|
Exhibit
10.2
STONEMOR GP LLC,
STONEMOR PARTNERS
L.P.,
STONEMOR OPERATING LLC,
and
EACH OF THE SUBSIDIARY
ISSUERS
LISTED ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES
HEREOF
AMENDED AND RESTATED NOTE
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated as of August 15,
2007
Up to $150,000,000
Uncommitted Private Shelf Facility
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Page |
| 1. |
|
AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT; AUTHORIZATION OF SHELF NOTES; THE
GUARANTEES AND
SECURITY FOR THE SHELF NOTES |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.1. |
|
Prior
Issuances |
|
2 |
|
|
1.2. |
|
Authorization of Amendment and Restatement of Existing Note
Agreement |
|
2 |
|
|
1.3. |
|
Exchange
of Existing Series A Notes |
|
2 |
|
|
1.4. |
|
Authorization of Issue of Series B Notes |
|
3 |
|
|
1.5. |
|
Authorization of Issue of Shelf Notes |
|
3 |
|
|
1.6. |
|
The
General Partner/Parent Guarantee |
|
4 |
|
|
1.7. |
|
Security
for the Shelf Notes |
|
4 |
|
|
|
| 2. |
|
PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHELF NOTES |
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.1. |
|
Facility |
|
4 |
|
|
2.2. |
|
Issuance
Period |
|
5 |
|
|
2.3. |
|
Periodic
Spread Information |
|
5 |
|
|
2.4. |
|
Request
for Purchase |
|
6 |
|
|
2.5. |
|
Rate
Quotes |
|
6 |
|
|
2.6. |
|
Acceptance |
|
7 |
|
|
2.7. |
|
Market
Disruption |
|
7 |
|
|
2.8. |
|
Facility
Closings |
|
8 |
|
|
2.9. |
|
Fees |
|
9 |
|
|
|
| 3. |
|
PURCHASE OF SERIES B NOTES; THE CLOSING |
|
12 |
|
|
|
| 4. |
|
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING |
|
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.1. |
|
Amendment
and Restatement; Series B Notes Closing |
|
12 |
|
|
4.2. |
|
Conditions to Closing Each Purchase of Shelf Notes Following
the Series B Closing Date |
|
17 |
|
|
|
| 5. |
|
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
|
19 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.1. |
|
Existence, Qualification and Power |
|
19 |
|
|
5.2. |
|
Authorization; No Contravention |
|
19 |
|
|
5.3. |
|
Governmental Authorization; Other Consents |
|
20 |
|
|
5.4. |
|
Binding
Effect |
|
20 |
|
|
5.5. |
|
Financial
Statements; No Material Adverse Effect |
|
21 |
|
|
5.6. |
|
Litigation |
|
21 |
|
|
5.7. |
|
No
Default |
|
22 |
|
|
5.8. |
|
Ownership
of Property; Liens; Investments |
|
22 |
|
|
5.9. |
|
Environmental Compliance |
|
23 |
|
|
5.10. |
|
Insurance |
|
23 |
|
|
5.11. |
|
Taxes |
|
24 |
|
|
5.12. |
|
ERISA
Compliance |
|
24 |
i
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Page |
|
|
5.13. |
|
Subsidiaries; Equity Interests; Credit Parties |
|
25 |
|
|
5.14. |
|
Use of
Proceeds; Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act; Federal Power
Act |
|
26 |
|
|
5.15. |
|
Disclosure |
|
26 |
|
|
5.16. |
|
Compliance with Laws |
|
27 |
|
|
5.17. |
|
Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. |
|
27 |
|
|
5.18. |
|
Solvency |
|
27 |
|
|
5.19. |
|
Casualty,
Etc. |
|
27 |
|
|
5.20. |
|
Labor
Matters |
|
27 |
|
|
5.21. |
|
Security
Documents |
|
28 |
|
|
5.22. |
|
Capitalization |
|
28 |
|
|
5.23. |
|
Common
Enterprise |
|
28 |
|
|
5.24. |
|
Compliance with Cemetery Laws |
|
29 |
|
|
5.25. |
|
Private
Offering by the Company |
|
29 |
|
|
5.26. |
|
Foreign
Assets Control Regulations, etc. |
|
29 |
|
|
|
| 6. |
|
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PURCHASERS |
|
30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.1. |
|
Purchase
for Investment |
|
30 |
|
|
6.2. |
|
Source of
Funds |
|
30 |
|
|
|
| 7. |
|
INFORMATION AS TO THE PARENT AND THE ISSUERS |
|
32 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.1. |
|
Information Covenants |
|
32 |
|
|
7.2. |
|
Certificates; Other Information |
|
33 |
|
|
7.3. |
|
Notices |
|
35 |
|
|
7.4. |
|
Inspection |
|
36 |
|
|
|
| 8. |
|
PAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT OF SHELF NOTES |
|
36 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8.1. |
|
Payment
at Maturity |
|
36 |
|
|
8.2. |
|
Mandatory
Prepayment From Available Proceeds |
|
37 |
|
|
8.3. |
|
Optional
Prepayments |
|
39 |
|
|
8.4. |
|
Notice of
Prepayments |
|
40 |
|
|
8.5. |
|
Allocation of Partial Prepayments |
|
40 |
|
|
8.6. |
|
Maturity;
Surrender, etc. |
|
40 |
|
|
8.7. |
|
Shelf
Note Purchase Prohibition |
|
40 |
|
|
8.8. |
|
Make-Whole Amount |
|
41 |
|
|
|
| 9. |
|
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS |
|
42 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9.1. |
|
Payment
of Obligations |
|
42 |
|
|
9.2. |
|
Preservation of Existence, Etc. |
|
42 |
|
|
9.3. |
|
Maintenance of Properties |
|
42 |
|
|
9.4. |
|
Maintenance of Insurance |
|
43 |
|
|
9.5. |
|
Compliance with Laws |
|
43 |
|
|
9.6. |
|
Books and
Records |
|
44 |
ii
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Page |
|
|
9.7. |
|
Use of
Proceeds |
|
44 |
|
|
9.8. |
|
Covenant
to Become Issuer and Give Security |
|
44 |
|
|
9.9. |
|
Compliance with Environmental Laws |
|
46 |
|
|
9.10. |
|
Preparation of Environmental Reports |
|
47 |
|
|
9.11. |
|
Further
Assurances |
|
47 |
|
|
9.12. |
|
Compliance with Terms of Leaseholds |
|
47 |
|
|
9.13. |
|
Material
Contracts |
|
48 |
|
|
9.14. |
|
Maintenance of Company Separateness |
|
48 |
|
|
9.15. |
|
Maintenance of Trust Funds and Trust Accounts |
|
48 |
|
|
9.16. |
|
Amendment
to Credit Agreement Documents Covenants |
|
48 |
|
|
|
| 10. |
|
NEGATIVE COVENANTS |
|
49 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.1. |
|
Liens |
|
49 |
|
|
10.2. |
|
Indebtedness |
|
50 |
|
|
10.3. |
|
Investments |
|
52 |
|
|
10.4. |
|
Fundamental Changes |
|
54 |
|
|
10.5. |
|
Dispositions |
|
55 |
|
|
10.6. |
|
Restricted Payments; Equity Issuances |
|
56 |
|
|
10.7. |
|
Change in
Nature of Business |
|
57 |
|
|
10.8. |
|
Transactions with Affiliates |
|
57 |
|
|
10.9. |
|
Burdensome Agreements |
|
57 |
|
|
10.10. |
|
Use of
Proceeds |
|
57 |
|
|
10.11. |
|
Financial
Covenants |
|
58 |
|
|
10.12. |
|
Amendment
of Partnership Units and Organizational Documents |
|
58 |
|
|
10.13. |
|
Accounting Changes |
|
58 |
|
|
10.14. |
|
Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness |
|
58 |
|
|
10.15. |
|
Amendment
of Finance Documents and Indebtedness |
|
59 |
|
|
10.16. |
|
Holding
Company |
|
59 |
|
|
10.17. |
|
Trust
Funds |
|
60 |
|
|
|
| 11. |
|
EVENTS OF DEFAULT |
|
60 |
|
|
|
| 12. |
|
REMEDIES ON DEFAULT, ETC. |
|
63 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12.1. |
|
Acceleration |
|
63 |
|
|
12.2. |
|
Other
Remedies |
|
63 |
|
|
12.3. |
|
Rescission |
|
63 |
|
|
12.4. |
|
No
Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, etc. |
|
64 |
|
|
|
| 13. |
|
REGISTRATION; EXCHANGE; SUBSTITUTION OF SHELF
NOTES |
|
64 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
13.1. |
|
Registration of Shelf Notes |
|
64 |
|
|
13.2. |
|
Transfer
and Exchange of Shelf Notes |
|
64 |
|
|
13.3. |
|
Replacement of Shelf Notes |
|
65 |
iii
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Page |
|
|
|
| 14. |
|
PAYMENTS ON SHELF NOTES |
|
65 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14.1. |
|
Place of
Payment |
|
65 |
|
|
14.2. |
|
Note
Payments |
|
65 |
|
|
|
| 15. |
|
EXPENSES, ETC. |
|
66 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
15.1. |
|
Transaction Expenses, etc. |
|
66 |
|
|
15.2. |
|
Survival |
|
67 |
|
|
|
| 16. |
|
SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; ENTIRE
AGREEMENT |
|
67 |
|
|
|
| 17. |
|
AMENDMENT AND WAIVER |
|
67 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
17.1. |
|
Requirements |
|
67 |
|
|
17.2. |
|
Solicitation of Holders of Shelf Notes |
|
68 |
|
|
17.3. |
|
Binding
Effect, etc. |
|
68 |
|
|
17.4. |
|
Shelf
Notes held by Issuers, etc. |
|
68 |
|
|
|
| 18. |
|
NOTICES |
|
69 |
|
|
|
| 19. |
|
REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS |
|
69 |
|
|
|
| 20. |
|
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION |
|
70 |
|
|
|
| 21. |
|
SUBSTITUTION OF PURCHASER |
|
71 |
|
|
|
| 22. |
|
MISCELLANEOUS |
|
71 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
22.1. |
|
Successors and Assigns |
|
71 |
|
|
22.2. |
|
Payments
Due on Non-Business Days |
|
71 |
|
|
22.3. |
|
Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial |
|
71 |
|
|
22.4. |
|
Construction |
|
72 |
|
|
22.5. |
|
Counterparts |
|
72 |
|
|
22.6. |
|
Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP |
|
72 |
|
|
22.7. |
|
Indemnification |
|
73 |
|
|
22.8. |
|
Governing
Law |
|
74 |
|
|
22.9. |
|
Severability |
|
74 |
|
|
|
| 23. |
|
ISSUERS’ LIABILITY FOR PAYMENTS |
|
75 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
23.1. |
|
Joint and
Several Liability |
|
75 |
|
|
23.2. |
|
Rights of
Contribution |
|
75 |
|
|
23.3. |
|
Interest
Rate Limitation |
|
76 |
iv
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE A
|
|
— |
|
Information Relating to Purchasers
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE A-1
|
|
— |
|
Information Relating to Existing Series A Notes
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE B
|
|
— |
|
Defined Terms
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE B-1
|
|
— |
|
Authorized Officers
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 2.9
|
|
— |
|
Fee Payment Instructions
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 4.1(d)(iii)
|
|
— |
|
Local Counsel
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.8(c)
|
|
— |
|
Real Property Owned By Each Credit Party and its
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.8(d)(i)
|
|
— |
|
Real Property Under Which A Credit Party or its Subsidiaries is
a Lessee
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.8(d)(ii)
|
|
— |
|
Real Property Under Which a Credit Party or its Subsidiaries is
a Lessor
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.8(e)
|
|
— |
|
Existing Investments
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.9
|
|
— |
|
Environmental Compliance
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.12(d)
|
|
— |
|
Multiemployer Plans
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.13(a)
|
|
— |
|
Subsidiaries of the Credit
Parties
Ownership of Subsidiary
Equity Interests
Organization of Credit
Parties
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.13(c)
|
|
— |
|
Ownership of Issuer Equity Interests
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.14(a)
|
|
|
|
Existing Indebtedness
|
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE 5.17
|
|
— |
|
Intellectual Property; Licenses, etc.
|
v
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT A-1
|
|
— |
|
Form of 7.66% Series A Senior Secured Note due
September 20, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT A-2
|
|
— |
|
Form of 9.34% Series B Senior Secured Note due August 15,
2012
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT A-3
|
|
— |
|
Form of Shelf Note
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 1.6
|
|
— |
|
General Partner/Parent Guarantee
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 1.7(a)
|
|
— |
|
Security Agreement
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 1.7(b)
|
|
— |
|
Pledge Agreement
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 2.4
|
|
— |
|
Form of Request for Purchase
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 2.6
|
|
— |
|
Form of Confirmation of Acceptance
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 4.1(d)(ii)
|
|
— |
|
Form of Opinion of Blank Rome LLP, Counsel for the Credit
Parties
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 4.1(d)(iii)
|
|
— |
|
Form of Opinion of Each Local Counsel to the Credit
Parties
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 4.1(e)
|
|
— |
|
Form of Confirmation and Reaffirmation of General
Partner/Parent Guarantee
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 4.1(g)
|
|
— |
|
Form of Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 4.1(h)(i)
|
|
— |
|
Form of Confirmation Agreement
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 4.1(h)(ii)
|
|
— |
|
Form of Modification
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 4.1(k)(iv)
|
|
— |
|
Form of Compliance Certificate
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 4.2(a)(v)
|
|
|
|
Form of Shelf Opinion
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT 10.2(h)
|
|
— |
|
Form of Subordination Provisions in respect of Seller
Subordinated Debt
|
vi
STONEMOR GP LLC,
STONEMOR PARTNERS
L.P.,
STONEMOR OPERATING LLC,
and
EACH OF THE SUBSIDIARY
ISSUERS
LISTED ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES
HEREOF
155 Rittenhouse
Circle
Bristol, PA 19007
(215) 826-2800
AMENDED AND RESTATED NOTE
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Up to $150,000,000
Uncommitted Private Shelf Facility
New York, New York
as of August 15,
2007
Prudential Investment Management
Inc.
The Prudential Insurance Company of
America
Prudential Retirement Insurance and
Annuity Company
Each Affiliate (as hereinafter defined)
of Prudential
Investment Management Inc. which becomes
bound
by certain provisions of this Agreement
(as hereinafter defined)
c/o Prudential Capital Group
1114 Avenue of the Americas, 30th
Floor
New York, NY 10036
iStar Financial Inc.
SFT I, Inc.
Each Affiliate of iStar Financial Inc.
which becomes
bound by certain provisions of this
Agreement
1114 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, STONEMOR GP LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (the “ General
Partner ”), STONEMOR PARTNERS L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership (the “ Parent ”), STONEMOR OPERATING
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “
Company ”), and each other Subsidiary of the Parent
listed on the signature pages hereof under the heading
“Subsidiary Issuers” (individually a “
Subsidiary Issuer ” and collectively the “
Subsidiary Issuers ”; and the Subsidiary Issuers and
the Company individually an “ Issuer ” and
collectively the “ Issuers ”) hereby agree with
each of you (individually a “ Purchaser ” and
collectively the
“ Purchasers ”) as
set forth below. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement
are defined in Schedule B; references to a “Schedule”
or an “Exhibit” are, unless otherwise specified, to a
Schedule or an Exhibit attached to this Agreement; references to
Sections are, unless otherwise specified, to Sections of this
Agreement.
| 1. |
AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT; AUTHORIZATION OF SHELF NOTES; THE
GUARANTEES AND SECURITY FOR THE SHELF NOTES. |
Pursuant to that certain Note
Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 20, 2004, by and
between the Company and each of the parties listed on Schedule A
thereto as holders of the Series A Notes (the “ Series A
Holders ”) (as amended by that certain First Amendment to
Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 12, 2004 and as
in effect immediately prior to the Series B Closing Date, the
“ Existing Note Agreement ”), the Company issued
$80,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 7.66% Senior Secured
Notes due September 20, 2009 (the “ Existing Series A
Notes ”). The Existing Series A Notes are currently
outstanding and held (beneficially or of record) by the Series A
Holders. The Company has requested that the Series A Holders agree
to amend various provisions of the Existing Note Agreement. The
Series A Holders have, subject to the satisfaction of the
conditions set forth in Section 4 of this Agreement, consented
to such request. The mutual agreement of the parties as to such
matters is set forth in the amendment and restatement of the
Existing Note Agreement and the Existing Series A Notes provided
for in this Agreement.
| |
1.2. |
Authorization of Amendment and Restatement of Existing Note
Agreement. |
Subject to the satisfaction
of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4 of this
Agreement, each Series A Holder, by its execution of this
Agreement, hereby agrees and consents to the amendment and
restatement in its entirety of the Existing Note Agreement by this
Agreement, and the Existing Note Agreement shall be deemed so
amended and restated. Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions
set forth in Section 4 of this Agreement, each Series A
Holder, by its execution of this Agreement, hereby agrees and
consents to the amendment and restatement in their entirety of the
Existing Series A Notes, on the terms set forth in
Section 1.3. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
representations and warranties set forth in Section 5 and
Section 6 of the Existing Note Agreement shall be deemed to
survive the amendment and restatement of the Existing Note
Agreement, and the representations and warranties set forth in
Section 5 and Section 6 of this Agreement shall be deemed
to be additional representations and warranties made as of the date
of this Agreement. The provisions of Section 1 through 3
(inclusive) of the Existing Note Agreement, insofar as they apply
to the original issuance of the Existing Series A Notes on the
Effective Date, shall be deemed to survive the amendment and
restatement of the Existing Note Agreement.
| |
1.3. |
Exchange of Existing Series A Notes. |
The Existing Series A Notes,
as amended and restated by Exhibit A-1 to this Agreement, shall be
hereinafter referred to, individually, as a “ Series A
Note ” and, collectively, as the “ Series A
Notes .” Any Series A Note issued on or after the Series
B Closing Date shall be in the form of Exhibit A-1 to this
Agreement.
2
On or before the Series B
Closing Date, the Issuers will deliver to the holders’
special counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP at One State Street,
Hartford, CT 06103, one or more Series A Notes, in the
denominations specified below such Series A Holder’s name on
Schedule A-1 hereto, dated as of the most recent interest payment
in respect thereof, and payable to such Series A Holder or as
otherwise indicated on Schedule A hereto, against delivery by such
Series A Holders of the Existing Series A Notes identified as held
by such Series A Holder on Schedule A-1 hereto (or notice of lost
note in accordance with Section 13.3) on or before the Series
B Closing Date to Bingham McCutchen LLP at One State Street,
Hartford, CT 06103. On the Series B Closing Date, Bingham McCutchen
LLP will forward each of the Series A Notes to the Series A Holders
as directed in Schedule A hereto and the Existing Series A Notes
(or the notice of lost note) to the Company for cancellation. All
amounts owing under, and evidenced by, the Existing Series A Notes
as of the Series B Closing Date shall continue to be outstanding
under, and shall after the Series B Closing Date be evidenced by,
the Series A Notes, and shall be repayable in accordance with this
Agreement and the Series A Notes.
| |
1.4. |
Authorization of Issue of Series B Notes. |
The Issuers will authorize
the issue of their senior secured promissory notes (the “
Series B Notes ”) in the aggregate principal amount of
$35,000,000, to be dated the date of issue thereof, to mature
August 15, 2012, to bear interest on the unpaid balance
thereof from the date thereof until the principal thereof shall
have become due and payable at the rate of 9.34% per annum and
on overdue principal, Make-Whole Amount and interest at the rate
specified therein, and to be substantially in the form of Exhibit
A-2 attached hereto. The Series B Notes shall constitute Shelf
Notes hereunder and the terms “ Series B Note ”
and “ Series B Notes ” as used herein shall
include each Series B Note delivered pursuant to any provision of
this Agreement and each Series B Note delivered in substitution or
exchange for any such Series B Note pursuant to any such
provision.
| |
1.5. |
Authorization of Issue of Shelf Notes. |
The Issuers will authorize
the issue of their senior promissory notes (the “ Shelf
Notes ”) in the aggregate principal amount of up to
$150,000,000 (inclusive of the Series A Notes and the Series B
Notes), to be dated the date of issue thereof, to mature, in the
case of each Shelf Note so issued, no more than 5 years after the
date of original issuance thereof, to have an average life, in the
case of each Shelf Note so issued, of no more than 5 years after
the date of original issuance thereof, to bear interest on the
unpaid balance thereof from the date thereof at the rate per annum,
and to have such other particular terms, as shall be set forth, in
the case of each Shelf Note so issued, in the Confirmation of
Acceptance with respect to such Shelf Note delivered pursuant to
Section 2.6, and to be substantially in the form of Exhibit
A-3 attached hereto. The terms “ Shelf Note ”
and “ Shelf Notes ” as used herein shall
include, collectively, each Series A Note, each Series B Note and
each other Shelf Note, as applicable, delivered pursuant to any
provision of this Agreement (it being understood that the Series A
Notes and the Series B Notes shall contain the terms set forth
therein and shall have been issued on or prior to the Series B
Closing Date), and each Shelf Note delivered in substitution or
exchange for any such Shelf Note pursuant to
3
any such provision. Shelf Notes which
have (i) the same final maturity, (ii) the same principal
prepayment dates, (iii) the same principal prepayment amounts
(as a percentage of the original principal amount of each Shelf
Note), (iv) the same interest rate, (v) the same interest
payment periods and (vi) the same date of issuance (which, in
the case of a Shelf Note issued in exchange for another Shelf Note,
shall be deemed for these purposes to be the date on which such
Shelf Note’s ultimate predecessor Shelf Note was issued), are
herein called a “ Series ” of Shelf
Notes.
| |
1.6. |
The General Partner/Parent Guarantee. |
The obligations of the
Issuers under this Agreement and the Shelf Notes will be
unconditionally guaranteed by the General Partner and the Parent
(of which the Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary) pursuant to a
guarantee in the form of Exhibit 1.6 (“ General
Partner/Parent Guarantee ”).
| |
1.7. |
Security for the Shelf Notes. |
The Shelf Notes will be
secured by the Collateral on the terms set forth in the Security
Documents, including, inter alia (a) that certain
Security Agreement, dated the Effective Date, between the Credit
Parties and the Collateral Agent, in the form of Exhibit 1.7(a) (as
amended by the Confirmation Agreement and as further amended,
restated, modified, extended, renewed, replaced or supplemented
from time to time, the “ Security Agreement ”),
(b) that certain Pledge Agreement, dated the Effective Date,
between the Credit Parties and the Collateral Agent, in the form of
Exhibit 1.7(b) (as amended by the Confirmation Agreement and as
further amended, restated, modified, extended, renewed, replaced or
supplemented from time to time, the “ Pledge Agreement
”) and (c) the Mortgages, and the respective rights of
the holders of the Shelf Notes and the Lenders with respect to the
Collateral and other matters shall be governed by the Intercreditor
Agreement.
| 2. |
PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHELF NOTES. |
Prudential and iStar are
willing to consider, in their respective sole discretion and within
limits which may be authorized for purchase by them or their
Affiliates from time to time following the Series B Closing Date,
the purchase of Shelf Notes by them or their Affiliates pursuant to
this Agreement. The willingness of Prudential and iStar to consider
such purchase of Shelf Notes is herein called the “
Facility ”. With respect to purchases by Prudential or
Prudential Affiliates, at any time, the remainder of $75,000,000
minus the aggregate principal amount of Shelf Notes
purchased and sold to Prudential or one of its Affiliates pursuant
to this Agreement prior to such time minus the aggregate
principal amount of Accepted Notes (as hereinafter defined) which
have not yet been purchased and sold hereunder to Prudential or one
of its Affiliates prior to such time, is herein called the “
Prudential Available Facility Amount ” at such time,
and with respect to purchases by iStar or one of its Affiliates at
any time, the remainder of $75,000,000, minus the aggregate
principal amount of Shelf Notes purchased and sold to iStar or one
of its Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement prior to such time
minus the aggregate principal amount of Accepted Notes (as
hereinafter defined) which have not yet been purchased and sold
hereunder to iStar or one of its Affiliates prior to such time, is
herein called
4
the “ iStar Available Facility
Amount ” at such time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in
determining the Prudential Available Facility Amount or the iStar
Available Facility Amount, as applicable, the Series A Notes that
have been paid or prepaid in full or in part shall, to the extent
of such payment or prepayment, be excluded from the determination
of the aggregate principal amount of Shelf Notes purchased
hereunder.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE
WILLINGNESS OF PRUDENTIAL AND iSTAR TO CONSIDER PURCHASES OF SHELF
NOTES BY THEM OR THEIR AFFILIATES, THIS AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO
ON THE EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING THAT NEITHER PRUDENTIAL, iSTAR NOR ANY
OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES SHALL BE OBLIGATED TO MAKE OR ACCEPT
OFFERS TO PURCHASE SHELF NOTES, OR TO QUOTE RATES, SPREADS OR OTHER
TERMS WITH RESPECT TO SPECIFIC PURCHASES OF SHELF NOTES, AND THE
FACILITY SHALL IN NO WAY BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY
PRUDENTIAL, iSTAR OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES.
Shelf Notes may be issued and
sold pursuant to this Agreement from time to time following the
Series B Closing Date until the earlier of (a) the third
anniversary of the date of this Agreement (or if such anniversary
is not a Business Day, the Business Day next preceding such
anniversary) and (b) the thirtieth day after either Prudential
or iStar shall have given to the Company and either Prudential or
iStar (whichever shall not have given such notice), or the Company
shall have given to both Prudential and iStar, written notice
stating that it elects to terminate the issuance and sale of Shelf
Notes pursuant to this Agreement (or if such thirtieth day is not a
Business Day, the Business Day next preceding such thirtieth day).
The period during which Shelf Notes may be issued and sold pursuant
to this Agreement is herein called the “ Issuance
Period ”.
| |
2.3. |
Periodic Spread Information. |
Provided no Default or Event
of Default exists, not later than 9:30 A.M. (New York City local
time) on a Business Day during the Issuance Period, the Company may
request by telecopier or telephone, and each of Prudential, if
there is a Prudential Availability Facility Amount on such Business
Day, and iStar, if there is an iStar Availability Facility Amount
on such Business Day, will, to the extent reasonably practicable,
provide to the Company on such Business Day (or, if such request is
received after 9:30 A.M. (New York City local time) on such
Business Day, on the following Business Day), information (by
telecopier or telephone) with respect to various spreads at which
Prudential, iStar or any of their respective Affiliates might be
interested in purchasing Shelf Notes of different average lives;
provided , however , that the Company may not make
such requests more frequently than once in every ten Business Days
or such other period as shall be mutually agreed to by the Company,
Prudential and iStar. The amount and content of information so
provided shall be in the separate sole discretion of each of
Prudential and iStar but it is the intent of both to provide
information which will be of use to the Company in determining
whether to initiate procedures for use of the Facility. Information
so provided shall not constitute an offer to purchase Shelf Notes,
and neither Prudential, iStar nor any of their respective
Affiliates shall be obligated to purchase Shelf Notes at the
spreads
5
specified. Information so provided shall
be representative of potential interest only for the period
commencing on the day such information is provided and ending on
the earlier of the fifth Business Day after such day and the first
day after such day on which further spread information is provided.
Each of Prudential and iStar may suspend or terminate providing
information pursuant to this Section 2.3 for any reason,
including its determination that the credit quality of any Issuer
has declined since the date of this Agreement.
| |
2.4. |
Request for Purchase. |
The Company may from time to
time during the Issuance Period make requests for purchases of
Shelf Notes by delivering a completed request substantially in the
form of Exhibit 2.4 (each such request being herein called a
“ Request for Purchase ”). Each Request for
Purchase shall be made to each of Prudential and iStar by
telecopier or overnight delivery service, and shall
(a) specify the aggregate principal amount of Shelf Notes
covered thereby, which shall not be less than the lesser of
$5,000,000 and the undrawn portion of the Available Facility Amount
if less than $5,000,000, and not be greater than the Prudential
Available Facility Amount, in the case of Prudential, or the iStar
Available Facility Amount, in the case of iStar, at the time such
Request for Purchase is made, (b) specify the principal
amounts, final maturities and principal prepayment dates and
amounts of the Shelf Notes covered thereby, (c) specify the
use of proceeds of such Shelf Notes, (d) specify the proposed
day for the closing of the purchase and sale of such Shelf Notes,
which shall be a Business Day during the Issuance Period not less
than 10 days and not more than 25 days after the making of such
Request for Purchase, (e) specify the number of the account
and the name and address of the depository institution to which the
purchase prices of such Shelf Notes are to be transferred on the
Closing Day for such purchase and sale, (f) certify that the
representations and warranties contained in Section 5 are true
on and as of the date of such Request for Purchase and that there
exists on the date of such Request for Purchase no Event of Default
or Default, and (g) be substantially in the form of Exhibit
2.4 attached hereto. Each Request for Purchase shall be in writing
and shall be deemed made when received by both Prudential and
iStar. For the avoidance of doubt, the terms of the Requests for
Purchase delivered to Prudential and iStar in respect of a
particular issuance of Shelf Notes shall be identical.
Not later than five Business
Days after the Company shall have given both Prudential and iStar a
Request for Purchase pursuant to Section 2.4, each of
Prudential and iStar may, but shall be under no obligation to,
provide to the Company by telephone or telecopier, in each case
between 9:30 A.M. and 1:30 P.M. New York City local time (or such
later time as either may elect) interest rate quotes for the
several principal amounts, maturities and principal prepayment
schedules of Shelf Notes specified in such Request for Purchase.
Each quote shall represent the interest rate per annum payable on
such Shelf Notes at which Prudential, iStar or one or more of their
respective Affiliates would be willing to purchase such Shelf Notes
at 100% of the principal amount thereof. If in response to a
Request for Purchase, both Prudential and iStar provide interest
rate quotes, then the quotes from Prudential and iStar must be
identical or the Company may not accept such quotes pursuant to
Section 2.6. If such quotes are not identical, then Prudential
and iStar will consult with one another and the Company in an
effort to conform the quotes, and will endeavor to provide
identical quotes as promptly as possible, provided, however
, neither Prudential nor iStar shall have any obligation to agree
on or provide identical quotes.
6
Within 30 minutes after both
Prudential and iStar shall have provided any interest rate quotes
pursuant to Section 2.5 or such shorter period as either may
specify to the Company (such period herein called the “
Acceptance Window ”), the Company may, subject to
Section 2.7, elect to accept such interest rate quotes as to
not less than $5,000,000 (or such lesser amount as is equal to the
undrawn portion of the Available Facility Amount) aggregate
principal amount of the Shelf Notes specified in the related
Request for Purchase. Such election shall be made by an Authorized
Officer of the Company notifying Prudential and iStar by telephone
or telecopier within the Acceptance Window that the Company elects
to accept such interest rate quotes, specifying the Shelf Notes
(each such Shelf Note being herein called an “ Accepted
Note ”) as to which such acceptance (herein called an
“ Acceptance ”) relates, provided that if
both Prudential and iStar have provided interest rate quotes, and
there is sufficient availability in both Available Facility
Amounts, then the Company must accept 50% of such principal amount
from Prudential and 50% from iStar. If there is availability in
both Available Facility Amounts, but not sufficient availability
for the Company to comply with the preceding sentence, then it
shall accept the full amount of the availability from either
Prudential or iStar, whichever has the smaller Available Facility
Amount, and the balance from the other. If either Prudential or
iStar has not provided interest rate quotes and the other has, or
there is remaining availability in one Available Facility Amount,
but not the other, then the Company may accept the interest rate
quotes that have been provided up to the remaining availability in
the applicable Available Facility Amount. The day the Company
notifies an Acceptance with respect to any Accepted Notes is herein
called the “ Acceptance Day ” for such Accepted
Notes. Any interest rate quotes as to which Prudential and iStar do
not receive an Acceptance within the Acceptance Window shall
expire, and no purchase or sale of Shelf Notes hereunder shall be
made based on such expired interest rate quotes. Subject to
Section 2.7 and the other terms and conditions hereof, the
Issuers agree to sell to Prudential, iStar or one or more of their
respective Affiliates, and Prudential and iStar agree to purchase
or cause the purchase by one or more of their respective Affiliates
of, the Accepted Notes at 100% of the principal amount of such
Shelf Notes. As soon as practicable following the Acceptance Day,
the Company and each Purchaser which is to purchase any such
Accepted Notes will execute a confirmation of such Acceptance
substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.6 attached hereto (herein
called a “ Confirmation of Acceptance ”). If the
Company should fail to execute and return to Prudential and iStar,
within three Business Days following receipt thereof a Confirmation
of Acceptance with respect to any Accepted Notes, either Prudential
or iStar may at its election at any time prior to its receipt
thereof cancel the closing with respect to such Accepted Notes by
so notifying the Company and Prudential or iStar (whichever should
not be canceling such closing) in writing. If the Company shall
execute a Confirmation of Acceptance with respect to such Accepted
Notes, the third preceding sentence shall apply.
Notwithstanding the
provisions of Section 2.6, if Prudential and iStar shall have
provided interest rate quotes pursuant to Section 2.5 and
thereafter, prior to the time an Acceptance with respect to such
quotes shall have been notified to Prudential and iStar in
accordance with Section
7
2.6, the domestic market for U.S.
Treasury securities or other financial instruments shall have
closed or there shall have occurred a general suspension, material
limitation, or significant disruption of trading in securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the domestic market
for U.S. Treasury securities or other financial instruments, then
such interest rate quotes shall expire, and no purchase or sale of
Shelf Notes hereunder shall be made based on such expired interest
rate quotes. If the Company thereafter notifies Prudential or iStar
of the Acceptance of any such interest rate quotes, such Acceptance
shall be ineffective for all purposes of this Agreement, and
Prudential and/or iStar (whichever shall have received such
Acceptance) shall promptly notify the Company that the provisions
of this Section 2.7 are applicable with respect to such
Acceptance.
Not later than 11:30 A.M.
(New York City local time) on the Closing Day for any Accepted
Notes, the Issuers will deliver to each Purchaser listed in the
Confirmation of Acceptance relating thereto at the offices of the
Prudential Capital Group specified on the first page hereof, if
such Purchaser is Prudential or one of its Affiliates, or at the
offices of iStar specified on the first page hereof, if such
Purchaser is iStar or one of its Affiliates, the Accepted Notes to
be purchased by such Purchaser in the form of one or more Shelf
Notes in such authorized denominations as such Purchaser may
request for each Series of Accepted Notes to be purchased on the
Closing Day, dated the Closing Day and registered in such
Purchaser’s name (or in the name of its nominee), against
payment of the purchase price thereof by transfer of immediately
available funds for credit to the account specified by the Company
in the Request for Purchase of such Shelf Notes. If the Issuers
fail to tender to any Purchaser the Accepted Notes to be purchased
by such Purchaser on the scheduled Closing Day for such Accepted
Notes as provided above in this Section 2.8 or any of the
conditions specified in Section 4 shall not have been
fulfilled by the time required on such scheduled Closing Day, the
Company shall, prior to 1:00 P.M., New York City local time, on
such scheduled Closing Day notify Prudential and iStar (which
notification shall be deemed received by each Purchaser) in writing
whether (i) such closing is to be rescheduled (such
rescheduled date to be a Business Day during the Issuance Period
not less than one Business Day and not more than 10 Business Days
after such scheduled Closing Day (the “ Rescheduled
Closing Day ”)) and certify to Prudential and iStar
(which certification shall be for the benefit of each Purchaser)
that the Company reasonably believes that it will be able to comply
with the conditions set forth in Section 4 on such Rescheduled
Closing Day and that the Company will pay the Delayed Delivery Fee
in accordance with Section 2.9(c) or (ii) such closing is
to be canceled. In the event that the Company shall fail to give
such notice referred to in the preceding sentence, either
Prudential or iStar (on behalf of each Purchaser) may at its
election, at any time after 1:00 P.M., New York City local time, on
such scheduled Closing Day, notify the Company in writing that such
closing is to be canceled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
appearing in this Agreement, the Company may elect to reschedule a
closing with respect to any given Accepted Notes on not more than
two occasions, unless Prudential and iStar shall have otherwise
consented in writing.
8
(a) Facility
Fee . On the Series B Closing Date, the Company will pay to
Prudential and iStar in immediately available funds, a fee (herein
called the “ Facility Fee ”) in the aggregate
amount of $100,000, half of which shall be paid to Prudential and
half to iStar.
(b) Issuance
Fee The Company will pay to each Purchaser in immediately
available funds a fee (herein called the “ Issuance
Fee ”) on each Closing Day (including, without
limitation, the Series B Closing Date) in an amount equal to 1% of
the aggregate principal amount of Shelf Notes sold to and purchased
by such Purchaser on such Closing Day. For the avoidance of doubt,
no issuance fee will be payable in respect of the Existing Series A
Notes.
(c) Delayed
Delivery Fee. If the closing of the purchase and sale of
any Accepted Note following the Series B Closing Date is delayed
for any reason beyond the original Closing Day for such Accepted
Note, the Company will pay to the Purchaser of such Accepted Note
(a) on the Cancellation Date or actual closing date of such
purchase and sale and (b) if earlier, the next Business Day
following 90 days after the Acceptance Day for such Accepted Note
and on each Business Day following 90 days after the prior payment
hereunder, a fee (herein called the “ Delayed Delivery
Fee ”) calculated as follows:
(BEY - MMY) X DTS/360 X
PA
where “ BEY ” means
Bond Equivalent Yield, i.e., the bond equivalent yield per annum of
such Accepted Note; “ MMY ” means Money Market
Yield, i.e., the yield per annum on a commercial paper investment
of the highest quality selected by Prudential and iStar on the date
Prudential and iStar receive notice of the delay in the closing for
such Accepted Note having a maturity date or dates the same as, or
closest to, the Rescheduled Closing Day or Rescheduled Closing Days
(a new alternative investment being selected by Prudential and
iStar each time such closing is delayed); “ DTS
” means Days to Settlement, i.e., the number of actual days
elapsed from and including the original Closing Day with respect to
such Accepted Note (in the case of the first such payment with
respect to such Accepted Note) or from and including the date of
the next preceding payment (in the case of any subsequent Delayed
Delivery Fee payment with respect to such Accepted Note) to but
excluding the date of such payment; and “ PA ”
means Principal Amount, i.e., the principal amount of the Accepted
Note for which such calculation is being made. In no case shall the
Delayed Delivery Fee be less than zero. Nothing contained herein
shall obligate any Purchaser to purchase any Accepted Note on any
day other than the Closing Day for such Accepted Note, as the same
may be rescheduled from time to time in compliance with
Section 2.8.
(d) Cancellation
Fee. If the Company at any time notifies Prudential and
iStar in writing that the Company is canceling the closing of the
purchase and sale of any Accepted Note following the Series B
Closing Date, or if Prudential, iStar or any of their respective
Affiliates notifies the Company in writing under the circumstances
set forth in the penultimate sentence of Section 2.6 or the
penultimate sentence of Section 2.8 that the closing of the
purchase and sale of such Accepted Note is to be canceled, or if
the closing of the purchase and sale of such Accepted Note is not
consummated on or prior to the last day of the Issuance Period (the
date of any such notification, or the last day of the Issuance
Period, as the case may be, being herein called the
9
“ Cancellation Date
”), the Company will pay the Purchasers in immediately
available funds an amount (the “ Cancellation Fee
”) calculated as follows:
PI X PA
where “ PI ” means
Price Increase, i.e., the quotient (expressed in decimals) obtained
by dividing (a) the excess of the ask price (as determined by
Prudential and iStar) of the Hedge Treasury Note(s) on the
Cancellation Date over the bid price (as determined by Prudential
and iStar) of the Hedge Treasury Notes(s) on the Acceptance Day for
such Accepted Note by (b) such bid price; and “
PA ” has the meaning ascribed to it in
Section 2.9(c). The foregoing bid and ask prices shall be as
reported by TradeWeb LLC (or, if such data for any reason ceases to
be available through TradeWeb LLC, any publicly available source of
similar market data). Each price shall be rounded to the second
decimal place. In no case shall the Cancellation Fee be less than
zero.
10
(e) Non-Renewal
Fee.
(i) For purposes of this
Section 2.9(e) only, at the written request of the Company,
each of Prudential and iStar agrees that it will, on or about
August 20, 2009, send a written notice to the Company setting
forth the indicative spread for a fixed rate senior secured note of
the Company with a five year bullet maturity (a “
Quote ”). Without limiting the obligations of the
parties set forth in the other provisions of this Agreement
(including, without limitation those set forth in Section 2)
and for purposes of this Section 2.9(e) only, each of
Prudential and iStar agrees, upon written request of the Company,
to use its good faith efforts in the next thirty (30) days to
provide the Company one or more additional Quotes using
substantially similar methodology to that used to determine the
Quote provided above, subject to market conditions at the time of
making such additional Quote or Quotes.
(ii) If, on or before
September 20, 2009, the Company does not sell Shelf Notes
hereunder, the proceeds of which are used to repay the Series A
Notes in full, then the Company, on September 20, 2009, shall
pay to each of Prudential and iStar its portion of a fee (the
“ Non-Renewal Fee ”) in a total amount equal to
3% of $80,000,000 (one-half payable to Prudential and one-half
payable to iStar), unless either of the following shall have
occurred: (A) subject to clause (iii) and clause
(iv) of this Section 2.9(e), Prudential or iStar, as the
case may be, shall be unwilling or unable to provide Quotes to the
Company as set forth in Section 2.9(e)(i) or to purchase any
such Shelf Notes or (B) the Quote provided by Prudential or
iStar, as the case may be, on or about August 20, 2009, is not
substantially similar to Quotes which other QIBs in the
institutional private placement market would be willing to offer at
such time to other issuers operating in the death care industry
with substantially similar credit ratings as the Company (or if
there are not at least three similarly rated issuers operating in
the death care industry at such time, issuers which have
substantially similar credit ratings as the Company and operate in
one or more service industries specified by iStar and Prudential
which are viewed by the credit markets as being reasonably similar
to the death care industry).
(iii) The failure of either
Prudential or iStar to fulfill its obligations set forth in this
Section 2.9(e) will not excuse the Company from its
obligations (A) to repay to all holders of the Series A Notes
in accordance with their terms, or (B) to pay the portion of
the Non-Renewal Fee that is due to either Prudential or iStar if it
shall have performed its obligations set forth in this
Section 2.9(e), regardless of whether the other shall have so
performed.
(iv) Notwithstanding anything
in this Section 2.9(e) to the contrary, nothing in this
Section 2.9(e) creates, or is intended to create, a commitment
on the part of either Prudential or iStar to provide financing to
the Company. For the avoidance of doubt it is agreed and understood
that, if either Prudential or iStar, or both of them, is unwilling
or unable to perform its obligations set forth in
Section 2.9(e)(i), then the only consequence of its failure is
that it shall be ineligible to receive its portion of the
Non-Renewal Fee as contemplated above.
11
| 3. |
PURCHASE OF SERIES B NOTES; THE CLOSING. |
Subject to the terms of this
Agreement, the Issuers hereby agree to issue and sell to each
Purchaser specified in Schedule A hereto (each Purchaser of Series
B Notes, a “ Series B Purchaser ”), and each
Series B Purchaser agrees to purchase from the Issuers, Series B
Notes in the aggregate principal amount set forth opposite its name
in Schedule A hereto at a price of 100% of the principal amount
thereof. The Series B Purchasers’ obligations hereunder are
several and not joint obligations and no Series B Purchaser shall
have any liability to any Person for the performance or
non-performance of any obligation by any other Series B Purchaser
hereunder.
The closing of the sale and
purchase of the Series B Notes to be purchased under this Agreement
shall occur at the offices of Bingham McCutchen LLP, 399 Park
Avenue, New York, NY 10022, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on
August 15, 2007, or at such other location or on such later
date as shall be mutually satisfactory to the Company and the
Series B Purchasers (the “ Series B Closing Date
”). On the Series B Closing Date the Issuers will deliver to
each Series B Purchaser the Notes to be purchased by it in the form
of a single Note (or such greater number of Shelf Notes in
denominations of at least $100,000 as such Series B Purchaser may
request prior to such closing), registered in such Series B
Purchaser’s name or the name of its nominee and dated the
Series B Closing Date against delivery by such Series B Purchaser
to the Issuers or their order of the purchase price therefor by
wire transfer of immediately available funds for the account of
Bank of America, N.A., 225 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD
21202-3575, ABA NO. 026009593, Credit to: StoneMor Operating LLC
Concentration Account Acct. No. 003921313200. If at such closing
the Issuers shall fail to tender such Shelf Notes to any Series B
Purchaser as provided above in this Section 3, or any of the
conditions specified in Section 4 shall not have been
fulfilled to such Series B Purchaser’s satisfaction, such
Series B Purchaser shall, at such Series B Purchaser’s
election, be relieved of all further obligations under this
Agreement, without thereby waiving any rights such Series B
Purchaser may have by reason of such failure or such
nonfulfillment.
| 4. |
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING. |
| |
4.1. |
Amendment and Restatement; Series B Notes
Closing. |
The amendment and restatement
of the Existing Note Agreement, and the obligation of each Series B
Purchaser to purchase the Series B Notes to be purchased by it
hereunder, shall be subject to the fulfillment to the satisfaction
of such Series A Holder or Series B Purchaser on or before the
Series B Closing Date of the following conditions (the Series A
Holders and the Series B Purchaser being referred to collectively
as the “ Series A/B Noteholders ”):
(a)
Representations and Warranties. The representations
and warranties of the Credit Parties in this Agreement and in the
other Finance Documents shall (except as expressly affected by the
transactions contemplated hereby) be correct on the Series B
Closing Date.
(b) Performance;
No Default. Each of the Credit Parties shall have performed
and complied with all agreements and conditions contained in this
Agreement and the other Finance Documents on their respective parts
required to be performed or complied with under this Agreement and
the other Finance Documents on or prior to the Series B Closing
Date; since
12
December 31, 2006, no Credit Party
shall have consolidated with, merged into, or sold, leased,
transferred or otherwise disposed of its properties as an entirety
or substantially as an entirety to, any Person other than another
Credit Party, and after giving effect to the issue and sale of the
Series B Notes (and the substantially concurrent application of the
proceeds thereof to repay Indebtedness as contemplated by
Section 5.14), no Default or Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing.
(c)
Certificates.
(i) Officer’s
Certificates . Each Credit Party shall have delivered to each
Series A/B Noteholder an Officer’s Certificate, dated the
Series B Closing Date, certifying that the conditions specified in
Sections 4.1(a) and 4.1(b) have been fulfilled and that the Credit
Parties, on a consolidated basis, will be Solvent after giving
effect to the Transaction.
(ii) Secretary’s
Certificates . Each Credit Party shall have delivered to each
Series A/B Noteholder a certificate (i) either
(1) attaching a certified copy of each Credit Party’s
Organizational Documents or (2) certifying that no changes
have been made to the copies delivered under the Existing Note
Agreement, (ii) attaching resolutions authorizing the
Transaction, each, in form and substance satisfactory to the Series
A/B Noteholders, and (iii) attaching incumbency certificates
and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Credit
Party as the Series A/B Noteholders may require evidencing the
identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer
thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection
with this Agreement and the other Finance Documents to which such
Credit Party is a party or is to be a party.
(iii) Other
Certifications . Such documents and certifications as the
Series A/B Noteholders may reasonably require to evidence that each
Credit Party is duly organized or formed, and that each Credit
Party is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage
in business in (i) its jurisdiction of incorporation or
organization and (ii) each other jurisdiction where its
ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its
business requires such qualification, except to the extent that
failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Opinions of
Counsel. Each Series A/B Noteholder shall have received
opinions of counsel, each dated the Series B Closing Date and
addressed to it, from
(i) Bingham McCutchen LLP,
who are acting as the Series A/B Noteholders’ special counsel
in connection with this transaction, in form and substance
satisfactory to such Series A/B Noteholder,
(ii) Blank Rome LLP, counsel
for the Credit Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit
4.1(d)(ii), and
(iii) each firm listed on
Schedule 4.1(d)(iii), substantially in the form of
Exhibit 4.1(d)(iii) hereto (with appropriate variations for
each state, as contemplated by said Exhibit and such other
variations as may be approved by each Series A/B Noteholder or its
counsel), and each such opinion shall cover such other matters
incident to this
13
transaction as such Series
A/B Noteholder may reasonably request. The Credit Parties hereby
instruct such counsel referred to in clauses (ii) and
(iii) to deliver their respective opinions to the Series A/B
Noteholders.
(e) Confirmation
and Reaffirmation of General Partner/Parent Guarantee. Each
Series A/B Noteholder shall have received a confirmation and
reaffirmation of General Partner/ Parent Guarantee, dated on or
before the Series B Closing Date (“ Confirmation and
Reaffirmation of General Partner/Parent Guarantee ”),
duly executed and delivered by the General Partner and the Parent
in the form of Exhibit 4.1(e) hereto.
(f) Credit
Agreement The Credit Parties shall have entered into the
Credit Agreement in form and substance satisfactory to such Series
A/B Noteholder, and the Issuers shall have satisfied the conditions
precedent to the initial Credit Extensions (as defined in the
Credit Agreement) other than the effectiveness of the amendment and
restatement of the Existing Note Agreement contemplated by this
Agreement. Such Series A/B Noteholder shall have received true and
complete copies of the Credit Agreement, each certificate, opinion
or other writing then or theretofore delivered to any party to the
Credit Agreement in respect of the satisfaction of such conditions
precedent (without duplication as to conditions specifically set
forth in this Section 4.1).
(g)
Intercreditor Agreement Each Series A/B Noteholder
shall have received the Intercreditor Agreement, dated the Series B
Closing Date, duly executed and delivered in the form attached
hereto as Exhibit 4.1(g) and such Series A/B Noteholder shall have
received a counterpart thereof executed by the Collateral
Agent.
(h) Other
Security Documents. Each of the following shall have
occurred:
(i) Each Series A/B
Noteholder shall have received the Confirmation Agreement, duly
executed and delivered in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
4.1(h)(i), together with:
(A) stamped receipt copies of
proper financing statements, duly filed on or before the Series B
Closing Date under the Uniform Commercial Code of all jurisdictions
that the Series A/B Noteholders may deem necessary or desirable in
order to perfect the Liens created under the Security Agreement,
covering the Collateral described in the Security Agreement, to the
extent not previously received by the Series A/B Noteholders
pursuant to the Existing Note Agreement,
(B) completed UCC lien search
requests, not earlier than one hundred fifty (150) days prior
to the Series B Closing Date, for such Credit Parties as may be
agreed to between the Issuers and the Series A/B Noteholders, in
their reasonable discretion,
(C) evidence of the
completion of all other actions, recordings and filings of or with
respect to the Security Agreement that the Series A/B Noteholders
may deem necessary or desirable in order to perfect the Lien
created thereby, and
14
(D) evidence that all other
actions that any Series A/B Noteholder may deem necessary or
desirable in order to perfect the Liens created under the Security
Documents has been taken.
(ii) the Collateral Agent
shall have received modifications to the existing Mortgages, in
substantially the form of Exhibit 4.1(h)(ii) (with such changes as
may be satisfactory to the Series A/B Noteholders and their counsel
to account for local law matters) and covering the properties
identified as mortgaged on Schedules 5.8(c), (d)(i) and (d)(ii)
(the “ Modifications ”), duly executed by the
appropriate Credit Party, together with:
(A) evidence that
counterparts of the Modifications have been duly executed,
acknowledged and delivered and are in form suitable for filing or
recording in all filing or recording offices that the Series A/B
Noteholders may deem necessary or desirable in order to create,
together with the Mortgages, a valid and subsisting Lien on the
property described therein in favor of the Collateral Agent and
that all applicable filing, documentary, stamp, intangible and
recording taxes and fees have been paid or an amount equal thereto
has been remitted to the title insurers described in clause
(B) below;
(B) modifications to the
Mortgage Policies, with endorsements and in amounts acceptable to
the Series A/B Noteholders, issued, coinsured and reinsured by
title insurers acceptable to the Series A/B Noteholders, insuring
the Mortgages, as modified by the Modifications, to be valid first
and subsisting Liens on the property described therein, free and
clear of all defects (including, but not limited to,
mechanics’ and materialmen’s Liens) and encumbrances,
excepting only Permitted Encumbrances and other Liens permitted
under the Finance Documents, and providing for such other
affirmative insurance (including endorsements for future advances
under the Finance Documents, for mechanics’ and
materialmen’s Liens and for zoning of the applicable
property), affidavits of no change with respect to surveys and such
other documents as the Series A/B Noteholders or title insurer may
deem necessary or desirable; and
(C) evidence that all other
action that the Series A/B Noteholders may deem necessary or
desirable in order to create valid subsisting Liens on the property
described in the Mortgages has been taken, subject only to
Permitted Encumbrances.
(i)
Solvency. Such Series A/B Noteholder shall have such
evidence reasonably requested by such Series A/B Noteholder of the
solvency of the Credit Parties on a consolidated basis after giving
effect to the Transaction.
(j)
Legality. On the Series B Closing Date the purchase
of Shelf Notes by such Series A/B Noteholder shall (a) be
permitted by the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction to which
it is subject, without recourse to provisions (such as
Section 1405(a)(8) of the New York Insurance Law) permitting
limited investments by insurance companies without restriction as
to the character of the particular investment, (b) not violate
any applicable law or regulation
15
(including, without limitation,
Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System) and (c) not subject such Series A/B Noteholder
to any tax, penalty or liability under or pursuant to any
applicable law or regulation, which law or regulation was not in
effect on the date hereof. If requested by such Series A/B
Noteholder, it shall have received an Officer’s Certificate
of the Company certifying as to such matters of fact as it may
reasonably specify to enable it to determine whether such purchase
is so permitted.
(k) Other
Documents. Each Series A/B Noteholder shall have received
the following:
(i) Audited Financial
Statements, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such
Series A/B Noteholder;
(ii) a certificate signed by
a Responsible Officer of the Issuers certifying, (a) that
there has been no event or circumstance since December 31,
2006, that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;
(b) all materials and information provided to the Series A/B
Noteholders by the Credit Parties in connection with the
Transaction was, at the time provided, and continues to be complete
and correct in all material respects as of the Series B Closing
Date; and (c) either (i) attaching copies of all
consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the
consummation by the Credit Parties of the Transaction and the
execution, delivery and performance by each such Credit Party and
the validity against each such Credit Party of the Finance
Documents to which it is a party, and such consents, licenses and
approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (ii) stating
that no such consents, licenses or approvals are so
required;
(iii) evidence that all
insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Finance
Documents has been obtained and is in effect, together with the
certificates of insurance, naming the Collateral Agent, on behalf
of the Series A/B Noteholders, as a mortgagee, additional insured
or loss payee, as the case may be, under all insurance policies
maintained with respect to the assets and properties of the Credit
Parties that constitutes Collateral; and
(iv) such other assurances,
certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the any Series A/B
Noteholder may reasonably may require.
(l) Private
Placement Number. A private placement number shall have
been obtained with respect to the Series B Notes from
S&P’s CUSIP Service Bureau.
(m) Payment of
Special Counsel Fees. Without limiting the provisions of
Section 15.1, the Issuers shall have paid on or before the
Series B Closing Date the fees, charges and disbursements of the
Series A/B Noteholders’ special counsel referred to in
Section 4.1(d)(i) to the extent reflected in a statement of
such counsel rendered to the Company at least one Business Day
prior to the Series B Closing Date.
(n) Funding
Instructions. At least three Business Days prior to the
Series B Closing Date such Series A/B Noteholder shall have
received written instructions signed by a
16
Responsible Officer of the Company on
letterhead of the Company reciting the details as specified in
Section 3 of the manner of payment of the purchase price for
the Series B Notes to be purchased on the Series B Closing
Date.
(o) Other
Purchases. All Series B Purchasers (other than such Series
A/B Noteholder if it is a Series B Purchaser) shall have purchased
Series B Notes in the respective principal amounts to be purchased
by them under this Agreement as specified in Schedule A.
(p) Facility
Fee. The Company shall have paid the Facility Fee pursuant
to Section 2.9(a) in immediately available funds to the
account or accounts of the holders of Notes as specified below such
holders’ name in Schedule 2.9 attached hereto.
(q) Issuance
Fee. The Company shall have paid the Issuance Fee pursuant
to Section 2.9(b) in immediately available funds to the
account or accounts of the holders of Notes as specified below such
holders’ name in Schedule 2.9 attached hereto.
(r) Proceedings
Satisfactory . All proceedings taken in connection
with the amendment and restatement of the Existing Note Agreement
and the Existing Series A Notes, the issue of the Series B Notes
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by
the other Finance Documents and all documents and instruments
incident to such transactions shall be satisfactory to such Series
A/B Noteholder and its special counsel, and such Series A/B
Noteholder and its special counsel shall have received all such
counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such
documents, all in form and substance satisfactory to such Series
A/B Noteholder and the Series A/B Noteholders’ special
counsel, as such Series A/B Noteholder or such special counsel may
reasonably request in connection therewith.
| |
4.2. |
Conditions to Closing Each Purchase of Shelf Notes Following
the Series B Closing Date. |
The obligation of any
Purchaser to purchase and pay for any Shelf Notes following the
Series B Closing Date is subject to the satisfaction, on or before
the Closing Day for such Shelf Notes, of the following
conditions:
(a) Certain
Documents. Such Purchaser shall have received the
following, each dated the applicable Closing Day:
(i) the Shelf Note(s) to be
purchased by such Purchaser;
(ii) certified copies of the
resolutions of the board of directors or managing members of the
Issuers authorizing the execution, delivery and issuance of the
Shelf Notes, and of all documents evidencing other necessary
corporate action and governmental approvals, if any, with respect
to the Shelf Notes;
(iii) a certificate of the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary and one other officer of the
Issuers certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of
the Issuers authorized to sign the Shelf Notes and the other
documents to be delivered hereunder;
17
(iv) a certificate
(i) either (1) attaching a certified copy of each Credit
Party’s Organizational Documents or (2) certifying that
no changes have been made to the copies delivered under this
Agreement since the Series B Closing Date;
(v) a favorable opinion of
Blank Rome LLP, special counsel of the Issuers (or such other
counsel designated by the Issuers and acceptable to the
Purchaser(s)) satisfactory to such Purchaser and substantially in
the form of Exhibit 4.2(a)(v) attached hereto and as to such other
matters as such Purchaser may reasonably request. Each of the
Credit Parties hereby directs such counsel to deliver such opinion,
agrees that the issuance and sale of any Shelf Notes will
constitute a reconfirmation of such direction, and understands and
agrees that each Purchaser receiving such an opinion will and is
hereby authorized to rely on such opinion;
(vi) a Private Placement
Number issued by S&P’s CUSIP Service Bureau (in
connection with the Securities Valuation Office of the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners) for the Shelf Notes to be
purchased; and
(vii) additional documents or
certificates with respect to legal matters or corporate or other
proceedings related to the transactions contemplated hereby as may
be reasonably requested by such Purchaser.
(b) Opinion of
Purchaser’s Special Counsel. Such Purchaser shall
have received from Bingham McCutchen LLP or such other counsel who
is acting as special counsel for it in connection with the issuance
of such Shelf Notes, a favorable opinion satisfactory to such
Purchaser as to such matters incident to the matters herein
contemplated as it may reasonably request.
(c)
Representations and Warranties; No Default. The
representations and warranties contained in Section 5 shall be
true on and as of such Closing Day, except to the extent of changes
caused by the transactions herein contemplated; there shall exist
on such Closing Day no Event of Default or Default; and the Credit
Parties shall have delivered to such Purchaser an Officer’s
Certificate, dated such Closing Day, to both such
effects.
(d) Purchase
Permitted by Applicable Laws. The purchase of and payment
for the Shelf Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser on the terms
and conditions herein provided (including the use of the proceeds
of such Shelf Notes by the Issuers) shall not violate any
applicable law or governmental regulation (including, without
limitation, Section 5 of the Securities Act or Regulation T, U
or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) and
shall not subject such Purchaser to any tax, penalty, liability or
other onerous condition under or pursuant to any applicable law or
governmental regulation, and such Purchaser shall have received
such certificates or other evidence as it may request to establish
compliance with this condition.
18
(e) Payment of
Fees. The Company shall have paid the Issuance Fee due to
such Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.9(b) in respect of its
purchase of such Shelf Notes, as well as any Delayed Delivery Fee
due pursuant to Section 2.9(c).
(f) Payment of
Closing Expenses. The Issuers shall have paid at the
closing the fees and disbursements of the special counsel to the
Purchasers as presented by such counsel in a statement on the
Closing Day and for which the Issuers are responsible in accordance
with Section 15.1.
(g)
Proceedings. All proceedings taken or to be taken in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and all
documents incident thereto shall be satisfactory in form and
substance to such Purchaser, and such Purchaser shall have received
all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such
documents as it may reasonably request.
| 5. |
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. |
Each Credit Party represents
and warrants to the Purchasers that:
| |
5.1. |
Existence, Qualification and Power. |
Each of the Credit Parties
and its Subsidiaries (a) is a duly organized or formed,
validly existing and as applicable, in good standing under the Laws
of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization,
(b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite
governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to
(i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and
(ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the
Credit Agreement Documents to which it is a party and consummate
the Transaction, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed
and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each
jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties
or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or
license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c),
to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
| |
5.2. |
Authorization; No Contravention. |
Neither the execution,
delivery or performance by any Credit Party of the Finance
Documents or the Credit Agreement Documents to which it is a party,
nor compliance by any Credit Party with the terms and provisions
thereof, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated
herein or therein:
(a) on the Series B
Closing Date, (i) will contravene, conflict with or result in
a breach or default under any applicable Law, statute, rule or
regulation, or any order, writ, injunction, judgment, ruling or
decree of any court, arbitrator or governmental instrumentality,
(ii) will contravene, constitute a default under, conflict or
be inconsistent with or result in any breach of, any of the terms,
covenants, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default
under, or (other than pursuant to the Security Documents) result in
the creation or imposition of (or the obligation to create or
impose) any Lien upon any of the property or assets of any Credit
Party pursuant to the terms of any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, credit agreement or any other agreement or
instrument to which any Credit Party is a party or by which it or
any of its property or
19
assets are bound or to which
it may be subject or (iii) will contravene or violate any
provision of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws, certificate
of partnership, partnership agreement, certificate of limited
liability company, limited liability company agreement or
equivalent organizational document, as the case may be, of any
Credit Party;
(b) at any time after
the Series B Closing Date, (i) will contravene, conflict with
or result in a breach or default under any material provisions of
any material applicable Law, statute, rule or regulation, or any
order, writ, injunction, judgment, ruling or decree of any court,
arbitrator or governmental instrumentality, (ii) will
contravene, constitute a default under, conflict or be inconsistent
with or result in any breach of, any of the terms, covenants,
conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or
(other than pursuant to the Security Documents) result in the
creation or imposition of (or the obligation to create or impose)
any Lien upon any of the property or assets of any Credit Party
pursuant to the terms of any material indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, credit agreement or any other material
agreement or instrument to which any Credit Party is a party or by
which it or any of its property or assets are bound or to which it
may be subject or (iii) will contravene or violate any
provision of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws, certificate
of partnership, partnership agreement, certificate of limited
liability company, limited liability company agreement or
equivalent organizational document, as the case may be, of any
Credit Party; or
(c) will at any time,
contravene, conflict with or result in a breach or default under
any registration, license, permit or certificate to conduct any
cemetery or funeral home business issued by any Governmental
Authority.
| |
5.3. |
Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. |
No approval, consent,
exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or
filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is
necessary or required in connection with (a) the execution,
delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Credit
Party of this Agreement or any other Finance Document, or for the
consummation of the Transaction, (b) the grant by any Credit
Party of the Liens granted by it pursuant to the Security
Documents, (c) the perfection or maintenance of the Liens
created under the Security Documents, or (d) the priority of
such Liens required under the Finance Documents.
This Agreement has been, and
each other Finance Document, when delivered hereunder, will have
been, duly executed and delivered by each Credit Party that is
party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Finance
Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and
binding obligation of such Credit Party, enforceable against each
Credit Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms,
except to the extent that the enforceability thereof may be limited
by applicable Debtor Relief Laws and by equitable principles
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at
law).
20
| |
5.5. |
Financial Statements; No Material Adverse
Effect. |
(a) The Audited
Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except
as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present in
all material respects the financial condition of the Parent and its
Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations
for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently
applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise
expressly noted therein; and (iii) to the extent required by
GAAP, show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct
or contingent, of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date
thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and
Indebtedness.
(b) The unaudited
consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries dated
March 31, 2007, and the related consolidated statements of
income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for
the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period
covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and
(ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial
condition of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof
and their results of operations for the period covered thereby,
subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence
of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.
(c) Since the date of
the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or
circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had
or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(d) The consolidated
budgets of the Parent and its Subsidiaries for 2007 delivered
pursuant to the Existing Note Agreement were prepared in good faith
on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions
were fair in light of the conditions existing at the time of
delivery of such forecasts, and represented, at the time of
delivery, the Parent’s best estimate of its and its
Subsidiaries future financial condition and performance, it being
recognized by the Purchasers that such forecasts are not to be
viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or
periods covered by any such forecasts may differ from the projected
results contained therein and such differences may be
material.
There are no actions, suits,
proceedings or investigations pending or, to any Credit
Party’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting, nor has
any Credit Party received any notices of a claim, (a) with
respect to any Finance Document or Credit Agreement Document, or
any portion of the Transaction, or (b) against any Credit
Party (i) as of the Series B Closing Date, as to which the
amount in controversy is in excess of the Threshold Amount or
(ii) that if adversely determined could, individually or in
the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect. Additionally, there does not exist any judgment,
order or injunction prohibiting or imposing material adverse
conditions upon the occurrence of the purchase and sale of the
Shelf Notes or the other transactions contemplated hereby or by any
other Finance Document.
21
Neither any Credit Party nor
any Subsidiary thereof is in default under or with respect to, or a
party to, any Contractual Obligation that could, either
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect. No Default or Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other
Finance Document.
| |
5.8. |
Ownership of Property; Liens; Investments. |
(a) Each of the Credit
Parties and its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title
in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real
property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business,
except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in
the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) The property of
each Credit Party and each of its Subsidiaries is subject to no
Liens other than Permitted Liens.
(c) Schedule 5.8(c)
sets forth a complete and accurate list of all real property owned
by each of the Credit Parties and its Subsidiaries as of the Series
B Closing Date, showing as of the date hereof the street address,
county or other relevant jurisdiction, state and record owner
thereof. Each of the Credit Parties and its Subsidiaries has good,
marketable and insurable fee simple title to the real property
owned by such Credit Party or such Subsidiary, free and clear of
all Liens, other than Permitted Liens.
(d) (i) Schedule
5.8(d)(i) sets forth a complete and accurate list of all leases of
real property under which any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of a
Credit Party is the lessee as of the Series B Closing Date (other
than intercompany leases among the Credit Parties), showing as of
such date the street address, county or other relevant
jurisdiction, state, lessor, lessee and expiration date thereof.
Each such lease is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the
lessor thereof, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to
the extent that the enforceability thereof may be limited by
applicable Debtor Relief Laws and by equitable principles
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law)
and (ii) Schedule 5.8(d)(ii) sets forth a complete and
accurate list of all leases of real property under which any Credit
Party or any Subsidiary of a Credit Party is the lessor as of the
Series B Closing Date (other than intercompany leases among the
Credit Parties), showing as of such date the street address, county
or other relevant jurisdiction, state, lessor, lessee and
expiration date thereof. Each such lease is the legal, valid and
binding obligation of the lessee thereof, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except to the extent that the enforceability
thereof may be limited by applicable Debtor Relief Laws and by
equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought
in equity or at law).
(e) Except as set
forth on Schedule 5.8(e), no Credit Party or Subsidiary thereof
maintains any Investments other than Investments permitted under
Section 10.3 hereof.
22
| |
5.9. |
Environmental Compliance. |
(a) The Credit Parties
and their respective Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of
business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and
claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation
of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations
and properties, and as a result thereof the Credit Parties have
reasonably concluded that such Environmental Laws and claims could
not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as
(i) could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) otherwise
set forth in Schedule 5.9: (A) none of the properties
currently or formerly owned or operated by any Credit Party or any
of its Subsidiaries is listed or proposed for listing on the NPL or
on the CERCLIS or any analogous foreign, state or local list or is
adjacent to any such property; (B) there are no and never have
been any underground or above-ground storage tanks or any surface
impoundments, septic tanks, pits, sumps or lagoons in which
Hazardous Materials are being or have been treated, stored or
disposed on any property currently owned or operated by any Credit
Party or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the best of the knowledge
of the Credit Parties, on any property formerly owned or operated
by any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries; (C) there is
no asbestos or asbestos-containing material on any property
currently owned or operated by any Credit Party or any of its
Subsidiaries; and (D) Hazardous Materials have not been
released, discharged or disposed of on any property currently or
formerly owned or operated by any Credit Party or any of its
Subsidiaries.
(c) Except as
(i) could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) otherwise
set forth on Schedule 5.9: (A) neither any Credit Party nor
any of its Subsidiaries is undertaking, and has not completed,
either individually or together with other potentially responsible
parties, any investigation or assessment or remedial or response
action relating to any actual or threatened release, discharge or
disposal of Hazardous Materials at any site, location or operation,
either voluntarily or pursuant to the order of any Governmental
Authority or the requirements of any Environmental Law; and
(B) all Hazardous Materials generated, used, treated, handled
or stored at, or transported to or from, any property currently or
formerly owned or operated by any Credit Party or any of its
Subsidiaries have been disposed of in a manner not reasonably
expected to result in material liability to any Credit Party or any
of its Subsidiaries.
The properties of each Issuer
and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and
reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of any Credit Party,
in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as
(a) are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar
businesses and owning similar properties in localities where such
Issuer or the applicable Subsidiary operates and (b) are
necessary to ensure that Uninsured Liabilities of any Credit Party
and/or any Subsidiary are not reasonably likely to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
23
The Credit Parties and their
Subsidiaries have filed all Federal and other material tax returns
and reports required to be filed, and have paid all Federal and
other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental
charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or
assets otherwise due and payable, except for (a) the filing of
tax returns (other than Federal tax returns), the failure of which
to file could not reasonably be expected to be material in relation
to the business, properties, assets, operations, liabilities,
prospects or financial condition of the Credit Parties taken as a
whole, and (b) the payment of taxes and assessments
(i) the amount of which is not individually, or in the
aggregate, material in relation to the business, properties,
assets, operations, liabilities, prospects or financial condition
of the Credit Parties taken as a whole or (ii) which are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently
conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in
accordance with GAAP. There is no material action, suit,
proceeding, investigation, audit, or claim now pending or, to the
knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened by any authority
regarding any taxes relating to any Credit Party. No Credit Party
knows of any basis for any other taxes or assessments that,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect. No Credit Party has entered into an
agreement or waiver or been requested to enter into an agreement or
waiver extending any statute of limitations relating to the payment
or collection of taxes of any Credit Party, or is aware of any
circumstances that would cause the taxable years or other taxable
periods of any Credit Party not to be subject to the normally
applicable statute of limitations. The income of the Parent, of the
Company and of the Subsidiaries of the Company that are intended by
the Parent to be treated as disregarded entities pursuant to Treas.
Reg. Section 301.7701-3, is not subject to federal income tax
at the company level. Neither any Credit Party nor any Subsidiary
thereof is party to any Tax Allocation Agreement.
(a) Each Plan is in
compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions
of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state Laws. Each Plan that
is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code has
received a favorable determination letter, or a favorable opinion
letter in the case of a prototype Plan from the IRS or an
application for such a letter is currently being processed by the
IRS with respect thereto and, to the best knowledge of the Issuers,
nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of,
such qualification. Each Issuer and each ERISA Affiliate have made
all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 412
of the Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an
extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412
of the Code has been made with respect to any Plan.
(b) There are no
pending or, to the best knowledge of the Issuers, threatened
claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental
Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no
prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility
rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
24
(c) (i) No ERISA Event
has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur, which would
result in liabilities, individually or in the aggregate, in excess
of the Threshold Amount; (ii) no Pension Plan has any Unfunded
Pension Liability in excess of the Threshold Amount;
(iii) neither any Issuer nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred,
or reasonably expects to incur, any liability in excess of the
Threshold Amount under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any
Pension Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under
Section 4007 of ERISA); (iv) neither the Parent, its
Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably
expects to incur, any liability in excess of the Threshold Amount
(and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under
Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under
Section 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer
Plan; and (v) neither the Parent, its Subsidiaries nor any
ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject
to Section 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.
(d) Except as provided
on Schedule 5.12(d), none of the Plans is a Multiemployer Plan.
Schedule 5.12(d) sets forth, as of the Series B Closing Date, the
total number of employees of any Issuer or ERISA Affiliate who are
participants in each such Multiemployer Plan listed on Schedule
5.12(d) and the total number of participants in each such
Multiemployer Plan.
(e) The execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Shelf
Notes hereunder will not involve any transaction that is subject to
the prohibitions of section 406 of ERISA or in connection with
which a tax could be imposed pursuant to section
4975(c)(1)(A)-(D) of the Code. The representation by the
Credit Parties to each Purchaser in the first sentence of this
Section 5.12(e) is made in reliance upon and subject to the
accuracy of such Purchaser’s representation in
Section 6.2 as to the sources of the funds used to pay the
purchase price of the Shelf Notes to be purchased by such
Purchaser.
| |
5.13 . |
Subsidiaries; Equity Interests; Credit
Parties. |
(a) No Credit Party
has any Subsidiaries other than those (i) specifically
disclosed in Schedule 5.13(a) or (ii) formed or acquired after
the Series B Closing Date in accordance with Section 10.3, and
all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Subsidiaries have
been validly issued, are fully paid and, to the extent applicable,
non-assessable and are owned by a Credit Party in the amounts
specified on Schedule 5.13(a) (or any update thereto) free and
clear of all Liens except those created under the Security
Documents. Schedule 5.13(a) is a complete and accurate list of all
Credit Parties as of the Series B Closing Date, showing (as to each
such Credit Party) the jurisdiction of its incorporation, the
address of its principal place of business and its U.S. taxpayer
identification number.
(b) No Credit Party
has any equity investments in any other corporation or entity
(other than a Subsidiary) other than those (i) specifically
disclosed in Schedule 5.8(e) or (ii) formed or acquired
after the Series B Closing Date in accordance with
Section 10.3.
25
(c) All of the
outstanding Equity Interests in the Issuers have been validly
issued, are fully paid and, to the extent applicable,
non-assessable and are owned by the Credit Parties and in the
amounts specified on Schedule 5.13(c) free and clear of all Liens
except those created under the Security Documents.
(d) The copy of the
Organizational Documents of each Credit Party, and each amendment
thereto, provided pursuant to the Existing Credit Agreement and
this Agreement, is a true and correct copy of each such document,
each of which is valid and in full force and effect.
| |
5.14. |
Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act;
Federal Power Act. |
(a) The proceeds of
the Series B Notes shall be utilized by the Issuers to repay a
portion of the Existing Indebtedness under the Existing Credit
Agreement and fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
Transaction.
(b) No Credit Party is
engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important
activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock
(within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or
extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin
stock.
(c) None of the
Issuers, any Person Controlling any Issuer, or any Subsidiary is or
is required to be registered as an “investment company”
under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(a) The Credit Parties
have disclosed to the Purchasers all agreements, instruments and
corporate or other restrictions to which any Credit Party is
subject, and all other matters known to any of them, that,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) As of the Series B
Closing Date, no Material Contracts (other than the Credit
Agreement Documents), Shareholders’ Agreements or Tax
Allocation Agreements exist, and no Management Agreements exist
other than Cemetery Management Agreements.
(c) The reports,
financial statements, certificates and other factual information,
taken as a whole, furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on
behalf of any Credit Party to any Purchaser in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this
Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Finance
Document (in each case as modified or supplemented by other
information so furnished) do not contain any material misstatement
of fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect
to projected financial information, the Credit Parties represent
only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon
assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time, it being
recognized
26
by the Purchasers that such projections
are not to be viewed as facts and that actual results during the
period or periods covered by any such projections may differ from
the projected results contained therein and such differences may be
material.
| |
5.16. |
Compliance with Laws. |
Each of the Credit Parties
and its Subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with
the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and
decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such
instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ,
injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the
failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
| |
5.17. |
Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. |
Each of the Credit Parties
and its Subsidiaries owns, or possesses the right to use, all of
the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents,
patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property
rights (collectively, “IP Rights ”) that are
reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective
businesses, without conflict with the rights of any other Person
that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and Schedule 5.17
sets forth a complete and accurate list of (a) all such IP
Rights owned by any Credit Party and registered with any
Governmental Authority (other than trade names), and (b) all
material trade names of the Credit Parties (whether or not
registered), each as of the Series B Closing Date. To the best
knowledge of the Credit Parties, no slogan or other advertising
device, product, process, method, substance, part or other material
now employed, or now contemplated to be employed, by any Credit
Party or any of its Subsidiaries infringes upon any rights held by
any other Person. No claim or litigation regarding any of the
foregoing is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Issuers,
threatened, which, either individually or in the aggregate, could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Each of the Parent and the
Company is, individually and together with its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis, in each case taking into account any rights of
subrogation and contribution among the Credit Parties,
Solvent.
Neither the businesses nor
the properties of any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries are
affected by any fire, explosion, accident, strike, lockout or other
labor dispute, drought, storm, hail, earthquake, embargo, act of
God or of the public enemy or other casualty (whether or not
covered by insurance) that, either individually or in the
aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
No Credit Party is engaged in
any unfair labor practice that has had or could reasonably be
expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect. There is no
(a) unfair labor practice complaint
27
pending against any Credit Party or, to
the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened against any of them,
before the National Labor Relations Board, and no grievance or
arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective
bargaining agreement is so pending against any Credit Party or, to
the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened against any of them,
(b) strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending
against any Credit Party or, to the knowledge of any Credit Party,
threatened against any Credit Party and (c) union
representation question existing with respect to the employees of
any Credit Party and no union organizing activities are taking
place, except (with respect to any matter specified in clause (a),
(b) or (c) above, either individually or in the
aggregate) such as has not had and could not reasonably be expected
to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
| |
5.21. |
Security Documents. |
The provisions of the
Security Documents are effective to create in favor of the
Collateral Agent a legal, valid and enforceable first priority Lien
(subject to Permitted Liens) on all right, title and interest of
the respective Credit Parties in the Collateral described therein.
Except for filings completed on or prior to the Series B Closing
Date and as contemplated hereby and by the Security Documents, no
filing or other action will be necessary to perfect or protect such
Liens.
On the Series B Closing Date
and after giving effect to the Transaction and the other
transactions contemplated hereby, the outstanding Equity Interests
in the Parent shall consist of (i) the general partner
interest in the Parent, (ii) the “incentive distribution
rights” (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) issued to
the General Partner in connection with the transfer of all of its
membership interests in the Company to the Parent,
(iii) 4,795,750 Partnership Common Units, (iv) 4,239,782
Partnership Subordinated Units and (v) rights of directors,
consultants and employees of the General Partner to acquire
Partnership Common Units or their equivalent pursuant to the
Parent’s Long Term Incentive Plan. On the Series B Closing
Date, and after giving effect to the Transaction and the other
transactions contemplated hereby, all outstanding Equity Interests
in the Parent have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid
and free of any preemptive rights. As of the Series B Closing Date,
the Parent does not have outstanding any securities convertible
into or exchangeable for its units or outstanding any rights to
subscribe for or to purchase, or any options for the purchase of,
or any agreement providing for the issuance (contingent or
otherwise) of, or any calls, commitments or claims for the issuance
of the Partnership Common Units.
Each Issuer is engaged solely
in a Permitted Business as of the Series B Closing Date. These
operations require financing on a basis such that the credit
supplied can be made available from time to time to the Issuers, as
required for the continued successful operation of the Issuers as a
whole. The Issuers have requested the Purchasers to purchase the
Shelf Notes hereunder for the purposes set forth in
Section 5.14(a). Each Credit Party expects to derive benefit,
directly or indirectly, from a proceeds of the Shelf Notes
hereunder, both in its separate capacity and as a member of the
group of companies, since the successful operation and condition of
the Credit Parties is dependent on the continued successful
performance of the functions of the group as a
28
whole. The Credit Parties acknowledge
that, but for the agreement by each of the Credit Parties to
execute and deliver this Agreement, the Purchasers would not
purchase the Shelf Notes on the terms set forth herein.
| |
5.24. |
Compliance with Cemetery Laws. |
Each of the Credit Parties
has complied in all material respects with, and on each Closing Day
is in material compliance with, all applicable Laws governing the
operation of its cemeteries and funeral homes, the providing of
cemetery and funeral services, and the sale of Cemetery Property
and other cemetery and funeral merchandise, including, without
limitation: (a) obtaining and maintaining valid registrations,
licenses, permits, and certificates to conduct each cemetery and
funeral home business from each applicable Governmental Authority;
(b) employing qualified representatives, employees, and sales
agents who are registered with the appropriate governmental
authorities; (c) submitting all required notices, records,
statements, affidavits, financial reports and other documents, each
in form and substance satisfactory to the appropriate Governmental
Authorities; (d) making all required disclosures in accordance
with applicable Laws; (e) using contracts, agreements, and
other documents in form, wording and substance that comply with
applicable Laws; (f) establishing, funding and administering
trust or escrow accounts, including, but not limited to, Trust
Accounts, in accordance with applicable Laws; (g) appointing
qualified trustees and escrow agents to manage and administer trust
funds established under applicable Laws; (h) maintaining and
caring for cemeteries with the standard of care required by
applicable Laws; (i) constructing columbaria and mausoleums in
accordance with applicable Laws; (j) canceling contracts for
cemetery and funeral services and merchandise, including making
refunds to consumers, in accordance with applicable Laws;
(k) owning no more than the maximum amount of land permitted
for cemetery and burial use under applicable Laws; and
(l) establishing cemeteries in areas permitted by applicable
Laws. Furthermore, there are no material pending or, to the
knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened claims or suspensions
against any Credit Party, by any Person, entity or Governmental
Authority which relate to the operation of any cemetery or funeral
home, the providing of any cemetery or funeral services or the sale
of any Cemetery Property or other cemetery or funeral
merchandise.
| |
5.25. |
Private Offering by the Company. |
Neither the Issuers nor
anyone acting on their behalf has offered the Series B Notes or any
similar securities for sale to, or solicited any offer to buy any
of the same from, or otherwise approached or negotiated in respect
thereof with, any Person other than the Purchasers, each of which
has been offered the Series B Notes at a private sale for
investment. Neither the Issuers nor anyone acting on their behalf
has taken, or will take, any action that would subject the issuance
or sale of the Shelf Notes to the registration requirements of
Section 5 of the Securities Act.
| |
5.26. |
Foreign Assets Control Regulations, etc. |
Neither the amendment and
restatement of the Existing Note Agreement, the sale of the Series
B Notes or the Shelf Notes by the Issuers hereunder nor any
Issuer’s use of the proceeds thereof will violate
(a) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or
(b) any of the foreign assets control regulations of the
United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B,
Chapter
29
V, as amended) or any enabling
legislation or executive order relating thereto. Without limiting
the foregoing, no Credit Party (a) is or will become a person
whose property or interests in property are blocked pursuant to
Section 1 of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001
Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who
Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism (66 Fed. Reg.
49079 (2001)) or (b) knowingly engages or will engage in
any dealings or transactions, or be otherwise associated, with any
such person. The Issuers are in compliance with the Uniting And
Strengthening America By Providing Appropriate Tools Required To
Intercept And Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA Patriot Act of
2001).
| 6. |
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PURCHASERS |
| |
6.1. |
Purchase for Investment. |
Each Purchaser severally
represents that it is purchasing the Shelf Notes to be purchased by
it for its own account or for one or more separate accounts
maintained by it or for the account of one or more pension or trust
funds and not with a view to the distribution thereof,
provided that the disposition of its or their property shall
at all times be within its or their control. Each Purchaser
understands that the Shelf Notes have not been registered under the
Securities Act or any applicable state securities or “blue
sky” laws and may be resold only if registered pursuant to
the provisions of the Securities Act or if an exemption from
registration is available (including, without limitation, a sale to
qualified institutional buyers pursuant to (and as such term is
defined in) Rule 144A under the Securities Act), except under
circumstances where neither such registration nor such an exemption
is required by law, and that the Issuers are not required to
register the Shelf Notes.
Each Purchaser severally
represents that at least one of the following statements is an
accurate representation as to each source of funds (a “
Source ”) to be used by it to pay the purchase price
of the Shelf Notes to be purchased by it hereunder:
(a) the Source is an
“insurance company general account”, as such term is
defined in Prohibited Transaction Exemption (“ PTE
”) 95-60 (issued July 12, 1995), and there is no
employee benefit plan with respect to which the aggregate amount of
such general account’s reserves and liabilities for the
contracts held by or on behalf of such plan and all other employee
benefit plans maintained by the same employer (and affiliates
thereof as defined in section V(a)(1) of PTE 95-60) or by the same
employee organization (in each case determined in accordance with
PTE 95-60) exceeds or will exceed 10% of the total of all reserves
and liabilities of such general account (determined in accordance
with PTE 95-60, exclusive of separate account liabilities,
plus any applicable surplus as set forth in the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners Annual Statement filed in
such Purchaser’s state of domicile) as of the Series B
Closing Date; or
(b) the Source is a
separate account that is maintained solely in connection with its
fixed contractual obligations under which the amounts payable, or
credited, to any employee benefit plan (or its related trust) that
has any interest in such separate account (or to any
30
participant or beneficiary of such plan
(including any annuitant)) are not affected in any manner by the
investment performance of the separate account; or
(c) the Source is
either (i) an insurance company pooled separate account,
within the meaning of PTE 90-1 (issued January 29, 1990), or
(ii) a bank collective investment fund, within the meaning of
the PTE 91-38 (issued July 12, 1991) and, except as disclosed
by such Purchaser to the Company in writing pursuant to this
paragraph (c), no employee benefit plan or group of plans
maintained by the same employer or employee organization
beneficially owns more than 10% of all assets allocated to such
pooled separate account or collective investment fund;
or
(d) the Source
constitutes assets of an “investment fund” (within the
meaning of Part V of the QPAM Exemption) managed by a
“qualified professional asset manager” or
“QPAM” (within the meaning of Part V of the QPAM
Exemption), no employee benefit plan’s assets that are
included in such investment fund, when combined with the assets of
all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by the
same employer or by an affiliate (within the meaning of Section
V(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same
employee organization and managed by such QPAM, exceed 20% of the
total client assets managed by such QPAM, the conditions of Part
I(c) and (g) of the QPAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the
QPAM nor a person controlling or controlled by the QPAM (applying
the definition of “control” in Section V(e) of the QPAM
Exemption) owns a 5% or more interest in the Parent and
(i) the identity of such QPAM and (ii) the names of all
employee benefit plans whose assets are included in such investment
fund have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this
paragraph (d); or
(e) the Source
constitutes assets of a “plan(s)” (within the meaning
of Section IV of PTE 96-23 (the “ INHAM Exemption
”)) managed by an “in-house asset manager” or
“INHAM” (within the meaning of Part IV of the INHAM
Exemption), the conditions of Part I(a), (g) and (h) of
the INHAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the INHAM nor a person
controlling or controlled by the INHAM (applying the definition of
“control” in Section IV(h) of the INHAM Exemption) owns
a 5% or more interest in the Parent and (i) the identity of
such INHAM and (ii) the name(s) of the employee benefit
plan(s) whose assets constitute the Source have been disclosed to
the Company in writing pursuant to this paragraph (e);
or
(f) the Source is a
governmental plan; or
(g) the Source is one
or more employee benefit plans, or a separate account or trust fund
comprised of one or more employee benefit plans, each of which has
been identified to the Company in writing pursuant to this
paragraph (g); or
(h) the Source does
not include assets of any employee benefit plan, other than a plan
exempt from the coverage of ERISA.
As used in this
Section 6.2, the terms “employee benefit plan,”
“governmental plan” and “separate account”
shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in
section 3 of ERISA.
31
| 7. |
INFORMATION AS TO THE PARENT AND THE
ISSUERS. |
| |
7.1. |
Information Covenants. |
So long as any of the Shelf
Notes remain outstanding or the Facility is available, the Parent
will furnish, or will cause to be furnished, to each holder of
Shelf Notes that is an Institutional Investor, in form and detail
reasonably satisfactory to such holder:
(a) as soon as
available, but in any event within 95 days after the end of each
fiscal year of the Parent, a consolidated balance sheet of the
Parent and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and
the related consolidated statements of income or operations,
shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year,
setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the
previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in
accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and
opinion of Deloitte & Touche LLP or another independent
certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing
reasonably acceptable to such holder, which report and opinion
shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards and shall not be subject to any “going
concern” or like qualification or exception or any
qualification or exception as to the scope of such
audit;
(b) as soon as
available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each of
the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Parent,
a consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as
at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated
statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and
cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the
Parent’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case
in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal
quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion
of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, certified by
the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or
controller of the Parent as fairly presenting in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations,
shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Parent and its
Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal
year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) as soon as
available, but in any event within 35 days after the end of each
month (or 45 days after the end of each month ending a fiscal
quarter) of each fiscal year of the Parent, a consolidated balance
sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such
month, and the related consolidated statements of income or
operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such
month and for the portion of the Parent fiscal year then ended
setting forth in each case in comparative form for the
corresponding month of the previous fiscal year and the
corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in
reasonable detail and duly certified by the chief executive
officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the
Parent; and
(d) as soon as
available, but in any event not later than 60 days after the end of
each fiscal year of the Parent, an annual business plan and budget
of the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis,
including forecasts prepared by management of the Parent, in form
reasonably satisfactory to such holder, of consolidated balance
sheets and statements of income or operations and cash flows of the
Parent and its Subsidiaries on a quarterly basis for the
immediately following fiscal year.
As to any information
contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 7.2(d),
the Issuers shall not be separately required to furnish such
information under Section 7.1(a) or (b)
32
above, but the foregoing shall not be in
derogation of the obligation of the Issuers to furnish the
information and materials described in Sections 7.1(a) and
(b) above at the times specified therein.
| |
7.2. |
Certificates; Other Information. |
So long as any of the Shelf
Notes remain outstanding or the Facility is available, the Parent
shall furnish or will cause to be furnished to each holder of Shelf
Notes that is an Institutional Investor, in form and detail
reasonably satisfactory to such holder:
(a) concurrently with
the delivery of the financial statements referred to in
Section 7.1(a), a certificate of its independent certified
public accountants certifying such financial statements and stating
that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was
obtained of any Default or Event of Default under the financial
covenants set forth herein or, if any such Default or Event of
Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of such
event;
(b) concurrently with
the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections
7.1(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by
the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or
controller of the Parent;
(c) promptly after any
request by such holder, copies of any detailed audit reports,
management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of
directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of any
Credit Party by independent accountants in connection with the
accounts or books of any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries,
or any audit of any of them;
(d) promptly after the
same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or
financial statement or other report or communication sent to the
holders of the Parent Common Units, and copies of all annual,
regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements
which the Parent may file or be required to file with the SEC under
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or
with any national securities exchange, and in any case not
otherwise required to be delivered to the holders pursuant
hereto;
(e) promptly after the
furnishing thereof, copies of any statement or report furnished to
any holder of debt securities of any Credit Party or of any of its
Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit
or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to
the holders pursuant to Section 7.1 or any other clause of
this Section 7.2;
(f) promptly after any
request by such holder, a report summarizing the insurance coverage
(specifying type, amount and carrier) in effect for each Credit
Party and its Subsidiaries and containing such additional
information as the requesting Person may reasonably
specify;
(g) promptly, and in
any event within five Business Days after receipt thereof by any
Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, copies of each notice or
other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in
any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation
or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding
financial or other operational results of any Credit Party or any
Subsidiary thereof;
33
(h) not later than
five Business Days after receipt thereof by any Credit Party or any
Subsidiary thereof, copies of all notices, requests and other
documents (including amendments, waivers and other modifications)
so received under or pursuant to any Credit Agreement Document and,
from time to time upon request by such holder, such information and
reports regarding the Credit Agreement Documents and other Material
Contracts as such holder may reasonably request;
(i) promptly after the
assertion or occurrence thereof, notice of any action or proceeding
against or of any noncompliance by any Credit Party or any of its
Subsidiaries with any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit
that could reasonably be expected to (i) have a Material
Adverse Effect, (ii) result in cleanup, removal or remedial
costs in excess of the Threshold Amount or (iii) cause any
property described in the Mortgages to be subject to any
restrictions on ownership, occupancy, use or transferability under
any Environmental Law;
(j) promptly after any
request by such holder, (i) a report supplementing any of the
real property-related Schedules described in Section 5.8,
including an identification of all owned and leased real property
disposed of by the Parent or any Subsidiary thereof since such
Schedules were previously delivered, a list and description
(including the street address, county or other relevant
jurisdiction, state and record owner thereof and, in the case of
leases of property, lessor, lessee and expiration date thereof) of
all real property acquired or leased since such Schedules were
previously delivered and a description of such other changes in the
information included in such Schedules as may be necessary for such
Schedules to be accurate and complete; (ii) a report
supplementing Schedule 5.17, setting forth (A) a list of
registration numbers for all patents, trademarks, service marks,
trade names and copyrights awarded to any Credit Party or any
Subsidiary thereof since such Schedule was previously delivered and
(B) a list of all patent applications, trademark applications,
service mark applications, trade name applications and copyright
applications submitted by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary
thereof since such Schedule was previously delivered and the status
of each such application; and (iii) a report supplementing any
other Schedules described in Section 5.8 and Section 5.13
containing a description of all changes in the information included
in such Schedules as may be necessary for such Schedules to be
accurate and complete if made as of the date of such request, each
such report to be signed by a Responsible Officer of the Issuers
and to be in a form reasonably satisfactory to such
holder;
(k) as soon as
available, but in any event within 30 days after the end of each
month, a summary describing all investments of Trust Funds as at
the end of such month, duly certified by the Parent’s
investment advisors; and
(l) promptly after any
request by such holder, such additional information regarding the
business, financial, legal or corporate affairs of any Credit Party
or any Subsidiary thereof, or compliance with the terms of the
Finance Documents, as such holder may from time to time reasonably
request.
Documents required to be
delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or (b) or
Section 7.2(d) (to the extent any such documents are included
in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered
electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been
delivered on the date (i) on which the Parent posts such
documents, or provides a link thereto on the Parent’s
website
34
on the Internet at the following website
address: www.stonemor.com; or (ii) on which such documents are
posted on the Parent’s behalf on an Internet or intranet
website, if any, to which each holder has access (whether a
commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the
Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Issuers
shall deliver paper copies of such documents to any holder that
requests in writing that the Issuers deliver such paper copies
until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given
by the such holder and (ii) the Issuers shall notify each
holder (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any
such documents and provide to the holders by electronic mail
electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents, if
requested by such holder. Notwithstanding anything contained
herein, in every instance the Issuers shall be required to provide
paper copies of the Compliance Certificates required by
Section 7.2(b) to the holders.
So long as any of the Shelf
Notes remain outstanding or the Facility remains available, the
Credit Parties shall promptly notify each holder:
(a) of the occurrence
of any Default or Event of Default;
(b) of any matter that
has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, including, to the extent applicable,
(i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under, a
Contractual Obligation of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary;
(ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or
suspension between any Credit Party or any Subsidiary and any
Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any
material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any
Credit Party or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any
applicable Environmental Laws;
(c) of the occurrence
of any ERISA Event;
(d) any change or
intended change in the individual holding any Senior Manager
position;
(e) of any material
change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by
any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof,
(f) of the occurrence
of any Prepayment Event;
(g) of the occurrence
of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation pending or, to any
Credit Party’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting,
any Credit Party in which the amount in controversy is in excess of
the Threshold Amount;
(h) of any Issuer or
ERISA Affiliate becoming obligated to contribute to any
Multiemployer Plan that is not set forth on Schedule
5.12(d);
(i) of any Issuer or
any ERISA Affiliate failing to make an installment payment with
respect to its withdrawal liability under any Multiemployer Plan,
on the date such payment is due, provided that the failure
to make such installment payment prior to the expiration of the
sixty-day (60) time period described in
Section 4219(c)(5)(A) of ERISA could reasonably be expected to
result in the acceleration of withdrawal liability pursuant to
Section 4219(c)(5) of ERISA, individually or in the aggregate,
in excess of the Threshold Amount;
35
(j) of any Issuer or
any ERISA Affiliate failing to make a required employer
contribution under any Multiemployer Plan, on the date such payment
is due, provided that such required employer contribution
exceeds the Threshold Amount; and
(k) of any IP Rights
that are reasonably necessary for the operation of any Credit
Party’s respective businesses or material trade names of the
Credit Parties, to the extent not otherwise set forth on Schedule
5.17.
Each notice pursuant to this
Section 7.3 (other than Section 7.3(e) or (f)) shall be
accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Issuers
setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and
stating what action the Issuers have taken and propose to take with
respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 7.3(a) shall
describe with particularity any and all provisions of this
Agreement and any other Finance Document that have been breached.
Each notice pursuant to Section 7.3(h) shall be made within
fifteen (15) Business Days prior to incurring such
contribution obligation. Each notice pursuant to
Section 7.3(i) or 7.3(j) shall be made within ten
(10) Business Days following the date such installment payment
or contribution was otherwise due. Each notice pursuant to
Section 7.3(k) shall be made within thirty (30) days
following the date such IP Right or trade name is created or
acquired (or, if later, becomes necessary or material).
So long as any of the Shelf
Notes remain outstanding or the Facility is available, without
limiting any additional similar requirements set forth in any
Security Document, the Parent will, and will cause each of its
Subsidiaries to, permit representatives and independent contractors
of the holders of the Shelf Notes to visit and inspect any of its
properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating
records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to
discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors,
officers, and independent public accountants, all at such
reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may
be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the
Issuers and up to twice in any calendar year at the expense of the
Issuers with respect to all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of
the holders of the Shelf Notes; provided , however ,
that when an Event of Default exists any holder of Shelf Notes (or
any of its representatives or independent contractors) may do any
of the foregoing at the expense of the Issuers at any time during
normal business hours and without advance notice.
| 8. |
PAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT OF SHELF NOTES. |
| |
8.1. |
Payment at Maturity. |
(a) The entire unpaid
principal amount of the Series A Notes and the Series B Notes shall
be due and payable at the respective final maturity dates set forth
therein.
(b) Each Series of
Shelf Notes shall be subject to required prepayments, if any, set
forth in the Shelf Notes of such Series.
36
(c) Any prepayments of
the Shelf Notes pursuant to Section 8.2 or Section 8.3,
to the extent applied to prepayment of Shelf Note, shall be applied
pro rata in satisfaction of any remaining required payments of
principal.
| |
8.2. |
Mandatory Prepayment From Available
Proceeds. |
(a) The Issuers will,
promptly upon the occurrence of a Prepayment Event (except as
provided in Section 8.2(b)), and in any event within five days
thereafter, give written notice thereof to the holders of the Shelf
Notes, which notice shall contain an irrevocable offer by the
Issuers to apply to the prepayment of the Shelf Notes an amount
(rounded to the nearest $1,000) equal to the Available Proceeds (as
below defined), such prepayment to be made on a date (an
“ Available Proceeds Prepayment Date
” ) specified in such notice (which date shall be a
Business Day not less than 15 days and not more than 30 days after
the date of such notice), in each case at the principal amount so
to be prepaid, together with accrued interest on such principal
amount to the Available Proceeds Prepayment Date and the Make-Whole
Amount determined for the prepayment date with respect to such
principal amount. Each holder of a Shelf Note may reject such offer
(in whole but not in part with respect to any Shelf Note) and shall
be deemed to have accepted such offer unless such holder shall have
rejected such offer by notice delivered to the Company in writing
or by facsimile (or by telephone promptly confirmed in writing or
by facsimile) at least five Business Days prior to the Available
Proceeds Prepayment Date. If any such holder shall have rejected
such prepayment offer, such holder shall not be deemed to have
waived its rights under this Section 8.2 with respect to any
later prepayment offer. A holder of more than one Shelf Note may
accept or reject a prepayment offer under this Section 8.2 in
respect of all or any one of its Shelf Notes. If any such holder
rejects such prepayment offer in respect of any Shelf Note, then
the Issuers shall promptly offer to all non-rejecting holders to
prepay Shelf Notes on the Available Proceeds Prepayment Date in an
additional principal amount (rounded to the nearest $1,000) equal
to such non-rejecting holder’s ratable share (determined by
reference to the principal amount of Shelf Notes held by such
non-rejecting holder as a percentage of the principal amount of
Shelf Notes held by all non-rejecting holders) of such Available
Proceeds attributable to the Shelf Notes in respect of which such
prepayment offer has been rejected by all rejecting holders. Unless
a non-rejecting holder rejects such offer within one Business Day
after receiving the same, such non-rejecting holder shall be deemed
to have accepted such offer in respect of its pro rata share of
such offer allocable among all non-rejecting holders.
(b) Notwithstanding
Section 8.2(a):
(i) the aggregate Net Cash
Proceeds from Dispositions received during any fiscal year may be
retained by the Parent and its Subsidiaries without giving rise to
an obligation to offer to prepay the Shelf Notes under
Section 8.2(a), so long as no Default or Event of Default
exists at the time such Net Cash Proceeds are received and a
Responsible Officer of the Parent has delivered a certificate to
the holders of Shelf Notes on or prior to such date stating that
such Net Cash Proceeds (1) shall be used to purchase operating
assets used or to be used in the businesses permitted pursuant to
Section 10.7 or (2) to fund a Permitted Acquisition, so
long as within 180 days after receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds,
(A) such purchase or such Permitted Acquisition shall have
been consummated or (B) a definitive agreement to consummate
such purchase or Permitted
37
Acquisition within 180 days
of the date of such agreement shall have been entered into. If all
or any portion of such Net Cash Proceeds not required to be used to
make an offer to prepay Shelf Notes under this
Section 8.2(b)(i) are not so applied within the applicable
period, the Issuers shall make an offer to prepay the Shelf Notes
under Section 8.2(a) with such remaining portion on the last
day of such applicable period (or such earlier date, if any, as the
board of directors (or equivalent) of the Parent or such
Subsidiary, as the case may be, determines not to so apply the Net
Cash Proceeds relating to such Disposition as set forth above);
and
(ii)(A) So long as no Event
of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Net Cash
Proceeds of any Extraordinary Receipt do not exceed $500,000, such
proceeds shall not give rise to an obligation to offer to prepay
the Shelf Notes under Section 8.2(a), if a Responsible Officer
of the Credit Party receiving such proceeds has delivered a
certificate to the holders on or prior to such date stating that
such proceeds shall be applied or shall be committed to be applied
within 180 days after the receipt thereof to replace or repair the
equipment, fixed assets or real property in respect of which such
proceeds were received (which certificate shall set forth the
estimates of the proceeds to be so expended), and (B) so long
as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, if (x) the Net Cash Proceeds of any such
Extraordinary Receipt exceed $500,000, and (y) a Responsible
Officer of such Credit Party has delivered to the holders and the
Collateral Agent a certificate (in the form described above in this
clause (ii)) on or prior to the date prepayment of the Shelf Notes
would otherwise be required pursuant to Section 8.2(a), then
the entire amount of such proceeds and not just the portion in
excess of $500,000 shall be deposited with the Collateral Agent
pursuant to a cash collateral arrangement reasonably satisfactory
to the Required Holders and the Collateral Agent whereby such
proceeds shall be disbursed to such Credit Party from time to time
as needed to pay or reimburse such Credit Party in connection with
the replacement or restoration of the respective properties or
assets (pursuant to such certification requirements as may be
established by the Required Holders and the Collateral Agent),
provided further, that at any time while a Default or an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Required
Holders may, subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement,
direct the Collateral Agent (in which case the Collateral Agent
shall, and is hereby authorized by the Credit Parties to, follow
said directions) to apply any or all proceeds then on deposit in
such collateral account to the prepayment of the Shelf Notes
pursuant to Section 8.2(a), and provided further, that
if all or any portion of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Extraordinary
Receipt not required to be applied as a mandatory repayment
pursuant to subclause (A) or (B) of this clause
(ii) are not applied as provided in such subclauses within 180
days after (1) the date received or (2) the date so
committed to be used pursuant to a definitive agreement entered
into within 180 days of the date received, then such remaining
portion not used shall be applied on the final date of such 180 day
period to the prepayment of the Shelf Notes pursuant to
Section 8.2(a).
(c) The Company will,
at least one Business Day prior to an Available Proceeds Prepayment
Date, give each holder of Shelf Notes a notice specifying
(i) the aggregate principal amount of all Shelf Notes to be
prepaid on such Available Proceeds Prepayment Date, and
(ii) the principal amount, if any, of each Shelf Note held by
such holder to be prepaid on such Available Proceeds Prepayment
Date.
38
(d) As used in this
Section 8.2:
“ Available
Proceeds ” means, at any date of determination with
respect to a Prepayment Event, an amount equal to the Pro Rata
Share of the holders of the Shelf Notes in respect of the Net Cash
Proceeds resulting from such Prepayment Event.
“ Prepayment
Event ” means (a) any Credit Party or any of its
Subsidiaries receives Net Cash Proceeds from any Disposition (other
than a Disposition permitted by any of Sections 10.5(a) to (i),
inclusive, or Section 10.5(k)), (b) the Parent or any of
its Subsidiaries issues or sells any Equity Interests (other than
any sales or issuances of Equity Interests (i) to the Parent
or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) required by the express terms
of the Partnership Agreement, (iii) for the express purpose of
financing all or a portion of any Permitted Acquisition completed
within 180 days before or 365 days after receipt of such Net Cash
Proceeds, (iv) to the General Partner in order for the General
Partner to continue to hold two percent (2%) of the issued
Partnership Common Units, or (v) to directors, consultants and
employees of the General Partner pursuant to the Parent’s
Long Term Incentive Plan) or (c) any Credit Party or any of
its Subsidiaries receives or is paid (directly or for its account)
any Extraordinary Receipt.
“ Pro Rata Share
” means, in relation to any amount, with respect to the
holders of the Shelf Notes, a share of such amount determined by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which shall
be the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Shelf Notes at the time
outstanding plus any Make-Whole Amount then due, and the
denominator of which shall be the sum of (a) the aggregate
unpaid principal amount of the Shelf Notes at the time outstanding
plus any Make-Whole Amount then due plus (b) the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding loans under the
Acquisition Facility. For purposes of determination of the
principal amount of the outstanding loans under the Acquisition
Facility, a portion of the Current Swap Obligations (as defined in
the Intercreditor Agreement) shall be deemed to be principal in the
manner contemplated by the definition of “Pro Rata
Basis” in the Intercreditor Agreement.
The Company will furnish to
the holders of the Shelf Notes, concurrently with the financial
statements and other information furnished pursuant to Sections
7.1(a) and (b), a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer of the
Company containing computations in reasonable detail showing
whether any Net Cash Proceeds existed during the fiscal period
covered by such financial statements, the source of such Net Cash
Proceeds and the resulting amount or amounts of Available
Proceeds.
(e) Anything contained
in Section 8.2 to the contrary notwithstanding, so long as any
Indebtedness is outstanding under any Credit Agreement Document, if
the Intercreditor Agreement governs the initial application of any
Net Cash Proceeds, the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement with
regard to such application shall apply.
| |
8.3. |
Optional Prepayments. |
The Issuers may, at their
option, upon notice as provided in Section 8.4, prepay at any
time all, or from time to time any part (in a principal amount not
less than $1,000,000 and in
39
integral multiples of $100,000) of the
Shelf Notes, at the principal amount so to be prepaid together with
accrued interest on such principal amount to the date of such
prepayment and the Make-Whole Amount determined for the prepayment
date with respect to such principal amount.
| |
8.4. |
Notice of Prepayments. |
The Company will give each
holder of Shelf Notes written notice of each prepayment under
Section 8.3 not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days
prior to the date fixed for such prepayment. Each such notice shall
specify the date fixed for such prepayment (which shall be a
Business Day), the aggregate principal amount of the Shelf Notes to
be prepaid on such date, the principal amount of Shelf Notes held
by such holder to be prepaid (determined in accordance with
Section 8.5) and the interest to be paid on the prepayment
date with respect to such principal amount being
prepaid.
Each such notice of
prepayment pursuant to Section 8.3 shall be accompanied by a
certificate of a Senior Financial Officer of the Company as to the
estimated Make-Whole Amount due in connection with such prepayment
(calculated as if the date of such notice were the date of the
prepayment), setting forth the details of such computation (such
certificate and computation to be reasonably acceptable to the
Required Holders). Two Business Days prior to such prepayment, the
Company shall deliver to each holder of Shelf Notes a certificate
of a Senior Financial Officer of the Company specifying the
calculation of such Make-Whole Amount as of the specified
prepayment date.
| |
8.5. |
Allocation of Partial Prepayments. |
In the case of each partial
prepayment of the Shelf Notes pursuant to Section 8.2 or
Section 8.3, the principal amount of the Shelf Notes to be
prepaid shall be allocated among all of the Shelf Notes at the time
outstanding in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the
respective unpaid principal amounts thereof not theretofore called
for prepayment, without regard to the Series of such Shelf
Notes.
| |
8.6. |
Maturity; Surrender, etc. |
In the case of each
prepayment of Shelf Notes pursuant to this Section 8, the
principal amount of each Shelf Note to be prepaid shall mature and
become due and payable on the date fixed for such prepayment,
together with interest on such principal amount accrued to such
date and the applicable Make-Whole Amount, if any. From and after
such date, unless the Issuers shall fail to pay such principal
amount when so due and payable, together with the interest and
Make-Whole Amount, if any, as aforesaid, interest on such principal
amount shall cease to accrue. Any Shelf Note paid or prepaid in
full shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled and shall
not be reissued, and no Shelf Note shall be issued in lieu of any
prepaid principal amount of any Shelf Note.
| |
8.7. |
Shelf Note Purchase Prohibition. |
The Issuers will not and will
not permit any Affiliate to purchase, redeem, prepay or otherwise
acquire, directly or indirectly, any of the outstanding Shelf Notes
except upon the payment or prepayment of the Shelf Notes in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and
40
the Shelf Notes. Each Issuer will
promptly cancel all Shelf Notes acquired by it or any Affiliate
pursuant to any payment, prepayment or purchase of Shelf Notes
pursuant to any provision of this Agreement and no Shelf Notes may
be issued in substitution or exchange for any such Shelf
Notes.
The term “
Make-Whole Amount ” means, with respect to any Shelf
Note of any Series, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the
Discounted Value of the Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect
to the Called Principal of such Shelf Note of such Series over the
amount of such Called Principal, provided that the
Make-Whole Amount may in no event be less than zero. For the
purposes of determining the Make-Whole Amount, the following terms
have the following meanings:
“ Called
Principal ” means, with respect to any Shelf Note of any
Series, the principal of such Shelf Note that is to be prepaid
pursuant to Section 8.2 or 8.3 or has become or is declared to
be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1, as
the context requires.
“ Discounted
Value ” means, with respect to the Called Principal of
any Shelf Note of any Series, the amount obtained by discounting
all Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to such Called
Principal from their respective scheduled due dates to the
Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in
accordance with accepted financial practice and at a discount
factor (applied on the same periodic basis as that on which
interest on such Series of Shelf Notes is payable) equal to the
Reinvestment Yield with respect to such Called
Principal.
“ Reinvestment
Yield ” means, with respect to the Called Principal of
any Shelf Note of any Series, 1.00% (100 basis points) over the
yield to maturity implied by the yields reported, as of 10:00 A.M.
(New York City time) on the second Business Day preceding the
Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, on the
display designated as Bloomberg Financial Markets Page
“PX1” (or such other display as may replace Bloomberg
Financial Markets Page “PX1”) for actively traded U.S.
Treasury securities having a maturity equal to the remaining life
of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date, or if such
yields are not reported as of such time or the yields reported as
of such time are not ascertainable (including by way of
interpolation), the Treasury Constant Maturity Series Yields
reported, for the latest day for which such yields have been so
reported as of the second Business Day preceding the Settlement
Date with respect to such Called Principal, in Federal Reserve
Statistical Release H.15 (519) (or any comparable successor
publication) for actively traded U.S. Treasury securities having a
maturity equal to the remaining life of such Called Principal as of
such Settlement Date. Such implied yield will be determined, if
necessary, by converting U.S. Treasury bill quotations to
bond-equivalent yields in accordance with accepted financial
practice and interpolating linearly between (1) the actively
traded U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and
greater than the remaining life and (2) the actively traded
U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and less than
the remaining life. The Reinvestment Yield shall be rounded upwards
to the same number of decimals points as the number of decimal
points set forth in the Shelf Notes for the interest
rate.
“ Remaining
Scheduled Payments ” means, with respect to the Called
Principal of any Shelf Note of any Series, all payments of such
Called Principal and interest thereon that would
41
be due after the Settlement Date with
respect to such Called Principal if no payment of such Called
Principal were made prior to its scheduled due date,
provided that if such Settlement Date is not a date on which
interest payments are due to be made under the terms of the Shelf
Notes of such Series, then the amount of the next succeeding
scheduled interest payment will be reduced by the amount of
interest accrued to such Settlement Date and required to be paid on
such Settlement Date pursuant to Section 8.2, 8.3 or
12.1.
“ Settlement
Date ” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any
Shelf Note of any Series, the date on which such Called Principal
is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or 8.3 or has become
or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to
Section 12.1, as the context requires.
| 9. |
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS. |
Each of the Credit Parties
jointly and severally covenants and agrees that so long as any of
the Shelf Notes shall remain outstanding, it shall and shall
(except in the case of Section 9.7) cause each Subsidiary
to:
| |
9.1. |
Payment of Obligations. |
Pay and discharge as the same
shall become due and payable: (a) all tax liabilities,
assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its
properties or assets, except as expressly permitted under
Section 5.11; (b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid,
would by law become a Lien upon its property not otherwise
permitted under Section 10.1; and (c) except in such
instances in which the failure to comply therewith could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, all
Indebtedness and other Contractual Obligations, as and when due and
payable but subject to any subordination provisions contained in
any instrument or agreement evidencing such
Indebtedness.
| |
9.2. |
Preservation of Existence, Etc. |
(a) Preserve, renew
and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good
standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization
except as permitted by Sections 10.4 or 10.5.
(b) Take all
reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits,
licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal
conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so
could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) Preserve or renew
all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service
marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
| |
9.3. |
Maintenance of Properties. |
(a) Maintain, preserve
and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary
in the operation of its business in good working order and
condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
42
(b) Make all necessary
repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where
the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Use the standard
of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of
its facilities.
| |
9.4. |
Maintenance of Insurance. |
(a) Maintain with
financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates
of any Credit Party, insurance with respect to its properties and
business against loss or damage (i) of the kinds customarily
insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business,
of such types and in such amounts as are customarily carried under
similar circumstances by such other Persons, and (ii) in such
amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are
necessary to ensure that Uninsured Liabilities of any Credit Party
and/or any Subsidiary are not reasonably likely to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) providing for not less than
30 days’ (or 10 days’ notice in the case of non-payment
of premiums) prior notice to the Collateral Agent of termination,
lapse or cancellation of such insurance.
(b) At all times keep
all of its property (except real or personal property leased or
financed through third parties in accordance with this Agreement)
insured in favor of the Collateral Agent, and all policies or
certificates with respect to such insurance (and any other
insurance maintained by, or on behalf of, any Credit Party)
(i) shall be endorsed to the Collateral Agent’s
satisfaction for the benefit of the Collateral Agent (including,
without limitation, by naming the Collateral Agent as certificate
holder, mortgagee and loss payee with respect to real property,
certificate holder and loss payee with respect to personal
property, additional insured with respect to general liability and
umbrella liability coverage and certificate holder with respect to
workers’ compensation insurance), (ii) shall state that
such insurance policies shall not be canceled or materially changed
without at least 30 days (or 10 days in the case of non-payment of
premiums) prior written notice thereof by the respective insurer to
the Collateral Agent and (iii) shall be delivered to the
Collateral Agent.
(c) If any Credit
Party shall fail to maintain all insurance in accordance with this
Section 9.4, or if any Credit Party shall fail to so name the
Collateral Agent as an additional insured, mortgagee or loss payee,
as the case may be, or so deliver all certificates with respect
thereto, the Collateral Agent and/or the Required Holders shall
have the right (but shall be under no obligation), upon five
(5) Business Days prior written notice to the Parent, to
procure such insurance, and the Credit Parties agree jointly and
severally to reimburse the Collateral Agent or the Required
Holders, as the case may be, for all costs and expenses of
procuring such insurance.
(d) The provisions of
this Section 9.4 shall be deemed supplemental to, but not
duplicative of, the provisions of any Security Documents that
require the maintenance of insurance.
| |
9.5. |
Compliance with Laws. |
Each Credit Party will comply
with all applicable statutes, regulations and orders of, and all
applicable restrictions imposed by, all governmental bodies,
domestic or foreign, in respect of the conduct of its business and
the ownership of its property (including, without
limitation,
43
regulations, administrative orders and
other orders referred to in Section 5.24), except to the
extent any failures to comply with the above requirements, either
individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Maintain proper books of
record and account (a) in conformity with GAAP consistently
applied, and (b) in material conformity with all applicable
requirements of Law or any Governmental Authority having regulatory
jurisdiction over such Credit Party or such Subsidiary, as the case
may be.
The proceeds of the Series B
Notes shall be used by the Issuers as permitted in
Section 5.14.
| |
9.8. |
Covenant to Become Issuer and Give Security. |
(a) Prior to or
concurrently with the formation or acquisition of any new direct or
indirect Subsidiary by any Credit Party (or in the case of
formation of any new Subsidiary in connection with a Permitted
Acquisition, prior to or concurrently with the earlier of
(x) the consummation of such Permitted Acquisition and
(y) the date such Subsidiary otherwise acquires material
assets), then the Issuers shall, at the Issuers’
expense:
(i) cause such Subsidiary,
and cause each direct and indirect parent of such Subsidiary (if it
has not already done so), to duly execute and deliver to the
holders a joinder to the Finance Documents as an additional Issuer
under the Finance Documents, together with a certified copy of its
Organizational Documents and resolutions authorizing the above
actions, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Required
Holders,
(ii) furnish to the holders a
description of the real and personal properties of such Subsidiary,
in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Required
Holders,
(iii) to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Laws, cause such Subsidiary and each direct
and indirect parent of such Subsidiary (if it has not already done
so) to duly execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent deeds of
trust, trust deeds, deeds to secure debt, mortgages, leasehold
mortgages, leasehold deeds of trust and other security and pledge
agreements, as specified by and in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Required Holders (including delivery of all
Pledged Debt and Pledged Equity in and of such Subsidiary),
securing payment of all the Obligations of such Subsidiary or such
parent, as the case may be, under the Finance Documents and
constituting Liens on all such real and personal properties (other
than Excluded Collateral),
(iv) to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Laws, cause such Subsidiary and each direct
and indirect parent of such Subsidiary (if it has not already done
so) to take whatever action (including the recording of mortgages,
the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, the
giving of notices and the endorsement of
44
notices on title documents)
may be necessary or advisable in the opinion of the Required
Holders to vest in the Collateral Agent (or in any representative
of the Collateral Agent designated by it) valid and subsisting
Liens on the properties purported to be subject to the deeds of
trust, trust deeds, deeds to secure debt, mortgages, leasehold
mortgages, leasehold deeds of trust and security and pledge
agreements delivered pursuant to this Section 9.8, enforceable
against all third parties in accordance with their
terms,
(v) deliver to the Collateral
Agent and the holders, upon the request of the Required Holders in
their sole discretion, signed copies of favorable opinions,
addressed to the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties, of
counsel(s) for the Credit Parties reasonably acceptable to the
Required Holders as to the matters contained in clauses (i),
(iii) and (iv) above, and as to such other matters as the
Required Holders may reasonably request, and
(vi) deliver, upon the
request of any holder in its sole discretion, to the holders with
respect to each parcel of real property owned or held by the entity
that is the subject of such formation or acquisition title reports,
surveys and engineering, soils and other reports, and environmental
assessment reports, each in scope, form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Required Holders, provided, however ,
that to the extent that any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries
shall have otherwise received any of the foregoing items with
respect to such real property, such items shall, promptly after the
receipt thereof, be delivered to the holders.
(b) Prior to or
concurrently with the acquisition of any property by any Credit
Party, if such property, in the judgment of the Required Holders,
shall not already be subject to a perfected first priority security
interest (subject to any Permitted Liens) in favor of the
Collateral Agent, then the Issuers shall, at the Issuers’
expense:
(i) furnish to the holders a
description of the property so acquired in detail satisfactory to
the Required Holders;
(ii) to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Laws, cause the applicable Credit Party to
duly execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent (with copies to
the Purchasers) deeds of trust, trust deeds, deeds to secure debt,
mortgages, leasehold mortgages, leasehold deeds of trust and other
security and pledge agreements, as specified by and in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders, securing
payment of all the Obligations of the applicable Credit Party under
the Finance Documents and constituting Liens on all such properties
(other than Excluded Collateral),
(iii) to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Laws, cause the applicable Credit Party to
take whatever action (including the recording of mortgages, the
filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, the giving
of notices and the endorsement of notices on title documents) may
be necessary or advisable in the opinion of the Required Holders to
vest in the Collateral Agent (or in any representative of the
Collateral Agent designated by it) valid and subsisting Liens on
such property, enforceable against all third parties,
45
(iv) deliver to the
Collateral Agent and the Required Holders, upon the request of the
Required Holders in their sole discretion, signed copies of
favorable opinions, addressed to the Collateral Agent and the other
Secured Parties, of counsel(s) for the Credit Parties reasonably
acceptable to the Required Holders as to the matters contained in
clauses (ii) and (iii) above and as to such other matters
as the Required Holders may reasonably request, and
(v) deliver, upon the request
of the Required Holders in their sole discretion, to the Collateral
Agent and the holders with respect to such real property title
reports, surveys and engineering, soils and other reports, and
environmental assessment reports, each in scope, form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders, provided ,
however , that to the extent that any Credit Party or any of
its Subsidiaries shall have otherwise received any of the foregoing
items with respect to such real property, such items shall,
promptly after the receipt thereof, be delivered to the Collateral
Agent and the Required Holders,
(c) Upon the request
of the Required Holders following the occurrence and during the
continuance of a Default, the Issuers shall, at the Issuers’
expense, promptly:
(i) furnish to the Collateral
Agent and the holders a description of the real and personal
properties of the Credit Parties and their respective Subsidiaries
in detail satisfactory to the Required Holders; and
(ii) deliver, upon the
request of the Required Holders in their sole discretion, to the
Collateral Agent and the holders with respect to each parcel of
real property owned or held by any Credit Party or its
Subsidiaries, title reports, surveys and engineering, soils and
other reports, and environmental assessment reports, each in scope,
form and substance satisfactory to the Required Holders;
provided , however , that to the extent that any
Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries shall have otherwise
received any of the foregoing items with respect to such real
property, such items shall, promptly after the receipt thereof, be
delivered to the Collateral Agent and the holders.
(d) At any time upon
request of the Required Holders, promptly execute and deliver any
and all further instruments and documents and take all such other
action as the Required Holders may deem necessary or desirable in
obtaining the full benefits of, or (as applicable) in perfecting
and preserving the Liens of, such guaranties, deeds of trust, trust
deeds, deeds to secure debt, mortgages, leasehold mortgages,
leasehold deeds of trust and other security and pledge
agreements.
| |
9.9. |
Compliance with Environmental Laws. |
Comply, and cause all lessees
and other Persons operating or occupying its properties to comply
with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits;
obtain and renew all Environmental Permits necessary for its
operations and properties; and conduct any investigation, study,
sampling and testing, and undertake any cleanup, removal, remedial
or other action necessary to remove and clean up all Hazardous
Materials from any of its properties, in accordance with the
requirements of all Environmental Laws, except to the extent any
failures to comply with the above requirements, either individually
or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
46
| |
9.10. |
Preparation of Environmental Reports. |
At the request of the
Required Holders from time to time, provide to the holders within
60 days after such request, at the expense of the Issuers, an
environmental site assessment report for any of its properties
described in such request, prepared by an environmental consulting
firm acceptable to the Required Holders, indicating the presence or
absence of Hazardous Materials and the estimated cost of any
compliance, removal or remedial action in connection with any
Hazardous Materials on such properties; without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, if the Required Holders determine at
any time that a material risk exists that any such report will not
be provided within the time referred to above, the Required Holders
may retain an environmental consulting firm to prepare such report
at the expense of the Issuers, and the Issuers hereby grant and
agree to cause any Subsidiary that owns any property described in
such request to grant at the time of such request to the Required
Holders, such firm and any agents or representatives thereof an
irrevocable non-exclusive license, subject to the rights of
tenants, to enter onto their respective properties to undertake
such an assessment; provided that in no event shall such
request for any report described in this Section 9.10 be made
unless (a) a Default exists or (b) a notice has been
delivered under Section 7.2(i).
| |
9.11. |
Further Assurances. |
Promptly upon request by the
Required Holders, (a) correct any material defect or error
that may be discovered in any Finance Document or in the execution,
acknowledgment, filing or recordation thereof, and (b) do,
execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file,
register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds,
certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Required
Holders may reasonably require from time to time in order to
(i) carry out more effectively the purposes of the Finance
Documents, (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable
Law, subject any Credit Party’s or any of its
Subsidiaries’ properties, assets, rights or interests (other
than Excluded Collateral) to the Liens now or hereafter intended to
be covered by any of the Security Documents, (iii) perfect and
maintain the validity, effectiveness and priority of any of the
Security Documents and any of the Liens intended to be created
thereunder and (iv) assure, convey, grant, assign, transfer,
preserve, protect and confirm more effectively unto the Secured
Parties the rights granted or now or hereafter intended to be
granted to the Secured Parties under any Finance Document or under
any other instrument executed in connection with any Finance
Document to which any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries is or
is to be a party, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to do
so.
| |
9.12. |
Compliance with Terms of Leaseholds. |
Make all payments and
otherwise perform all obligations in respect of all leases of real
property to which any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party, keep such leases in full force and effect and not allow such
leases to lapse or be terminated or any rights to renew such leases
to be forfeited or cancelled, notify the holders of any default by
any party with respect to such leases and cooperate with the
holders in all respects to cure any such default, and cause each of
its Subsidiaries to do so, except, in any case, where the failure
to do so, either individually or in the aggregate, could not be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
47
| |
9.13. |
Material Contracts. |
Perform and observe all the
terms and provisions of each Material Contract to be performed or
observed by it, maintain each such Material Contract in full force
and effect, enforce each such Material Contract in accordance with
its terms, take all such action to such end as may be from time to
time requested by the Required Holders and, upon request of the
Required Holders, make to each other party to each such Material
Contract such demands and requests for information and reports or
for action as any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries is
entitled to make under such Material Contract, and cause each of
its Subsidiaries to do so, except, in any case, where the failure
to do so, either individually or in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
| |
9.14. |
Maintenance of Company Separateness. |
The Parent will, and will
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, satisfy customary corporate and
other organizational formalities, including, as applicable, the
holding of regular board of directors’ and
shareholders’ meetings or action by directors or shareholders
without a meeting (or other legal equivalents thereof) and the
maintenance of offices, books and records. Neither the Parent nor
any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action, or conduct its
affairs in a manner, which could reasonably be expected to result
in the separate legal existence of the Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries being ignored, or in the assets and liabilities of the
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries being substantively consolidated
with those of any other such Person in a bankruptcy, reorganization
or other insolvency proceeding.
| |
9.15. |
Maintenance of Trust Funds and Trust
Accounts. |
Each Issuer shall set aside
in the appropriate Trust Account, all applicable Trust Funds at the
time such funds are received by such Issuer, and such Issuer shall
establish and maintain all of the funding obligations of each of
the Trust Accounts in accordance with applicable Law.
| |
9.16. |
Amendment to Credit Agreement Documents
Covenants. |
If the Credit Parties shall
at any time after the date of this Agreement, amend or modify any
Credit Agreement Document in a manner that requires any Credit
Party to make a mandatory prepayment, comply with a covenant or add
an event of default or change any related definition that either is
not at such time included in this Agreement or, if such mandatory
prepayment, covenant or event of default shall already be included
in this Agreement, is more restrictive upon any Credit Party than
such existing mandatory prepayment, covenant or event of default,
each such mandatory prepayment, covenant and each event of default,
definition and other provision relating to such mandatory
prepayment, covenant or event of default in such Credit Agreement
Document (as amended or modified from time to time thereafter)
shall be automatically deemed to be incorporated by reference in
this Agreement, mutatis mutandis, as if then set forth herein in
full. Promptly after any such amendment or modification, the Credit
Parties will (a) furnish to the holders a copy of each such
mandatory prepayment, covenant and each event of default,
definition and other provisions related thereto and
(b) execute and deliver to the holders an
48
instrument, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders, modifying this
Agreement by adding or modifying, as the case may be, the full text
of such mandatory prepayment, covenant and the events of default,
definitions and other related provisions.
Each of the Credit Parties
jointly and severally covenants and agrees that, so long as any of
the Shelf Notes shall remain outstanding, it shall not, nor shall
it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, and solely in
the case of Section 10.16, the General Partner and the Parent
shall not:
Create, incur, assume, sign,
file or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets
or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or assign any
accounts or other right to receive income, other than the following
(collectively, “ Permitted Liens ”):
(a) Liens pursuant to
any Finance Document;
(b) Liens in favor of
an insurance company or agent which secure insurance premium
financing arrangements with such Person, to the extent permitted
under Section 10.2(e), provided that such Liens are
limited to the insurance contracts with respect to which related
premiums are being financed;
(c) Liens for taxes,
assessments and governmental charges not yet due or which are being
contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently
conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained
on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with
GAAP;
(d) Liens in respect
of property or assets of a Credit Party imposed by law which were
incurred in the ordinary course of business and which have not
arisen to secure Indebtedness for borrowed money, such as
carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens,
statutory landlord’s Liens, and other similar Liens arising
in the ordinary course of business, and which either (x) do
not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of such
property or assets or materially impair the use thereof in the
operation of the business of such Credit Party or (y) are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, which
proceedings have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of
the property or asset subject to such Lien;
(e) pledges or
deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with
workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other
social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by
ERISA;
(f) deposits to secure
the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than
Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds,
performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred
in the ordinary course of business;
(g) Permitted
Encumbrances;
49
(h) Liens arising from
judgments, decrees or attachments in circumstances not constituting
an Event of Default under Section 11(h), provided that
no cash or other property shall be pledged by any Credit Party as
security therefor;
(i) Liens securing
Indebtedness permitted under Section 10.2(g) and Liens
securing accounts payable for the purchase of pre-assembled
mausoleums and crypts; provided that (A) such Liens
only serve to secure the payment of Indebtedness or accounts
payable arising under such related obligation, (B) the Liens
encumbering the assets giving rise to such obligations do not
encumber any other asset of any Credit Party, and (C) such
Liens do not secure aggregate lease payments, principal amounts and
accounts payable in excess of the limitation set forth in
Section 10.2(g);
(j) Licenses, leases
or subleases granted to third Persons in the ordinary course of
business not interfering in any material respect with the business
of any Credit Party;
(k) Liens arising from
or related to precautionary UCC financing statements regarding
operating leases entered into by any Credit Party;
(l) 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;
(m) bankers liens and
customary rights of setoff, revocation and chargeback under deposit
or credit card agreements entered into in the ordinary course of
business; and
(n) any Lien or other
restriction on the use of property (including cash) deposited in
any Trust Fund, to the extent imposed by law or by the terms of the
agreement governing such Trust Fund.
Create, incur, assume or
suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) obligations
(contingent or otherwise) existing or arising under any Swap
Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or
were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of
business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated
with fluctuations in interest rates or foreign exchange rates and
(ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision
exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make
payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party (it
being agreed that cross-default, setoff and other customary
provisions under any Swap Contract shall be permitted);
(b) (i) Indebtedness
of the Credit Parties incurred pursuant to this Agreement and the
other Finance Documents and (ii) Indebtedness of the Credit
Parties incurred pursuant to the Credit Agreement Documents in an
aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed $65,000,000
(the “ Aggregate Credit Facility Cap ”) at any
time divided between an Acquisition Facility not to exceed
$40,000,000 (the “ Acquisition Facility Cap ”)
at any time and a Revolving Credit Facility (as such term is
defined in the Credit Agreement) not to exceed $25,000,000 (the
“ Revolving Facility Cap ”) at any time (in each
case as from time to time reduced by principal repayments thereof,
other than repayments of revolving loans which may by
50
their terms be reborrowed); provided,
however , that with the approval (such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) of the Required
Holders, the Aggregate Credit Facility Cap may be increased up to
$90,000,000, the Acquisition Facility Cap may be increased up to
$55,000,000 and the Revolving Facility Cap may be increased up to
$35,000,000;
(c) loans and advances
from (i) the Parent to any Issuer, (ii) any Issuer to any
other Issuer, (iii) any Issuer to the Parent made for the
purpose of making payments permitted pursuant to Section 10.6
and (iv) any Issuer or the Parent to the Parent or the General
Partner for the purpose of paying ordinary business expenses of the
Parent and the General Partner;
(d) Indebtedness under
the Finance Documents;
(e) Insurance premium
financing arrangements made on customary and reasonable
terms;
(f) Guarantees of any
Issuer in respect of Indebtedness otherwise permitted hereunder of
any Issuer;
(g) Indebtedness in
respect of Capitalized Leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and
purchase money obligations for fixed or capital assets within the
limitations set forth in Section 10.1(i); provided ,
however , that the aggregate lease payments and principal
amounts of all such Indebtedness at any one time outstanding shall
not exceed $7,500,000;
(h) Seller
Subordinated Debt, provided that (i) such Indebtedness
is subordinated to the Obligations on terms reasonably satisfactory
to the Required Holders and substantially in the form set forth on
Exhibit 10.2(h) hereto, and (ii) at the time of the related
Permitted Acquisition, such Indebtedness does not exceed 25% of the
total value of (A) the assets so acquired or (B) the
assets of the Acquired Person, as the case may be;
(i) Indebtedness
arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution
of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently (except in
the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds
in the ordinary course of business so long as such Indebtedness is
extinguished within three Business Days of the incurrence
thereof;
(j) Indebtedness of
the Issuers evidenced by completion guarantees, performance bonds
and surety bonds incurred in the ordinary course of business for
purposes of insuring the performance of the Issuers;
(k) Indebtedness of a
type described in clause “(g)” of the definition of
Indebtedness, to the extent payment of such Indebtedness is
permitted under Section 10.6;
(l) Unsecured
Indebtedness of the General Partner issued solely for the purpose
of financing Investments permitted pursuant to
Section 10.3(k); and
(m) Other unsecured
Indebtedness not otherwise permitted above, in an aggregate
principal amount outstanding not to exceed $1,000,000 at any
time.
51
Make or hold any Investments,
except:
(a) Investments held
by any Credit Party in the form of Cash Equivalents;
(b) loans and advances
by any Credit Party to officers and employees of such Credit Party,
in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business, in an
aggregate outstanding principal amount for all Credit Parties not
to exceed $500,000 at any time (determined without regard to any
write-downs or write-offs of such loans and advances);
(c) (i) Investments by
any Credit Party and its Subsidiaries in their respective
Subsidiaries outstanding on the date hereof, (ii) additional
Investments by any Credit Party and its Subsidiaries in any Issuer,
(iii) additional Investments by Subsidiaries of the Issuers
that are not Credit Parties in other Subsidiaries that are not
Credit Parties, and (iv) without duplication, Investments in
the form of loans and advances permitted under
Section 10.2(c);
(d) Investments
consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts
receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade
credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received
in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially
troubled account debtors or from account debtors in settlement of
delinquent accounts to the extent reasonably necessary in order to
prevent or limit loss;
(e) Guarantees
permitted by Section 10.2;
(f) Investments
existing on the date hereof (other than those referred to in
Section 10.3(c)(i)) and set forth on Schedule
5.8(e);
(g) Investments by any
Issuer in Swap Contracts permitted under
Section 10.2(a);
(h) Permitted
Acquisitions by any Issuer; provided that, with respect to
each such Permitted Acquisition:
(i) the Credit Parties shall
furnish to the holders projections, for the two years following
such acquisition, of revenue, and costs attributable to the
property proposed to be acquired,
(ii) any such newly-created
or acquired Subsidiary shall comply with the requirements of
Section 9.8;
(iii) the lines of business
of the Person to be (or the property of which is to be) so
purchased or otherwise acquired shall be substantially the same
lines of business as one or more of the principal businesses of the
Issuers in the ordinary course;
(iv) such Permitted
Acquisition shall not include or result in any contingent
liabilities that could reasonably be expected to be material to the
business, financial condition, operations or prospects of the
Parent, or the Parent and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (as
determined in good faith by the board of directors (or the persons
performing similar functions) of the Company if the board of
directors is otherwise approving such transaction and, in each
other case, by a Responsible Officer);
52
(v) updated schedules to the
Finance Documents to reflect the transactions related to such
Permitted Acquisition shall be delivered prior to such acquisition,
and upon consummation thereof all representations and warranties
contained herein and in the other Finance Documents shall be true
and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though
such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the
date of such Permitted Acquisition (both before and after giving
effect thereto), unless stated to relate to a specific earlier
date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be
true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier
date;
(vi) the Aggregate
Consideration paid by or on behalf of the Issuers for any such
Permitted Acquisition (other than Dignity 2007) shall not exceed
$2,500,000, on an individual basis, or $20,0000,000, when
aggregated with the total Aggregate Consideration paid by or on
behalf of the Issuers for all other Permitted Acquisitions (other
than Dignity 2007) which closed in the immediately preceding 365
days, without the approval of the Required Holders (such approval
not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed);
provided , however , if the Issuers shall have
delivered to each holder (1) the approval package and
appraisals as required by Section 8(h)(viii) below and
(2) a written request for such approval in connection
therewith and have not received a written denial of such request
from a holder within twenty (20) days from delivery, then such
holder will be deemed to have given such approval;
(vii) immediately before and
immediately after giving pro forma effect to any such Permitted
Acquisition or other acquisition, on a Pro Forma Basis (for the
related Calculation Period), no Default shall have occurred and be
continuing;
(viii) the receipt by each
holder, not less than (A) thirty (30) days prior to such
Permitted Acquisition (or such shorter period as the Required
Holders may agree to in writing), of (1) the approval package
to be presented to the Company’s board of managers and
(2) all appraisals completed in connection therewith, for any
such acquisition the consideration for which is greater than
$5,000,000 and (B) ten (10) Business Days prior to
Permitted Acquisition (or such shorter period as the Required
Holders may agree to in writing), the approval package to be
presented to the Company’s board of managers, for such
acquisition the consideration for which is less than or equal to
$5,000,000; and
(ix) the Issuers shall have
delivered to each holder, at least five Business Days prior to the
date on which any such Permitted Acquisition is to be consummated,
a certificate of a Responsible Officer, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders,
(A) certifying that all of the requirements set forth in this
clause (h) have been satisfied or will be satisfied on or
prior to the consummation of such purchase or other acquisition,
and (B) attaching a pro forma Compliance Certificate showing
compliance, on a Pro Forma Basis (for the related Calculation
Period), with the covenants set forth in Section 10.11
immediately after giving effect to the consummation of such
Permitted Acquisition;
53
(i) Investments in
newly formed wholly-owned Subsidiaries so long as, in each case,
(i) at least 30 days prior written notice thereof is given to
the Required Holders (or such lesser prior written notice as may be
agreed to by the Required Holders in any give case), (ii) the
Equity Interests of such new Subsidiary are promptly pledged
pursuant to, and to the extent required by, this Agreement and the
Pledge Agreement and the certificates, if any, representing such
Equity Interests, together with appropriate transfer powers duly
executed in blank, are delivered to the Collateral Agent,
(iii) such new Subsidiary promptly executes a counterpart
hereto and of the Pledge Agreement and the Security Agreement, and
(iv) all actions required pursuant to Section 9.8 have
been taken;
(j) Bank deposits in
the ordinary course of business;
(k) Investments of the
General Partner in Partnership Common Units in order for the
General Partner to continue to hold two percent (2%) of the
issued Partnership Common Units;
(l) Disposition Notes
issued in connection with Dispositions permitted under
Section 10.5 where not less than 75% of the consideration was
paid to the applicable Credit Party in cash; provided that,
the aggregate principal outstanding amount of such Disposition
Notes shall not exceed $1,500,000 at any time;
(m) Investments of
Trust Funds, interest and other earnings thereon, in accordance
with Section 10.17;
(n) Advances by the
Issuers to their suppliers which are made in the ordinary course
for the purpose of prepaying purchases of inventory; and
(o) Other Investments
not otherwise permitted above, in an aggregate amount outstanding
not to exceed $1,000,000 at any time.
| |
10.4. |
Fundamental Changes. |
Merge, dissolve, liquidate,
consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in
one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or
substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter
acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so long as no
Default exists or would result therefrom:
(a) any Issuer may
merge with and into, may convert into or be dissolved or liquidated
into, or may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets
(upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to any other Issuer, so
long as (i) the security interests granted to the Collateral
Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to the
Security Documents in the assets of such Issuer shall remain in
full force and effect and perfected (to at least the same extent as
in effect immediately prior to such merger, conversion, dissolution
or liquidation) and (ii) such merger, conversion, dissolution
or liquidation does not violate the terms of the Partnership
Agreement or otherwise result in negative tax consequences for the
Parent; and
(b) any Subsidiary
that is not a Credit Party may Dispose of all or substantially all
its assets (including any Disposition that is in the nature of a
liquidation) to (i) another Subsidiary that is not a Credit
Party or (ii) to a Credit Party.
54
Make any Disposition or enter
into any agreement to make any Disposition, except:
(a) Dispositions of
obsolete or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter
acquired, in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Dispositions of
inventory and Cemetery Property in the ordinary course of
business;
(c) Dispositions, in
each case without recourse and in the ordinary course of business,
of overdue accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of
business, but only in connection with the compromise or collection
thereof and not as part of any financing transaction;
(d) Licenses, leases
or subleases of property to third Persons, made in the ordinary
course of business and not interfering in any material respect with
the business of any Credit Party;
(e) Dispositions of
tangible personal property to the extent that (i) such
property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of
similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such
Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price
of such replacement property;
(f) Dispositions of
real property by any Credit Party which is not otherwise permitted
under clause (b) above; provided that (i) at the
time of such Disposition, no Default shall exist or would result
from such Disposition, (ii) the aggregate book value of all
such property Disposed of in reliance on this clause (f) in
any fiscal year shall not exceed $6,000,000 and (iii) the
purchase price for such property shall be paid to such Credit Party
in cash (and any Disposition Note permitted by
Section 10.3(l));
(g) Dispositions by
any Credit Party to any other Credit Party, so long as the security
interests granted to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the
Secured Parties pursuant to the Security Documents in the assets so
transferred shall remain in full force and effect and perfected (to
at least the same extent as in effect immediately prior to such
transfer);
(h) Dispositions of
Equity Interests in the Parent by the General Partner, to the
extent required under the terms of the Partnership Agreement or any
employee benefit plan of a Credit Party;
(i) Dispositions
constituting Permitted Liens or permitted by
Section 10.4;
(j) Dispositions of
tangible property (real or personal), so long as (i) no
Default then exists or would result therefrom, (ii) each such
sale is in an arm’s-length transaction and the applicable
Credit Party receives at least fair market value (as determined in
good faith by such Credit Party), (iii) the total
consideration received by such Credit Party is paid at the time of
the closing of such sale in cash (and any Disposition Note
permitted by Section 10.3(l)), and (iv) the Net Cash
Proceeds therefrom are applied and/or reinvested as (and to the
extent) required by Section 8.2; and
55
(k) Dispositions of
Cash Equivalents made in the ordinary course of
business.
To the extent the Required
Holders waive the provisions of this Section 10.5 with respect
to any Disposition of Collateral, or any Collateral is Disposed of
as permitted by this Section 10.5, such Collateral (unless
transferred to a Credit Party) shall be Disposed of free and clear
of the Liens created by the Security Documents and the holders will
direct the Collateral Agent to take such actions as are appropriate
in connection therewith.
| |
10.6. |
Restricted Payments; Equity Issuances. |
(a) Declare or make,
directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any
obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except
that:
(i) each Subsidiary may make
Restricted Payments to any Issuer or the Parent; and
(ii) the Parent and the
General Partner shall be permitted to make regularly scheduled
quarterly distributions to its general and limited partners or
members, as applicable, to the extent set forth in the Partnership
Agreement and the GP Agreement, respectively, each as in effect as
of the Series B Closing Date, to the extent that (A) at the
time such distribution is made no Default exists, or would exist
after giving effect to such distribution, and (B) for the
fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to the date of such
distribution, the chief financial officer of the Parent or General
Partner, as applicable, delivers to the holders a certificate that
the above conditions have been satisfied; or
(b) Issue or sell any
Equity Interests (including by way of sales of treasury stock),
except for:
(i) Issuances by the Parent
and the General Partner of Equity Interests which are not
mandatorily redeemable;
(ii) transfers to any Credit
Party and replacements of then outstanding shares of capital stock
or other Equity Interests of any Issuer (subject to the delivery of
any documents required by the Pledge Agreement or any other Finance
Document);
(iii) stock splits, stock
dividends and additional issuances by any Issuer which does not
decrease the percentage ownership of the Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries in any class of the Equity Interests of such Issuer
(or otherwise adversely affect the Lien of the Collateral Agent in
the Equity Interests of such Issuer);
(iv) any issuances made to
qualify directors to the extent required by applicable Law;
and
(v) issuances of Equity
Interests by Subsidiaries formed after the Series B Closing Date
pursuant to Section 9.8 (to the extent in accordance with the
requirements of Section 9.8); provided that all Equity
Interests issued in accordance with this clause (v) shall, to
the extent required by the Pledge Agreement or any other Finance
Document, be delivered to the Collateral Agent.
56
| |
10.7. |
Change in Nature of Business. |
Engage in any line of
business other than the Permitted Business.
| |
10.8. |
Transactions with Affiliates. |
Enter into any transaction of
any kind with any Affiliate of any Credit Party, whether or not in
the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable
terms substantially as favorable to such Credit Party as would be
obtainable by such Credit Party at the time in a comparable
arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an
Affiliate; provided that the following shall in any event be
permitted: (i) the Transaction; (ii) intercompany
transactions among Credit Parties that are entered into pursuant to
the reasonable business requirements of the Credit Parties and that
are not prohibited under this Agreement or any other Finance
Document; (iii) the payment of consulting or other fees to any
Credit Party in the ordinary course of business;
(iv) customary fees to non-officer directors (or equivalents)
of the General Partner; (v) the Credit Parties may perform
their respective obligations under any Employment Agreements,
employee benefit plans of any Credit Party and other employment
arrangements with respect to the procurement of services with their
respective officers and employees, in each case so long as any such
employment arrangements are entered into in the ordinary course of
business; (vi) Restricted Payments may be paid by Credit
Parties to the extent permitted by Section 10.6;
(vii) payments may be made pursuant to any Tax Allocation
Agreement; (viii) Credit Parties may enter into transactions
with employees and/or officers of the Credit Parties in the
ordinary course of business so long as any such material
transaction has been approved by the governing bodies of such
Credit Parties; and (ix) the Credit Parties may perform their
respective obligations under (A) the Omnibus Agreement, dated
as of the Series B Closing Date, among certain Credit Parties and
certain of their Affiliates, and (B) the Assignment Agreement,
dated as of the Effective Date, between McCown De Leeuw &
Co. IV, L.P. and the Parent. In no event shall any management,
consulting or similar fee be paid or payable by the Parent or any
of its Subsidiaries to any Affiliate, except as specifically
provided in this Section 10.8.
| |
10.9. |
Burdensome Agreements. |
Enter into or permit to exist
any Contractual Obligation that (a) limits the ability
(i) of any Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments or
Intercompany Loan payments to any Credit Party or to otherwise
transfer property to or invest in any Credit Party, except for
(A) this Agreement, the other Finance Documents, and the
Credit Agreement Documents, (B) customary provisions
restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a
leasehold interest of any Issuer, or (C) the Partnership
Agreement; provided , however , that this clause
(a) shall not prohibit any negative pledge incurred or
provided in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under
Section 10.2(g) solely to the extent any such negative pledge
relates to the property financed by the holder of such
Indebtedness; or (b) requires the grant of a Lien to secure an
obligation of such Person if a Lien is granted to secure another
obligation of such Person.
Use the proceeds of the Shelf
Notes, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately,
incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock
(within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit
to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or
to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such
purpose.
57
| |
10.11. |
Financial Covenants. |
(a) Minimum
EBITDA. The Parent will not permit Consolidated EBITDA for
any Measurement Period to be less than the sum of
(i) $26,900,000 plus (ii) 80% of the aggregate of
all Consolidated EBITDA for each Permitted Acquisition completed
after the Series B Closing Date (the “ Permitted
Acquisition Step-Up ” ).
(b) Consolidated
Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Interest
Coverage Ratio for any Measurement Period to be less than 3.50 to
1.0.
(c) Consolidated
Leverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio for
any Measurement Period to be greater than 3.50 to 1.0.
| |
10.12. |
Amendment of Partnership Units and Organizational
Documents. |
(a) Amend or modify,
or permit the amendment or modification of, any provision of any
Partnership Common Unit or Partnership Subordinated Unit or of any
agreement (including, without limitation, certificate of
designation) relating thereto in a manner that is inconsistent with
the Partnership Agreement or that could reasonably be expected to
be adverse in any material respect to the interests of the holders;
or
(b) amend modify or
change in any way adverse to the interests of the holders in any
material respect the Partnership Agreement, the GP Agreement or any
other Credit Party’s Organizational Documents, or any
Shareholders’ Agreement, Tax Allocation Agreement or
Management Agreement, or enter into any new Organizational
Document, Shareholders’ Agreement, Tax Allocation Agreement
or Management Agreement which could reasonably be expected to be
adverse in any material respect to the interests of the holders or,
in the case of any Management Agreement, which involves the payment
by any Credit Party of any amount which could give rise to a
violation of this Agreement; provided that, the foregoing
clause shall not restrict (i) the ability of Parent or the
General Partner to amend the Partnership Agreement or the GP
Agreement, respectively, to authorize the issuance of Equity
Interests otherwise permitted to be issued pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement, or (ii) the ability of the Parent to amend its
Organizational Documents to adopt customary takeover defenses for a
public company, such as classification of its board of directors,
requirements for notice of acquisition of shares and other similar
measures.
| |
10.13. |
Accounting Changes. |
Make any material change in
any accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required
by GAAP, or make any change in its fiscal year.
| |
10.14. |
Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness. |
Make (or give any notice in
respect of) any voluntary or optional payment or prepayment on or
redemption, repurchase or acquisition for value of (including,
without limitation, by way of
58
depositing with the trustee with respect
thereto or any other Person, money or securities before due for the
purpose of paying when due), or any prepayment or redemption
(except as expressly required under the terms of the relevant
agreement) as a result of any asset sale, Change of Control or
similar event of any Indebtedness pursuant to the Credit Agreement
Documents or, after the incurrence or issuance thereof, any Seller
Subordinated Debt, except that revolving loans under the Credit
Agreement may be (i) prepaid at any time so long as no Event
of Default is continuing or (ii) prepaid solely from the cash
proceeds of Receivables Rights (as such term is defined in the
Intercreditor Agreement) if an Event of Default then
exists.
| |
10.15. |
Amendment of Finance Documents and
Indebtedness. |
(a) Amend, modify or
change, in any way adverse to the interests of the holders, any
Credit Agreement Document; or
(b) amend, modify or
change in any way adverse to the interests of the holders in any
material respect any Seller Subordinated Debt.
| |
10.16. |
Holding Company. In the case of the General Partner and
the Parent: |
(a) the General
Partner will not itself: (i) engage in a Permitted Business;
(ii) own any significant assets (other than (A) its
general partnership Equity Interest in the Parent, (B) cash to
be loaned, dividended, contributed and/or otherwise promptly
applied for purposes not otherwise prohibited by this Agreement and
(C) other assets used or held in connection with the
performance of activities permitted to be conducted by the General
Partner); or (iii) have any liabilities (other than those
liabilities for which it is responsible under any Finance Document
or Credit Agreement Document to which it is a party, the GP
Agreement, and any other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by
the General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2); provided,
however , the restrictions above shall not prohibit (or be
construed to prohibit) the General Partner or its employees from
conducting the activities contemplated to be conducted by the
General Partner under the GP Agreement and the Partnership
Agreement (each as in effect on the Series B Closing Date or as
amended in accordance with this Agreement), and other
administrative, management or ordinary course “holding
company” activities necessary or desirable in connection with
the operation of the Permitted Business through the General Partner
and the Issuers (including, without limitation, intercompany
management functions and the provision of umbrella insurance
policies); and
(b) the Parent will
not itself: (i) engage in a Permitted Business; (ii) own
any significant assets (other than (A) the Equity Interests in
the Company, (B) any Intercompany Loan permitted to be made by
it pursuant to Section 10.2(c), whether or not evidenced by an
Intercompany Note, (C) cash to be loaned, dividended,
contributed and/or otherwise promptly applied for purposes not
otherwise prohibited by this Agreement, and (D) other assets
used or held in connection with the performance of activities
permitted to be conducted by the Parent); or (iii) have any
liabilities (other than those liabilities for which it is
responsible under this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, the
Finance Documents and the Credit Agreement Documents to which it is
a party, any Intercompany Loan permitted to be incurred by it
pursuant to Section 10.2(c) and any other Indebtedness
permitted to be incurred by the Parent pursuant to
Section 10.2); provided , however , the
restrictions contained above shall not prohibit (or be
59
construed to prohibit) the Parent from
conducting administrative and other ordinary course “holding
company” activities necessary or desirable in connection with
the operation of the Permitted Business through the
Issuers.
Except in accordance with
reasonable business practices and applicable Law, (a) withdraw
or otherwise remove any monies or other assets (whether principal,
interest or other earnings) from any Trust Account except for the
purpose of providing the merchandise or services which are intended
to be provided out of such Trust Account or (b) make any
investments of Trust Funds or interest or other earnings
thereon.
Any of the following shall
constitute an Event of Default:
(a)
Non-Payment. Any Credit Party fails to (i) pay
when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of,
or Make-Whole Amount on, any Shelf Note, or (ii) pay, within
three days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Shelf
Note, or (iii) pay, within five days after the same becomes
due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Finance
Document; or
(b) Specific
Covenants . Any Credit Party fails to perform or
observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of
Section 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 9.2, 9.7, 9.8, 9.14, 9.15, or
10;
(c) Other
Defaults . Any Credit Party fails to perform or
observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in
Section 11(a) or Section 11(b)) contained in any Finance
Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure
continues unremedied for 30 days after notice thereof is provided
to any Credit Party by any holder;
(d)
Representations and Warranties . Any
representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made
or deemed made by or on behalf of any Credit Party herein, in any
other Finance Document, or in any document delivered in connection
herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any
material respect when made or deemed made;
(e)
Cross-Default . (i) Any Credit Party or
any Subsidiary thereof (A) fails to make any payment when due
(whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration,
demand, or otherwise), but subject to any applicable grace or cure
period, in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee of Indebtedness
(other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap
Contracts) having an aggregate outstanding principal amount
(including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or
syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount,
or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or
condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee of
Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement
evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event
occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or
to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or
the
60
beneficiary or beneficiaries of such
Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or
holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving
of notice if required, but subject to any applicable grace or cure
period, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be
repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or
otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem
such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such
Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof
to be demanded (it being understood that a default or other event
or condition described in this clause (B) shall cease to
constitute an Event of Default if and when the same has been cured
or otherwise ceases to exist, in each case prior to the taking of
any action by the Required Holders pursuant to Section 12.1);
or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early
Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from
(A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which
a Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof is the Defaulting Party
(as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination
Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which a Credit
Party or any Subsidiary thereof is an Affected Party (as so
defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by
such Credit Party or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater
than the Threshold Amount;
(f) Insolvency
Proceedings, Etc. Any Credit Party or any Subsidiary
thereof institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding
under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit
of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any
receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator,
rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material
part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian,
conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is
appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the
appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 90 calendar
days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any
such Person or to all or any material part of its property is
instituted without the consent of such Person and continues
undismissed or unstayed for 90 calendar days, or an order for
relief is entered in any such proceeding;
(g) Inability to
Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) Any Credit Party or any
Subsidiary thereof becomes unable or admits in writing its
inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due,
or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or
similar process is issued or levied against all or any material
part of the property of any such Person and is not released,
vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or
levy;
(h)
Judgments . There is entered against any
Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof (i) one or more final
judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount
(as to all such judgments and orders) exceeding the Threshold
Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party
insurance as to which the insurer is rated at least “A”
by A.M. Best Company, has been notified of the potential claim and
does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more
non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement
proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or
order, or (B) there is a period of 60 consecutive days during
which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a
pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect;
61
(i)
ERISA. (i) any ERISA Event occurs with respect
to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could
reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate,
in liability of any Issuer under Title IV of ERISA, to any
Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC, in excess of the
Threshold Amount, (ii) any Issuer or any ERISA Affiliate fails
to pay any installment payment with respect to any withdrawal
liability pursuant to Section 4201 of ERISA, within a period
of thirty (30) calendar days after such payment was otherwise
due pursuant to Section 4219 of ERISA under any Multiemployer
Plan, provided that the failure to make such installment
prior to the expiration of the sixty-day (60) time period
prescribed in Section 4219(c)(5)(A) of ERISA could reasonably
be expected to result in the acceleration of withdrawal liability
pursuant to Section 4219(c)(5) of ERISA, individually or in
the aggregate, in excess of the Threshold Amount; or (iii) any
Issuer or any ERISA Affiliate currently is, or is reasonably
expected to be, in “default” under a Multiemployer
Plan, as described in Section 4219(c)(5)(B), which has
resulted, or could reasonably be expected to result, individually
or in the aggregate, in withdrawal liability of such Issuer or
ERISA Affiliate under Title IV of ERISA to the Multiemployer Plan
in excess of the Threshold Amount;
(j) Invalidity
of Finance Documents. Any provision of any Finance
Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any
reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or
satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full
force and effect; or any Credit Party or any other Person contests
in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of
any Finance Document; or any Credit Party denies that it has any or
further liability or obligation under any provision of any Finance
Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any provision
of any Finance Document;
(k) Change of
Control. There occurs any Change of Control;
(l)
Intercreditor Agreement . The Intercreditor
Agreement or any provision thereof shall cease to be in full force
and effect;
(m) Security
Documents . Any Security Document after delivery
thereof pursuant to Section 4.1(h) or 9.8 shall for any reason
(other than pursuant to the terms thereof) cease to create a valid
and perfected first priority Lien (subject to Liens permitted by
Section 10.1) on the Collateral purported to be covered
thereby; or
(n) (i) The
subordination provisions of any documents evidencing or governing
any subordinated Indebtedness (the “ Subordination
Provisions ”) shall, in whole or in part, terminate,
cease to be effective or cease to be legally valid, binding and
enforceable against any holder of the applicable subordinated
Indebtedness; or (ii) any Credit Party shall, directly or
indirectly, disavow or contest in any manner (A) the
effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any of the
Subordination Provisions, (B) that the Subordination
Provisions exist for the benefit of the holders or (C) that
all payments of principal of or premium and interest on the
applicable subordinated Indebtedness, or realized from the
liquidation of any property of any Credit Party, shall be subject
to any of the Subordination Provisions.
62
| 12. |
REMEDIES ON DEFAULT, ETC. |
(a) If an Event of
Default with respect to a Credit Party described in paragraph
(f) of Section 11 has occurred, all the Shelf Notes then
outstanding shall automatically become immediately due and
payable.
(b) If any other Event
of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Required Holders may
at any time at its or their option, by notice or notices to the
Issuers, declare all the Shelf Notes then outstanding to be
immediately due and payable.
(c) If any Event of
Default described in paragraph (a) of Section 11 has
occurred and is continuing, any holder or holders of Shelf Notes at
the time outstanding affected by such Event of Default may at any
time, at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Issuers,
declare all the Shelf Notes held by it or them to be immediately
due and payable.
Upon any Shelf Notes becoming
due and payable under this Section 12.1, whether automatically
or by declaration, such Shelf Notes will forthwith mature and the
entire unpaid principal amount of such Shelf Notes, plus
(x) all accrued and unpaid interest thereon and (y) the
Make-Whole Amount determined in respect of such principal amount,
shall all be immediately due and payable, in each and every case
without presentment, demand, protest or further notice, all of
which are hereby waived. The Issuers acknowledge, and the parties
hereto agree, that each holder of a Shelf Note has the right to
maintain its investment in the Shelf Notes free from repayment by
the Issuers (except as herein specifically provided for) and that
the provision for payment of a Make-Whole Amount by the Issuers in
the event that the Shelf Notes are prepaid or are accelerated as a
result of an Event of Default, is intended to provide compensation
for the deprivation of such right under such
circumstances.
If any Default or Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing, and irrespective of whether
any Shelf Notes have become or have been declared immediately due
and payable under Section 12.1, the holder of any Shelf Note
at the time outstanding may proceed to protect and enforce the
rights of such holder by an action at law, suit in equity or other
appropriate proceeding, whether for the specific performance of any
agreement contained herein or in any Shelf Note, or for an
injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or
thereof, or in aid of the exercise of any power granted hereby or
thereby or by law or otherwise.
At any time after any Shelf
Notes have been declared due and payable pursuant to clause
(b) or (c) of Section 12.1, the Required Holders, by
written notice to the Company, may rescind and annul any such
declaration and its consequences if (a) the Issuers have paid
all overdue interest on the Shelf Notes, all principal of and
Make-Whole Amount, if any, on any Shelf Notes
63
that are due and payable and are unpaid
other than by reason of such declaration, and all interest on such
overdue principal and Make-Whole Amount, if any, and any overdue
interest in respect of any Series of Shelf Notes, at the Default
Rate for such Series, (b) all Events of Default and Defaults,
other than non-payment of amounts that have become due solely by
reason of such declaration, have been cured or have been waived
pursuant to Section 17, and (c) no judgment or decree has
been entered for the payment of any monies due pursuant hereto or
to the Shelf Notes. No rescission and annulment under this
Section 12.3 will extend to or affect any subsequent Event of
Default or Default or impair any right consequent
thereon.
| |
12.4. |
No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses,
etc. |
No course of dealing and no
delay on the part of any holder of any Shelf Note in exercising any
right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof or
otherwise prejudice such holder’s rights, powers or remedies.
No right, power or remedy conferred by this Agreement or by any
Shelf Note upon any holder thereof shall be exclusive of any other
right, power or remedy referred to herein or therein or now or
hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise.
Without limiting the obligations of the Credit Parties under
Section 15, the Credit Parties jointly and severally agree to
pay to the holder of each Shelf Note on demand such further amount
as shall be sufficient to cover all costs and expenses of such
holder incurred in any enforcement or collection under this
Section 12, including, without limitation, reasonable
attorneys’ fees, expenses and disbursements.
| 13. |
REGISTRATION; EXCHANGE; SUBSTITUTION OF SHELF
NOTES. |
| |
13.1. |
Registration of Shelf Notes. |
The Company shall keep at its
principal executive office a register for the registration and
registration of transfers of Shelf Notes. The name and address of
each holder of one or more Shelf Notes, each transfer thereof and
the name and address of each transferee of one or more Shelf Notes
shall be registered in such register. Prior to due presentment for
registration of transfer, the Person in whose name any Shelf Note
shall be registered shall be deemed and treated as the owner and
holder thereof for all purposes hereof, and no Issuer shall be
affected by any notice or knowledge to the contrary. The Company
shall give to any holder of a Shelf Note that is an Institutional
Investor promptly upon request therefor, a complete and correct
copy of the names and addresses of all registered holders of Shelf
Notes.
| |
13.2. |
Transfer and Exchange of Shelf Notes. |
Upon surrender of any Shelf
Note at the principal executive office of the Company for
registration of transfer or exchange (and in the case of a
surrender for registration of transfer, accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer duly executed by the registered holder of
such Shelf Note or such holder’s attorney duly authorized in
writing and accompanied by the address for notices of each
transferee of such Shelf Note or part thereof), within five
Business Days thereafter the Issuers shall execute and deliver, at
the Credit Parties’ joint and several expense (except as
provided below), one or more new Shelf Notes of the same Series (as
requested by the holder thereof) in exchange therefor, in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the unpaid principal amount of
the surrendered Shelf Note. Each such new Shelf Note shall be
payable to such QIB as such holder may request and shall be
substantially in the form of Shelf Note for
64
such Series as set forth in Exhibit A-1,
Exhibit A-2 or Exhibit A-3, as the case may be. Each such new Shelf
Note shall be dated and bear interest from the date to which
interest shall have been paid on the surrendered Shelf Note or
dated the date of the surrendered Shelf Note if no interest shall
have been paid thereon. The Issuers may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any stamp tax or governmental charge imposed in
respect of any such transfer of Shelf Notes. Shelf Notes shall not
be transferred in denominations of less than $100,000,
provided that if necessary to enable the registration of
transfer by a holder of its entire holding of Shelf Notes, one
Shelf Note may be in a denomination of less than $100,000. Any
transferee, by its acceptance of a Shelf Note registered in its
name (or the name of its nominee), shall be deemed to have
(a) made the representation set forth in the second sentence
of Section 6.1 and in Section 6.2 and
(b) represented to the Company that it is a QIB.
| |
13.3. |
Replacement of Shelf Notes. |
Upon receipt by the Company
of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the ownership of and
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any Shelf Note (which
evidence shall be, in the case of an Institutional Investor, notice
from such Institutional Investor of such ownership and such loss,
theft, destruction or mutilation), and
(a) in the case of
loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to
it ( provided that if the holder of such Shelf Note is, or
is a nominee for, an original Purchaser or another holder of a
Shelf Note with a minimum net worth of at least $10,000,000, such
Person’s own unsecured agreement of indemnity shall be deemed
to be satisfactory), or
(b) in the case of
mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation thereof, the Issuers at
their own joint and several expense shall execute and deliver, in
lieu thereof, a new Shelf Note of the same Series, dated and
bearing interest from the date to which interest shall have been
paid on such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Shelf Note or
dated the date of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Shelf
Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon.
| 14. |
PAYMENTS ON SHELF NOTES. |
Subject to Section 14.2,
payments of principal, Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest
becoming due and payable on the Shelf Notes shall be made in New
York, New York at the principal office of Citibank, N.A. in such
jurisdiction. The Company may at any time thereafter, by notice to
each holder of a Shelf Note, change the place of payment of the
Shelf Notes so long as such place of payment shall be either the
principal office of the Company in the United States or the
principal office of a bank or trust company in the United
States.
So long as a Purchaser or its
nominee shall be the holder of any Shelf Note, and notwithstanding
anything contained in Section 14.1 or in such Shelf Note to
the contrary, the Issuers will pay all sums becoming due on such
Shelf Note for principal, Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest,
which comply with the terms of this Agreement, by wire transfer of
immediately available funds for credit (not later than 12:00 noon,
New York City local time, on
65
the date due) to (i) the account or
accounts of such Purchaser specified in the Schedule A attached
hereto in the case of any Series A Note or Series B Note,
(ii) the account or accounts of such Purchaser specified in
the Confirmation of Acceptance in the case of any other Shelf Note
or (iii) such other account or accounts in the United States
as such Purchaser may from time to time designate in writing,
notwithstanding any contrary provision herein or in any Shelf Note,
without the presentation or surrender of such Shelf Note or the
making of any notation thereon, except that upon written request of
the Company made concurrently with or reasonably promptly after
payment or prepayment in full of any Shelf Note, such Purchaser
shall surrender such Shelf Note for cancellation, reasonably
promptly after any such request, to the Company at its principal
executive office or at the place of payment most recently
designated by the Company pursuant to Section 14.1. Prior to
any sale or other disposition of any Shelf Note held by a Purchaser
or its nominee such Purchaser will, at its election, either endorse
thereon the amount of principal paid thereon and the last date to
which interest has been paid thereon or surrender such Shelf Note
to the Company in exchange for a new Shelf Note or Shelf Notes
pursuant to Section 13.2. The Issuers will afford the benefits
of this Section 14.2 to any Institutional Investor that is the
direct or indirect transferee of any Shelf Note purchased by a
Purchaser under this Agreement and that has made the same agreement
relating to such Shelf Note as such Purchaser has made in this
Section 14.2.
| |
15.1. |
Transaction Expenses, etc. |
Whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Credit
Parties jointly and severally agree to pay all reasonable
out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and
disbursements of Bingham McCutchen LLP and Katten Muchin Rosenman
LLP, the Purchasers’ special counsel, and, if reasonably
required, local counsel or other counsel) incurred by each
Purchaser and each holder of a Shelf Note in connection with such
transactions and in connection with any amendments, waivers or
consents under or in respect of this Agreement, the Shelf Notes or
any other Finance Document (whether or not such amendment, waiver
or consent becomes effective), including without limitation:
(a) the fees and expenses of the Collateral Agent and its
counsel, (b) all filing and recording fees and taxes and title
insurance provisions in connection with any Finance Document,
(c) the costs and expenses incurred in enforcing or defending
(or determining whether or how to enforce or defend) any rights
under this Agreement, the Shelf Notes or any other Finance Document
or in responding to any subpoena or other legal process or informal
investigative demand issued in connection with this Agreement, the
Shelf Notes or any other Finance Document, (d) the costs and
expenses, including financial advisors’ fees, incurred in
connection with a recapitalization of any Issuer or the insolvency
or bankruptcy of any Issuer or in connection with any work-out or
restructuring of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the
Shelf Notes and the other Finance Documents, (e) the costs and
expenses incurred in connection with the initial filing of this
Agreement and all related documents and financial information, and
all subsequent annual and interim filings of documents and
financial information related to this Agreement, with the
Securities Valuation Office of the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners or any successor organization acceding to
the authority thereof and (f) the costs and expenses incurred
in connection with any action taken or considered under
Section 12. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the Credit Parties jointly and severally agree to pay all
reasonable costs and expenses incurred by
66
any holder of a Shelf Note or the
Collateral Agent in connection with the exercise of inspection
rights pursuant to Section 7.4. The Credit Parties jointly and
severally agree to pay, and will save each Purchaser and each other
holder of a Shelf Note harmless from, all claims in respect of any
fees, costs or expenses if any, of brokers and finders (other than
those retained by such Purchaser).
In furtherance of the
foregoing, on the Series B Closing Date the Issuers jointly and
severally agree to pay or cause to be paid the reasonable fees and
disbursements and other charges of Bingham McCutchen LLP and Katten
Muchin Rosenman LLP, the Purchasers’ special counsel which
are reflected in the statement or statements of such special
counsel submitted to the Company on or before the Series B Closing
Date. The Issuers also jointly and severally agree to pay, promptly
upon receipt of supplemental statements therefor, reasonable
additional fees, if any, and disbursements and other charges of
such special counsel in connection with the transactions hereby
contemplated (including disbursements and other charges unposted as
of
|