation, reimbursement, contribution, or indemnity of such Borrower against any other Borrower. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Borrower hereby assents to, and waives notice of, any extension or postponement of the time for the payment of any of the Obligations, the acceptance of any payment of any of the Obligations, the acceptance of any partial payment thereon, any waiver, consent or other action or acquiescence by Agent or Lenders at any time or times in respect of any default by any Borrower in the performance or satisfaction of any term, covenant, condition or provision of this Agreement, any and all other indulgences whatsoever by Agent or Lenders in respect of any of the Obligations, and the taking, addition, substitution or release, in whole or in part, at any time or times, of any security for any of the Obligations or the addition, substitution or release, in whole or in part, of any Borrower. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Borrower assents to any other action or delay in acting or failure to act on the part of any Agent or Lender with respect to the failure by any Borrower to comply with any of its respective Obligations, including any failure strictly or diligently to assert any right or to pursue any remedy or to comply fully with applicable laws or regulations thereunder, which might, but for the provisions of this Section 2.15 afford grounds for terminating, discharging or relieving any Borrower, in whole or in part, from any of its Obligations under this Section 2.15, it being the intention of each Borrower that, so long as any of the Obligations hereunder remain unsatisfied, the Obligations of each Borrower under this Section 2.15 shall not be discharged except by performance and then only to the extent
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of such performance. The Obligations of each Borrower under this Section 2.15 shall not be diminished or rendered unenforceable by any winding up, reorganization, arrangement, liquidation, reconstruction or similar proceeding with respect to any other Borrower or any Agent or Lender. Each of the Borrowers waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting its liability hereunder or the enforcement hereof. Any payment by any Borrower or other circumstance which operates to toll any statute of limitations as to any Borrower shall operate to toll the statute of limitations as to each of the Borrowers. Each of the Borrowers waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of any Borrower or any other Person, other than payment of the Obligations to the extent of such payment, based on or arising out of the disability of any Borrower or any other Person, or the validity, legality, or unenforceability of the Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of any Borrower other than payment of the Obligations to the extent of such payment. Agent may, at the election of the Required Lenders, foreclose upon any Collateral held by Agent by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales or other dispositions, whether or not every aspect of any such sale is commercially reasonable or otherwise fails to comply with applicable law or may exercise any other right or remedy Agent, any other member of the Lender Group, or any Bank Product Provider may have against any Borrower or any other Person, or any security, in each case, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any of the Borrowers hereunder except to the extent the Obligations have been paid.
(f) Each Borrower represents and warrants to Agent and Lenders that such Borrower is currently informed of the financial condition of Borrowers and of all other circumstances which a diligent inquiry would reveal and which bear upon the risk of nonpayment of the Obligations. Each Borrower further represents and warrants to Agent and Lenders that such Borrower has read and understands the terms and conditions of the Loan Documents. Each Borrower hereby covenants that such Borrower will continue to keep informed of Borrowers' financial condition and of all other circumstances which bear upon the risk of nonpayment or nonperformance of the Obligations.
(g) The provisions of this Section 2.15 are made for the benefit of Agent, each member of the Lender Group, each Bank Product Provider, and their respective successors and assigns, and may be enforced by it or them from time to time against any or all Borrowers as often as occasion therefor may arise and without requirement on the part of Agent, any member of the Lender Group, any Bank Product Provider, or any of their successors or assigns first to marshal any of its or their claims or to exercise any of its or their rights against any Borrower or to exhaust any remedies available to it or them against any Borrower or to resort to any other source or means of obtaining payment of any of the Obligations hereunder or to elect any other remedy. The provisions of this Section 2.15 shall remain in effect until all of the Obligations shall have been paid in full or otherwise fully satisfied. If at any time, any payment, or any part thereof, made in respect of any of the Obligations, is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned by Agent or any Lender upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower, or otherwise, the provisions of this Section 2.15 will forthwith be reinstated in effect, as though such payment had not been made.
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(h) Each Borrower hereby agrees that it will not enforce any of its rights that arise from the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of the provisions of this Section 2.15, including rights of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or indemnification and any right to participate in any claim or remedy of Agent, any other member of the Lender Group, or any Bank Product Provider against any Borrower, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity or under contract, statute or common law, including the right to take or receive from any Borrower, directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security solely on account of such claim, remedy or right, unless and until such time as all of the Obligations have been paid in full in cash. Any claim which any Borrower may have against any other Borrower with respect to any payments to any Agent or any member of the Lender Group hereunder or under any of the Bank Product Agreements are hereby expressly made subordinate and junior in right of payment, without limitation as to any increases in the Obligations arising hereunder or thereunder, to the prior payment in full in cash of the Obligations and, in the event of any insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar proceeding under the laws of any jurisdiction relating to any Borrower, its debts or its assets, whether voluntary or involuntary, all such Obligations shall be paid in full in cash before any payment or distribution of any character, whether in cash, securities or other property, shall be made to any other Borrower therefor. If any amount shall be paid to any Borrower in violation of the immediately preceding sentence, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of Agent, for the benefit of the Lender Group and the Bank Product Providers, and shall forthwith be paid to Agent to be credited and applied to the Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Agreement, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, or to be held as Collateral for any Obligations or other amounts payable under this Agreement thereafter arising. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no Borrower may exercise any rights of subrogation, contribution, indemnity, reimbursement or other similar rights against, and may not proceed or seek recourse against or with respect to any property or asset of, any other Borrower (the "Foreclosed Borrower"), including after payment in full of the Obligations, if all or any portion of the Obligations have been satisfied in connection with an exercise of remedies in respect of the Equity Interests of such Foreclosed Borrower whether pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise.
(i) Each of the Borrowers hereby acknowledges and affirms that it understands that to the extent the Obligations are secured by Real Property located in California, the Borrowers shall be liable for the full amount of the liability hereunder notwithstanding the foreclosure on such Real Property by trustee sale or any other reason impairing such Borrower's right to proceed against any other Loan Party. In accordance with Section 2856 of the California Civil Code or any similar laws of any other applicable jurisdiction, each of the Borrowers hereby waives until such time as the Obligations have been paid in full:
(i) all rights of subrogation, reimbursement, indemnification, and contribution and any other rights and defenses that are or may become available to the Borrowers by reason of Sections 2787 to 2855, inclusive, 2899, and 3433 of the California Civil Code or any similar laws of any other applicable jurisdiction;
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(ii) all rights and defenses that the Borrowers may have because the Obligations are secured by Real Property located in California, meaning, among other things, that: (A) Agent, the other members of the Lender Group, and the Bank Product Providers may collect from the Borrowers without first foreclosing on any real or personal property collateral pledged by any Loan Party, and (B) if Agent, on behalf of the Lender Group, forecloses on any Real Property Collateral pledged by any Loan Party, (1) the amount of the Obligations may be reduced only by the price for which that collateral is sold at the foreclosure sale, even if the collateral is worth more than the sale price, and (2) the Lender Group may collect from the Loan Parties even if, by foreclosing on the Real Property Collateral, Agent or the other members of the Lender Group have destroyed or impaired any right the Borrowers may have to collect from any other Loan Party, it being understood that this is an unconditional and irrevocable waiver of any rights and defenses the Borrowers may have because the Obligations are secured by Real Property (including any rights or defenses based upon Sections 580a, 580d, or 726 of the California Code of Civil Procedure or any similar laws of any other applicable jurisdiction); and
(iii) all rights and defenses arising out of an election of remedies by Agent, the other members of the Lender Group, and the Bank Product Providers, even though that election of remedies, such as a nonjudicial foreclosure with respect to security for the Obligations, has destroyed the Borrowers' rights of subrogation and reimbursement against any other Loan Party by the operation of Section 580d of the California Code of Civil Procedure or any similar laws of any other applicable jurisdiction or otherwise.
3. CONDITIONS; TERM OF AGREEMENT.
3.1. Conditions Precedent to the Initial Extension of Credit. The obligation of each Lender to make the initial extensions of credit provided for hereunder is subject to the fulfillment, to the satisfaction of Agent and each Lender, of each of the conditions precedent set forth on Schedule 3.1 to this Agreement (the making of such initial extensions of credit by a Lender being conclusively deemed to be its satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent).
3.2. Conditions Precedent to all Extensions of Credit. The obligation of the Lender Group (or any member thereof) to make any Revolving Loans hereunder (or to extend any other credit hereunder) at any time shall be subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) the representations and warranties of each Loan Party or its Subsidiaries contained in this Agreement or in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof) on and as of the date of such extension of credit, as though made on and as of such date (except to the extent that such representations and warranties relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof) as of such earlier date); and
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(b) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such extension of credit, nor shall either result from the making thereof.
3.3. Maturity. The Commitments shall continue in full force and effect for a term ending on the Maturity Date (unless terminated earlier in accordance with the terms hereof).
3.4. Effect of Maturity. On the Maturity Date, all commitments of the Lender Group to provide additional credit hereunder shall automatically be terminated and all of the Obligations (other than Hedge Obligations) immediately shall become due and payable without notice or demand and Borrowers shall be required to repay all of the Obligations (other than Hedge Obligations) in full. No termination of the obligations of the Lender Group (other than payment in full of the Obligations and termination of the Commitments) shall relieve or discharge any Loan Party of its duties, obligations, or covenants hereunder or under any other Loan Document and Agent's Liens in the Collateral shall continue to secure the Obligations and shall remain in effect until all Obligations have been paid in full. When all of the Obligations have been paid in full, Agent will, at Borrowers' sole expense, execute and deliver any termination statements, lien releases, discharges of security interests, and other similar discharge or release documents (and, if applicable, in recordable form) as are reasonably necessary to release, as of record, Agent's Liens and all notices of security interests and liens previously filed by Agent.
3.5. Early Termination by Borrowers. Borrowers have the option, at any time upon ten Business Days prior written notice to Agent, to repay all of the Obligations in full and terminate the Commitments. The foregoing notwithstanding, (a) Borrowers may rescind termination notices relative to proposed payments in full of the Obligations with the proceeds of third party Indebtedness if the closing for such issuance or incurrence does not happen on or before the date of the proposed termination (in which case, a new notice shall be required to be sent in connection with any subsequent termination), and (b) Borrowers may extend the date of termination at any time with the consent of Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
3.6. Conditions Subsequent. The obligation of the Lender Group (or any member thereof) to continue to make Revolving Loans (or otherwise extend credit hereunder) is subject to the fulfillment, on or before the date applicable thereto, of the conditions subsequent set forth on Schedule 3.6 to this Agreement (the failure by Borrowers to so perform or cause to be performed such conditions subsequent as and when required by the terms thereof (unless such date is extended, in writing, by Agent, which Agent may do without obtaining the consent of the other members of the Lender Group), shall constitute an Event of Default).
4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
In order to induce the Lender Group to enter into this Agreement, each Borrower makes the following representations and warranties to the Lender Group which shall be true, correct, and complete, in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof), as of the Closing Date, and shall be true, correct, and
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complete, in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof), as of the date of the making of each Revolving Loan (or other extension of credit) made thereafter, as though made on and as of the date of such Revolving Loan (or other extension of credit) (except to the extent that such representations and warranties relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof) as of such earlier date), and such representations and warranties shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement:
4.1. Due Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries.
(a) Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries (i) is duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (ii) is qualified to do business in any state where the failure to be so qualified could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) has all requisite power and authority to own and operate its properties, to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted, to enter into the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to carry out the transactions contemplated thereby.
(b) Set forth on Schedule 4.1(b) to this Agreement (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time to reflect changes resulting from transactions permitted under this Agreement) is a complete and accurate description of the authorized Equity Interests of each Loan Party, by class, and, as of the Closing Date, a description of the number of shares of each such class that are issued and outstanding.
(c) Set forth on Schedule 4.1(c) to this Agreement (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time to reflect changes resulting from transactions permitted under this Agreement), is a complete and accurate list of the Loan Parties' direct and indirect Subsidiaries, showing: (i) the number of shares of each class of common and preferred Equity Interests authorized for each of such Subsidiaries, and (ii) the number and the percentage of the outstanding shares of each such class owned directly or indirectly by Administrative Borrower. All of the outstanding Equity Interests of each such Subsidiary has been validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable.
(d) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.1(d) to this Agreement, there are no subscriptions, options, warrants, or calls relating to any shares of any Loan Party's or any of its Subsidiaries' Equity Interests, including any right of conversion or exchange under any outstanding security or other instrument. No Loan Party is subject to any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to repurchase or otherwise acquire or retire any shares of its Equity Interests or any security convertible into or exchangeable for any of its Equity Interests.
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4.2. Due Authorization; No Conflict.
(a) As to each Loan Party, the execution, delivery, and performance by such Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of such Loan Party.
(b) As to each Loan Party, the execution, delivery, and performance by such Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party do not and will not (i) violate any material provision of federal, state, or local law or regulation applicable to any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, the Governing Documents of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, or any order, judgment, or decree of any court or other Governmental Authority binding on any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of, or constitute (with due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under any material agreement of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries where any such conflict, breach or default could individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien of any nature whatsoever upon any assets of any Loan Party, other than Permitted Liens, or (iv) require any approval of any holder of Equity Interests of a Loan Party or any approval or consent of any Person under any material agreement of any Loan Party, other than consents or approvals that have been obtained and that are still in force and effect and except, in the case of material agreements, for consents or approvals, the failure to obtain could not individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect.
4.3. Governmental Consents. The execution, delivery, and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents do not and will not require any registration with, consent, or approval of, or notice to, or other action with or by, any Governmental Authority, other than registrations, consents, approvals, notices, or other actions that have been obtained and that are still in force and effect and except for filings and recordings with respect to the Collateral to be made, or otherwise delivered to Agent for filing or recordation, as of the Closing Date.
4.4. Binding Obligations; Perfected Liens.
(a) Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is a party thereto and is the legally valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its respective terms, except as enforcement may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws relating to or limiting creditors' rights generally.
(b) Agent's Liens are validly created, perfected (other than (i) in respect of motor vehicles that are subject to a certificate of title, (ii) money, (iii) letter-of-credit rights (other than supporting obligations), (iv) commercial tort claims (other than those that, by the terms of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, are required to be perfected), and (v) any Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts not subject to a Control Agreement as permitted by Section 7(k)(iv) of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, and subject only to the filing of financing statements and the recordation of the Copyright Security Agreement, in each
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case, in the appropriate filing offices), and first priority Liens, subject only to Permitted Liens which are non-consensual Permitted Liens, permitted purchase money Liens, or the interests of lessors under Capital Leases.
4.5. Title to Assets; No Encumbrances. Each of the Loan Parties and its Subsidiaries has (a) good, sufficient and legal title to (in the case of fee interests in Real Property), (b) valid leasehold interests in (in the case of leasehold interests in real or personal property), and (c) good and marketable title to (in the case of all other personal property), all of their respective assets reflected in their most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.1, in each case except for assets disposed of since the date of such financial statements to the extent permitted hereby. All of such assets are free and clear of Liens except for Permitted Liens.
(a) There are no actions, suits, or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of any Borrower, after due inquiry, threatened in writing against a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries that either individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Schedule 4.6(b) to this Agreement sets forth a complete and accurate description of each of the actions, suits, or proceedings with asserted liabilities in excess of, or that could reasonably be expected to result in liabilities in excess of, $1,000,000 that, as of the Closing Date, is pending or, to the knowledge of any Borrower, after due inquiry, threatened against a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries.
4.7. Compliance with Laws. No Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries (a) is in violation of any applicable laws, rules, regulations, executive orders, or codes (including Environmental Laws) that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (b) is subject to or in default with respect to any final judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees, rules or regulations of any court or any federal, state, municipal or other governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, domestic or foreign, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
4.8. No Material Adverse Effect. All historical financial statements relating to the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries that have been delivered by Borrowers to Agent have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except, in the case of unaudited financial statements, for the lack of footnotes and being subject to year-end audit adjustments) and present fairly in all material respects, the Loan Parties' and their Subsidiaries' consolidated financial condition as of the date thereof and results of operations for the period then ended. Since December 31, 2020, no event, circumstance, or change has occurred that has or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(a) Each Loan Party is Solvent.
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(b) No transfer of property is being made by any Loan Party and no obligation is being incurred by any Loan Party in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents with the intent to hinder, delay, or defraud either present or future creditors of such Loan Party.
(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.10, no Loan Party, none of their Subsidiaries, nor any of their ERISA Affiliates maintains or contributes to any Benefit Plan.
(b) Each Loan Party and each of the ERISA Affiliates has complied in all material respects with ERISA, the IRC and all applicable laws regarding each Employee Benefit Plan.
(c) Each Employee Benefit Plan is, and has been, maintained in substantial compliance with ERISA, the IRC, all applicable laws and the terms of each such Employee Benefit Plan.
(d) Each Employee Benefit Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the IRC has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service or is entitled to rely on an opinion letter provided under a volume submitted program. To the best knowledge of each Loan Party and the ERISA Affiliates after due inquiry, nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification.
(e) No liability to the PBGC (other than for the payment of current premiums which are not past due) by any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate has been incurred or is expected by any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate to be incurred with respect to any Pension Plan.
(f) No Notification Event exists or has occurred in the past six (6) years.
(g) No Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate has provided any security under Section 436 of the IRC.
4.11. Environmental Condition. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.11 to this Agreement, (a) to each Borrower's knowledge, no Loan Party's nor any of its Subsidiaries' properties or assets has ever been used by a Loan Party, its Subsidiaries, or by previous owners or operators in the disposal of, or to produce, store, handle, treat, release, or transport, any Hazardous Materials, where such disposal, production, storage, handling, treatment, release or transport was in violation, in any material respect, of any applicable Environmental Law, (b) to each Borrower's knowledge, after due inquiry, no Loan Party's nor any of its Subsidiaries' properties or assets has ever been designated or identified in any manner pursuant to any environmental protection statute as a Hazardous Materials disposal site, (c) no Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice that a Lien arising under any Environmental Law has attached to any revenues or to any Real Property owned or operated by a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, and (d) no Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective facilities or operations is subject to any outstanding written order, consent decree, or settlement agreement with any Person relating to any
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Environmental Law or Environmental Liability that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
4.12. Complete Disclosure. All factual information taken as a whole (other than forward-looking information and projections and information of a general economic nature and general information about Borrowers' industry) furnished by or on behalf of a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries in writing to Agent or any Lender (including all information contained in the Schedules hereto or in the other Loan Documents) for purposes of or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, and all other such factual information taken as a whole (other than forward-looking information and projections and information of a general economic nature and general information about Borrowers' industry) hereafter furnished by or on behalf of a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries in writing to Agent or any Lender will be, true and accurate, in all material respects, on the date as of which such information is dated or certified and not incomplete by omitting to state any fact necessary to make such information (taken as a whole) not misleading in any material respect at such time in light of the circumstances under which such information was provided. The Projections delivered to Agent on August 12, 2021 represent, and as of the date on which any other Projections are delivered to Agent, such additional Projections represent, Borrowers' good faith estimate, on the date such Projections are delivered, of the Loan Parties' and their Subsidiaries' future performance for the periods covered thereby based upon assumptions believed by Borrowers to be reasonable at the time of the delivery thereof to Agent (it being understood that such Projections are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, and no assurances can be given that such Projections will be realized, and although reflecting Borrowers' good faith estimate, projections or forecasts based on methods and assumptions which Borrowers believed to be reasonable at the time such Projections were prepared, are not to be viewed as facts, and that actual results during the period or periods covered by the Projections may differ materially from projected or estimated results). As of the Closing Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct in all respects.
4.13. Patriot Act. To the extent applicable, each Loan Party is in compliance, in all material respects, with the (a) Trading with the Enemy 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 (b) Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA Patriot Act of 2001, as amended) (the "Patriot Act").
4.14. Indebtedness. Set forth on Schedule 4.14 to this Agreement is a true and complete list of all Indebtedness of each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries outstanding immediately prior to the Closing Date (other than unsecured Permitted Indebtedness outstanding immediately prior to the Closing Date with respect to any one transaction or a series of related transactions in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000; provided, that all such Permitted Indebtedness, in the aggregate, shall not exceed $2,000,000) that is to remain outstanding immediately after giving effect to the closing hereunder on the Closing Date and
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such Schedule accurately sets forth the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness as of the Closing Date.
4.15. Payment of Taxes. Except as otherwise permitted under Section 5.5, all Tax returns and reports of each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries required to be filed by any of them have been timely filed, and all Taxes shown on such Tax returns to be due and payable and all other Taxes upon a Loan Party and its Subsidiaries and upon their respective assets, income, businesses and franchises that are due and payable have been paid when due and payable. Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries have made adequate provision in accordance with GAAP for all Taxes not yet due and payable. No Borrower knows of any proposed Tax assessment against a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries that is not being actively contested by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary diligently, in good faith, and by appropriate proceedings; provided, that such reserves or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made or provided therefor.
4.16. Margin Stock. Neither any Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries owns any Margin Stock or is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock. No part of the proceeds of the Loans made to Borrowers will be used to purchase or carry any Margin Stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock or for any purpose that violates the provisions of Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors. Neither any Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries expects to acquire any Margin Stock.
4.17. Governmental Regulation. No Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to regulation under the Federal Power Act or the Investment Company Act of 1940 or under any other federal or state statute or regulation which may limit its ability to incur Indebtedness or which may otherwise render all or any portion of the Obligations unenforceable. No Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries is a "registered investment company" or a company "controlled" by a "registered investment company" or a "principal underwriter" of a "registered investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.
4.18. OFAC; Sanctions; Anti-Corruption Laws; Anti-Money Laundering Laws. No Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any Sanctions. No Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of such Loan Party, any director, officer, employee, agent or Affiliate of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary (a) is a Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Entity, (b) has any assets located in Sanctioned Entities, or (c) derives revenues from investments in, or transactions with Sanctioned Persons or Sanctioned Entities. Each of the Loan Parties and its Subsidiaries has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with Sanctions, Anti-Corruption Laws and Anti-Money Laundering Laws. Each of the Loan Parties and its Subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of each such Loan Party, each director, officer, employee, agent and Affiliate of each such Loan Party and each such Subsidiary, is in compliance with all Sanctions, Anti-Corruption Laws and Anti-Money Laundering Laws. No proceeds of any Loan made or Letter of Credit issued hereunder will be used to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in, or make any payments to, a
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Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Entity, or otherwise used in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanction, Anti-Corruption Law or Anti-Money Laundering Law by any Person (including any Lender, Bank Product Provider, or other individual or entity participating in any transaction).
4.19. Employee and Labor Matters. There is (i) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the knowledge of any Borrower, threatened against any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries before any Governmental Authority and no grievance or arbitration proceeding pending or threatened against any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries which arises out of or under any collective bargaining agreement and that could reasonably be expected to result in a material liability, (ii) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown, stoppage or similar action or grievance pending or threatened in writing against any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to result in a material liability, or (iii) to the knowledge of any Borrower, after due inquiry, no union representation question existing with respect to the employees of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries and no union organizing activity taking place with respect to any of the employees of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries. None of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries has incurred any liability or obligation under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act or similar state law, which remains unpaid or unsatisfied. The hours worked and payments made to employees of each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable legal requirements, except to the extent such violations could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. All material payments due from any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of Borrowers, except where the failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
4.20. Material Contracts. Set forth on Schedule 4.20 (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time in accordance herewith) is a reasonably detailed description of the Material Contracts of each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries as of the most recent date on which Borrowers provided the Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 5.1; provided, that Borrowers may amend Schedule 4.20 to add additional Material Contracts so long as such amendment occurs by written notice to Agent on the date that Borrowers provide the Compliance Certificate. Except for matters which, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Material Contract (other than those that have expired at the end of their normal terms) (a) is in full force and effect and is binding upon and enforceable against the applicable Loan Party or its Subsidiary and, to each Borrower's knowledge, after due inquiry, each other Person that is a party thereto in accordance with its terms, (b) has not been otherwise amended or modified (other than amendments or modifications permitted by Section 6.6(b)), and (c) is not in default due to the action or inaction of the applicable Loan Party or its Subsidiary.
4.21. Leases. Each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries enjoy peaceful and undisturbed possession under all leases material to their business and to which they are parties or under which they are operating, and, subject to Permitted Protests, all of such material leases are valid and subsisting and no material default by the applicable Loan Party or its Subsidiaries exists under any of them.
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4.22. Eligible Accounts. As to each Account that is identified by Borrowers as an Eligible Account in a Borrowing Base Certificate submitted to Agent, such Account is (a) a bona fide existing payment obligation of the applicable Account Debtor created by the sale and delivery of Inventory or the rendition of services to such Account Debtor in the ordinary course of a Borrower's business, (b) owed to a Borrower without any known defenses, disputes, offsets, counterclaims, or rights of return or cancellation, and (c) not excluded as ineligible by virtue of one or more of the excluding criteria (other than any Agent-discretionary criteria) set forth in the definition of Eligible Accounts.
4.23. Eligible Inventory. As to each item of Inventory that is identified by Borrowers as Eligible Inventory or Eligible In-Transit Inventory in a Borrowing Base Certificate submitted to Agent, such Inventory is (a) of good and merchantable quality, free from known defects, and (b) not excluded as ineligible by virtue of one or more of the excluding criteria (other than any Agent-discretionary criteria) set forth in the definition of Eligible Inventory (in the case of Eligible In-Transit Inventory, after giving effect to any exclusions therefrom specified in the definition of Eligible In-Transit Inventory).
4.24. Location of Inventory. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.24, the Inventory of Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries is not stored with a bailee, warehouseman, or similar party and is located only at, or in-transit between, the locations identified on Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement (as such Schedule may be updated pursuant to Section 5.14).
4.25. Inventory Records. Each Loan Party keeps correct and accurate records itemizing and describing the type, quality, and quantity of its and its Subsidiaries' Inventory and the book value thereof.
4.26. Hedge Agreements. On each date that any Hedge Agreement is executed by any Hedge Provider, Borrower and each other Loan Party satisfy all eligibility, suitability and other requirements under the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1, et seq., as in effect from time to time) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulations.
Each Borrower covenants and agrees that, until the termination of all of the Commitments and payment in full of the Obligations:
5.1. Financial Statements, Reports, Certificates. Borrowers (a) will deliver to Agent, with copies to each Lender, each of the financial statements, reports, and other items set forth on Schedule 5.1 to this Agreement no later than the times specified therein, (b) agree that no Subsidiary of a Loan Party will have a fiscal year different from that of Administrative Borrower, (c) agree to maintain a system of accounting that enables Borrowers to produce financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and (d) agree that they will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, (i) keep a reporting system that shows all additions, sales, claims, returns, and allowances with respect to their and their Subsidiaries' sales, and (ii) maintain their billing systems and practices substantially as in effect as of the Closing Date and shall only make material modifications thereto with notice to, and with the consent of, Agent.
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5.2. Reporting. Borrowers (a) will deliver to Agent (and if so requested by Agent, with copies for each Lender) each of the reports set forth on Schedule 5.2 to this Agreement at the times specified therein, and (b) agree to use commercially reasonable efforts in cooperation with Agent to facilitate and implement a system of electronic collateral reporting in order to provide electronic reporting of each of the items set forth on such Schedule. Borrowers and Agent hereby agree that the delivery of the Borrowing Base Certificate through Agent's electronic platform or portal, subject to Agent's authentication process, by such other electronic method as may be approved by Agent from time to time in its sole discretion, or by such other electronic input of information necessary to calculate the Borrowing Bases as may be approved by Agent from time to time in its sole discretion, shall in each case be deemed to satisfy the obligation of Borrowers to deliver such Borrowing Base Certificate, with the same legal effect as if such Borrowing Base Certificate had been manually executed by Borrowers and delivered to Agent.
5.3. Existence. Except as otherwise permitted under Section 6.3 or Section 6.4, each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect such Person's valid existence and good standing in its jurisdiction of organization and, except as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, good standing with respect to all other jurisdictions in which it is qualified to do business and any rights, franchises, permits, licenses, accreditations, authorizations, or other approvals material to their businesses.
5.4. Maintenance of Properties. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain and preserve all of its material assets that are necessary or useful in the proper conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear, tear, casualty, and condemnation and Permitted Dispositions excepted.
5.5. Taxes. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay in full before delinquency or before the expiration of any extension period all Taxes imposed, levied, or assessed against it, or any of its assets or in respect of any of its income, businesses, or franchises, other than Taxes not in excess of $100,000 outstanding at any time and other than to the extent that the validity of such Tax is the subject of a Permitted Protest.
(a) Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, at Borrowers' expense, maintain insurance respecting each of each Loan Party's and its Subsidiaries' assets wherever located, covering liabilities, losses or damages as are customarily are insured against by other Persons engaged in same or similar businesses and similarly situated and located. All such policies of insurance shall be with financially sound and reputable insurance companies acceptable to Agent (it being agreed that, as of the Closing Date, the Loan Parties' existing insurance providers as set forth in the certificates of insurance delivered to Agent on or about the Closing Date shall be deemed to be acceptable to Agent) and in such amounts as is carried generally in accordance with sound business practice by companies in similar businesses similarly situated and located and, in any event, in amount, adequacy, and scope reasonably satisfactory to Agent (it being agreed that the amount, adequacy, and scope of the policies of insurance of Borrowers in effect as of the
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Closing Date are acceptable to Agent). All property insurance policies are to be made payable to Agent for the benefit of Agent and the Lenders, as their interests may appear, in case of loss, pursuant to a standard lender's loss payable endorsement with a standard non-contributory "lender" or "secured party" clause and are to contain such other provisions as Agent may reasonably require to fully protect the Lenders' interest in the Collateral and to any payments to be made under such policies. All certificates of property and general liability insurance are to be delivered to Agent, with the lender's loss payable and additional insured endorsements in favor of Agent and shall provide for not less than thirty days (ten days in the case of non-payment) prior written notice to Agent of the exercise of any right of cancellation. Unless Borrowers provide Agent with evidence of the continuing insurance coverage required by this Agreement, Agent may purchase insurance at Borrowers' expense to protect Agent's and Lenders' interests in the Collateral. This insurance may, but need not, protect each Borrower's and each other Loan Party's interests. The coverage that Agent purchases may, but need not, pay any claim that is made against any Borrower or any other Loan Party in connection with the Collateral. Borrowers may later cancel any insurance purchased by Agent, but only after providing Agent with evidence that Borrowers have obtained the insurance coverage required by this Agreement. If Agent purchases insurance for the Collateral, as set forth above, Borrowers will be responsible for the costs of that insurance, including interest and any other charges that may be imposed with the placement of the insurance, until the effective date of the cancellation or expiration of the insurance and the costs of the insurance may be added to the principal amount of the Loans owing hereunder.
(b) Borrowers shall give Agent prompt notice of any loss exceeding $1,000,000 covered by the casualty or business interruption insurance of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, Agent shall have the sole right to file claims under any property and general liability insurance policies in respect of the Collateral, to receive, receipt and give acquittance for any payments that may be payable thereunder, and to execute any and all endorsements, receipts, releases, assignments, reassignments or other documents that may be necessary to effect the collection, compromise or settlement of any claims under any such insurance policies.
(a) Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit Agent, any Lender, and each of their respective duly authorized representatives or agents to visit any of its properties and inspect any of its assets or books and records, to examine and make copies of its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances, and accounts with, and to be advised as to the same by, its officers and employees (provided, that an authorized representative of a Borrower shall be allowed to be present) at such reasonable times and intervals as Agent or any Lender, as applicable, may designate and, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, with reasonable prior notice to Borrowers and during regular business hours, at Borrowers' expense in accordance with the provisions of the Fee Letter, subject to the limitations set forth below in Section 5.7(c).
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(b) Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit Agent and each of its duly authorized representatives or agents to conduct field examinations, appraisals or valuations at such reasonable times and intervals as Agent may designate, at Borrowers' expense in accordance with the provisions of the Fee Letter, subject to the limitations set forth below in Section 5.7(c).
(c) So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing during a calendar year, Borrowers shall not be obligated to reimburse Agent for more than 1 site visit (permitted under subsection (a) above)day and 1 field examination (permitted under subsection (b) above) in such calendar year (increasing to 2 field examinations if an Increased Reporting Event has occurred during such calendar year), and 1 inventory appraisal (permitted under subsection (b) above) in such calendar year (increasing to 2 inventory appraisals if an Increased Reporting Event has occurred during such calendar year), in each case, except for field examinations and appraisals conducted in connection with a proposed Permitted Acquisition (whether or not consummated).
5.8. Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with the requirements of all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and orders of any Governmental Authority, other than laws, rules, regulations, and orders the non-compliance with which, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
5.9. Environmental. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
(a) Keep any property either owned or operated by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries free of any Environmental Liens or post bonds or other financial assurances sufficient to satisfy the obligations or liability evidenced by such Environmental Liens,
(b) Comply, in all material respects, with Environmental Laws and provide to Agent documentation of such compliance which Agent reasonably requests,
(c) Promptly notify Agent of any release of which any Loan Party has knowledge of a Hazardous Material in any reportable quantity from or onto property owned or operated by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries and take any Remedial Actions required to abate said release or otherwise to come into compliance, in all material respects, with applicable Environmental Law, and
(d) Promptly, but in any event within five Business Days of its receipt thereof, provide Agent with written notice of any of the following: (i) notice that an Environmental Lien has been filed against any of the real or personal property of a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, (ii) commencement of any Environmental Action or written notice that an Environmental Action will be filed against a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, and (iii) written notice of a violation, citation, or other administrative order from a Governmental Authority.
5.10. Disclosure Updates. Each Loan Party will, promptly and in no event later than five Business Days after obtaining knowledge thereof, notify Agent if any written
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information, exhibit, or report furnished to Agent or the Lenders contained, at the time it was furnished, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which made. The foregoing to the contrary notwithstanding, any notification pursuant to the foregoing provision will not cure or remedy the effect of the prior untrue statement of a material fact or omission of any material fact nor shall any such notification have the effect of amending or modifying this Agreement or any of the Schedules hereto.
5.11. Formation of Subsidiaries. Each Loan Party will, at the time that any Loan Party forms any direct or indirect Subsidiary or acquires any direct or indirect Subsidiary after the Closing Date, within thirty days of such event (or such later date as permitted by Agent in its sole discretion) (a) cause such new Subsidiary (i) if such Subsidiary is a Domestic Subsidiary and Administrative Borrower requests, subject to the consent of Agent, that such Domestic Subsidiary be joined as a Borrower hereunder, to provide to Agent a Joinder to this Agreement, and (ii) to provide to Agent a joinder to the Guaranty and Security Agreement, in each case, together with such other security agreements, as well as appropriate financing statements, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent (including being sufficient to grant Agent a first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Liens) in and to the assets of such newly formed or acquired Subsidiary); provided, that the Joinder, the joinder to the Guaranty and Security Agreement, and such other security agreements shall not be required to be provided to Agent with respect to any Subsidiary of any Loan Party that is a CFC or a FSHC if providing such agreements would result in adverse tax consequences or the costs to the Loan Parties of providing such guaranty or such security agreements are unreasonably excessive (as determined by Agent in consultation with Borrowers) in relation to the benefits to Agent and the Lenders of the security or guarantee afforded thereby, (b) provide, or cause the applicable Loan Party to provide, to Agent a pledge agreement (or an addendum to the Guaranty and Security Agreement) and appropriate certificates and powers or financing statements, pledging all of the direct or beneficial ownership interest in such new Subsidiary in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent; provided, that only 65% of the total outstanding voting Equity Interests of any first tier Subsidiary of a Loan Party that is a CFC or FSHC(and none of the Equity Interests of any Subsidiary of such CFC or FSHC) shall be required to be pledged if pledging a greater amount would result in material adverse tax consequences or the costs to the Loan Parties of providing such pledge are unreasonably excessive (as determined by Agent in consultation with Borrowers) in relation to the benefits to Agent and the Lenders of the security afforded thereby (which pledge, if reasonably requested by Agent, shall be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction of such Subsidiary), and (c) provide to Agent all other documentation, including the Governing Documents of such Subsidiary and one or more opinions of counsel reasonably satisfactory to Agent, which, in its opinion, is appropriate with respect to the execution and delivery of the applicable documentation referred to above (including policies of title insurance, flood certification documentation or other documentation with respect to all Real Property owned in fee and subject to a mortgage). Any document, agreement, or instrument executed or issued pursuant to this Section 5.11 shall constitute a Loan Document.
5.12. Further Assurances. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of the other Loan Parties to, at any time upon the reasonable request of Agent, execute or deliver to
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Agent any and all financing statements, fixture filings, security agreements, pledges, assignments, mortgages, deeds of trust, opinions of counsel, and all other documents (the "Additional Documents") that Agent may reasonably request in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, to create, perfect, and continue perfected or to better perfect Agent's Liens in all of the assets of each of the Loan Parties (whether now owned or hereafter arising or acquired, tangible or intangible, real or personal) (other than any assets expressly excluded from the Collateral (as defined in the Guaranty and Security Agreement) pursuant to Section 3 of the Guaranty and Security Agreement), and in order to fully consummate all of the transactions contemplated hereby and under the other Loan Documents; provided, that the foregoing shall not apply to any Subsidiary of a Loan Party that is a CFC or a FSHC if providing such documents would result in material adverse tax consequences or the costs to the Loan Parties of providing such documents are unreasonably excessive (as determined by Agent in consultation with Borrowers) in relation to the benefits to Agent and the Lenders of the security afforded thereby. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, if any Borrower or any other Loan Party refuses or fails to execute or deliver any reasonably requested Additional Documents within a reasonable period of time not to exceed 5 Business Days following the request to do so, each Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby authorizes Agent to execute any such Additional Documents in the applicable Loan Party's name and authorizes Agent to file such executed Additional Documents in any appropriate filing office. In furtherance of, and not in limitation of, the foregoing, each Loan Party shall take such actions as Agent may reasonably request from time to time to ensure that the Obligations are guaranteed by the Guarantors and are secured by substantially all of the assets of the Loan Parties, including all of the outstanding capital Equity Interests of the Subsidiaries of each Loan Party (in each case, other than with respect to any assets expressly excluded from the Collateral (as defined in the Guaranty and Security Agreement) pursuant to Section 3 of the Guaranty and Security Agreement). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein (including Section 5.11 hereof and this Section 5.12) or in any other Loan Document, Agent shall not accept delivery of any joinder to any Loan Document with respect to any Subsidiary of any Loan Party that is not a Loan Party, if such Subsidiary that qualifies as a "legal entity customer" under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation unless such Subsidiary has delivered a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to such Subsidiary and Agent has completed its Patriot Act searches, OFAC/PEP searches and customary individual background checks for such Subsidiary, the results of which shall be satisfactory to Agent.
5.14. Compliance with ERISA and the IRC. In addition to and without limiting the generality of Section 5.8, (a) comply in all material respects with applicable provisions of ERISA and the IRC with respect to all Employee Benefit Plans, (b) without the prior written consent of Agent and the Required Lenders, not take any action or fail to take action the result of which could result in a Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate incurring a material liability to the PBGC or to a Multiemployer Plan (other than to pay contributions or premiums payable in the ordinary course), (c) allow any facts or circumstances to exist with respect to one or more Employee Benefit Plans that, in the aggregate, reasonably could be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (d) not participate in any prohibited transaction that could result in other than a de minimis civil penalty excise tax, fiduciary
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liability or correction obligation under ERISA or the IRC, (e) operate each Employee Benefit Plan in such a manner that will not incur any material tax liability under the IRC (including Section 4980B of the IRC), and (e) furnish to Agent upon Agent's written request such additional information about any Employee Benefit Plan for which any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate could reasonably expect to incur any material liability. With respect to each Pension Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) except as could not reasonably be expected to result in liability to the Loan Parties, the Loan Parties and the ERISA Affiliates shall (i) satisfy in full and in a timely manner, without incurring any late payment or underpayment charge or penalty and without giving rise to any Lien, all of the contribution and funding requirements of the IRC and of ERISA, and (ii) pay, or cause to be paid, to the PBGC in a timely manner, without incurring any late payment or underpayment charge or penalty, all premiums required pursuant to ERISA.
5.15. Location of Inventory; Chief Executive Office. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep (a) their Inventory only at the locations identified on Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement (provided that Borrowers may amend Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement so long as such amendment occurs by written notice to Agent not less than five days prior to the date on which such Inventory is moved to such new location and so long as Agent has consented to such amendment and such new location is within the continental United States), and (b) their respective chief executive offices only at the locations identified on Schedule 7 to the Guaranty and Security Agreement. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, use their commercially reasonable efforts to obtain Collateral Access Agreements for each of the locations identified on Schedule 7 to the Guaranty and Security Agreement and Schedule 4.24 to this Agreement.
5.16. OFAC; Sanctions; Anti-Corruption Laws; Anti-Money Laundering Laws. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all applicable Sanctions, Anti-Corruption Laws and Anti-Money Laundering Laws. Each of the Loan Parties and its Subsidiaries shall implement and maintain in effect policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and Affiliates with Sanctions, Anti-Corruption Laws and Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
5.17. Material Contracts. Contemporaneously with the delivery of each Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 5.1, upon the written request of Agent, Borrowers will provide Agent with copies of (a) each Material Contract entered into since the delivery of the previous Compliance Certificate, and (b) each material amendment or modification of any Material Contract entered into since the delivery of the previous Compliance Certificate.
Each Borrower covenants and agrees that, until the termination of all of the Commitments and the payment in full of the Obligations:
6.1. Indebtedness. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume, suffer to exist, guarantee, or otherwise become or
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remain, directly or indirectly, liable with respect to any Indebtedness, except for Permitted Indebtedness.
6.2. Liens. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume, or suffer to exist, directly or indirectly, any Lien on or with respect to any of its assets, of any kind, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or any income or profits therefrom, except for Permitted Liens.
6.3. Restrictions on Fundamental Changes. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
(a) Other than in order to consummate a Permitted Acquisition, enter into any merger, consolidation, reorganization, or recapitalization, or reclassify its Equity Interests, except for (i) any merger between Loan Parties; provided, that a Borrower must be the surviving entity of any such merger to which it is a party, (ii) any merger between a Loan Party and a Subsidiary of such Loan Party that is not a Loan Party so long as such Loan Party is the surviving entity of any such merger, and (iii) any merger between Subsidiaries of any Loan Party that are not Loan Parties,
(b) liquidate, wind up, or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), except for (i) the liquidation or dissolution of non-operating Subsidiaries of any Loan Party with nominal assets and nominal liabilities, (ii) the liquidation or dissolution of a Loan Party (other than any Borrower) or any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries so long as all of the assets (including any interest in any Equity Interests) of such liquidating or dissolving Loan Party or Subsidiary are transferred to a Loan Party that is not liquidating or dissolving, or (iii) the liquidation or dissolution of a Subsidiary of any Loan Party that is not a Loan Party (other than any such Subsidiary the Equity Interests of which (or any portion thereof) is subject to a Lien in favor of Agent) so long as all of the assets of such liquidating or dissolving Subsidiary are transferred to a Subsidiary of a Loan Party that is not liquidating or dissolving,
(c) suspend or cease operating a substantial portion of its or their business for ten consecutive Business Days, except as permitted pursuant to clauses (a) or (b) above or in connection with a transaction permitted under Section 6.4, or
(d) change its classification/status for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
6.4. Disposal of Assets. Other than Permitted Dispositions or transactions expressly permitted by Sections 6.3 or 6.9, each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, convey, sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of its or their assets (including by an allocation of assets among newly divided limited liability companies pursuant to a "plan of division").
6.5. Nature of Business. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make any change in the nature of its or their business as described in Schedule 6.5 to this Agreement or acquire any properties or assets that are not reasonably related to the conduct of such business activities; provided, that the foregoing shall not
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prevent any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries from engaging in any business that is reasonably related or ancillary to their business.
6.6. Prepayments and Amendments. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
(a) Except in connection with Refinancing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.1,
(i) optionally prepay, redeem, defease, purchase, or otherwise acquire any Indebtedness of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, other than (A) the Obligations in accordance with this Agreement, (B) Hedge Obligations, (C) Permitted Intercompany Advances, or (D) other Indebtedness so long as the Payment Conditions are satisfied; or
(ii) make any payment on account of Indebtedness that has been contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations if such payment is not permitted at such time under the subordination terms and conditions, or
(b) Directly or indirectly, amend, modify, or change any of the terms or provisions of:
(i) any agreement, instrument, document, indenture, or other writing evidencing or concerning Permitted Indebtedness other than (A) the Obligations in accordance with this Agreement, (B) Hedge Obligations, (C) Permitted Intercompany Advances, and (D) Indebtedness permitted under clauses (c), (h), (j) and (k) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness, or
(ii) the Governing Documents of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries if the effect thereof, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders.
(iii) any Material Contract except to the extent that such amendment, modification, or change could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders.
6.7. Restricted Payments. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make any Restricted Payment; provided, that so long as it is permitted by law,
(a) so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, Administrative Borrower may make distributions to former employees, officers, or directors of Administrative Borrower (or any spouses, ex-spouses, or estates of any of the foregoing) on account of redemptions of Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower held by such Persons; provided, that the aggregate amount of such redemptions made by Administrative Borrower during the term of this Agreement plus the amount of Indebtedness outstanding under clause (l) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness, does not exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate,
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(b) so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, Administrative Borrower may make distributions to former employees, officers, or directors of Administrative Borrower (or any spouses, ex-spouses, or estates of any of the foregoing), solely in the form of forgiveness of Indebtedness of such Persons owing to Administrative Borrower on account of repurchases of the Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower held by such Persons; provided, that such Indebtedness was incurred by such Persons solely to acquire Equity Interests of Administrative Borrower,
(c) so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, Administrative Borrower's Subsidiaries may make distributions to Administrative Borrower (i) in an amount sufficient to pay franchise taxes and other fees required to maintain the legal existence of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries to the extent actually used by Administrative Borrower to pay such taxes, costs and expenses, and (ii) in an amount sufficient to pay out-of-pocket legal, accounting and filing costs and other expenses in the nature of overhead in the ordinary course of business of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries,
(d) Borrowers and their Subsidiaries may make dividends and distributions to Administrative Borrower to make payments permitted to be made pursuant to Section 6.10(f), or
(e) other Restricted Payments so long as the Payment Conditions are satisfied.
6.8. Accounting Methods. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, modify or change its fiscal year or its method of accounting (other than as may be required to conform to GAAP).
6.9. Investments. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, make or acquire any Investment or incur any liabilities (including contingent obligations) for or in connection with any Investment except for Permitted Investments.
6.10. Transactions with Affiliates. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into or permit to exist any transaction with any Affiliate of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries except for:
(a) transactions (other than the payment of management, consulting, monitoring, or advisory fees) between such Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any Affiliate of such Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, so long as such transactions (i) are fully disclosed to Agent prior to the consummation thereof, if they involve one or more payments by such Loan Party or its Subsidiaries in excess of $1,000,000 for any single transaction or series of related transactions, and (ii) are no less favorable, taken as a whole, to such Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, than would be obtained in an arm's length transaction with a non-Affiliate,
(b) any indemnity provided for the benefit of directors (or comparable managers) of a Loan Party or one of its Subsidiaries so long as it has been approved by such
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Loan Party's or such Subsidiary's board of directors (or comparable governing body) in accordance with applicable law,
(c) the payment of reasonable compensation, severance, or employee benefit arrangements to employees, officers, and outside directors of a Loan Party or one of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and consistent with industry practice so long as it has been approved by such Loan Party's or such Subsidiary's board of directors (or comparable governing body) in accordance with applicable law,
(d) (i) transactions solely among the Loan Parties, and (ii) transactions solely among Subsidiaries of Loan Parties that are not Loan Parties,
(e) transactions permitted by Section 6.3, Section 6.7, or Section 6.9, and
(f) agreements for the non-exclusive licensing of intellectual property, or distribution of products, in each case, among the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries for the purpose of the counterparty thereof operating its business, and agreements for the assignment of intellectual property from any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries to any Loan Party.
6.11. Use of Proceeds. Each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, use the proceeds of any Loan made hereunder for any purpose other than (a) on the Closing Date, (i) to repay, in full, the outstanding principal, accrued interest, and accrued fees and expenses owing under or in connection with the Existing Credit Facility, and (ii) to pay the fees, costs, and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, in each case, as set forth in the Flow of Funds Agreement, and (b) thereafter, consistent with the terms and conditions hereof, for their lawful and permitted purposes; provided that (x) no part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used to purchase or carry any such Margin Stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any such Margin Stock or for any purpose that violates the provisions of Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors, (y) no part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used, directly or indirectly, to make any payments to a Sanctioned Entity or a Sanctioned Person, to fund any investments, loans or contributions in, or otherwise make such proceeds available to, a Sanctioned Entity or a Sanctioned Person, to fund any operations, activities or business of a Sanctioned Entity or a Sanctioned Person, or in any other manner that would result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person, and (z) that no part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used, directly or indirectly, in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Sanctions, Anti-Corruption Laws or Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
6.12. Limitation on Issuance of Equity Interests. Except for the issuance or sale of Qualified Equity Interests by Administrative Borrower, each Loan Party will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, issue or sell any of its Equity Interests.
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6.13. Inventory with Bailees. Each Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, store its Inventory at any time with a bailee, warehouseman, or similar party except as set forth on Schedule 4.24 (as such Schedule may be amended in accordance with Section 5.14).
(a) Terminate, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to terminate, any Pension Plan in a manner, or take any other action with respect to any Plan, which could reasonably be expected to result in any liability of any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC.
(b) Fail to make, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to fail to make, full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any Benefit Plan, agreement relating thereto or applicable Law, any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate is required to pay if such failure could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Permit to exist, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit to exist, any accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, with respect to any Plan which exceeds $2,000,000 with respect to all Pension Plans in the aggregate.
(d) Acquire, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to acquire, an interest in any Person that causes such Person to become an ERISA Affiliate with respect to a Loan Party or with respect to any ERISA Affiliate if such Person sponsors, maintains, or contributes to, or at any time in the six-year period preceding such acquisition has sponsored, maintained, or contributed to, (i) any Pension or (ii) any Multiemployer Plan.
(e) Contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any Multiemployer Plan not set forth on Schedule 4.10.
(f) Amend, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to amend, a Pension Plan resulting in a material increase in current liability such that a Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate is required to provide security to such Plan under the IRC.
Each Borrower covenants and agrees that, until the termination of all of the Commitments and the payment in full of the Obligations, Borrowers will maintain a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, calculated for each 12 month period ending on the first day of any Covenant Testing Period and the last day of each fiscal month occurring until the end of any Covenant Testing Period (including the last day thereof), in each case of at least 1.00 to 1.00.
Any one or more of the following events shall constitute an event of default (each, an "Event of Default") under this Agreement:
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8.1. Payments. If Borrowers fail to pay when due and payable, or when declared due and payable, (a) all or any portion of the Obligations consisting of interest, fees, or charges due the Lender Group, reimbursement of Lender Group Expenses, or other amounts (other than any portion thereof constituting principal) constituting Obligations (including any portion thereof that accrues after the commencement of an Insolvency Proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in whole or in part as a claim in any such Insolvency Proceeding), and such failure continues for a period of three Business Days, (b) all or any portion of the principal of the Loans, or (c) any amount payable to Issuing Bank in reimbursement of any drawing under a Letter of Credit;
8.2. Covenants. If any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries:
(a) fails to perform or observe any covenant or other agreement contained in any of (i) Sections 3.6, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 (solely if any Borrower is not in good standing in its jurisdiction of organization), 5.6, 5.7 (solely if any Borrower refuses to allow Agent or its representatives or agents to visit any Borrower's properties, inspect its assets or books or records, examine and make copies of its books and records, or discuss Borrowers' affairs, finances, and accounts with officers and employees of any Borrower), 5.10, 5.11 or 5.14 of this Agreement, (ii) Section 6 of this Agreement, (iii) Section 7 of this Agreement, or (iv) Section 7 of the Guaranty and Security Agreement;
(b) fails to perform or observe any covenant or other agreement contained in any of Sections 5.3 (other than if any Borrower is not in good standing in its jurisdiction of organization), 5.4, 5.5, 5.8, and 5.12 of this Agreement and such failure continues for a period of fifteen days after the earlier of (i) the date on which such failure shall first become known to any officer of any Borrower, or (ii) the date on which written notice thereof is given to Borrowers by Agent; or
(c) fails to perform or observe any covenant or other agreement contained in this Agreement, or in any of the other Loan Documents, in each case, other than any such covenant or agreement that is the subject of another provision of this Section 8 (in which event such other provision of this Section 8 shall govern), and such failure continues for a period of thirty days after the earlier of (i) the date on which such failure shall first become known to any officer of any Borrower, or (ii) the date on which written notice thereof is given to Borrowers by Agent;
8.3. Judgments. If one or more judgments, orders, or awards for the payment of money involving an aggregate amount of $1,000,000, or more (except to the extent fully covered (other than to the extent of customary deductibles) by insurance pursuant to which the insurer has not denied coverage) is entered or filed against a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or with respect to any of their respective assets, and either (a) there is a period of thirty consecutive days at any time after the entry of any such judgment, order, or award during which (i) the same is not discharged, satisfied, vacated, or bonded pending appeal, or (ii) a stay of enforcement thereof is not in effect, or (b) enforcement proceedings are commenced upon such judgment, order, or award;
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8.4. Voluntary Bankruptcy, etc. If an Insolvency Proceeding is commenced by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries;
8.5. Involuntary Bankruptcy, etc. If an Insolvency Proceeding is commenced against a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries and any of the following events occur: (a) such Loan Party or such Subsidiary consents to the institution of such Insolvency Proceeding against it, (b) the petition commencing the Insolvency Proceeding is not timely controverted, (c) the petition commencing the Insolvency Proceeding is not dismissed within sixty calendar days of the date of the filing thereof, (d) an interim trustee is appointed to take possession of all or any substantial portion of the properties or assets of, or to operate all or any substantial portion of the business of, such Loan Party or its Subsidiary, or (e) an order for relief shall have been issued or entered therein;
8.6. Default Under Other Agreements. If, after giving effect to any cure period provided therein, there is (a) a default in one or more agreements to which a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is a party with one or more third Persons relative to a Loan Party's or any of its Subsidiaries' Indebtedness involving an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 or more, and such default (i) occurs at the final maturity of the obligations thereunder, or (ii) results in a right by such third Person, irrespective of whether exercised, to accelerate the maturity of such Loan Party's or its Subsidiary's obligations thereunder, or (b) a default in or an involuntary early termination of one or more Hedge Agreements to which a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is a party involving an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 or more;
8.7. Representations, etc. If any warranty, representation, certificate, statement, or Record made herein or in any other Loan Document or delivered in writing to Agent or any Lender in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document proves to be untrue in any material respect (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof) as of the date of issuance or making or deemed making thereof;
8.8. Guaranty. If the obligation of any Guarantor under the guaranty contained in the Guaranty and Security Agreement is limited or terminated by operation of law or by such Guarantor (other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement) or if any Guarantor repudiates or revokes or purports to repudiate or revoke any such guaranty;
8.9. Security Documents. If the Guaranty and Security Agreement or any other Loan Document that purports to create a Lien, shall, for any reason, fail or cease to create a valid and perfected and, (except to the extent of Permitted Liens which are non-consensual Permitted Liens, permitted purchase money Liens or the interests of lessors under Capital Leases) first priority Lien on the Collateral covered thereby, except as a result of a disposition of the applicable Collateral in a transaction permitted under this Agreement;
8.10. Loan Documents. The validity or enforceability of any Loan Document shall at any time for any reason (other than solely as the result of an action or failure to act on the part of Agent) be declared to be null and void, or a proceeding shall be commenced by a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, or by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, seeking to establish the invalidity or unenforceability
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thereof, or a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries shall deny that such Loan Party or its Subsidiaries has any liability or obligation purported to be created under any Loan Document; or
8.11. Change of Control. A Change of Control shall occur, whether directly or indirectly.
8.12. ERISA. The occurrence of any of the following events: (a) any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate fails to make full payment when due of all amounts which any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions, installments, or otherwise to or with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan, and such failure could reasonably be expected to result in liability in excess of $750,000, (b) an accumulated funding deficiency or funding shortfall in excess of $750,000 occurs or exists, whether or not waived, with respect to any Pension Plan, individually or in the aggregate, (c) a Notification Event, which could reasonably be expected to result in liability in excess of $750,000, either individually or in the aggregate, or (d) any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate completely or partially withdraws from one or more Multiemployer Plans and incurs Withdrawal Liability in excess of $750,000 in the aggregate, or fails to make any Withdrawal Liability payment when due.
9.1. Rights and Remedies. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, Agent may, and, at the instruction of the Required Lenders, shall, in addition to any other rights or remedies provided for hereunder or under any other Loan Document or by applicable law, do any one or more of the following:
(a) by written notice to Borrowers, (i) declare the principal of, and any and all accrued and unpaid interest and fees in respect of, the Loans and all other Obligations (other than the Bank Product Obligations), whether evidenced by this Agreement or by any of the other Loan Documents to be immediately due and payable, whereupon the same shall become and be immediately due and payable and Borrowers shall be obligated to repay all of such Obligations in full, without presentment, demand, protest, or further notice or other requirements of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by each Borrower, and (ii) direct Borrowers to provide (and Borrowers agree that upon receipt of such notice Borrowers will provide) Letter of Credit Collateralization to Agent to be held as security for Borrowers' reimbursement obligations for drawings that may subsequently occur under issued and outstanding Letters of Credit;
(b) by written notice to Borrowers, declare the Commitments terminated, whereupon the Commitments shall immediately be terminated together with (i) any obligation of any Revolving Lender to make Revolving Loans, (ii) the obligation of the Swing Lender to make Swing Loans, and (iii) the obligation of Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit; and
(c) exercise all other rights and remedies available to Agent or the Lenders under the Loan Documents, under applicable law, or in equity.
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The foregoing to the contrary notwithstanding, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Section 8.4 or Section 8.5, in addition to the remedies set forth above, without any notice to Borrowers or any other Person or any act by the Lender Group, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the Obligations (other than the Bank Product Obligations), inclusive of the principal of, and any and all accrued and unpaid interest and fees in respect of, the Loans and all other Obligations (other than the Bank Product Obligations), whether evidenced by this Agreement or by any of the other Loan Documents, shall automatically become and be immediately due and payable and Borrowers shall automatically be obligated to repay all of such Obligations in full (including Borrowers being obligated to provide (and Borrowers agree that they will provide) (1) Letter of Credit Collateralization to Agent to be held as security for Borrowers' reimbursement obligations in respect of drawings that may subsequently occur under issued and outstanding Letters of Credit and (2) Bank Product Collateralization to be held as security for Borrowers' or their Subsidiaries' obligations in respect of outstanding Bank Products), without presentment, demand, protest, or notice or other requirements of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by Borrowers.
9.2. Remedies Cumulative. The rights and remedies of the Lender Group under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and all other agreements shall be cumulative. The Lender Group shall have all other rights and remedies not inconsistent herewith as provided under the Code, by law, or in equity. No exercise by the Lender Group of one right or remedy shall be deemed an election, and no waiver by the Lender Group of any Default or Event of Default shall be deemed a continuing waiver. No delay by the Lender Group shall constitute a waiver, election, or acquiescence by it.
10.1. Demand; Protest; etc. Each Borrower waives demand, protest, notice of protest, notice of default or dishonor, notice of payment and nonpayment, nonpayment at maturity, release, compromise, settlement, extension, or renewal of documents, instruments, chattel paper, and guarantees at any time held by the Lender Group on which any Borrower may in any way be liable.
10.2. The Lender Group's Liability for Collateral. Each Borrower hereby agrees that: (a) so long as Agent complies with its obligations, if any, under the Code, the Lender Group shall not in any way or manner be liable or responsible for: (i) the safekeeping of the Collateral, (ii) any loss or damage thereto occurring or arising in any manner or fashion from any cause, (iii) any diminution in the value thereof, or (iv) any act or default of any carrier, warehouseman, bailee, forwarding agency, or other Person, and (b) all risk of loss, damage, or destruction of the Collateral shall be borne by the Loan Parties.
10.3. Indemnification. Each Borrower shall pay, indemnify, defend, and hold the Agent-Related Persons, the Lender-Related Persons, the Issuing Bank, and each Participant (each, an "Indemnified Person") harmless (to the fullest extent permitted by law) from and against any and all claims, demands, suits, actions, investigations, proceedings, liabilities, fines, costs, penalties, and damages, and all reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of attorneys, experts, or consultants and all other costs and expenses actually
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incurred in connection therewith or in connection with the enforcement of this indemnification (as and when they are incurred and irrespective of whether suit is brought), at any time asserted against, imposed upon, or incurred by any of them (a) in connection with or as a result of or related to the execution and delivery (provided, that Borrowers shall not be liable for costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys' fees) of any Lender (other than Wells Fargo) incurred in advising, structuring, drafting, reviewing, administering or syndicating the Loan Documents), enforcement, performance, or administration (including any restructuring or workout with respect hereto) of this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents, or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or the monitoring of Loan Parties' and their Subsidiaries' compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents (provided, that the indemnification in this clause (a) shall not extend to (i) disputes solely between or among the Lenders that do not involve any acts or omissions of any Loan Party, or (ii) disputes solely between or among the Lenders and their respective Affiliates that do not involve any acts or omissions of any Loan Party; it being understood and agreed that the indemnification in this clause (a) shall extend to Agent (but not the Lenders unless the dispute involves an act or omission of a Loan Party) relative to disputes between or among Agent on the one hand, and one or more Lenders, or one or more of their Affiliates, on the other hand, or (iii) any claims for Taxes, which shall be governed by Section 16, other than Taxes which relate to primarily non-Tax claims), (b) with respect to any actual or prospective investigation, litigation, or proceeding related to this Agreement, any other Loan Document, the making of any Loans or issuance of any Letters of Credit hereunder, or the use of the proceeds of the Loans or the Letters of Credit provided hereunder (irrespective of whether any Indemnified Person is a party thereto), or any act, omission, event, or circumstance in any manner related thereto, and (c) in connection with or arising out of any presence or release of Hazardous Materials at, on, under, to or from any assets or properties owned, leased or operated by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or any Environmental Actions, Environmental Liabilities or Remedial Actions related in any way to any such assets or properties of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (each and all of the foregoing, the "Indemnified Liabilities"). The foregoing to the contrary notwithstanding, no Borrower shall have any obligation to any Indemnified Person under this Section 10.3 with respect to any Indemnified Liability that a court of competent jurisdiction finally determines to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Person or its officers, directors, employees, attorneys, or agents. This provision shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the repayment in full of the Obligations. If any Indemnified Person makes any payment to any other Indemnified Person with respect to an Indemnified Liability as to which Borrowers were required to indemnify the Indemnified Person receiving such payment, the Indemnified Person making such payment is entitled to be indemnified and reimbursed by Borrowers with respect thereto. WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE FOREGOING INDEMNITY SHALL APPLY TO EACH INDEMNIFIED PERSON WITH RESPECT TO INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES WHICH IN WHOLE OR IN PART ARE CAUSED BY OR ARISE OUT OF ANY NEGLIGENT ACT OR OMISSION OF SUCH INDEMNIFIED PERSON OR OF ANY OTHER PERSON.
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Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, all notices or demands relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be in writing and (except for financial statements and other informational documents which may be sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid) shall be personally delivered or sent by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested), overnight courier, electronic mail (at such email addresses as a party may designate in accordance herewith), or telefacsimile. In the case of notices or demands to any Loan Party or Agent, as the case may be, they shall be sent to the respective address set forth below:
If to any Loan Party: |
c/o Administrative Borrower |
with copies to: |
LATHROP GPM LLP |
If to Agent: |
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION |
with copies to: |
GOLDBERG KOHN, LTD. |
Any party hereto may change the address at which they are to receive notices hereunder, by notice in writing in the foregoing manner given to the other party. All notices or demands sent in accordance with this Section 11, shall be deemed received on the earlier of the date of actual receipt or three Business Days after the deposit thereof in the mail; provided, that (a) notices sent by overnight courier service shall be deemed to have been given when received, (b) notices by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient) and (c) notices by electronic mail shall be deemed received upon the sender's receipt of an acknowledgment from the intended recipient (such as by the "return receipt requested" function, as available, return email or other written acknowledgment).
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12. CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE; JURY TRIAL WAIVER; JUDICIAL REFERENCE PROVISION.
(a) THE VALIDITY OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (UNLESS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED TO THE CONTRARY IN ANOTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN RESPECT OF SUCH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT), THE CONSTRUCTION, INTERPRETATION, AND ENFORCEMENT HEREOF AND THEREOF, THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES HERETO AND THERETO WITH RESPECT TO ALL MATTERS ARISING HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR RELATED HERETO OR THERETO, AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSIES OR DISPUTES ARISING HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR RELATED HERETO OR THERETO SHALL BE DETERMINED UNDER, GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
(b) THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ALL ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS SHALL BE TRIED AND LITIGATED ONLY IN THE STATE AND, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN THE COUNTY OF COOK, STATE OF ILLINOIS; PROVIDED, THAT ANY SUIT SEEKING ENFORCEMENT AGAINST ANY COLLATERAL OR OTHER PROPERTY MAY BE BROUGHT, AT AGENT'S OPTION, IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION WHERE AGENT ELECTS TO BRING SUCH ACTION OR WHERE SUCH COLLATERAL OR OTHER PROPERTY MAY BE FOUND. EACH BORROWER AND EACH MEMBER OF THE LENDER GROUP WAIVE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT EACH MAY HAVE TO ASSERT THE DOCTRINE OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS OR TO OBJECT TO VENUE TO THE EXTENT ANY PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION 12(b).
(c) TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH BORROWER AND EACH MEMBER OF THE LENDER GROUP HEREBY WAIVE THEIR RESPECTIVE RIGHTS, IF ANY, TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREIN, INCLUDING CONTRACT CLAIMS, TORT CLAIMS, BREACH OF DUTY CLAIMS, AND ALL OTHER COMMON LAW OR STATUTORY CLAIMS (EACH A "CLAIM"). EACH BORROWER AND EACH MEMBER OF THE LENDER GROUP REPRESENT THAT EACH HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER AND EACH KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE FILED AS A WRITTEN CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.
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(d) EACH BORROWER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN THE COUNTY OF COOK AND THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENTS, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT AGENT MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(e) NO CLAIM MAY BE MADE BY ANY LOAN PARTY AGAINST AGENT, THE SWING LENDER, ANY OTHER LENDER, ISSUING BANK, OR ANY AFFILIATE, DIRECTOR, OFFICER, EMPLOYEE, COUNSEL, REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT, OR ATTORNEY-IN-FACT OF ANY OF THEM FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES OR LOSSES IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR ANY ACT, OMISSION, OR EVENT OCCURRING IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, AND EACH LOAN PARTY HEREBY WAIVES, RELEASES, AND AGREES NOT TO SUE UPON ANY CLAIM FOR SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER OR NOT ACCRUED AND WHETHER OR NOT KNOWN OR SUSPECTED TO EXIST IN ITS FAVOR.
(f) IN THE EVENT ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING IS FILED IN A COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA (THE "COURT") BY OR AGAINST ANY PARTY HERETO IN CONNECTION WITH ANY CLAIM AND THE WAIVER SET FORTH IN CLAUSE (C) ABOVE IS NOT ENFORCEABLE IN SUCH PROCEEDING, THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE AS FOLLOWS:
(i) WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MATTERS SPECIFIED IN SUBCLAUSE (ii) BELOW, ANY CLAIM SHALL BE DETERMINED BY A GENERAL REFERENCE PROCEEDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTIONS 638 THROUGH 645.1. THE PARTIES INTEND THIS GENERAL REFERENCE AGREEMENT TO BE SPECIFICALLY ENFORCEABLE. VENUE FOR THE REFERENCE PROCEEDING SHALL BE IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
(ii) THE FOLLOWING MATTERS SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO A GENERAL REFERENCE PROCEEDING: (A) NON-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF ANY SECURITY INTERESTS IN REAL OR PERSONAL
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PROPERTY, (B) EXERCISE OF SELF-HELP REMEDIES (INCLUDING SET-OFF OR RECOUPMENT), (C) APPOINTMENT OF A RECEIVER, AND (D) TEMPORARY, PROVISIONAL, OR ANCILLARY REMEDIES (INCLUDING WRITS OF ATTACHMENT, WRITS OF POSSESSION, TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDERS, OR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTIONS). THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT LIMIT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO EXERCISE OR OPPOSE ANY OF THE RIGHTS AND REMEDIES DESCRIBED IN CLAUSES (A) - (D) AND ANY SUCH EXERCISE OR OPPOSITION DOES NOT WAIVE THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO PARTICIPATE IN A REFERENCE PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO ANY OTHER MATTER.
(iii) UPON THE WRITTEN REQUEST OF ANY PARTY, THE PARTIES SHALL SELECT A SINGLE REFEREE, WHO SHALL BE A RETIRED JUDGE OR JUSTICE. IF THE PARTIES DO NOT AGREE UPON A REFEREE WITHIN TEN DAYS OF SUCH WRITTEN REQUEST, THEN, ANY PARTY SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST THE COURT TO APPOINT A REFEREE PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTION 640(B). THE REFEREE SHALL BE APPOINTED TO SIT WITH ALL OF THE POWERS PROVIDED BY LAW. PENDING APPOINTMENT OF THE REFEREE, THE COURT SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO ISSUE TEMPORARY OR PROVISIONAL REMEDIES.
(iv) EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, THE REFEREE SHALL DETERMINE THE MANNER IN WHICH THE REFERENCE PROCEEDING IS CONDUCTED INCLUDING THE TIME AND PLACE OF HEARINGS, THE ORDER OF PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE, AND ALL OTHER QUESTIONS THAT ARISE WITH RESPECT TO THE COURSE OF THE REFERENCE PROCEEDING. ALL PROCEEDINGS AND HEARINGS CONDUCTED BEFORE THE REFEREE, EXCEPT FOR TRIAL, SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITHOUT A COURT REPORTER, EXCEPT WHEN ANY PARTY SO REQUESTS A COURT REPORTER AND A TRANSCRIPT IS ORDERED, A COURT REPORTER SHALL BE USED AND THE REFEREE SHALL BE PROVIDED A COURTESY COPY OF THE TRANSCRIPT. THE PARTY MAKING SUCH REQUEST SHALL HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO ARRANGE FOR AND PAY THE COSTS OF THE COURT REPORTER; PROVIDED, THAT SUCH COSTS, ALONG WITH THE REFEREE'S FEES, SHALL ULTIMATELY BE BORNE BY THE PARTY WHO DOES NOT PREVAIL, AS DETERMINED BY THE REFEREE.
(v) THE REFEREE MAY REQUIRE ONE OR MORE PREHEARING CONFERENCES. THE PARTIES HERETO SHALL BE ENTITLED TO DISCOVERY, AND THE REFEREE SHALL OVERSEE DISCOVERY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES OF DISCOVERY, AND SHALL ENFORCE ALL DISCOVERY ORDERS IN THE SAME MANNER AS ANY TRIAL COURT JUDGE IN PROCEEDINGS AT LAW IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
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(vi) THE REFEREE SHALL APPLY THE RULES OF EVIDENCE APPLICABLE TO PROCEEDINGS AT LAW IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND SHALL DETERMINE ALL ISSUES IN ACCORDANCE WITH CALIFORNIA SUBSTANTIVE AND PROCEDURAL LAW. THE REFEREE SHALL BE EMPOWERED TO ENTER EQUITABLE AS WELL AS LEGAL RELIEF AND RULE ON ANY MOTION WHICH WOULD BE AUTHORIZED IN A TRIAL, INCLUDING MOTIONS FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT OR SUMMARY JUDGMENT. THE REFEREE SHALL REPORT HIS OR HER DECISION, WHICH REPORT SHALL ALSO INCLUDE FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW. THE REFEREE SHALL ISSUE A DECISION AND PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, SECTION 644, THE REFEREE'S DECISION SHALL BE ENTERED BY THE COURT AS A JUDGMENT IN THE SAME MANNER AS IF THE ACTION HAD BEEN TRIED BY THE COURT. THE FINAL JUDGMENT OR ORDER FROM ANY APPEALABLE DECISION OR ORDER ENTERED BY THE REFEREE SHALL BE FULLY APPEALABLE AS IF IT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY THE COURT.
(vii) THE PARTIES RECOGNIZE AND AGREE THAT ALL CLAIMS RESOLVED IN A GENERAL REFERENCE PROCEEDING PURSUANT HERETO WILL BE DECIDED BY A REFEREE AND NOT BY A JURY. AFTER CONSULTING (OR HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT) WITH COUNSEL OF THEIR OWN CHOICE, EACH PARTY HERETO KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY AND FOR THEIR MUTUAL BENEFIT AGREES THAT THIS REFERENCE PROVISION SHALL APPLY TO ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN THEM THAT ARISES OUT OF OR IS RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS.
13. ASSIGNMENTS AND PARTICIPATIONS; SUCCESSORS.
13.1. Assignments and Participations.
(a) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in clause (a)(ii) below, any Lender may assign and delegate all or any portion of its rights and duties under the Loan Documents (including the Obligations owed to it and its Commitments) to one or more assignees (each, an "Assignee"), with the prior written consent (such consent not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of:
(A) Borrowers; provided, that no consent of Borrowers shall be required (1) if a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or (2) in connection with an assignment to a Person that is a Lender or an Affiliate (other than natural persons) of a Lender; provided further, that Borrowers shall be deemed to have consented to a proposed assignment unless they object thereto by written notice to Agent within five Business Days after having received notice thereof; and
(B) Agent, Swing Lender, and Issuing Bank.
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(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) no assignment may be made to a natural person,
(B) no assignment may be made to a Loan Party, an Affiliate of a Loan Party, or any Sponsor Affiliated Entity,
(C) the amount of the Commitments and the other rights and obligations of the assigning Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment is delivered to Agent) shall be in a minimum amount (unless waived by Agent) of $5,000,000 (except such minimum amount shall not apply to (I) an assignment or delegation by any Lender to any other Lender, an Affiliate of any Lender, or a Related Fund of such Lender, or (II) a group of new Lenders, each of which is an Affiliate of each other or a Related Fund of such new Lender to the extent that the aggregate amount to be assigned to all such new Lenders is at least $5,000,000),
(D) 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,
(E) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to Agent an Assignment and Acceptance; provided, that Borrowers and Agent may continue to deal solely and directly with the assigning Lender in connection with the interest so assigned to an Assignee until written notice of such assignment, together with payment instructions, addresses, and related information with respect to the Assignee, have been given to Borrowers and Agent by such Lender and the Assignee,
(F) unless waived by Agent, the assigning Lender or Assignee has paid to Agent, for Agent's separate account, a processing fee in the amount of $3,500, and
(G) the assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in a form approved by Agent (the "Administrative Questionnaire").
(b) From and after the date that Agent receives the executed Assignment and Acceptance and, if applicable, payment of the required processing fee, (i) the Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, shall be a "Lender" and shall have the rights and obligations of a Lender under the Loan Documents, and (ii) the assigning Lender shall, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents have been assigned by it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights (except with respect to Section 10.3) and be released from any future obligations under this Agreement (and in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto
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and thereto); provided, that nothing contained herein shall release any assigning Lender from obligations that survive the termination of this Agreement, including such assigning Lender's obligations under Section 15 and Section 17.9(a).
(c) By executing and delivering an Assignment and Acceptance, the assigning Lender thereunder and the Assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows: (i) other than as provided in such Assignment and Acceptance, such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement or any other Loan Document furnished pursuant hereto, (ii) such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of any Loan Party or the performance or observance by any Loan Party of any of its obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document furnished pursuant hereto, (iii) such Assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement, together with such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance, (iv) such Assignee will, independently and without reliance upon Agent, such assigning Lender 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 this Agreement, (v) such Assignee appoints and authorizes Agent to take such actions and to exercise such powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to Agent, by the terms hereof and thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto, and (vi) such Assignee agrees that it will perform all of the obligations which by the terms of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
(d) Immediately upon Agent's receipt of the required processing fee, if applicable, and delivery of notice to the assigning Lender pursuant to Section 13.1(b), this Agreement shall be deemed to be amended to the extent, but only to the extent, necessary to reflect the addition of the Assignee and the resulting adjustment of the Commitments arising therefrom. The Commitment allocated to each Assignee shall reduce such Commitments of the assigning Lender pro tanto.
(e) Any Lender may at any time sell to one or more commercial banks, financial institutions, or other Persons (a "Participant") participating interests in all or any portion of its Obligations, its Commitment, and the other rights and interests of that Lender (the "Originating Lender") hereunder and under the other Loan Documents; provided, that (i) the Originating Lender shall remain a "Lender" for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the Participant receiving the participating interest in the Obligations, the Commitments, and the other rights and interests of the Originating Lender hereunder shall not constitute a "Lender" hereunder or under the other Loan Documents and the Originating Lender's obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) the Originating Lender shall remain solely responsible for the performance of such obligations, (iii) Borrowers, Agent, and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with the Originating Lender in connection with the Originating Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (iv) no Lender shall transfer or grant any
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participating interest under which the Participant has the right to approve any amendment to, or any consent or waiver with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except to the extent such amendment to, or consent or waiver with respect to this Agreement or of any other Loan Document would (A) extend the final maturity date of the Obligations hereunder in which such Participant is participating, (B) reduce the interest rate applicable to the Obligations hereunder in which such Participant is participating, (C) release all or substantially all of the Collateral or guaranties (except to the extent expressly provided herein or in any of the Loan Documents) supporting the Obligations hereunder in which such Participant is participating, (D) postpone the payment of, or reduce the amount of, the interest or fees payable to such Participant through such Lender (other than a waiver of default interest), or (E) decrease the amount or postpone the due dates of scheduled principal repayments or prepayments or premiums payable to such Participant through such Lender, (v) no participation shall be sold to a natural person, (vi) no participation shall be sold to a Loan Party, an Affiliate of a Loan Party, or any Sponsor Affiliated Entity, and (vii) all amounts payable by Borrowers hereunder shall be determined as if such Lender had not sold such participation, except that, if amounts outstanding under this Agreement are due and unpaid, or shall have been declared or shall have become due and payable upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, each Participant shall be deemed to have the right of set off in respect of its participating interest in amounts owing under this Agreement to the same extent as if the amount of its participating interest were owing directly to it as a Lender under this Agreement. The rights of any Participant only shall be derivative through the Originating Lender with whom such Participant participates and no Participant shall have any rights under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any direct rights as to the other Lenders, Agent, Borrowers, the Collateral, or otherwise in respect of the Obligations. No Participant shall have the right to participate directly in the making of decisions by the Lenders among themselves.
(f) In connection with any such assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation or any grant of a security interest in, or pledge of, its rights under and interest in this Agreement, a Lender may, subject to the provisions of Section 17.9, disclose all documents and information which it now or hereafter may have relating to any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries and their respective businesses.
(g) Any other provision in this Agreement notwithstanding, any Lender may at any time create a security interest in, or pledge, all or any portion of its rights under and interest in this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge in favor of any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with Regulation A of the Federal Reserve Bank or U.S. Treasury Regulation 31 CFR §203.24, and such Federal Reserve Bank may enforce such pledge or security interest in any manner permitted under applicable law; provided, that no such pledge shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
(h) Agent (as a non-fiduciary agent on behalf of Borrowers) shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, a register (the "Register") on which it enters the name and address of each Lender as the registered owner of any Loans (and the principal amount thereof and stated interest thereon) held by such Lender (each, a "Registered Loan"). Other than in connection with an assignment by a Lender of all or any portion of its portion of the Loans
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to an Affiliate of such Lender or a Related Fund of such Lender (i) a Registered Loan (and the registered note, if any, evidencing the same) may be assigned or sold in whole or in part only by registration of such assignment or sale on the Register (and each registered note shall expressly so provide) and (ii) any assignment or sale of all or part of such Registered Loan (and the registered note, if any, evidencing the same) may be effected only by registration of such assignment or sale on the Register, together with the surrender of the registered note, if any, evidencing the same duly endorsed by (or accompanied by a written instrument of assignment or sale duly executed by) the holder of such registered note, whereupon, at the request of the designated assignee(s) or transferee(s), one or more new registered notes in the same aggregate principal amount shall be issued to the designated assignee(s) or transferee(s). Prior to the registration of assignment or sale of any Registered Loan (and the registered note, if any evidencing the same), Borrowers shall treat the Person in whose name such Registered Loan (and the registered note, if any, evidencing the same) is registered as the owner thereof for the purpose of receiving all payments thereon and for all other purposes, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. In the case of any assignment by a Lender of all or any portion of its Loans to an Affiliate of such Lender or a Related Fund of such Lender, and which assignment is not recorded in the Register, the assigning Lender, on behalf of Borrowers, shall maintain a register comparable to the Register.
(i) In the event that a Lender sells participations in the Registered Loan, such Lender, as a non-fiduciary agent on behalf of Borrowers, shall maintain (or cause to be maintained) a register on which it enters the name of all participants in the Registered Loans held by it (and the principal amount (and stated interest thereon) of the portion of such Registered Loans that is subject to such participations) (the "Participant Register"). A Registered Loan (and the Registered Note, if any, evidencing the same) may be participated in whole or in part only by registration of such participation on the Participant Register (and each registered note shall expressly so provide). Any participation of such Registered Loan (and the registered note, if any, evidencing the same) may be effected only by the registration of such participation on the Participant Register. No Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant's interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary 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. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, 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. For the avoidance of doubt, Agent (in its capacity as Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(j) Agent shall make a copy of the Register (and each Lender shall make a copy of its Participant Register to the extent it has one) available for review by Borrowers from time to time as Borrowers may reasonably request.
13.2. Successors. This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective successors and assigns of each of the parties; provided, that no Borrower may assign this Agreement or any rights or duties hereunder without the Lenders' prior written
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consent and any prohibited assignment shall be absolutely void ab initio. No consent to assignment by the Lenders shall release any Borrower from its Obligations. A Lender may assign this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and its rights and duties hereunder and thereunder pursuant to Section 13.1 and, except as expressly required pursuant to Section 13.1, no consent or approval by any Borrower is required in connection with any such assignment.
(a) No amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than the Fee Letter), and no consent with respect to any departure by any Borrower therefrom, shall be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required Lenders (or by Agent at the written request of the Required Lenders) and the Loan Parties that are party thereto and then any such waiver or consent shall be effective, but only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, that no such waiver, amendment, or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by all of the Lenders directly affected thereby and all of the Loan Parties that are party thereto, do any of the following:
(i) increase the amount of or extend the expiration date of any Commitment of any Lender or amend, modify, or eliminate the last sentence of Section 2.4(c),
(ii) postpone or delay any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees, or other amounts due hereunder or under any other Loan Document,
(iii) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest on, any loan or other extension of credit hereunder, or reduce any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document (except in connection with the waiver of applicability of Section 2.6(c) (which waiver shall be effective with the written consent of the Required Lenders)),
(iv) amend, modify, or eliminate this Section or any provision of this Agreement providing for consent or other action by all Lenders,
(v) amend, modify, or eliminate Section 3.1 or 3.2,
(vi) amend, modify, or eliminate Section 15.11,
(vii) other than as permitted by Section 15.11, release or contractually subordinate Agent's Lien in and to any of the Collateral,
(viii) amend, modify, or eliminate the definitions of "Required Lenders", Supermajority Lenders or "Pro Rata Share",
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(ix) other than in connection with a merger, liquidation, dissolution or sale of such Person expressly permitted by the terms hereof or the other Loan Documents, release any Borrower or any Guarantor from any obligation for the payment of money or consent to the assignment or transfer by any Borrower or any Guarantor of any of its rights or duties under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents,
(x) amend, modify, or eliminate any of the provisions of Section 2.4(b)(i), (ii) or (iii), or
(xi) amend, modify, or eliminate any of the provisions of Section 13.1 with respect to assignments to, or participations with, Persons who are Loan Parties, Affiliates of a Loan Party, or Sponsor Affiliated Entities;
(b) No amendment, waiver, modification, or consent shall amend, modify, waive, or eliminate,
(i) the definition of, or any of the terms or provisions of, the Fee Letter, without the written consent of Agent and Borrowers (and shall not require the written consent of any of the Lenders),
(ii) any provision of Section 15 pertaining to Agent, or any other rights or duties of Agent under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, without the written consent of Agent, Borrowers, and the Required Lenders;
(c) No amendment, waiver, modification, elimination, or consent shall amend, without written consent of Agent, Borrowers and the Supermajority Lenders, modify, or eliminate the definition of Borrowing Base or any of the defined terms (including the definitions of Eligible Accounts, Eligible Investment Grade Accounts, Eligible Non-Investment Grade Accounts, Eligible In-Transit Inventory, Eligible Finished Goods Inventory, Eligible Excess Finished Goods Inventory, Eligible Raw Material Inventory, and Eligible Inventory) that are used in such definition to the extent that any such change results in more credit being made available to Borrowers based upon the Borrowing Base, but not otherwise, or the definition of Maximum Revolver Amount;
(d) No amendment, waiver, modification, elimination, or consent shall amend, modify, or waive any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents pertaining to Issuing Bank, or any other rights or duties of Issuing Bank under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, without the written consent of Issuing Bank, Agent, Borrowers, and the Required Lenders;
(e) No amendment, waiver, modification, elimination, or consent shall amend, modify, or waive any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents pertaining to Swing Lender, or any other rights or duties of Swing Lender under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, without the written consent of Swing Lender, Agent, Borrowers, and the Required Lenders; and
(f) Anything in this Section 14.1 to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) any amendment, modification, elimination, waiver, consent, termination, or release of, or with
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respect to, any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that relates only to the relationship of the Lender Group among themselves, and that does not affect the rights or obligations of any Loan Party, shall not require consent by or the agreement of any Loan Party, (ii) any amendment, waiver, modification, elimination, or consent of or with respect to any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document may be entered into without the consent of, or over the objection of, any Defaulting Lender, and (iii) any amendment contemplated by Section 2.12(c) of this Agreement in connection with a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election shall be effective as contemplated by such Section 2.12(c) hereof.
14.2. Replacement of Certain Lenders.
(a) If (i) any action to be taken by the Lender Group or Agent hereunder requires the consent, authorization, or agreement of all Lenders or all Lenders affected thereby and if such action has received the consent, authorization, or agreement of the Required Lenders but not of all Lenders or all Lenders affected thereby, or (ii) any Lender makes a claim for compensation under Section 16, then Borrowers or Agent, upon at least five Business Days prior irrevocable notice, may permanently replace any Lender that failed to give its consent, authorization, or agreement (a "Non-Consenting Lender") or any Lender that made a claim for compensation (a "Tax Lender") with one or more Replacement Lenders, and the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, shall have no right to refuse to be replaced hereunder. Such notice to replace the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, shall specify an effective date for such replacement, which date shall not be later than 15 Business Days after the date such notice is given.
(b) Prior to the effective date of such replacement, the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, and each Replacement Lender shall execute and deliver an Assignment and Acceptance, subject only to the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, being repaid in full its share of the outstanding Obligations (without any premium or penalty of any kind whatsoever, but including (i) all interest, fees and other amounts that may be due in payable in respect thereof, (ii) an assumption of its Pro Rata Share of participations in the Letters of Credit, and (iii) Funding Losses). If the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, shall refuse or fail to execute and deliver any such Assignment and Acceptance prior to the effective date of such replacement, Agent may, but shall not be required to, execute and deliver such Assignment and Acceptance in the name or and on behalf of the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, and irrespective of whether Agent executes and delivers such Assignment and Acceptance, the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, shall be deemed to have executed and delivered such Assignment and Acceptance. The replacement of any Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, shall be made in accordance with the terms of Section 13.1. Until such time as one or more Replacement Lenders shall have acquired all of the Obligations, the Commitments, and the other rights and obligations of the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the Non-Consenting Lender or Tax Lender, as applicable, shall remain obligated to make the Non-Consenting Lender's or Tax Lender's, as applicable, Pro Rata Share of Revolving Loans and to purchase a participation in each Letter of Credit, in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of participations in such Letters of Credit.
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14.3. No Waivers; Cumulative Remedies. No failure by Agent or any Lender to exercise any right, remedy, or option under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or delay by Agent or any Lender in exercising the same, will operate as a waiver thereof. No waiver by Agent or any Lender will be effective unless it is in writing, and then only to the extent specifically stated. No waiver by Agent or any Lender on any occasion shall affect or diminish Agent's and each Lender's rights thereafter to require strict performance by Borrowers of any provision of this Agreement. Agent's and each Lender's rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents will be cumulative and not exclusive of any other right or remedy that Agent or any Lender may have.
15.1. Appointment and Authorization of Agent. Each Lender hereby designates and appoints Wells Fargo as its agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and each Lender hereby irrevocably authorizes (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to designate, appoint, and authorize) Agent to execute and deliver each of the other Loan Documents on its behalf and to take such other 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 Agent by the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Agent agrees to act as agent for and on behalf of the Lenders (and the Bank Product Providers) on the conditions contained in this Section 15. Any provision to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document notwithstanding, Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein or in the other Loan Documents, nor shall Agent have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender (or Bank Product Provider), 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 Agent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the use of the term "agent" in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents with reference to 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 a representative relationship between independent contracting parties. Each Lender hereby further authorizes (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to authorize) Agent to act as the secured party under each of the Loan Documents that create a Lien on any item of Collateral. Except as expressly otherwise provided in this Agreement, Agent shall have and may use its sole discretion with respect to exercising or refraining from exercising any discretionary rights or taking or refraining from taking any actions that Agent expressly is entitled to take or assert under or pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, or of any other provision of the Loan Documents that provides rights or powers to Agent, Lenders agree that Agent shall have the right to exercise the following powers as long as this Agreement remains in effect: (a) maintain, in accordance with its customary business practices, ledgers and records reflecting the status of the Obligations, the Collateral, payments and proceeds of Collateral, and related matters, (b) execute or file any and all financing or similar statements or notices, amendments, renewals, supplements, documents, instruments, proofs of claim, notices and
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other written agreements with respect to the Loan Documents, or to take any other action with respect to any Collateral or Loan Documents which may be necessary to perfect, and maintain perfected, the security interests and Liens upon Collateral pursuant to the Loan Documents, (c) make Revolving Loans, for itself or on behalf of Lenders, as provided in the Loan Documents, (d) exclusively receive, apply, and distribute payments and proceeds of the Collateral as provided in the Loan Documents, (e) open and maintain such bank accounts and cash management arrangements as Agent deems necessary and appropriate in accordance with the Loan Documents for the foregoing purposes, (f) perform, exercise, and enforce any and all other rights and remedies of the Lender Group with respect to any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, the Obligations, the Collateral, or otherwise related to any of same as provided in the Loan Documents, and (g) incur and pay such Lender Group Expenses as Agent may deem necessary or appropriate for the performance and fulfillment of its functions and powers pursuant to the Loan Documents.
15.2. Delegation of Duties. Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement or any other Loan Document by or through agents, employees or attorneys in fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agent or attorney in fact that it selects as long as such selection was made without gross negligence or willful misconduct.
15.3. Liability of Agent. None of the Agent-Related Persons 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), or (b) be responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders (or Bank Product Providers) for any recital, statement, representation or warranty made by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or any officer or director thereof, contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or the validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or for any failure of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries or any other party to any Loan Document to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. No Agent-Related Person shall be under any obligation to any Lenders (or Bank Product Providers) 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 books and records or properties of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries. No Agent-Related Person shall have any liability to any Lender, and Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates if any request for a Loan, Letter of Credit or other extension of credit was not authorized by the applicable Borrower. Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or in the opinion of its counsel, may expose it to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law or regulation.
15.4. Reliance by Agent. Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telegram, telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission, telex or telephone message, statement or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and
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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 Borrowers or counsel to any Lender), independent accountants and other experts selected by Agent. Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless Agent shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Lenders as it deems appropriate and until such instructions are received, Agent shall act, or refrain from acting, as it deems advisable. If Agent so requests, it shall first be indemnified to its reasonable satisfaction by the Lenders (and, if it so elects, the Bank Product Providers) against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. 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 and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all of the Lenders (and Bank Product Providers).
15.5. Notice of Default or Event of Default. Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, except with respect to defaults in the payment of principal, interest, fees, and expenses required to be paid to Agent for the account of the Lenders and, except with respect to Events of Default of which Agent has actual knowledge, unless Agent shall have received written notice from a Lender or Borrowers referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default, and stating that such notice is a "notice of default." Agent promptly will notify the Lenders of its receipt of any such notice or of any Event of Default of which Agent has actual knowledge. If any Lender obtains actual knowledge of any Event of Default, such Lender promptly shall notify the other Lenders and Agent of such Event of Default. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for giving any notices to its Participants, if any. Subject to Section 15.4, Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as may be requested by the Required Lenders in accordance with Section 9; provided, that unless and until Agent has received any such request, Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable.
15.6. Credit Decision. Each Lender (and Bank Product Provider) acknowledges that none of the Agent-Related Persons has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by Agent hereinafter taken, including any review of the affairs of any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent-Related Person to any Lender (or Bank Product Provider). Each Lender represents (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to represent) to Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person and based on such due diligence, documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of each Borrower or any other Person party to a Loan Document, and all applicable bank regulatory laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to Borrowers. Each Lender also represents (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to represent) that it will, independently and without reliance upon any
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Agent-Related Person 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 each Borrower or any other Person party to a Loan Document. Except for notices, reports, and other documents expressly herein required to be furnished to the Lenders by Agent, Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender (or Bank Product Provider) with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any Borrower or any other Person party to a Loan Document that may come into the possession of any of the Agent-Related Persons. Each Lender acknowledges (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to acknowledge) that Agent does not have any duty or responsibility, either initially or on a continuing basis (except to the extent, if any, that is expressly specified herein) to provide such Lender (or Bank Product Provider) with any credit or other information with respect to any Borrower, its Affiliates or any of their respective business, legal, financial or other affairs, and irrespective of whether such information came into Agent's or its Affiliates' or representatives' possession before or after the date on which such Lender became a party to this Agreement (or such Bank Product Provider entered into a Bank Product Agreement).
15.7. Costs and Expenses; Indemnification. Agent may incur and pay Lender Group Expenses to the extent Agent reasonably deems necessary or appropriate for the performance and fulfillment of its functions, powers, and obligations pursuant to the Loan Documents, including court costs, reasonable and documented attorneys' fees and expenses, fees and expenses of financial accountants, advisors, consultants, and appraisers, costs of collection by outside collection agencies, auctioneer fees and expenses, and costs of security guards or insurance premiums paid to maintain the Collateral, whether or not Borrowers are obligated to reimburse Agent or Lenders for such expenses pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise. Agent is authorized and directed to deduct and retain sufficient amounts from payments or proceeds of the Collateral received by Agent to reimburse Agent for such out-of-pocket costs and expenses prior to the distribution of any amounts to Lenders (or Bank Product Providers). In the event Agent is not reimbursed for such costs and expenses by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, each Lender hereby agrees that it is and shall be obligated to pay to Agent such Lender's ratable share thereof. Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, each of the Lenders, on a ratable basis, shall indemnify and defend the Agent-Related Persons (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of Borrowers and without limiting the obligation of Borrowers to do so) from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities; provided, that no Lender shall be liable for the payment to any Agent-Related Person of any portion of such Indemnified Liabilities resulting solely from such Person's gross negligence or willful misconduct nor shall any Lender be liable for the obligations of any Defaulting Lender in failing to make a Revolving Loan or other extension of credit hereunder. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse Agent upon demand for such Lender's ratable share of any costs or out of pocket expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys, accountants, advisors, and consultants fees and expenses) incurred by Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment, or enforcement
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(whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the extent that Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of Borrowers. The undertaking in this Section shall survive the payment of all Obligations hereunder and the resignation or replacement of Agent.
15.8. Agent in Individual Capacity. Wells Fargo and its Affiliates may make loans to, issue letters of credit for the account of, accept deposits from, provide Bank Products to, acquire Equity Interests in, and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory, underwriting, or other business with any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and any other Person party to any Loan Document as though Wells Fargo were not Agent hereunder, and, in each case, without notice to or consent of the other members of the Lender Group. The other members of the Lender Group acknowledge (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to acknowledge) that, pursuant to such activities, Wells Fargo or its Affiliates may receive information regarding a Loan Party or its Affiliates or any other Person party to any Loan Documents that is subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Loan Party or such other Person and that prohibit the disclosure of such information to the Lenders (or Bank Product Providers), and the Lenders acknowledge (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to acknowledge) that, in such circumstances (and in the absence of a waiver of such confidentiality obligations, which waiver Agent will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain), Agent shall not be under any obligation to provide such information to them. The terms "Lender" and "Lenders" include Wells Fargo in its individual capacity.
15.9. Successor Agent. Agent may resign as Agent upon 30 days (ten days if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) prior written notice to the Lenders (unless such notice is waived by the Required Lenders) and Borrowers (unless such notice is waived by Borrowers or a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) and without any notice to the Bank Product Providers. If Agent resigns under this Agreement, the Required Lenders shall be entitled, with (so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) the consent of Borrowers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned), appoint a successor Agent for the Lenders (and the Bank Product Providers). If, at the time that Agent's resignation is effective, it is acting as Issuing Bank or the Swing Lender, such resignation shall also operate to effectuate its resignation as Issuing Bank or the Swing Lender, as applicable, and it shall automatically be relieved of any further obligation to issue Letters of Credit, or to make Swing Loans. If no successor Agent is appointed prior to the effective date of the resignation of Agent, Agent may appoint, after consulting with the Lenders and Borrowers, a successor Agent. If Agent has materially breached or failed to perform any material provision of this Agreement or of applicable law, the Required Lenders may agree in writing to remove and replace Agent with a successor Agent from among the Lenders with (so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) the consent of Borrowers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned). In any such event, upon the acceptance of its appointment as successor Agent hereunder, such successor Agent shall succeed to all the rights, powers, and duties of the retiring Agent and the term "Agent" shall mean such successor Agent and the retiring Agent's appointment, powers, and duties as Agent shall be terminated. After any
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retiring Agent's resignation hereunder as Agent, the provisions of this Section 15 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Agent under this Agreement. If no successor Agent has accepted appointment as Agent by the date which is 30 days following a retiring Agent's notice of resignation, the retiring Agent's resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective and the Lenders shall perform all of the duties of Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Lenders appoint a successor Agent as provided for above.
15.10. Lender in Individual Capacity. Any Lender and its respective Affiliates may make loans to, issue letters of credit for the account of, accept deposits from, provide Bank Products to, acquire Equity Interests in and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory, underwriting, or other business with any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and any other Person party to any Loan Documents as though such Lender were not a Lender hereunder without notice to or consent of the other members of the Lender Group (or the Bank Product Providers). The other members of the Lender Group acknowledge (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to acknowledge) that, pursuant to such activities, such Lender and its respective Affiliates may receive information regarding a Loan Party or its Affiliates or any other Person party to any Loan Documents that is subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Loan Party or such other Person and that prohibit the disclosure of such information to the Lenders, and the Lenders acknowledge (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to acknowledge) that, in such circumstances (and in the absence of a waiver of such confidentiality obligations, which waiver such Lender will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain), such Lender shall not be under any obligation to provide such information to them.
(a) The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to authorize) Agent to release any Lien on any Collateral (i) upon the termination of the Commitments and payment and satisfaction in full by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries of all of the Obligations, (ii) constituting property being sold or disposed of if a release is required or desirable in connection therewith and if Borrowers certify to Agent that the sale or disposition is permitted under Section 6.4 (and Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry), (iii) constituting property in which no Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries owned any interest at the time Agent's Lien was granted nor at any time thereafter, (iv) constituting property leased or licensed to a Loan Party or its Subsidiaries under a lease or license that has expired or is terminated in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, or (v) in connection with a credit bid or purchase authorized under this Section 15.11. The Loan Parties and the Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to authorize) Agent, based upon the instruction of the Required Lenders, to (a) consent to the sale of, credit bid, or purchase (either directly or indirectly through one or more entities) all or any portion of the Collateral at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, (b) credit bid or purchase (either directly or indirectly through one or more entities) all or any portion of the Collateral at any
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sale or other disposition thereof conducted under the provisions of the Code, including pursuant to Sections 9-610 or 9-620 of the Code, or (c) credit bid or purchase (either directly or indirectly through one or more entities) all or any portion of the Collateral at any other sale or foreclosure conducted or consented to by Agent in accordance with applicable law in any judicial action or proceeding or by the exercise of any legal or equitable remedy. In connection with any such credit bid or purchase, (i) the Obligations owed to the Lenders and the Bank Product Providers shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims being estimated for such purpose if the fixing or liquidation thereof would not impair or unduly delay the ability of Agent to credit bid or purchase at such sale or other disposition of the Collateral and, if such contingent or unliquidated claims cannot be estimated without impairing or unduly delaying the ability of Agent to credit bid at such sale or other disposition, then such claims shall be disregarded, not credit bid, and not entitled to any interest in the Collateral that is the subject of such credit bid or purchase) and the Lenders and the Bank Product Providers whose Obligations are credit bid shall be entitled to receive interests (ratably based upon the proportion of their Obligations credit bid in relation to the aggregate amount of Obligations so credit bid) in the Collateral that is the subject of such credit bid or purchase (or in the Equity Interests of the any entities that are used to consummate such credit bid or purchase), and (ii) Agent, based upon the instruction of the Required Lenders, may accept non-cash consideration, including debt and equity securities issued by any entities used to consummate such credit bid or purchase and in connection therewith Agent may reduce the Obligations owed to the Lenders and the Bank Product Providers (ratably based upon the proportion of their Obligations credit bid in relation to the aggregate amount of Obligations so credit bid) based upon the value of such non-cash consideration; provided, that Bank Product Obligations not entitled to the application set forth in Section 2.4(b)(iii)(J) shall not be entitled to be, and shall not be, credit bid, or used in the calculation of the ratable interest of the Lenders and Bank Product Providers in the Obligations which are credit bid. Except as provided above, Agent will not execute and deliver a release of any Lien on any Collateral without the prior written authorization of (y) if the release is of all or substantially all of the Collateral, all of the Lenders (without requiring the authorization of the Bank Product Providers), or (z) otherwise, the Required Lenders (without requiring the authorization of the Bank Product Providers). Upon request by Agent or Borrowers at any time, the Lenders will (and if so requested, the Bank Product Providers will) confirm in writing Agent's authority to release any such Liens on particular types or items of Collateral pursuant to this Section 15.11; provided, that (1) anything to the contrary contained in any of the Loan Documents notwithstanding, Agent shall not be required to execute any document or take any action necessary to evidence such release on terms that, in Agent's opinion, could expose Agent to liability or create any obligation or entail any consequence other than the release of such Lien without recourse, representation, or warranty, and (2) such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those expressly released) upon (or obligations of Borrowers in respect of) any and all interests retained by any Borrower, including, the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral. Each Lender further hereby irrevocably authorizes (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to irrevocably authorize) Agent, at its option and in its sole discretion, to subordinate (by contract or otherwise) any Lien granted to or held by Agent on any property under any Loan
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Document (a) to the holder of any Permitted Lien on such property if such Permitted Lien secures purchase money Indebtedness (including Capitalized Lease Obligations) which constitute Permitted Indebtedness and (b) to the extent Agent has the authority under this Section 15.11 to release its Lien on such property.
(b) Agent shall have no obligation whatsoever to any of the Lenders (or the Bank Product Providers) (i) to verify or assure that the Collateral exists or is owned by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or is cared for, protected, or insured or has been encumbered, (ii) to verify or assure that Agent's Liens have been properly or sufficiently or lawfully created, perfected, protected, or enforced or are entitled to any particular priority, (iii) to verify or assure that any particular items of Collateral meet the eligibility criteria applicable in respect thereof, (iv) to impose, maintain, increase, reduce, implement, or eliminate any particular reserve hereunder or to determine whether the amount of any reserve is appropriate or not, or (v) to exercise at all or in any particular manner or under any duty of care, disclosure or fidelity, or to continue exercising, any of the rights, authorities and powers granted or available to Agent pursuant to any of the Loan Documents, it being understood and agreed that in respect of the Collateral, or any act, omission, or event related thereto, subject to the terms and conditions contained herein, Agent may act in any manner it may deem appropriate, in its sole discretion given Agent's own interest in the Collateral in its capacity as one of the Lenders and that Agent shall have no other duty or liability whatsoever to any Lender (or Bank Product Provider) as to any of the foregoing, except as otherwise expressly provided herein.
15.12. Restrictions on Actions by Lenders; Sharing of Payments.
(a) Each of the Lenders agrees that it shall not, without the express written consent of Agent, and that it shall, to the extent it is lawfully entitled to do so, upon the written request of Agent, set off against the Obligations, any amounts owing by such Lender to any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries or any deposit accounts of any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries now or hereafter maintained with such Lender. Each of the Lenders further agrees that it shall not, unless specifically requested to do so in writing by Agent, take or cause to be taken any action, including, the commencement of any legal or equitable proceedings to enforce any Loan Document against any Borrower or any Guarantor or to foreclose any Lien on, or otherwise enforce any security interest in, any of the Collateral.
(b) If, at any time or times any Lender shall receive (i) by payment, foreclosure, setoff, or otherwise, any proceeds of Collateral or any payments with respect to the Obligations, except for any such proceeds or payments received by such Lender from Agent pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, or (ii) payments from Agent in excess of such Lender's Pro Rata Share of all such distributions by Agent, such Lender promptly shall (A) turn the same over to Agent, in kind, and with such endorsements as may be required to negotiate the same to Agent, or in immediately available funds, as applicable, for the account of all of the Lenders and for application to the Obligations in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement, or (B) purchase, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in the Obligations owed to the other Lenders so that such excess payment received shall be applied ratably as among the Lenders in accordance with their Pro Rata Shares; provided, that to the extent that such excess payment received by the purchasing
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party is thereafter recovered from it, those purchases of participations shall be rescinded in whole or in part, as applicable, and the applicable portion of the purchase price paid therefor shall be returned to such purchasing party, but without interest except to the extent that such purchasing party is required to pay interest in connection with the recovery of the excess payment.
15.13. Agency for Perfection. Agent hereby appoints each other Lender (and each Bank Product Provider) as its agent (and each Lender hereby accepts (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to accept) such appointment) for the purpose of perfecting Agent's Liens in assets which, in accordance with Article 8 or Article 9, as applicable, of the Code can be perfected by possession or control. Should any Lender obtain possession or control of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify Agent thereof, and, promptly upon Agent's request therefor shall deliver possession or control of such Collateral to Agent or in accordance with Agent's instructions.
15.14. Payments by Agent to the Lenders. All payments to be made by Agent to the Lenders (or Bank Product Providers) shall be made by bank wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to such wire transfer instructions as each party may designate for itself by written notice to Agent. Concurrently with each such payment, Agent shall identify whether such payment (or any portion thereof) represents principal, premium, fees, or interest of the Obligations.
15.15. Concerning the Collateral and Related Loan Documents. Each member of the Lender Group authorizes and directs Agent to enter into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Each member of the Lender Group agrees (and by entering into a Bank Product Agreement, each Bank Product Provider shall be deemed to agree) that any action taken by Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents relating to the Collateral and the exercise by Agent of its powers set forth therein or herein, together with such other powers that are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be binding upon all of the Lenders (and such Bank Product Provider).
15.16. Field Examination Reports; Confidentiality; Disclaimers by Lenders; Other Reports and Information. By becoming a party to this Agreement, each Lender:
(a) is deemed to have requested that Agent furnish such Lender, promptly after it becomes available, a copy of each field examination report respecting any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries (each, a "Report") prepared by or at the request of Agent, and Agent shall so furnish each Lender with such Reports,
(b) expressly agrees and acknowledges that Agent does not (i) make any representation or warranty as to the accuracy of any Report, and (ii) shall not be liable for any information contained in any Report,
(c) expressly agrees and acknowledges that the Reports are not comprehensive audits or examinations, that Agent or other party performing any field examination will inspect only specific information regarding the Loan Parties and their
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Subsidiaries and will rely significantly upon Borrowers' and their Subsidiaries' books and records, as well as on representations of Borrowers' personnel,
(d) agrees to keep all Reports and other material, non-public information regarding the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries and their operations, assets, and existing and contemplated business plans in a confidential manner in accordance with Section 17.9, and
(e) without limiting the generality of any other indemnification provision contained in this Agreement, agrees: (i) to hold Agent and any other Lender preparing a Report harmless from any action the indemnifying Lender may take or fail to take or any conclusion the indemnifying Lender may reach or draw from any Report in connection with any loans or other credit accommodations that the indemnifying Lender has made or may make to Borrowers, or the indemnifying Lender's participation in, or the indemnifying Lender's purchase of, a loan or loans of Borrowers, and (ii) to pay and protect, and indemnify, defend and hold Agent, and any such other Lender preparing a Report harmless from and against, the claims, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and other amounts (including reasonable and documented attorneys' fees and costs) incurred by Agent and any such other Lender preparing a Report as the direct or indirect result of any third parties who might obtain all or part of any Report through the indemnifying Lender.
In addition to the foregoing, (x) any Lender may from time to time request of Agent in writing that Agent provide to such Lender a copy of any report or document provided by any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries to Agent that has not been contemporaneously provided by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary to such Lender, and, upon receipt of such request, Agent promptly shall provide a copy of same to such Lender, (y) to the extent that Agent is entitled, under any provision of the Loan Documents, to request additional reports or information from any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries, any Lender may, from time to time, reasonably request Agent to exercise such right as specified in such Lender's notice to Agent, whereupon Agent promptly shall request of Borrowers the additional reports or information reasonably specified by such Lender, and, upon receipt thereof from such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, Agent promptly shall provide a copy of same to such Lender, and (z) any time that Agent renders to Borrowers a statement regarding the Loan Account, Agent shall send a copy of such statement to each Lender.
15.17. Several Obligations; No Liability. Notwithstanding that certain of the Loan Documents now or hereafter may have been or will be executed only by or in favor of Agent in its capacity as such, and not by or in favor of the Lenders, any and all obligations on the part of Agent (if any) to make any credit available hereunder shall constitute the several (and not joint) obligations of the respective Lenders on a ratable basis, according to their respective Commitments, to make an amount of such credit not to exceed, in principal amount, at any one time outstanding, the amount of their respective Commitments. Nothing contained herein shall confer upon any Lender any interest in, or subject any Lender to any liability for, or in respect of, the business, assets, profits, losses, or liabilities of any other Lender. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for notifying its Participants of any matters relating to the Loan Documents to the extent any such notice may be required, and no Lender shall have any obligation, duty, or liability to any Participant of any other Lender. Except
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as provided in Section 15.7, no member of the Lender Group shall have any liability for the acts of any other member of the Lender Group. No Lender shall be responsible to any Borrower or any other Person for any failure by any other Lender (or Bank Product Provider) to fulfill its obligations to make credit available hereunder, nor to advance for such Lender (or Bank Product Provider) or on its behalf, nor to take any other action on behalf of such Lender (or Bank Product Provider) hereunder or in connection with the financing contemplated herein.
16.1. Payments. All payments made by any Loan Party under any Loan Document will be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for, any Taxes, except as otherwise required by applicable law, and in the event any deduction or withholding of Taxes is required, the applicable Loan Party shall make the requisite withholding, promptly pay over to the applicable Governmental Authority the withheld tax, and furnish to Agent as promptly as possible after the date the payment of any such Tax is due pursuant to applicable law, certified copies of tax receipts evidencing such payment by the Loan Parties. Furthermore, if any such Tax is an Indemnified Taxes or an Indemnified Tax is so levied or imposed, the Loan Parties agree to pay the full amount of such Indemnified Taxes and such additional amounts as may be necessary so that every payment of all amounts due under this Agreement, any note, or Loan Document, including any amount paid pursuant to this Section 16.1 after withholding or deduction for or on account of any Indemnified Taxes, will not be less than the amount provided for herein. The Loan Parties will promptly pay any Other Taxes or reimburse Agent for such Other Taxes upon Agent's demand. The Loan Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Indemnified Person (as defined in Section 10.3) (collectively a "Tax Indemnitee") for the full amount of Indemnified Taxes arising in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or breach thereof by any Loan Party (including any Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on, or attributable to, amounts payable under this Section 16) imposed on, or paid by, such Tax Indemnitee and all reasonable costs and expenses related thereto (including reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of attorneys and other tax professionals), as and when they are incurred and irrespective of whether suit is brought, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority (other than Indemnified Taxes and additional amounts that a court of competent jurisdiction finally determines to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Tax Indemnitee). The obligations of the Loan Parties under this Section 16 shall survive the termination of this Agreement, the resignation and replacement of Agent, and the repayment of the Obligations.
(a) If a Lender or Participant is entitled to claim an exemption or reduction from United States withholding tax, such Lender or Participant agrees with and in favor of Agent, to deliver to Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation only) and Administrative Borrower on behalf of all Borrowers one of the following before receiving its first payment under this Agreement:
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(i) if such Lender or Participant is entitled to claim an exemption from United States withholding tax pursuant to the portfolio interest exception, (A) a statement of the Lender or Participant, signed under penalty of perjury, that it is not a (I) a "bank" as described in Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the IRC, (II) a 10% shareholder of any Borrower (within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the IRC), or (III) a controlled foreign corporation related to Borrowers within the meaning of Section 864(d)(4) of the IRC, and (B) a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-8BEN, Form W-8BEN-E or Form W-8IMY (with proper attachments as applicable);
(ii) if such Lender or Participant is entitled to claim an exemption from, or a reduction of, withholding tax under a United States tax treaty, a properly completed and executed copy of IRS Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable;
(iii) if such Lender or Participant is entitled to claim that interest paid under this Agreement is exempt from United States withholding tax because it is effectively connected with a United States trade or business of such Lender, a properly completed and executed copy of IRS Form W-8ECI;
(iv) if such Lender or Participant is entitled to claim that interest paid under this Agreement is exempt from United States withholding tax because such Lender or Participant serves as an intermediary, a properly completed and executed copy of IRS Form W-8IMY (including a withholding statement and copies of the tax certification documentation for its beneficial owner(s) of the income paid to the intermediary, if required based on its status provided on the Form W-8IMY); or
(v) a properly completed and executed copy of any other form or forms, including IRS Form W-9, as may be required under the IRC or other laws of the United States as a condition to exemption from, or reduction of, United States withholding or backup withholding tax.
(b) Each Lender or Participant shall provide new forms (or successor forms) upon the expiration or obsolescence of any previously delivered forms and promptly notify Agent and Administrative Borrower (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation only) of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or reduction.
(c) If a Lender or Participant claims an exemption from withholding tax in a jurisdiction other than the United States, such Lender or such Participant agrees with and in favor of Agent and Borrowers, to deliver to Agent and Administrative Borrower (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation only) any such form or forms, as may be required under the laws of such jurisdiction as a condition to exemption from, or reduction of, foreign withholding or backup withholding tax before receiving its first payment under this Agreement, but only if such Lender or such Participant is legally able to deliver such forms, or the providing of or delivery of such forms in the Lender's reasonable judgment would not subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender (or its Affiliates); provided, further, that nothing in this Section 16.2(c) shall require a Lender or
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Participant to disclose any information that it deems to be confidential (including its tax returns). Each Lender and each Participant shall provide new forms (or successor forms) upon the expiration or obsolescence of any previously delivered forms and promptly notify Agent and Administrative Borrower (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation only) of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or reduction.
(d) If a Lender or Participant claims exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax and such Lender or Participant sells, assigns, grants a participation in, or otherwise transfers all or part of the Obligations of Borrowers to such Lender or Participant, such Lender or Participant agrees to notify Agent and Administrative Borrower (or, in the case of a sale of a participation interest, to the Lender granting the participation only) of the percentage amount in which it is no longer the beneficial owner of Obligations of Borrowers to such Lender or Participant. To the extent of such percentage amount, Agent and Administrative Borrower will treat such Lender's or such Participant's documentation provided pursuant to Section 16.2(a) or 16.2(c) as no longer valid. With respect to such percentage amount, such Participant or Assignee may provide new documentation, pursuant to Section 16.2(a) or 16.2(c), if applicable. Borrowers agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of this Section 16 with respect to its participation in any portion of the Commitments and the Obligations so long as such Participant complies with the obligations set forth in this Section 16 with respect thereto.
(e) If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable due diligence and reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the IRC, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation only) at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, the Lender granting the participation) such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the IRC) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, the Lender granting the participation) as may be necessary for Agent or Borrowers to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender's obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (e), "FATCA" shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
(a) If a Lender or a Participant is subject to an applicable withholding tax, Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, the Lender granting the participation) may withhold from any payment to such Lender or such Participant an amount equivalent to the applicable withholding tax. If the forms or other documentation required by Section 16.2(a) or 16.2(c) are not delivered to Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation), then Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation) may withhold from any payment to such Lender or such Participant not
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providing such forms or other documentation an amount equivalent to the applicable withholding tax.
(b) If the IRS or any other Governmental Authority of the United States or other jurisdiction asserts a claim that Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation) did not properly withhold tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender or any Participant due to a failure on the part of the Lender or any Participant (because the appropriate form was not delivered, was not properly executed, or because such Lender failed to notify Agent (or such Participant failed to notify the Lender granting the participation) of a change in circumstances which rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax ineffective, or for any other reason) such Lender shall indemnify and hold Agent harmless (or, in the case of a Participant, such Participant shall indemnify and hold the Lender granting the participation harmless) for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation), as tax or otherwise, including penalties and interest, and including any taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on the amounts payable to Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender granting the participation only) under this Section 16, together with all costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys' fees and expenses). The obligation of the Lenders and the Participants under this subsection shall survive the payment of all Obligations and the resignation or replacement of Agent.
16.4. Refunds. If Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Indemnified Taxes to which the Loan Parties have paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 16, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, it shall pay over such refund to Administrative Borrower on behalf of the Loan Parties (but only to the extent of payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Loan Parties under this Section 16 with respect to Indemnified Taxes giving rise to such a refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the applicable Governmental Authority with respect to such a refund); provided, that the Loan Parties, upon the request of Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Loan Parties (plus any penalties, interest or other charges, imposed by the applicable Governmental Authority, other than such penalties, interest or other charges imposed as a result of the willful misconduct or gross negligence of Agent or Lender hereunder as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction) to Agent or such Lender in the event Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, this Section 16 shall not be construed to require Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information which it deems confidential) to Loan Parties or any other Person or require Agent or any Lender to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to Section 16.4, the payment of which would place Agent or such Lender (or their Affiliates) in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Person would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.
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17.1. Effectiveness. This Agreement shall be binding and deemed effective when executed by each Borrower, Agent, and each Lender whose signature is provided for on the signature pages hereof.
17.2. Section Headings. Headings and numbers have been set forth herein for convenience only. Unless the contrary is compelled by the context, everything contained in each Section applies equally to this entire Agreement.
17.3. Interpretation. Neither this Agreement nor any uncertainty or ambiguity herein shall be construed against the Lender Group or any Borrower, whether under any rule of construction or otherwise. On the contrary, this Agreement has been reviewed by all parties and shall be construed and interpreted according to the ordinary meaning of the words used so as to accomplish fairly the purposes and intentions of all parties hereto.
17.4. Severability of Provisions. Each provision of this Agreement shall be severable from every other provision of this Agreement for the purpose of determining the legal enforceability of any specific provision.
17.5. Bank Product Providers. Each Bank Product Provider in its capacity as such shall be deemed a third party beneficiary hereof and of the provisions of the other Loan Documents for purposes of any reference in a Loan Document to the parties for whom Agent is acting. Agent hereby agrees to act as agent for such Bank Product Providers and, by virtue of entering into a Bank Product Agreement, the applicable Bank Product Provider shall be automatically deemed to have appointed Agent as its agent and to have accepted the benefits of the Loan Documents. It is understood and agreed that the rights and benefits of each Bank Product Provider under the Loan Documents consist exclusively of such Bank Product Provider's being a beneficiary of the Liens and security interests (and, if applicable, guarantees) granted to Agent and the right to share in payments and collections out of the Collateral as more fully set forth herein. In addition, each Bank Product Provider, by virtue of entering into a Bank Product Agreement, shall be automatically deemed to have agreed that Agent shall have the right, but shall have no obligation, to establish, maintain, relax, or release reserves in respect of the Bank Product Obligations and that if reserves are established there is no obligation on the part of Agent to determine or insure whether the amount of any such reserve is appropriate or not. In connection with any such distribution of payments or proceeds of Collateral, Agent shall be entitled to assume no amounts are due or owing to any Bank Product Provider unless such Bank Product Provider has provided a written certification (setting forth a reasonably detailed calculation) to Agent as to the amounts that are due and owing to it and such written certification is received by Agent a reasonable period of time prior to the making of such distribution. Agent shall have no obligation to calculate the amount due and payable with respect to any Bank Products, but may rely upon the written certification of the amount due and payable from the applicable Bank Product Provider. In the absence of an updated certification, Agent shall be entitled to assume that the amount due and payable to the applicable Bank Product Provider is the amount last certified to Agent by such Bank Product Provider as being due and payable (less any distributions made to such Bank Product Provider on account thereof). Borrowers may
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obtain Bank Products from any Bank Product Provider, although Borrowers are not required to do so. Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that no Bank Product Provider has committed to provide any Bank Products and that the providing of Bank Products by any Bank Product Provider is in the sole and absolute discretion of such Bank Product Provider. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, no provider or holder of any Bank Product shall have any voting or approval rights hereunder (or be deemed a Lender) solely by virtue of its status as the provider or holder of such agreements or products or the Obligations owing thereunder, nor shall the consent of any such provider or holder be required (other than in their capacities as Lenders, to the extent applicable) for any matter hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents, including as to any matter relating to the Collateral or the release of Collateral or Guarantors.
17.6. Debtor-Creditor Relationship. The relationship between the Lenders and Agent, on the one hand, and the Loan Parties, on the other hand, is solely that of creditor and debtor. No member of the Lender Group has (or shall be deemed to have) any fiduciary relationship or duty to any Loan Party arising out of or in connection with the Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby, and there is no agency or joint venture relationship between the members of the Lender Group, on the one hand, and the Loan Parties, on the other hand, by virtue of any Loan Document or any transaction contemplated therein.
17.7. Counterparts; Electronic Execution. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Agreement. Execution of any such counterpart may be by means of (a) an electronic signature that complies with the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, as in effect from time to time, state enactments of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, as in effect from time to time, or any other relevant and applicable electronic signatures law; (b) an original manual signature; or (c) a faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature. Each electronic signature or faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature shall for all purposes have the same validity, legal effect, and admissibility in evidence as an original manual signature. Agent reserves the right, in its discretion, to accept, deny, or condition acceptance of any electronic signature on this Agreement. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Agreement by faxed, scanned or photocopied manual signature shall also deliver an original manually executed counterpart, but the failure to deliver an original manually executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability and binding effect of this Agreement. The foregoing shall apply to each other Loan Document, and any notice delivered hereunder or thereunder, mutatis mutandis.
17.8. Revival and Reinstatement of Obligations; Certain Waivers. If any member of the Lender Group or any Bank Product Provider repays, refunds, restores, or returns in whole or in part, any payment or property (including any proceeds of Collateral) previously paid or transferred to such member of the Lender Group or such Bank Product Provider in full or partial satisfaction of any Obligation or on account of any other obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document or any Bank Product Agreement, because the payment, transfer, or the incurrence of the obligation so satisfied is asserted or declared to
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be void, voidable, or otherwise recoverable under any law relating to creditors' rights, including provisions of the Bankruptcy Code relating to fraudulent transfers, preferences, or other voidable or recoverable obligations or transfers (each, a "Voidable Transfer"), or because such member of the Lender Group or Bank Product Provider elects to do so on the reasonable advice of its counsel in connection with a claim that the payment, transfer, or incurrence is or may be a Voidable Transfer, then, as to any such Voidable Transfer, or the amount thereof that such member of the Lender Group or Bank Product Provider elects to repay, restore, or return (including pursuant to a settlement of any claim in respect thereof), and as to all reasonable and documented costs, expenses, and attorneys' fees of such member of the Lender Group or Bank Product Provider related thereto, (i) the liability of the Loan Parties with respect to the amount or property paid, refunded, restored, or returned will automatically and immediately be revived, reinstated, and restored and will exist, and (ii) Agent's Liens securing such liability shall be effective, revived, and remain in full force and effect, in each case, as fully as if such Voidable Transfer had never been made. If, prior to any of the foregoing, (A) Agent's Liens shall have been released or terminated, or (B) any provision of this Agreement shall have been terminated or cancelled, Agent's Liens, or such provision of this Agreement, shall be reinstated in full force and effect and such prior release, termination, cancellation or surrender shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair or otherwise affect the obligation of any Loan Party in respect of such liability or any Collateral securing such liability. This provision shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the repayment in full of the Obligations.
(a) Agent and Lenders each individually (and not jointly or jointly and severally) agree that material, non-public information regarding the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, their operations, assets, and existing and contemplated business plans ("Confidential Information") shall be treated by Agent and the Lenders in a confidential manner, and shall not be disclosed by Agent and the Lenders to Persons who are not parties to this Agreement, except: (i) to attorneys for and other advisors, accountants, auditors, and consultants to any member of the Lender Group and to employees, directors and officers of any member of the Lender Group (the Persons in this clause (i), "Lender Group Representatives") on a "need to know" basis in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and on a confidential basis, (ii) to Subsidiaries and Affiliates of any member of the Lender Group (including the Bank Product Providers); provided, that any such Subsidiary or Affiliate shall have agreed to receive such information hereunder subject to the terms of this Section 17.9, (iii) as may be required by regulatory authorities so long as such authorities are informed of the confidential nature of such information, (iv) as may be required by statute, decision, or judicial or administrative order, rule, or regulation; provided, that (x) prior to any disclosure under this clause (iv), the disclosing party agrees to provide Borrowers with prior notice thereof, to the extent that it is practicable to do so and to the extent that the disclosing party is permitted to provide such prior notice to Borrowers pursuant to the terms of the applicable statute, decision, or judicial or administrative order, rule, or regulation and (y) any disclosure under this clause (iv) shall be limited to the portion of the Confidential Information as may be required by such statute, decision, or judicial or administrative order, rule, or regulation, (v) as may be agreed to in advance in writing by Borrowers, (vi) as requested or required by any Governmental
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Authority pursuant to any subpoena or other legal process; provided, that (x) prior to any disclosure under this clause (vi) the disclosing party agrees to provide Borrowers with prior written notice thereof, to the extent that it is practicable to do so and to the extent that the disclosing party is permitted to provide such prior written notice to Borrowers pursuant to the terms of the subpoena or other legal process and (y) any disclosure under this clause (vi) shall be limited to the portion of the Confidential Information as may be required by such Governmental Authority pursuant to such subpoena or other legal process, (vii) as to any such information that is or becomes generally available to the public (other than as a result of prohibited disclosure by Agent or the Lenders or the Lender Group Representatives), (viii) in connection with any assignment, participation or pledge of any Lender's interest under this Agreement; provided, that prior to receipt of Confidential Information any such assignee, participant, or pledgee shall have agreed in writing to receive such Confidential Information either subject to the terms of this Section 17.9 or pursuant to confidentiality requirements substantially similar to those contained in this Section 17.9 (and such Person may disclose such Confidential Information to Persons employed or engaged by them as described in clause (i) above), (ix) in connection with any litigation or other adversary proceeding involving parties hereto which such litigation or adversary proceeding involves claims related to the rights or duties of such parties under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; provided, that prior to any disclosure to any Person (other than any Loan Party, Agent, any Lender, any of their respective Affiliates, or their respective counsel) under this clause (ix) with respect to litigation involving any Person (other than any Borrower, Agent, any Lender, any of their respective Affiliates, or their respective counsel), the disclosing party agrees to provide Borrowers with prior written notice thereof, and (x) in connection with, and to the extent reasonably necessary for, the exercise of any secured creditor remedy under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document.
(b) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, Agent may disclose information concerning the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to loan syndication and pricing reporting services or in its marketing or promotional materials, with such information to consist of deal terms and other information customarily found in such publications or marketing or promotional materials and may otherwise use the name, logos, and other insignia of any Borrower or the other Loan Parties and the Commitments provided hereunder in any "tombstone" or other advertisements, on its website or in other marketing materials of Agent.
(c) Each Loan Party agrees that Agent may make materials or information provided by or on behalf of Borrowers hereunder (collectively, "Borrower Materials") available to the Lenders by posting the Communications on IntraLinks, SyndTrak or a substantially similar secure electronic transmission system (the "Platform"). The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available." Agent does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the Borrower Materials, or the adequacy of the Platform and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the communications. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by Agent in connection with the Borrower Materials or the Platform. In no event shall Agent or any of the Agent-Related Persons have any liability to the Loan Parties, any Lender or any other person for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, incidental or
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consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Loan Party's or Agent's transmission of communications through the Internet, except to the extent the liability of such person is found in a final non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such person's gross negligence or willful misconduct. Each Loan Party further agrees that 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 Loan Parties or their securities) (each, a "Public Lender"). The Loan Parties shall be deemed to have authorized Agent and its Affiliates and the Lenders to treat Borrower Materials marked "PUBLIC" or otherwise at any time filed with the SEC as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Loan Parties or their securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws. All Borrower Materials marked "PUBLIC" are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated as "Public Investor" (or another similar term). Agent and its Affiliates and the Lenders shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked "PUBLIC" or that are not at any time filed with the SEC as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not marked as "Public Investor" (or such other similar term).
17.10. Survival. All representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that Agent, Issuing Bank, or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or Event of Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of, or any accrued interest on, any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding or unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or been terminated.
17.11. Patriot Act; Due Diligence. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the Patriot Act hereby notifies the Loan Parties that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the Patriot Act. In addition, Agent and each Lender shall have the right to periodically conduct due diligence on all Loan Parties, their senior management and key principals and legal and beneficial owners. Each Loan Party agrees to cooperate in respect of the conduct of such due diligence and further agrees that the reasonable costs and charges for any such due diligence by Agent shall constitute Lender Group Expenses hereunder and be for the account of Borrowers.
17.12. Integration. This Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, reflects the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and shall not be contradicted or qualified by any other agreement, oral or written, before the date hereof. The foregoing to the contrary notwithstanding, all Bank Product Agreements, if any, are independent agreements governed by the written provisions of such
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Bank Product Agreements, which will remain in full force and effect, unaffected by any repayment, prepayments, acceleration, reduction, increase, or change in the terms of any credit extended hereunder, except as otherwise expressly provided in such Bank Product Agreement.
17.13. Flexsteel as Agent for Borrowers. Each Borrower hereby irrevocably appoints Flexsteel as the borrowing agent and attorney-in-fact for all Borrowers (the "Administrative Borrower") which appointment shall remain in full force and effect unless and until Agent shall have received prior written notice signed by each Borrower that such appointment has been revoked and that another Borrower has been appointed Administrative Borrower. Each Borrower hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes Administrative Borrower (a) to provide Agent with all notices with respect to Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit obtained for the benefit of any Borrower and all other notices and instructions under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (and any notice or instruction provided by Administrative Borrower shall be deemed to be given by Borrowers hereunder and shall bind each Borrower), (b) to receive notices and instructions from members of the Lender Group (and any notice or instruction provided by any member of the Lender Group to Administrative Borrower in accordance with the terms hereof shall be deemed to have been given to each Borrower), and (c) to take such action as Administrative Borrower deems appropriate on its behalf to obtain Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit and to exercise such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto to carry out the purposes of this Agreement. It is understood that the handling of the Loan Account and Collateral in a combined fashion, as more fully set forth herein, is done solely as an accommodation to Borrowers in order to utilize the collective borrowing powers of Borrowers in the most efficient and economical manner and at their request, and that Lender Group shall not incur liability to any Borrower as a result hereof. Each Borrower expects to derive benefit, directly or indirectly, from the handling of the Loan Account and the Collateral in a combined fashion since the successful operation of each Borrower is dependent on the continued successful performance of the integrated group. To induce the Lender Group to do so, and in consideration thereof, each Borrower hereby jointly and severally agrees to indemnify each member of the Lender Group and hold each member of the Lender Group harmless against any and all liability, expense, loss or claim of damage or injury, made against the Lender Group by any Borrower or by any third party whosoever, arising from or incurred by reason of (i) the handling of the Loan Account and Collateral of Borrowers as herein provided, or (ii) the Lender Group's relying on any instructions of Administrative Borrower, except that Borrowers will have no liability to the relevant Agent-Related Person or Lender-Related Person under this Section 17.13 with respect to any liability that has been finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent-Related Person or Lender-Related Person, as the case may be.
17.14. 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 EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and
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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 that is an EEA Financial Institution; and
(b) the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:
(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 undertaking, 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.
17.15. Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for 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). 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 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,
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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.
(a) Each Lender, each Issuing Bank, each other Bank Product Provider and any other party hereto hereby severally agrees that if (i) the Agent notifies(which such notice shall be conclusive absent manifest error) such Lender or Issuing Bank or any Bank Product Provider (or the Lender which is an Affiliate of a Lender, Issuing Bank or Bank Product Provider) or any other Person that has received funds from the Agent or any of its Affiliates, either for its own account or on behalf of a Lender, Issuing Bank or Bank Product Provider (each such recipient, a "Payment Recipient") that the Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Payment Recipient were erroneously transmitted to, or otherwise erroneously or mistakenly received by, such Payment Recipient (whether or not known to such Payment Recipient) or (ii) any Payment Recipient receives any payment from the Agent (or any of its Affiliates) (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment, as applicable, (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment, as applicable, or (z) that such Payment Recipient otherwise becomes aware was transmitted or received in error or by mistake (in whole or in part) then, in each case, an error in payment shall be presumed to have been made (any such amounts specified in clauses (i) or (ii) of this Section 17.16(a), whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise; individually and collectively, an "Erroneous Payment"), then, in each case, such Payment Recipient is deemed to have knowledge of such error at the time of its receipt of such Erroneous Payment; provided that nothing in this Section shall require the Agent to provide any of the notices specified in clauses (i) or (ii) above. Each Payment Recipient agrees that it shall not assert any right or claim to any Erroneous Payment, and hereby waives any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Agent for the return of any Erroneous Payments, including without limitation waiver of any defense based on "discharge for value" or any similar doctrine.
(b) Without limiting the immediately preceding clause (a), each Payment Recipient agrees that, in the case of clause (a)(ii) above, it shall promptly notify the Agent in writing of such occurrence.
(c) In the case of either clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, such Erroneous Payment shall at all times remain the property of the Agent and shall be segregated by the Payment Recipient and held in trust for the benefit of the Agent, and upon demand from the Agent such Payment Recipient shall (or, shall cause any Person who received any portion of an Erroneous Payment on its behalf to), promptly, but in all events no later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Agent the amount of any such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds and in the currency so received, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date
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such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Payment Recipient to the date such amount is repaid to the Agent at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.
(d) In the event that an Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) is not recovered by the Agent for any reason, after demand therefor by the Agent in accordance with immediately preceding clause (c), from any Lender that is a Payment Recipient or an Affiliate of a Payment Recipient (such unrecovered amount as to such Lender, an "Erroneous Payment Return Deficiency"), then at the sole discretion of the Agent and upon the Agent's written notice to such Lender (i) such Lender shall be deemed to have made a cashless assignment of the full face amount of the portion of its Loans (but not its Commitments) with respect to which such Erroneous Payment was made (the "Erroneous Payment Impacted Loans") to the Agent or, at the option of the Agent, the Agent's applicable lending affiliate (such assignee, the "Agent Assignee") in an amount that is equal to the Erroneous Payment Return Deficiency (or such lesser amount as the Agent may specify) (such assignment of the Loans (but not Commitments) of the Erroneous Payment Impacted Loans, the "Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment") plus any accrued and unpaid interest on such assigned amount, without further consent or approval of any party hereto and without any payment by the Agent Assignee as the assignee of such Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment. Without limitation of its rights hereunder, following the effectiveness of the Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment, the Agent may make a cashless reassignment to the applicable assigning Lender of any Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment at any time by written notice to the applicable assigning Lender and upon such reassignment all of the Loans assigned pursuant to such Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment shall be reassigned to such Lender without any requirement for payment or other consideration. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that (1) any assignment contemplated in this clause (d) shall be made without any requirement for any payment or other consideration paid by the applicable assignee or received by the assignor, (2) the provisions of this clause (d) shall govern in the event of any conflict with the terms and conditions of Section 13 and (3) the Agent may reflect such assignments in the Register without further consent or action by any other Person.
(e) Each party hereto hereby agrees that (x) in the event an Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) is not recovered from any Payment Recipient that has received such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Agent (1) shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Payment Recipient and (2) is authorized to set off, net and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Payment Recipient under any Loan Document, or otherwise payable or distributable by the Agent to such Payment Recipient from any source, against any amount due to the Agent under this Section 17.16 or under the indemnification provisions of this Agreement, (y) the receipt of an Erroneous Payment by a Payment Recipient shall not for the purpose of this Agreement be treated as a payment, prepayment, repayment, discharge or other satisfaction of any Obligations owed by the Borrowers or any other Loan Party, except, in each case, to the extent such Erroneous Payment is, and solely with respect to the amount of such Erroneous Payment that is, comprised of funds received by the Agent from the Borrowers or any other Loan Party for the purpose of making for a payment on the Obligations and (z) to the extent that an
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Erroneous Payment was in any way or at any time credited as payment or satisfaction of any of the Obligations, the Obligations or any part thereof that were so credited, and all rights of the Payment Recipient, as the case may be, shall be reinstated and continue in full force and effect as if such payment or satisfaction had never been received.
(f) Each party's obligations under this Section 17.16 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Agent or any transfer of right or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations (or any portion thereof) under any Loan Document.
(g) The provisions of this Section 17.16 to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) nothing in this Section 17.16 will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from any Payment Recipient's receipt of an Erroneous Payment and (ii) there will only be deemed to be a recovery of the Erroneous Payment to the extent that Agent has received payment from the Payment Recipient in immediately available funds the Erroneous Payment Return, whether directly from the Payment Recipient, as a result of the exercise by Agent of its rights of subrogation or set off as set forth above in clause (e) or as a result of the receipt by Agent Assignee of a payment of the outstanding principal balance of the Loans assigned to Agent Assignee pursuant to an Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment, but excluding any other amounts in respect thereof (it being agreed that any payments of interest, fees, expenses or other amounts (other than principal) received by Agent Assignee in respect of the Loans assigned to Agent Assignee pursuant to an Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment shall be the sole property of the Agent Assignee and shall not constitute a recovery of the Erroneous Payment).
[Signature pages to follow.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
BORROWERS: |
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. Name: Derek P. Schmidt_______ Title: Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer |
[signature page to credit agreement]
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WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as Agent and as a Lender Name: Ernest A. May______________ Its Authorized Signatory |
[signature page to credit agreement]
Exhibit 10.3
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
1.Performance Award. Flexsteel Industries, Inc., (the “Company”), grants to you an Award under the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), provided upon request.
Grant Date: |
Share Price: $ |
Performance Period: |
Base Salary: $ |
Target Performance %: % |
2.Performance Goals. To be eligible to receive payment under this Award, you must meet the Performance Goals set forth below. If the threshold goal amount is not reached, no amounts will be paid.
INPUT PERFORMANCE GOALS
3. Calculation of Award. For the Performance Period, your Target Performance Percentage of your base salary is shown in the first chart, above. The dollar amount obtained by multiplying your Target Performance Percentage by your base salary is the target performance Award. The percentages of your target performance Award that you are eligible to receive at the Threshold, Target and above achievement levels are set out in the second chart, above.
All Awards under the Plan will be paid in the form of Company Stock. Following the close of the Performance Period, the number of Shares of Company Stock that you are eligible to receive at each level of achievement (Threshold, Target, and above) will be determined by the achievement of the Performance Goal(s) against the Target Performance Award to determine your Award payout for the Performance Period. This Award of the right to receive a Share under the Plan at the end of the Performance Period (subject to the terms of the Plan and this Notification of Award) is sometimes referred to as a “Performance Unit.”
4.Employment Requirement. In general, in order to receive an Award payment under this Notification of Award, you must be employed by the Company through the last day of the Performance Period. However, if your employment is terminated during a Performance Period as a result of your death, disability, on or after reaching age 62, or an Involuntary Termination for reasons other than Cause within 30 days before or 12 months following a Change in Control (See Attachment A, “Definitions”) you (or your beneficiary in the case of your death) will be entitled to receive a pro rata portion of the Award based on the number of days you were employed by the Company during the Performance Period.
5.Payment of Award. The Performance Units that you are eligible to receive under this Notification of Award will be converted to Shares upon distribution. These Shares will be distributed to you after the audited financials for the Performance Period are completed, but no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Performance Period, unless a delay is otherwise permitted under the terms of the Plan. Under certain circumstances, the payment may be made at an earlier date, as determined by the Committee, as long as the acceleration does not result in a violation of Section 409A or 162(m) of the Code.
6.Withholding Taxes. The Company has the right to deduct and withhold any taxes due as a result of this Award. The Company may, in its discretion, elect to withhold cash from other compensation payable to you by the Company or withhold Shares otherwise payable to you under this Notification of Award to satisfy its withholding requirements.
7.Beneficiary Designation. If your employment is terminated as a result of death during a Performance Period, an amount may be payable upon your death as provided in Section 4 of this Notification of Award. The Plan permits each Participant to designate a beneficiary to receive payments that may be due in the event of death. Any beneficiary can be named and you may change your beneficiaries at any time by submitting such designation, in writing, to the Company. (See Attachment B, “Beneficiary Designation of Employee”.)
8.Forfeiture and Repayment. If you receive or become entitled to receive a payment under this Award within six months before your Separation from Service with the Company, the Company, in its sole discretion, may require you to forfeit or return the Award, as the case may be, in the event you: (a) engage in Competitive Activity at any time during your employment or within a two-year period after your Separation from Service or (b) engage in Improper Use of Confidential Information at any time. (See Attachment A, “Definitions”.) The Company also reserves the right to require you to pay back to the Company any amount received under the Award as described in Section 13.2 of the Plan. Further, in no event will you be entitled to an Award under this Notification of Award if you have a Termination for Cause at any time before the payment date of the Award. Any repayment due under this Section 8 or Section 13.2 of the Plan will be made by you either in the Shares, or in a dollar amount equal to the Fair Value of the Shares determined on the date of repayment, you received under the Award. The Committee, in its discretion, will determine which method of payment is acceptable.
9.No Employment Contract. Nothing contained in the Plan or this Notification of Award creates any right to your continued employment or otherwise affects your status as an employee at will. You acknowledge that the Company and you each have the right to terminate your employment at any time for any reason or for no reason at all, subject only to the terms of any written employment agreement between you and the Company.
10. Governing Terms. The Award is subject to the terms of this Notification of Award and the terms of the Plan. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Notification of Award and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will govern. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Notification of Award will have the meanings given to them in the Plan.
11.Acknowledgment. Your receipt of this Notification of Award, including the Guidelines for Stock Ownership, constitutes your agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Notification of Award and the Plan.
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. |
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Acknowledgment of Receipt: |
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Jerald K. DittmeJerald K. Dittmer |
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Name |
Date |
President & CEPresident & CEO |
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LTIP Notification of Award |
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ATTACHMENT A
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
NOTIFICATION OF AWARD DEFINITIONS
The Capitalized terms used in this Notification of Award have the meanings set forth below.
“Change in Control” means any of the following (but only if such event meets the definition of “change in control” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code):
(i)Any individual, entity or group becomes a “Beneficial Owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of at least thirty percent (30%) but less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company in a transaction that is not previously approved by the Board of Directors of the Company;
(ii)Any individual, entity or group becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company;
(iii)The person who were directors of the Company immediately prior to any contested election or series of contested elections, tender offer, exchange offer, merger, consolidation, other business combination, or any combination of the foregoing cease to constitute a majority of the members of the Board of Directors immediately following such occurrence;
(iv)Any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination where the individuals or entities who constituted the Company’s shareholders immediately prior to the combination will not immediately after the combination own at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting securities of the business resulting from the combination;
(v)The sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company to any individual, entity or group not affiliated with the Company;
(vi)The liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or
(vii)The occurrence of any other event by which the Company no longer operates as an independent public company.
“Competitive Activity” means any of the following regardless of whether it is undertaken, directly or indirectly, on your own behalf or on behalf of any person or entity other than the Company, including without limitation as a proprietor, principal, agent, partner, officer, director, stockholder, employee, member of any association, contractor, consultant or otherwise:
(i)Engaging in any business activity, in any geographic market in which the Company is then engaged in business that is competitive with the business of the Company; or
(ii)Hiring or soliciting for employment any person who is then an employee of the Company; or
(iii)Inducing or attempting to induce any person to end his or her employment relationship with the Company; or
LTIP Notification of Award |
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(iv)Soliciting business concerning any business (as described in Section (i) above) from any person or entity who is, or who was, a client, customer, prospective client or prospective customer of the Company; or
(v)Taking any action to divert business from, or inducing or attempting to induce any customer or prospective customer or any vendor, supplier or other business relation to cease doing business with the Company.
“Improper Use of Confidential Information” means:
(i)Any use or disclosure of Confidential Information except as required for the performance of the Participant's duties as an employee of the Company;
(ii)Any act or omission that directly or indirectly would materially reduce the value of Confidential Information except for such acts or omissions that are required for the performance of the Participant’s duties as an employee of the Company.
(iii)Notwithstanding anything in Sections (i) or (ii) above, Improper Use of Confidential Information does not include:
(A)any disclosure, use or other act or omission that is expressly authorized in writing, in advance by the Company; or
(B)any required disclosure of Confidential Information by law or legal process, if: (x) the Participant provides prompt notice to the Company in writing, and prior to disclosing any Confidential Information, so that the Company may elect to seek an appropriate protective order to prevent disclosure at the Company’s option and expense; and (y) the Participant cooperates with the Company in any efforts to seek a protective order.
For purposes of this definition, “Confidential Information” means any non-public information regarding the Company or any of its owners, directors, representatives, agents, employees, suppliers, vendors, shareholders, members, clients, customers, or other third parties or entities with whom the Company does business and which the Participant has learned or developed in the past as a result of Participant’s employment by or association with the Company or which the Participant learns or develops while providing services to the Company. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, trade secrets, information about customers, prospective customers, marketing strategies, business strategies, sales strategies, products, services, key personnel, suppliers, pricing, technology, computer software code, methods, processes, designs, research, development systems, techniques, finances, accounting, purchasing, forecasts, or planning. All information disclosed to the Participant or to which the Participant obtains access in whatever form, whether originated by the Participant or by others, during the period that the Participant provides services to the Company will be presumed to be Confidential Information if it is treated by the Company as being Confidential Information or if the Participant has a reasonable basis to believe it to be Confidential Information. For these purposes, Confidential Information will not include knowledge or information: (i) that is now or subsequently becomes generally publicly known, other than as a direct or indirect result of Improper Use or Disclosure of Confidential Information by a Participant; or (ii) that is independently made available to the Participant in good faith by a third party who has not violated any legal duty or confidential relationship with the Company.
LTIP Notification of Award |
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“Involuntary Termination” has the meaning set forth in U.S. Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(n). Generally, this means that the Company has terminated your employment under circumstances where you have not initiated or requested the termination and you are willing and able to continue your employment. An “involuntary termination,” for these purposes, also includes your separation from service due to “good reason” if your separation occurs due to a material diminution in your base compensation; a material diminution of your authority, duties or responsibilities; or a material change in the geographic location at which you must perform services. In order for a separation from service to be considered a “good reason” separation from service, you must provide a written notice to the Company of the existence of the condition within a 30-day period following the initial existence of the condition, upon which the Company must be provided a period of at least 90 days during which it may remedy the condition.
“Termination for Cause” means the involuntary termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company as a result of dishonesty, fraud, misappropriation of funds, theft relating to the Participant’s position, harassment, an act of violence, acts punishable by law, misconduct as described in the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Employee Handbook, as amended from time to time, or such other serious misconduct as will be determined by the Company to constitute conduct that warrants forfeiture pursuant to the Plan and Section 8 of this Notification of Award.
LTIP Notification of Award |
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ATTACHMENT B
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION OF EMPLOYEE
Under the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, I, «First_Name» «Last_Name», hereby designate the following as beneficiary of any portion of my award which has been earned according to the terms of the Plan and unpaid at the time of my death.
Signature: ________________________________
Name: «First_Name» «Last_Name»
Date: ____________________________________
*This election is valid until a later dated designation is completed and filed with the Company.
LTIP Notification of Award |
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Exhibit 10.4
NOTIFICATION OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AWARD
UNDER THE FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
Name of Optionee: «Name» |
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Effective Date: |
Vesting Date: |
Number of Shares Covered:«Shares» |
Date of Grant: |
Exercise Price Per Share: $ |
Expiration Date: |
Flexsteel Industries, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants to you an option (the “Option”) under this Notification of Incentive Stock Option Award (this “Notification of Award”), under the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Omnibus Stock Plan (the “Plan”), provided upon request. Options granted under this Notification of Award are subject to the following terms and conditions:
1. |
Incentive Stock Option. The Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code. |
2. |
Purchase Price. The purchase price of the Stock is the Exercise Price Per Share, which shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Date of Grant and, if you are a Significant Shareholder, not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Date of Grant. To the extent the amount listed in the chart above is inconsistent with this paragraph, this paragraph shall control. |
3. |
Expiration Date. Unless otherwise provided in Section 8, the Option will expire on the Expiration Date which date is not more than ten years from the Date of Grant (or, if you are a Significant Shareholder, not more than five years from the Date of Grant). To the extent the Expiration Date listed in the chart above is inconsistent with this paragraph, this paragraph shall control. |
4. |
Vesting. The Shares under the Option shall vest pursuant to the following vesting schedule: |
Shares |
Date |
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In the event of an Involuntary Termination, other than for Cause, 30 days before or 12 months following a Change of Control (see Attachment A, “Definitions”) of the Company, then the vesting schedule set forth above shall be automatically accelerated so that all Shares purchased or purchasable upon exercise of this Option shall become fully vested, effective as of the effective time of the Change in Control.
5. |
Exercise Period. The Option may only be exercised prior to the Expiration Date. Your right to exercise some or all of the Option may be terminated before the Expiration Date as provided in Section 8, relating to termination of your employment. |
6. |
$100,000 Limitation. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Stock with respect to which you may exercise the Option for the first time during any calendar year exceeds $100,000, the Option shall be treated as a Non-Statutory Stock Option. |
7. |
Transferability. The Option may be exercised during your lifetime only by you. You may not transfer the Option, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. |
NSO Form
8. |
Termination of Employment. All of your rights in this Option, to the extent not previously exercised, shall terminate upon your termination of employment, except as described in this Section 8. With respect to the exercisable portion of the Option, and subject to subsection (f): |
(a)In the event of your termination of employment due to reasons other than death, Disability, Termination for Cause (see Attachment A, “Definitions”) or termination on or after you reach the age of 62, the Option may be exercised (to the extent exercisable at the date of termination) by you within three months after the date of termination of employment.
(b)In the event of your termination of employment on or after you reach the age of 62, the Option may be exercised (to the extent exercisable at the date of termination) by you within three months after the date of termination of employment.
(c)In the event of your termination of employment due to Disability, the Option may be exercised in full by you within one year after the date of termination of employment.
(d)In the event of your termination of employment due to death, the Option may be exercised in full by your estate or by a person who acquires the right to such Option by bequest or inheritance or by reason of your death, within one year after the date of termination of employment.
(e)In the event of your Termination for Cause, the Option and your right to exercise the Option shall terminate immediately.
(f)Notwithstanding anything in this Notification of Award, in no event may the Option be exercised after the Expiration Date.
9. |
Method of Exercise; Use of Company Stock. |
(a)The Option may be exercised by delivering written notice of exercise to the Company at the principal executive office of the Company, to the attention of the Company’s Secretary. The notice must state the number of Shares to be purchased, and must be signed by the person exercising the Option. If you are not the person exercising the Option, the person exercising the Option also must submit appropriate proof of his/her right to exercise the Option. The Company may designate a third party to administer the option program in which case the third party may receive any required notice.
(b)Upon giving notice of any exercise hereunder, you must provide for payment of the purchase price of the Shares being purchased through one or a combination of the following methods:
(i)Purchase. By paying cash (including check paid to the Company, wire transfer, bank draft, or money order);
(ii)Delivery of Shares. By delivery or tender to the Company of unencumbered Shares (by actual delivery or attestation) having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date the Option is exercised equal to the purchase price of the Shares being purchased under the Option, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee (provided, however, that no fractional Shares will be issued or accepted);
(iii)Broker-Assisted Cashless Exercise. By directing a stockbroker designated by the Company to effect a broker assisted cashless exercise to sell Shares issued on exercise of the Option and remitting the proceeds of such sale to the Company. Please note that, if this
2
NSO Form
option is utilized, this will disqualify the ISO status of the shares used for the broker-assisted cashless exercise; or
(iv) Net Exercise. By instructing the Company to withhold Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise less than or equal to the purchase price of the Shares acquired upon exercise; provided that this method of exercise may only be used to deliver net shares to you and no cash compensation may be provided, other than cash in lieu of a fractional share. Please note that, if this option is utilized, this will disqualify the ISO status of the shares used for the net exercise.
In no event will you be permitted to pay any portion of the purchase price with Shares, through a broker-assisted cashless exercise or through net exercise, if the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that payment in such manner could have adverse tax or financial accounting consequences for the Company.
10. |
Withholding. In any case where withholding is required or advisable under federal, state or local law in connection with any exercise by you under this Notification of Award, the Company is authorized to withhold appropriate amounts from amounts payable to you, or may require that you remit to the Company an amount equal to such appropriate amounts. Upon the exercise of the Option, you may elect, subject to the approval of the Committee and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, to satisfy any withholding requirements, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold Stock having a Fair Market Value, on the date the tax is to be determined, equal to the standard required withholding rates for non-periodic payments. In no event will the Company be required to permit the exercise of the Option unless the applicable withholding requirements are satisfied. |
11. |
Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Liquidation, Reorganization, Acquisition. The terms stated in the Option Agreement are subject to modification upon the occurrence of certain events as described in Section 16 of the Plan. |
12. |
Severability. In the event any provision of this Notification of Award is held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity will not affect the remaining parts of this Notification of Award, and the Notification of Award will be interpreted and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included. |
13. |
No Guarantee of Employment. The Notification of Award will in no way restrict the right of the Company to terminate your employment at any time. |
14. |
Tax Advice. You acknowledge that you have not looked to or relied upon the Company or any of its officers, directors, optionees, shareholders, accountants or legal counsel for tax advice concerning the tax consequences of the grant to, and your exercise of, the Option and that you have obtained such advice, to the extent you determine that it is necessary, from other sources located by you. |
15. |
No Shareholder Rights. You will have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any Stock subject to the Option prior to the date of exercise of the Option and, after such date, will only have rights as a shareholder with respect to the Stock acquired upon exercise. |
16. |
Governing Terms. The Notification of Award is made according to the provisions of the Plan. The terms of the Plan are incorporated by reference in this Notification of Award. Terms used in this Notification of Award have the meanings used in the Plan unless the context clearly requires otherwise. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of the Plan and the provisions of this Notification of Award, the provisions of the Plan will govern. |
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NSO Form
17. |
Entire Understanding. This Notification of Award constitutes the entire understanding of you and the Company with respect to the subject matter of this Notification of Award, and, except as otherwise provided in the Plan, may not be amended, changed, modified, terminated, or waived other than by written instrument signed by you and the Company. This Notification of Award supersedes all prior oral or written agreements and understandings between you and the Company concerning the subject matter of this Notification of Award, including any implied or express representations regarding your ownership of any interest in the Company or its property, and any prior oral or written agreements conveying stock option rights to you. |
18. |
Limitation on Rights; No Right to Future Grants; Extraordinary Item of Compensation. By accepting the Option, you acknowledge that: (a) the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be suspended or terminated by the Company at any time; (b) the grant of the Option is a one-time benefit that does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options, or benefits in lieu of options; (c) all determinations with respect to any such future grants, including but not limited to, the times when options will be granted, the number of shares of Stock subject to each option, the Exercise Price Per Share, and the time or times when each option will be exercisable, will be at the sole discretion of the Company; (d) your participation in the Plan is voluntary; (e) the value of the Option is an extraordinary item of compensation that is outside the scope of your employment agreement, if any, with the Company; (f) the Option is not part of normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, redundancy, end of service payment, bonus, long-service award, pension or retirement benefit or similar payment; (g) the exercisability of the Option ceases upon termination of employment with the Company for any reason except as may otherwise be explicitly provided in the Plan or this Notification of Award or otherwise permitted by the Committee; (h) the future value of the Stock subject to the Option is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty; and (i) if the Stock subject to the Option does not increase in value, the Option will have no value. |
19. |
Forfeiture and Repayment. If you receive or become entitled to receive a payment under this Notification of Award within six months before your Separation from Service with the Company, the Company, in its sole discretion, may require you to forfeit or return the Award, as the case may be, in the event you: (a) engage in Competitive Activity at any time during your employment or within a two-year period after your Separation from Service or (b) engage in Improper Use of Confidential Information at any time. (See Attachment A, “Definitions”.) The Company also reserves the right to require you to pay back to the Company any amount received under the Award as described in Section 18 of the Plan. Further, in no event will you be entitled to an Award under this Notification of Award if you have a Termination for Cause at any time before the payment date of the Award. Any repayment due under this Section 18 or Section 18 of the Plan will be made by you either in the Shares, or in a dollar amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares determined on the date of repayment, you received under the Award. The Committee, in its discretion, will determine which method of payment is acceptable. Further, in no event will you be entitled to an Award under this Notification of Award if you have a Termination for Cause at any time prior to the payment date. |
20. |
Beneficiary Designation. If your employment is terminated as a result of your death, someone other than you may become entitled to exercise this Option, as provided in Section 8 of this Notification of Award. The Plan permits you to designate a beneficiary to exercise this Option in the event of your death. Any beneficiary can be named and you may change your beneficiaries at any time by submitting such designation, in writing, to the Company. (See Attachment B, “Beneficiary Designation of Employee”.) |
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NSO Form
NOTIFICATION OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AWARD
UNDER THE FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
Name of Optionee: «Name» |
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Effective Date: |
Vesting Date: |
Number of Shares Covered:«Shares» |
Date of Grant: |
Exercise Price Per Share: $ |
Expiration Date: |
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.:
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By: Jerald K. Dittmer |
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Its: President & CEO |
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Date |
Acknowledgement: Your receipt of this Notification of Award, including the Guidelines for Stock Ownership, constitutes your agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Notification of Award and the Plan.
OPTIONEE:
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«Name» |
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Date |
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NSO Form
ATTACHMENT A
The Capitalized terms used in this Notification of Award have the meanings set forth below.
“Change in Control” means any of the following (but only if such event meets the definition of “change in control” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code):
(i)Any individual, entity or group becomes a “Beneficial Owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of at least thirty percent (30%) but less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company in a transaction that is not previously approved by the Board of Directors of the Company;
(ii)Any individual, entity or group becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company;
(iii)The person who were directors of the Company immediately prior to any contested election or series of contested elections, tender offer, exchange offer, merger, consolidation, other business combination, or any combination of the foregoing cease to constitute a majority of the members of the Board of Directors immediately following such occurrence;
(iv)Any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination where the individuals or entities who constituted the Company’s shareholders immediately prior to the combination will not immediately after the combination own at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting securities of the business resulting from the combination;
(v)The sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company to any individual, entity or group not affiliated with the Company;
(vi)The liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or
(vii)The occurrence of any other event by which the Company no longer operates as an independent public company.
“Competitive Activity” means any of the following regardless of whether it is undertaken, directly or indirectly, on your own behalf or on behalf of any person or entity other than the Company, including without limitation as a proprietor, principal, agent, partner, officer, director, stockholder, employee, member of any association, contractor, consultant or otherwise:
(i)Engaging in any business activity, in any geographic market in which the Company is then engaged in business that is competitive with the business of the Company; or
(ii)Hiring or soliciting for employment any person who is then an employee of the Company; or
(iii)Inducing or attempting to induce any person to end his or her employment relationship with the Company; or
(iv)Soliciting business concerning any business (as described in Section (i) above) from any person or entity who is, or who was, a client, customer, prospective client or prospective customer of the Company; or
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NSO Form
(v)Taking any action to divert business from, or inducing or attempting to induce any customer or prospective customer or any vendor, supplier or other business relation to cease doing business with the Company.
“Improper Use of Confidential Information” means:
(i)Any use or disclosure of Confidential Information except as required for the performance of your duties as an employee of the Company;
(ii)Any act or omission that directly or indirectly would materially reduce the value of Confidential Information except for such acts or omissions that are required for the performance of your duties as an employee of the Company.
(iii)Notwithstanding anything in Sections (i) or (ii) above, Improper Use of Confidential Information does not include:
(A)any disclosure, use or other act or omission that is expressly authorized in writing, in advance by the Company; or
(B)any required disclosure of Confidential Information by law or legal process, if: (x) you provide prompt notice to the Company in writing, and prior to disclosing any Confidential Information, so that the Company may elect to seek an appropriate protective order to prevent disclosure at the Company’s option and expense; and (y) you cooperate with the Company in any efforts to seek a protective order.
For purposes of this definition, “Confidential Information” means any non-public information regarding the Company or any of its owners, directors, representatives, agents, employees, suppliers, vendors, shareholders, members, clients, customers, or other third parties or entities with whom the Company does business and which you have learned or developed in the past as a result of your employment by or association with the Company or which you learn or develop while providing services to the Company. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, trade secrets, information about customers, prospective customers, marketing strategies, business strategies, sales strategies, products, services, key personnel, suppliers, pricing, technology, computer software code, methods, processes, designs, research, development systems, techniques, finances, accounting, purchasing, forecasts, or planning. All information disclosed to you or to which you obtain access in whatever form, whether originated by you or by others, during the period that you provide services to the Company will be presumed to be Confidential Information if it is treated by the Company as being Confidential Information or if you have a reasonable basis to believe it to be Confidential Information. For these purposes, Confidential Information will not include knowledge or information: (i) that is now or subsequently becomes generally publicly known, other than as a direct or indirect result of Improper Use or Disclosure of Confidential Information by you; or (ii) that is independently made available to you in good faith by a third party who has not violated any legal duty or confidential relationship with the Company.
“Involuntary Termination” has the meaning set forth in U.S. Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(n). Generally, this means that the Company has terminated your employment under circumstances where you have not initiated or requested the termination and you are willing and able to continue your employment. An “involuntary termination,” for these purposes, also includes your separation from service due to “good reason” if your separation occurs due to a material diminution in your base compensation; a material diminution of your authority, duties or responsibilities; or a material change in the geographic location at which you must perform services. In order for a separation from service to be considered a “good reason” separation from service, you must provide a
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NSO Form
written notice to the Company of the existence of the condition within a 30-day period following the initial existence of the condition, upon which the Company must be provided a period of at least 90 days during which it may remedy the condition.
“Termination for Cause” means the involuntary termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company as a result of dishonesty, fraud, misappropriation of funds, theft relating to the Participant’s position, harassment, an act of violence, acts punishable by law, misconduct as described in the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Employee Handbook, as amended from time to time, or such other serious misconduct as will be determined by the Company to constitute conduct that warrants forfeiture pursuant to the Plan and this Notification of Award.
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NSO Form
ATTACHMENT B
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION
BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION OF EMPLOYEE
Under the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Omnibus Stock Plan, I, «Name», hereby designate the following as beneficiary of any portion of my award which has been earned according to the terms of the Plan and unpaid at the time of my death.
A. |
Primary Beneficiary: _____________________________________ |
B. |
Contingent Beneficiary: __________________________________ |
Signature: ________________________________
Name: «Name»
Date: ____________________________________
*This election is valid until a later dated designation is completed and filed with the Company.
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NSO Form
Exhibit 10.6
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT NOTIFICATION OF AWARD
FOR <Name>
This Restricted Stock Unit Award (“Award”) is effective as of the 1st day of July 202_ (the “Grant Date”) between FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC., a Minnesota Corporation (“Flexsteel” or the “Company”) and <Name>, an employee of the Company (“Employee”). The Company desires to provide the Employee with a long-term incentive to continue the Employee’s services to the Company, and to increase his participation in the success of the Company. This Award is granted under the terms of the Company’s 2013 Omnibus Stock Plan (the “Plan”).
Therefore, the Award is as follows:
1. |
Issuance of Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth below in this Notification of Award, the Company grants to the Employee <#> RSUs equal to ($) <spell dollar amount” with the number of Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) to be awarded based upon the average of the previous 10 trading days closing stock price to the Grant Date. The number of RSUs shall vest as enumerated in Section 2, and shall be paid as provided in Section 6. |
2. |
Vesting. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the Employee’s rights in and to the RSUs shall become vested upon the earliest occurrence of the dates or events and to the extent set forth below: |
a. |
On June 30, 202_, if the Employee is employed and in good standing with the Company all of the RSUs shall vest; |
b. |
On the date of the Employee’s death while employed with the Company all of the RSUs shall vest; |
c. |
On the date the Employee is determined to be disabled under the Company’s long-term disability plan for entitlement to benefits thereunder all of the RSUs shall vest; |
d. |
On the date of an Involuntary Termination within 30 days before or 12 months following a Change in Control of the Company all of the RSUs shall vest (See Section 3); |
e. |
[On the date Employee’s employment with the Company is terminated, if termination for other than Cause (See Section 4) occurs on or after Employee reaches the age of 62 and is the result of other than death or disability, then Employee shall be entitled to receive a pro rata portion of the RSU Award based on the number of days employed by the Company during the period beginning on the Grant Date and ending June 30, 202__.] |
If the employment of the Employee shall terminate for any reason prior to the earliest date or event provided in subsection a. through [d][e]. above, all RSUs shall be forfeited to the Company, without payment to the Employee therefor. Notwithstanding any earlier vesting as provided above, the Employee shall have no rights in or to the RSUs or payment under this Notification of Award if the Employee is terminated for Cause (as defined in Section 4 below).
3. |
Change in Control. Change in Control means any of the following: |
a. |
Any individual, entity or group becomes a “Beneficial Owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of at least thirty percent (30%) but less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting
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stock of the Company in a transaction that is not previously approved by the Board of Directors of the Company; |
b. |
Any individual, entity or group becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company; |
c. |
The persons who were directors of the Company immediately prior to any contested election or series of contested elections, tender offer, exchange offer, merger, consolidation, other business combination, or any combination of the foregoing cease to constitute a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company immediately following such occurrence; |
d. |
Any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination where the individuals or entities who constituted the Company’s shareholders immediately prior to the combination will not immediately after the combination own at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting securities of the business resulting from the combination; |
e. |
The sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company to any individual, entity or group not affiliated with the Company; |
f. |
The liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or |
g. |
The occurrence of any other event by which the Company no longer operates as an independent public company. |
4. |
Cause. Cause means the following: |
a. |
The willful and continued failure of the Employee to perform substantially the Employee’s duties as established from time to time by the Company’s management (other than any such failure resulting from a disability), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to the Employee by the Company’s management that specifically identifies the manner in which the management believes that the Employee has not substantially performed the Employee’s duties; or |
b. |
Dishonesty, fraud, misappropriation of funds, theft relating to the Employee’s position, harassment, an act of violence, acts punishable by law, misconduct as described in the Flexsteel Employee Handbook, as amended from time to time, or such other serious misconduct as will be determined by the Company to constitute conduct that warrants forfeiture pursuant to the Plan and this Notification of Award. |
5. |
Dividend Equivalents on RSUs. During the period prior to vesting (as defined in Section 2 above), Dividend Equivalents will be credited quarterly as cash, accumulating until vesting and payout at the same time as the underlying RSU award. Any credited Dividend Equivalents shall thereafter be subject to the terms of this Notification of Award to the same extent as the RSUs giving rise to the Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents shall otherwise be considered a part of the award of RSUs. |
6. |
Payment of RSUs. Except as provided in the next sentence, the Company shall pay to the Employee the value as determined in this Section 6 of the RSUs credited to the Employee under this Award within fifteen (15) days after the vesting date (as defined in Section 2 above). The amount to be paid shall be the number of whole RSUs credited to the Employee under this Agreement converted to shares and Dividend Equivalents shall be paid in cash. |
RSU Notification of Award |
2 |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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7. |
Changes in Capital Structure of the Company. The number of RSUs held by the Employee for which payment pursuant to Section 6 has not been made shall be adjusted equitably by the Company in the event of (i) a subdivision or combination of the shares of capital stock of the Company, (ii) a dividend payable in shares of capital stock of the Company (iii) a reclassification of any shares of capital stock of the Company or (iv) any other change in capital structure of the Company. Such adjustment shall be made as if each RSU represented an issued and outstanding share of Common Stock of the Company as of the date of such adjustment. Any additional RSUs credited to the Employee as a result of any of the foregoing events shall continue to be subject to the terms of this Notification of Award to the same extent as the RSUs giving rise to the right to receive such additional RSUs. |
8. |
Withholding. The Company has the right to deduct and withhold any taxes due as a result of this Award. The Company may, in its discretion, elect to withhold cash from other compensation payable to the Employee by the Company or withhold shares otherwise payable to you under this Notification of Award to satisfy applicable federal, state, and local withholding tax requirements with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents. The Employee agrees to pay to the Company, when due, any amount necessary to satisfy applicable federal, state, and local withholding tax requirements with respect to the RSUs and Dividend Equivalents. The Company will process payment of the amount determined under Section 6 through the Employee’s payroll along with applicable withholding taxes. |
9. |
Forfeiture and Repayment. If you receive or become entitled to receive a payment under this Notification of Award within six months before your Separation from Service with the Company, the Company, in its sole discretion, may require you to forfeit or return the Award, as the case may be, in the event you: (a) engage in Competitive Activity at any time during your employment or within a two-year period after your Separation from Service or (b) engage in Improper Use of Confidential Information at any time. (See Attachment A, “Definitions”.) The Company also reserves the right to require you to pay back to the Company any amount received under the Award as described in Section 18 of the Plan. Further, in no event will you be entitled to an Award under this Notification of Award if you have a termination for Cause at any time before the payment date of the Award. Any repayment due under this Section 9 or Section 18 of the Plan will be made by you either in the Shares, or in a dollar amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares determined on the date of repayment, you received under the Award. The Committee, in its discretion, will determine which method of payment is acceptable. |
10. |
Employment of Employee. Nothing in this Notification of Award shall be construed as constituting a commitment, guaranty, agreement or understanding of any kind or nature that the Company shall continue to employ the Employee, and this Notification of Award shall not affect in any way the right of the Company or its subsidiaries to terminate the employment of the Employee at any time for any reason. The Company shall have the right to reduce or recoup amounts due under the Notification of Award, but only to the extent such reduction or recoupment is specifically required by any federal or Minnesota law or regulation with respect to amounts due under this Notification of Award. |
RSU Notification of Award |
3 |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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11. |
General Creditor. The RSUs represent an unfunded promise to pay cash or cash equivalents in the future and the Employee shall not have any rights other than as a general creditor of the Company with respect to the payment of the value of the RSUs as provided in this Agreement. The Employee shall not sell, transfer, pledge, assign or otherwise encumber any of the RSUs, whether voluntarily, involuntarily or by operation of law. Any purported transfer, pledge or encumbrance of such RSUs shall be void and unenforceable against the Company, and no purported transferee shall acquire any right or interest with respect to the RSUs or the payment therefor as a result. |
12. |
Rights of Stockholder. The Employee shall not have any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to the RSUs, including the right to vote. |
13. |
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, without regard to the principles of rules of any jurisdiction with respect to conflict of laws. |
14. |
Incorporation of Plan. Except to the extent specifically provided in this Notification of Award, this grant shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan, which shall be incorporated as though fully set forth herein. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Notification of Award shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan. |
15. |
Entire Notification of Award; Modification. This Notification of Award sets forth all of the promises, conditions, understandings, warranties and representations between the parties with respect to the RSUs, and there are no promises, agreements, conditions, understandings, warranties or representations, oral or written, express or implied, between the parties with respect to the RSUs other than as set forth in this Notification of Award, the Plan and referenced and related attachments to the Plan. This Notification of Award is, and is intended by the parties to be, an integration of any and all prior agreements or understandings, oral or written, with respect to the RSUs. Except as provided in Section 14, any change in, or modification of, this Agreement shall be valid only if in writing and signed by the parties to this Agreement. |
16. |
Notices. Any and all notices provided for in this Notification of Award shall be addressed: (i) if to the Company, to the principal executive office of the Company to the attention of Secretary, and (ii) if to the Employee, to the address of the Employee as reflected in the records of the Company. |
17. |
Invalid or Unenforceable Provisions. The invalidity or unenforceability of any particular provisions of this Notification of Award shall not affect the other provisions, and this Notification of Award shall be construed in all respects as if that invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted. |
18. |
Acknowledgment. Your receipt of this Notification of Award constitutes your agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Notification of Award and the Plan. |
RSU Notification of Award |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Employee have executed this Notification of Award to be effective as of the Grant Date.
Accepted and Confirmed: |
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FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. |
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By |
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<Name> |
Date |
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Jerald K. Dittmer |
Date: |
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President & CEO |
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RSU Notification of Award |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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ATTACHMENT A
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
DEFINITIONS
The Capitalized terms used in this Notification of Award have the meanings set forth below.
“Competitive Activity” means any of the following regardless of whether it is undertaken, directly or indirectly, on your own behalf or on behalf of any person or entity other than the Company, including without limitation as a proprietor, principal, agent, partner, officer, director, stockholder, employee, member of any association, contractor, consultant or otherwise:
(i)Engaging in any business activity, in any geographic market in which the Company is then engaged in business that is competitive with the business of the Company; or
(ii)Hiring or soliciting for employment any person who is then an employee of the Company; or
(iii)Inducing or attempting to induce any person to end his or her employment relationship with the Company; or
(iv)Soliciting business concerning any business (as described in Section (i) above) from any person or entity who is, or who was, a client, customer, prospective client or prospective customer of the Company; or
(v)Taking any action to divert business from, or inducing or attempting to induce any customer or prospective customer or any vendor, supplier or other business relation to cease doing business with the Company.
“Improper Use of Confidential Information” means:
(i)Any use or disclosure of Confidential Information except as required for the performance of your duties as an employee of the Company;
(ii)Any act or omission that directly or indirectly would materially reduce the value of Confidential Information except for such acts or omissions that are required for the performance of your duties as an employee of the Company.
(iii)Notwithstanding anything in Sections (i) or (ii) above, Improper Use of Confidential Information does not include:
(a)any disclosure, use or other act or omission that is expressly authorized in writing, in advance by the Company; or
(b)any required disclosure of Confidential Information by law or legal process, if: (x) you provide prompt notice to the Company in writing, and prior to disclosing any Confidential Information, so that the Company may elect to seek an appropriate protective order to prevent disclosure at the Company’s option and expense; and (y) you cooperate with the Company in any efforts to seek a protective order.
For purposes of this definition, “Confidential Information” means any non-public information regarding the Company or any of its owners, directors, representatives, agents, employees, suppliers, vendors, shareholders, members, clients, customers, or other third parties or entities with whom the Company does business and which you have learned or developed in the past as a result of your employment by or association with the Company or which you learn or develop while providing services to the Company. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, trade secrets, information about
RSU Notification of Award |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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customers, prospective customers, marketing strategies, business strategies, sales strategies, products, services, key personnel, suppliers, pricing, technology, computer software code, methods, processes, designs, research, development systems, techniques, finances, accounting, purchasing, forecasts, or planning. All information disclosed to you or to which you obtain access in whatever form, whether originated by you or by others, during the period that you provide services to the Company will be presumed to be Confidential Information if it is treated by the Company as being Confidential Information or if you have a reasonable basis to believe it to be Confidential Information. For these purposes, Confidential Information will not include knowledge or information: (i) that is now or subsequently becomes generally publicly known, other than as a direct or indirect result of Improper Use or Disclosure of Confidential Information by you; or (ii) that is independently made available to you in good faith by a third party who has not violated any legal duty or confidential relationship with the Company.
“Involuntary Termination” has the meaning set forth in U.S. Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(n). Generally, this means that the Company has terminated your employment under circumstances where you have not initiated or requested the termination and you are willing and able to continue your employment. An “involuntary termination,” for these purposes, also includes your separation from service due to “good reason” if your separation occurs due to a material diminution in your base compensation; a material diminution of your authority, duties or responsibilities; or a material change in the geographic location at which you must perform services. In order for a separation from service to be considered a “good reason” separation from service, you must provide a written notice to the Company of the existence of the condition within a 30-day period following the initial existence of the condition, upon which the Company must be provided a period of at least 90 days during which it may remedy the condition.
RSU Notification of Award |
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Flexsteel Industries, Inc. |
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Exhibit 10.8
NOTIFICATION OF NON-STATUTORY STOCK OPTION AWARD
UNDER THE FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
Name of Optionee: |
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Effective Date: |
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Number of Shares Covered: |
Date of Grant: |
Exercise Price Per Share: |
Expiration Date: |
Flexsteel Industries, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants you an option (the “Option”) under this Notification of Non-Statutory Stock Option Award (this “Notification of Award”), under the Flexsteel Industries Inc. Omnibus Stock Plan (the “Plan”) provided upon request. The Options granted under this Notification of Award are subject to the following terms and conditions:
1. Stock Option. The Option is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”).
2. Purchase Price. The purchase price of the Stock is the Exercise Price Per Share, which shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Date of Grant.
3. Expiration Date. Unless the right to exercise the Option is terminated earlier under Section 7, the Option will expire on the Expiration Date. The Expiration Date shall not be more than ten years from the Date of Grant. You are solely responsible for exercising this Option, if at all, prior to its Expiration Date. The Company has no obligation to notify you of this Option’s expiration.
4. Vesting. The Shares under the Option shall vest pursuant to the following vesting schedule:
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Date |
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In the event of an Involuntary Termination, other than for Cause, 30 days before or 12 months following a Change of Control (see Attachment A, “Definitions”) of the Company, then the vesting schedule set forth above shall be automatically accelerated so that all Shares purchased or purchasable upon exercise of this Option shall become fully vested, effective as of the effective time of the Change in Control.
5. Exercise Period. The Option may only be exercised prior to the Expiration Date. Your right to exercise some or all of the Option may be terminated before the Expiration Date as provided in Section 7, relating to termination of your employment. In all cases, you may only exercise the Option to the extent the Option has vested as stated in the Notification of Award.
6. Transferability. The Option may be exercised during your lifetime only by you and any exercise must be prior to the Expiration Date. You may not transfer the Option, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.
7. Termination of Employment. All of your rights in this Option, to the extent not previously vested and exercised, shall terminate upon your termination of employment except as described in this Section 7. With respect to the vested and exercisable portion of the Option, and subject to subsection (f):
(a) In the event of your termination of employment due to reasons other than death, Disability, Termination for Cause (see Attachment A, “Definitions”) or termination on or after you reach the age of 62, the Option may be exercised (to the extent exercisable at the date of termination) by you within three months after the date of termination of employment.
(b) In the event of your termination of employment on or after you reach the age of 62, the Option may be exercised (to the extent exercisable at the date of termination) by you within three years after the date of termination of employment.
(c) In the event of your termination of employment due to Disability, the Option may be exercised in full by you within one year after the date of termination of employment.
(d) In the event of your termination of employment due to death, the Option may be exercised in full by your estate or by a person who acquires the right to such Option by bequest or inheritance or otherwise by reason of your death, within one year after the date of termination of employment.
(e) In the event of your Termination for Cause, the Option and your right to exercise the Option shall terminate immediately.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Notification of Award, in no event may the Option be exercised after the Expiration Date.
8. Method of Exercise; Use of Company Stock.
(a) The Option may be exercised by delivering written notice of exercise to the Company at the principal executive office of the Company, to the attention of the Company’s Secretary. The notice must state the number of Shares to be purchased, and must be signed by the person exercising the Option. If you are not the person exercising the Option, the person also must submit appropriate proof of his/her right to exercise the Option. The Company may designate a third party to administer the option program in which case the third party may receive any required notice.
(b) Upon giving notice of any exercise hereunder, you must provide for payment of the purchase price of the Shares being purchased through one or a combination of the following methods:
(i) Purchase. By paying cash (including check paid to the Company, wire transfer, bank draft, or money order);
(ii) Delivery of Shares. By delivery or tender to the Company of unencumbered Shares (by actual delivery or attestation) having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date the Option is exercised equal to the purchase price of the Shares being purchased under the Option, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee (provided, however, that no fractional Shares will be issued or accepted);
Notification of Non-Statutory Stock Option Award |
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(iii) Broker-Assisted Cashless Exercise. By directing a stockbroker designated by the Company to affect a broker assisted cashless exercise to sell Shares issued on exercise of the Option and remitting the proceeds of such sale to the Company; or
(iv) Net Exercise. By instructing the Company to withhold Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise less than or equal to the purchase price of the Shares acquired upon exercise; provided that this method of exercise may only be used to deliver net shares to you and no cash compensation may be provided.
In no event will you be permitted to pay any portion of the purchase price with Shares, through a broker-assisted cashless exercise or through net exercise, if the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that payment in such manner could have adverse tax or financial accounting consequences for the Company.
9. Withholding. In any case where withholding is required or advisable under federal, state or local law in connection with any exercise by you under this Notification of Award, the Company is authorized to withhold appropriate amounts from amounts payable to you or may require that you remit to the Company an amount equal to such appropriate amounts. Upon the exercise of the Option, you may elect, subject to the approval of the Committee and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, to satisfy any withholding requirements, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold Stock having a Fair Market Value, on the date the tax is to be determined, equal to the standard required withholding rates for non-periodic payments. In no event will the Company be required to permit the exercise of the Option unless the applicable withholding requirements are satisfied.
10. Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Liquidation, Reorganization, Acquisition. The terms stated in the Notification of Award are subject to modification upon the occurrence of certain events as described in Section 16 of the Plan.
11. Severability. In the event any provision of this Notification of Award is held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity will not affect the remaining parts of this Notification of Award, and the Notification of Award will be interpreted and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.
12. No Guarantee of Employment. The Notification of Award will in no way restrict the right of the Company to terminate your employment at any time.
13. Tax Advice. You acknowledge that you have not looked to or relied upon the Company or any of its officers, directors, optionees, shareholders, accountants or legal counsel for tax advice concerning the tax consequences of the grant to, and your exercise of, the Option and that you have obtained such advice, to the extent you determine that it is necessary, from other sources located by you.
14. No Shareholder Rights. You will have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any Stock subject to the Option prior to the date of exercise of the Option and, after such date, will only have rights as a shareholder with respect to the Stock acquired upon exercise.
15. Governing Terms. This Notification of Award is made according to the provisions of the Plan. The terms of the Plan are incorporated by reference in this Notification of Award. Terms used in this Notification of
Notification of Non-Statutory Stock Option Award |
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Award have the meanings used in the Plan unless the context clearly requires otherwise. The terms “termination of employment,” “terminate employment,” and similar terms shall mean “Separation from Service” as defined in the Plan. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of the Plan and the provisions of this Notification of Award, the provisions of the Plan will govern.
16. Resale Restrictions. The resale of Stock acquired upon exercise of awards granted under the Plan is generally not restricted by the terms of the Plan. Resales by participants who are officers or directors of the Company must comply with (i) Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and (ii) the six-month short swing profit restrictions under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
17. Entire Understanding. This Notification of Award constitutes the entire understanding of you and the Company with respect to the subject matter of this Notification of Award, and, except as otherwise provided in the Plan, may not be amended, changed, modified, terminated, or waived other than by written instrument signed by you and the Company. This Notification of Award supersedes all prior oral or written agreements and understandings between you and the Company concerning the subject matter of the Notification of Award, including any implied or express representations regarding your ownership of any interest in the Company or its property, and any prior oral or written agreements conveying stock option rights to you.
18. Limitation on Rights; No Right to Future Grants; Extraordinary Item of Compensation. By accepting the Option, you acknowledge that: (a) the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be suspended or terminated by the Company at any time; (b) the grant of the Option is a one-time benefit that does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options, or benefits in lieu of options; (c) all determinations with respect to any such future grants, including but not limited to, the times when options will be granted, the number of shares of Stock subject to each option, the Exercise Price Per Share, and the time or times when each option will be exercisable, will be at the sole discretion of the Company; (d) your participation in the Plan is voluntary; (e) the value of the Option is an extraordinary item of compensation that is outside the scope of your employment agreement, if any, with the Company; (f) the Option is not part of normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, redundancy, end of service payment, bonus, long-service award, pension or retirement benefit or similar payment; (g) the exercisability of the Option ceases upon termination of employment with the Company for any reason except as may otherwise be explicitly provided in the Plan or this Notification of Award or otherwise permitted by the Committee; (h) the future value of the Stock subject to the Option is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty; and (i) if the Stock subject to the Option does not increase in value, the Option will have no value.
19. Forfeiture and Repayment. If you receive or become entitled to receive a payment under this Notification of Award within six months before your Separation from Service with the Company, the Company, in its sole discretion, may require you to forfeit or return the Award, as the case may be, in the event you: (a) engage in Competitive Activity at any time during your employment or within a two-year period after your Separation from Service or (b) engage in Improper Use of Confidential Information at any time. (See Attachment A, “Definitions.”) The Company also reserves the right to require you to pay back to the Company any amount received under the Award as described in Section 18 of the Plan. Further, in no event will you be entitled to an Award under this Notification of Award if you have a Termination for Cause at any time before the payment
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date of the Award. Any repayment due under this Section 17 or Section 18 of the Plan will be made by you either in the Shares, or in a dollar amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares determined on the date of repayment, you received under the Award. The Committee, in its discretion, will determine which method of payment is acceptable. Further, in no event will you be entitled to an Award under this Notification of Award if you have a Termination for Cause at any time prior to the payment date.
20. Beneficiary Designation. If your employment is terminated as a result of your death, someone other than you may become entitled to exercise this Option, as provided in Section 7 of this Notification of Award. The Plan permits you to designate a beneficiary to exercise the vested portion of this Option in the event of your death. Any beneficiary can be named and you may change your beneficiaries at any time by submitting such designation, in writing, to the Company. (See Attachment B, “Beneficiary Designation of Employee”)
[Signature Page to Follow]
Notification of Non-Statutory Stock Option Award |
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NOTIFICATION OF NON-STATUTORY STOCK OPTION AWARD
UNDER THE FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Name of Optionee: |
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Effective Date: |
Vesting Schedule: |
Number of Shares Covered: |
Date of Grant: |
Exercise Price Per Share: |
Expiration Date: |
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.:
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By: Jerald K. Dittmer |
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Its: President & CEO |
Acknowledgement: Your receipt of this Notification of Award constitutes your agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Notification of Award and the Plan.
OPTIONEE:
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{name} |
NSO Acknowledgment |
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ATTACHMENT A
Definitions
The Capitalized terms used in this Notification of Award have the meanings set forth below.
“Change in Control” means any of the following but only if such event meets the definition of “change in control” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code):
(i) Any individual, entity or group becomes a “Beneficial Owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of at least thirty percent (30%) but less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company in a transaction that is not previously approved by the Board of Directors of the Company;
(ii) Any individual, entity or group becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of the Company;
(iii) The person who were directors of the Company immediately prior to any contested election or series of contested elections, tender offer, exchange offer, merger, consolidation, other business combination, or any combination of the foregoing cease to constitute a majority of the members of the Board of Directors immediately following such occurrence;
(iv) Any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination where the individuals or entities who constituted the Company’s shareholders immediately prior to the combination will not immediately after the combination own at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting securities of the business resulting from the combination;
(v) The sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company to any individual, entity or group not affiliated with the Company;
(vi) The liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or
(vii) The occurrence of any other event by which the Company no longer operates as an independent public company.
“Competitive Activity” means any of the following regardless of whether it is undertaken, directly or indirectly, on your own behalf or on behalf of any person or entity other than the Company, including without limitation as a proprietor, principal, agent, partner, officer, director, stockholder, employee, member of any association, contractor, consultant or otherwise:
(i) Engaging in any business activity, in any geographic market in which the Company is then engaged in business that is competitive with the business of the Company; or
(ii) Hiring or soliciting for employment any person who is then an employee of the Company; or
(iii) Inducing or attempting to induce any person to end his or her employment relationship with the Company; or
Definitions |
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(iv) Soliciting business concerning any business (as described in Section (i) above) from any person or entity who is, or who was, a client, customer, prospective client or prospective customer of the Company; or
(v) Taking any action to divert business from, or inducing or attempting to induce any customer or prospective customer or any vendor, supplier or other business relation to cease doing business with the Company.
“Improper Use of Confidential Information” means:
(i) Any use or disclosure of Confidential Information except as required for the performance of your duties as an employee of the Company;
(ii) Any act or omission that directly or indirectly would materially reduce the value of Confidential Information except for such acts or omissions that are required for the performance of your duties as an employee of the Company.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything in Sections (i) or (ii) above, Improper Use of Confidential Information does not include:
(A) any disclosure, use or other act or omission that is expressly authorized in writing, in advance by the Company; or
(B) any required disclosure of Confidential Information by law or legal process, if: (x) you provide prompt notice to the Company in writing, and prior to disclosing any Confidential Information, so that the Company may elect to seek an appropriate protective order to prevent disclosure at the Company’s option and expense; and (y) you cooperate with the Company in any efforts to seek a protective order.
For purposes of this definition, “Confidential Information” means any non-public information regarding the Company or any of its owners, directors, representatives, agents, employees, suppliers, vendors, shareholders, members, clients, customers, or other third parties or entities with whom the Company does business and which you have learned or developed in the past as a result of your employment by or association with the Company or which you learn or develop while providing services to the Company. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, trade secrets, information about customers, prospective customers, marketing strategies, business strategies, sales strategies, products, services, key personnel, suppliers, pricing, technology, computer software code, methods, processes, designs, research, development systems, techniques, finances, accounting, purchasing, forecasts, or planning. All information disclosed to you or to which you obtain access in whatever form, whether originated by you or by others, during the period that you provide services to the Company will be presumed to be Confidential Information if it is treated by the Company as being Confidential Information or if you have a reasonable basis to believe it to be Confidential Information. For these purposes, Confidential Information will not include knowledge or information: (i) that is now or subsequently becomes generally publicly known, other than as a direct or indirect result of Improper Use or Disclosure of Confidential Information by you; or (ii) that is independently made available to you in good faith by a third party who has not violated any legal duty or confidential relationship with the Company.
“Involuntary Termination” has the meaning set forth in U.S. Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(n). Generally, this means that the Company has terminated your employment under circumstances where you have not initiated or requested the termination and you are willing and able to continue your employment. An “involuntary termination,” for these purposes, also includes your separation from service due to “good reason” if your separation occurs due to a material diminution in your base compensation; a material diminution of your authority, duties or responsibilities; or a material change in the geographic location at which you must perform services. In order for a separation from service to be considered a “good reason” separation from service, you must provide a written notice to the Company of the existence of the condition within a 30-day period following the initial existence of the condition, upon which the Company must be provided a period of at least 90 days during which it may remedy the condition.
“Termination for Cause” means the involuntary termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company as a result of dishonesty, fraud, misappropriation of funds, theft relating to the Participant’s position, harassment, an act of violence, acts punishable by law, misconduct as described in the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Employee Handbook, as amended from time to time, or such other serious misconduct as will be determined by the Company to constitute conduct that warrants forfeiture pursuant to the Plan and this Notification of Award.
ATTACHMENT B
FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
NON-STATUTORY STOCK OPTION
BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION OF EMPLOYEE
Under the Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Omnibus Stock Plan, I, {name} , hereby designate the following as beneficiary of any portion of my award which has been earned according to the terms of the Plan and unpaid at the time of my death.
A. Primary Beneficiary: ____________________________________
B. Contingent Beneficiary: ____________________________________
Signature: ____________________________________
Name: {name}_______________________________
Date: ____________________________________
*This election is valid until a later dated designation is completed and filed with the Company.
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EXHIBIT 21.1
Subsidiaries of Flexsteel Industries, Inc.
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DMI Sourcing Company, LLC (Kentucky) |
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Flexsteel Business Consulting (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. |
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Flexsteel Hong Kong Limited |
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Home Styles Furniture Co., Ltd. (Thailand) (99.99% interest) |
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Representative Office of DMI Sourcing Company, LLC in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) |
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Representative Office of Flexsteel Industries, Inc. in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) |
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Desert Dreams, Inc. (Iowa) |
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Shelf Company No. 74 (Mexico) |
EXHIBIT 23
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statement Nos. 333-164994, 333-193041, 333-193042, 333-234426, and 333-249820 on Form S-8 of our reports dated September 8, 2021, relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of Flexsteel Industries, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”), and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K of Flexsteel Industries, Inc. for the year ended June 30, 2021.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Minneapolis, MN
September 8, 2021
EXHIBIT 31.1
CERTIFICATION
I, Jerald K. Dittmer, certify that:
1. |
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Flexsteel Industries, Inc.; |
2. |
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
3. |
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
4. |
The Registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the Registrant and have: |
a) |
designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
b) |
designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; |
c) |
evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
d) |
disclosed in this report any changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and |
5. |
The Registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the Registrant’s auditors and the Audit and Ethics Committee of the Registrant’s Board of Directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
a) |
all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
b) |
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
Date: September 8, 2021
/s/ Jerald K. Dittmer |
Jerald K. Dittmer Chief Executive Officer |
EXHIBIT 31.2
CERTIFICATION
I, Derek P. Schmidt, certify that:
1. |
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Flexsteel Industries, Inc.; |
2. |
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
3. |
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
4. |
The Registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the Registrant and have: |
a) |
designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
b) |
designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; |
c) |
evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
d) |
disclosed in this report any changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and |
5. |
The Registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the Registrant’s auditors and the Audit and Ethics Committee of the Registrant’s Board of Directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
a) |
all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
b) |
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
Date: September 8, 2021
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/s/ Derek P. Schmidt |
Derek P. Schmidt Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer |
EXHIBIT 32
CERTIFICATION BY
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Flexsteel Industries, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), we, Jerald K. Dittmer, Chief Executive Officer, and Derek P. Schmidt, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as adopted pursuant to §906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
(1)The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and;
(2)The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: September 8, 2021
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/s/ Jerald K. Dittmer |
Jerald K. Dittmer Chief Executive Officer |
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/s/ Derek P. Schmidt |
Derek P. Schmidt Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer |