Form 8-K
BEAZER HOMES USA INC DE false 0000915840 0000915840 2024-03-15 2024-03-15

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 15, 2024

 

 

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

DELAWARE   001-12822   58-2086934

(State or other jurisdiction of

Company or organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

2002 Summit Boulevard, 15th Floor

Atlanta, Georgia 30319

(Address of principal executive offices)

(770) 829-3700

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

None

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Securities registered pursuant to 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of Each Class

 

Trading
Symbol

 

Name of each exchange
on which Registered

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share   BZH   New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 


Item 1.01.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Indenture

On March 15, 2024, Beazer Homes USA, Inc. (the “Company”) issued and sold $250 million aggregate principal amount of its 7.500% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”) through a private placement to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes were initially sold pursuant to a purchase agreement, dated March 12, 2024, among the Company, the wholly-owned subsidiaries named as guarantors therein (the “Guarantors”) and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the initial purchasers named therein (the “Initial Purchasers”). The Company will use net proceeds from the offering to fund the redemption of the $197.9 million aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 6.750% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “2025 Notes”), including fees and expenses related to the redemption of the 2025 Notes.

Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing September 15, 2024. The Notes will mature on March 15, 2031.

The Notes were issued under an Indenture, dated March 15, 2024 (the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantors and Regions Bank, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Indenture contains covenants which, subject to certain exceptions, limit the ability of the Company and its restricted subsidiaries (as defined in the Indenture) to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness or issue certain preferred shares, create liens on assets to secure indebtedness, pay dividends or make other equity distributions, purchase or redeem capital stock, make certain investments and consolidate or merge. The Indenture contains customary events of default. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, payments on the Notes may be accelerated and become immediately due and payable.

Upon a change of control (as defined in the Indenture), the Indenture requires the Company to make an offer to repurchase the Notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest.

The Company may redeem the Notes at any time prior to March 15, 2027, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount, plus a customary make whole premium equal to the Treasury Rate (as defined in the Indenture) plus 0.50% per annum, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. In addition, at any time on or prior to March 15, 2027, the Company may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes with the proceeds of certain equity offerings at a redemption price equal to 107.500% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption; provided, that at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes originally issued under the Indenture remain outstanding after such redemption. Furthermore, at any time prior to the maturity of the Notes, if at least 90% of the principal amount of the Notes have previously been repurchased and cancelled in connection with a change of control offer (as defined in the Indenture) the Company may redeem all of the remaining Notes at a redemption price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date. On or after March 15, 2027, the Company may redeem some or all of the Notes at 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

The Notes rank equally in right of payment with all of the Company’s existing and future senior unsecured obligations, senior to all of the Company’s existing and future subordinated indebtedness and effectively subordinated to any future secured indebtedness of the Company. The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed jointly and severally on an unsecured senior basis by the Guarantors. The guarantees will rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness of such Guarantors and will rank senior in right of payment to all of the Company’s existing and future subordinated indebtedness of such Guarantors. The Notes and related guarantees are structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other liabilities of all of the Company’s subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes.

 


The foregoing descriptions of the Indenture and the Notes are qualified in their entirety to the Indenture and the forms of the Notes filed herewith as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

The Initial Purchasers or their affiliates have performed commercial banking, investment banking and advisory services for the Company from time to time for which they have received customary fees and reimbursement of expenses.

Credit Agreement Extension

On March 15, 2024, the Company executed an amendment (the “Amendment”) to the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 13, 2022, among the Company, the several lenders from time to time parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as an issuing lender and administrative agent (as amended on and prior to March 15, 2024, the “Credit Agreement”). The Amendment, among other things, extends the termination date from October 13, 2026 to March 15, 2028.

The foregoing description of the Amendment is qualified in its entirety to the full text of the Amendment filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

Item 2.03.

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

The information set forth above under Item 1.01 is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

 

Item 8.01.

Other Events

Redemption Notice

On March 12, 2024, the Company issued a notice of redemption to redeem the $197.9 million aggregate principal amount of 2025 Notes that remained outstanding. The redemption is being made pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the terms of the 2025 Notes, at a redemption price of 100% of par plus accrued interest to the date of redemption.

Press Release

On March 15, 2024, the Company issued a press release announcing the completion of the notes offering. A copy of this release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

 4.1    Indenture, dated as of March 15, 2024, among the Company, the Guarantors and Regions Bank, as trustee.
 4.2    Form of 7.500% Senior Note due 2031 (included in Exhibit 4.1).
10.1    First Amendment, dated as of March 15, 2024, to the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 13, 2022, among the Company, the several lenders from time to time parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as an issuing lender and administrative agent (as further amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time)
99.1    Press release dated March 15, 2024.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).


Signatures

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

Date: March 18, 2024

 

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.
By:  

/s/ Keith L. Belknap

  Keith L. Belknap
  Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

Execution version

Indenture

DATED AS OF MARCH 15, 2024

AMONG

Beazer Homes USA, Inc.,

The Subsidiary Guarantors Named on Schedule I Hereto,

AND

Regions Bank,

AS TRUSTEE

7.500% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2031


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  
Article I. DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE      1  

Section 1.01

  

Definitions

     1  

Section 1.02

  

Other Definitions

     22  

Section 1.03

  

[Reserved]

     22  

Section 1.04

  

Rules of Construction

     22  

Section 1.05

  

Acts of Holders

     23  
Article II. THE NOTES      24  

Section 2.01

  

Form and Dating; Terms

     24  

Section 2.02

  

Execution and Authentication

     25  

Section 2.03

  

Registrar and Paying Agent

     26  

Section 2.04

  

Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust

     26  

Section 2.05

  

Holder Lists

     27  

Section 2.06

  

Transfer and Exchange

     27  

Section 2.07

  

Replacement Notes

     38  

Section 2.08

  

Outstanding Notes

     38  

Section 2.09

  

Treasury Notes

     39  

Section 2.10

  

Temporary Notes

     39  

Section 2.11

  

Cancellation

     39  

Section 2.12

  

Defaulted Cash Interest

     39  

Section 2.13

  

CUSIP and ISIN Numbers

     40  
Article III. REDEMPTION      40  

Section 3.01

  

Notices to Trustee

     40  

Section 3.02

  

Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased

     41  

Section 3.03

  

Notice of Redemption

     41  

Section 3.04

  

Effect of Notice of Redemption

     42  

Section 3.05

  

Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price

     42  

Section 3.06

  

Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part

     43  

Section 3.07

  

Optional Redemption

     43  

Section 3.08

  

Mandatory Redemption

     44  
Article IV. COVENANTS      44  

Section 4.01

  

Payment of Notes

     44  

Section 4.02

  

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     44  

Section 4.03

  

Reports and Other Information

     45  

Section 4.04

  

Compliance Certificate

     46  

Section 4.05

  

Taxes

     46  

Section 4.06

  

Stay, Extension and Usury Laws

     46  

Section 4.07

  

Limitations on Restricted Payments

     46  


Section 4.08

  

Change of Control

     49  

Section 4.09

  

Subsidiary Guarantees by Restricted Subsidiaries

     51  

Section 4.10

  

Limitations on Additional Indebtedness

     51  

Section 4.11

  

Limitations on Secured Indebtedness

     53  

Section 4.12

  

Maintenance of Corporate Existence; Maintenance of Properties

     54  

Section 4.13

  

Limitations on Mergers and Consolidations

     55  

Section 4.14

  

Limitation of Applicability of Certain Covenants if Notes Rated Investment Grade

     55  
Article V. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES      56  

Section 5.01

  

Events of Default

     56  

Section 5.02

  

Acceleration

     58  

Section 5.03

  

Other Remedies

     58  

Section 5.04

  

Waiver of Existing Defaults

     59  

Section 5.05

  

Control by Majority

     59  

Section 5.06

  

Limitation on Suits

     59  

Section 5.07

  

Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment

     60  

Section 5.08

  

Collection Suit by Trustee

     60  

Section 5.09

  

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     60  

Section 5.10

  

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     60  

Section 5.11

  

Priorities

     61  

Section 5.12

  

Undertaking for Costs

     61  
Article VI. TRUSTEE      62  

Section 6.01

  

Duties of Trustee

     62  

Section 6.02

  

Rights of Trustee

     63  

Section 6.03

  

Individual Rights of Trustee

     64  

Section 6.04

  

Trustee’s Disclaimer

     64  

Section 6.05

  

Notice of Defaults

     64  

Section 6.06

  

[Reserved]

     65  

Section 6.07

  

Compensation and Indemnity

     65  

Section 6.08

  

Replacement of Trustee

     66  

Section 6.09

  

Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.

     66  

Section 6.10

  

Eligibility; Disqualification

     67  

Section 6.11

  

[Reserved]

     67  
Article VII. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE      67  

Section 7.01

  

Defeasance Upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations

     67  

Section 7.02

  

Survival of the Company’s Obligations

     69  

Section 7.03

  

Application of Trust Money

     69  

Section 7.04

  

Repayment to the Company

     69  

Section 7.05

  

Reinstatement

     70  


Article VIII. AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS      70  

Section 8.01

  

With Consent of Majority; Without Consent of Holders

     70  

Section 8.02

  

With Consent of all Affected Holders

     71  

Section 8.03

  

[Reserved]

     72  

Section 8.04

  

Revocation and Effect of Consents

     72  

Section 8.05

  

Notation on or Exchange of Notes

     72  

Section 8.06

  

Trustee to Sign Amendments

     73  
Article IX. SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES; RELEASE OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS      73  

Section 9.01

  

Subsidiary Guarantee

     73  

Section 9.02

  

Execution and Delivery of Subsidiary Guarantee

     75  

Section 9.03

  

Additional Subsidiary Guarantors

     75  

Section 9.04

  

Release of a Subsidiary Guarantor

     75  

Section 9.05

  

Waiver of Subrogation; Right of Contribution

     76  
Article X. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE      77  

Section 10.01

  

Satisfaction and Discharge

     77  

Section 10.02

  

Application of Trust Money

     78  
Article XI. MISCELLANEOUS      79  

Section 11.01

  

[Reserved]

     79  

Section 11.02

  

Notices

     79  

Section 11.03

  

Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes

     80  

Section 11.04

  

Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent

     80  

Section 11.05

  

Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion

     80  

Section 11.06

  

Rules by Trustee and Agents

     81  

Section 11.07

  

No Personal Liability of Incorporators, Shareholders, Officers, Directors or Employees

     81  

Section 11.08

  

Governing Law

     81  

Section 11.09

  

Waiver of Jury Trial

     81  

Section 11.10

  

Force Majeure

     81  

Section 11.11

  

No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements

     81  

Section 11.12

  

Successors

     82  

Section 11.13

  

Severability

     82  

Section 11.14

  

Counterpart Originals

     82  

Section 11.15

  

Table of Contents, Headings, etc.

     82  

Section 11.16

  

[Reserved]

     82  


SCHEDULES

Schedule 1 Subsidiary Guarantors

EXHIBITS

Exhibit A Form of Notes

Exhibit B Form of Certificate of Transfer

Exhibit C Form of Certificate of Exchange

Exhibit D Form of Supplemental Indenture to Be Delivered by Subsequent Guarantors


INDENTURE, dated as of March 15, 2024, among Beazer Homes USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Subsidiary Guarantors (as defined herein) listed on the signature pages hereto and Regions Bank, as Trustee.

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the creation of an issue of $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.500% Senior Notes due 2031; and

WHEREAS, the Company and each of the Subsidiary Guarantors has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the purchase and acceptance of the Notes by the holders thereof, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes.

Article I.

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Section 1.01 Definitions.

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

Acquired Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of any Person and its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person became a Subsidiary of the Company (or such Person is merged with or into the Company or one of the Company’s Subsidiaries) or assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from any such Person, including, without limitation, Indebtedness Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of (a) such Person being merged with or into or becoming a Subsidiary of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries (but excluding Indebtedness of such Person which is extinguished, retired or repaid in connection with such Person being merged with or into or becoming a Subsidiary of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries) or (b) such acquisition of assets from any such Person.

Additional Notes” means Notes (other than the Notes issued on the Issue Date) issued pursuant to Article II hereof and otherwise in compliance with the provisions of this Indenture.

Adjusted Consolidated Tangible Net Worth” of the Company means Consolidated Tangible Net Worth plus the amount of any Mandatory Convertible Notes and any other instrument that is mandatorily convertible into Capital Stock.

 

1


Adjusted Indebtedness” of the Company means the Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries minus the amount of any Mandatory Convertible Notes.

Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, such Person. For purposes of this Indenture, each executive officer and director of the Company and each Subsidiary of the Company will be an Affiliate of the Company. In addition, for purposes of this Indenture, control of a Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Affiliate” will not include, with respect to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary which is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary which is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company.

Agent” means any Registrar or Paying Agent.

Applicable Debt” means all Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (i) under Credit Facilities or (ii) that is publicly traded (including in the Rule 144A market).

Applicable Premium” means, with respect to a Note at any redemption date, the greater of (i) 1.00% of the principal amount of such Note and (ii) the excess of (A) the present value at such redemption date of (1) the redemption price of such Note on March 15, 2027 (such redemption price being described under Section 3.07(a) hereof, exclusive of any accrued interest) plus (2) all required remaining scheduled interest payments due on such Note through March 15, 2027 (but excluding accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 0.50% per annum, over (B) the principal amount of such Note on such redemption date.

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

Asset Sale” for any Person means the sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition (including, without limitation, by merger, consolidation or sale and leaseback transaction, and whether by operation of law or otherwise) of any of that Person’s assets (including, without limitation, the sale or other disposition of Capital Stock of any Subsidiary of such Person, whether by such Person or such Subsidiary), whether owned on the date of this Indenture or subsequently acquired in one transaction or a series of related transactions, in which such Person and/or its Subsidiaries receive cash and/or other consideration (including, without limitation, the unconditional assumption of Indebtedness of such Person and/or its Subsidiaries) having an aggregate Fair Market Value of $5.0 million or more as to each such transaction or series of related transactions; provided, however, that none of the following transactions that otherwise satisfy the above requirements shall constitute an Asset Sale:

 

  (i)

a transaction or series of related transactions that results in a Change of Control;

 

2


  (ii)

sales of homes or land, including sales of real estate assets in bulk, regardless of value, in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Company);

 

  (iii)

sales, leases, conveyances or other dispositions, including, without limitation, exchanges or swaps, of real estate or other assets, in each case in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Company), for development or disposition of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ projects;

 

  (iv)

sales, leases, sale-leasebacks or other dispositions of amenities, model homes and other improvements at the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ projects in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Company);

 

  (v)

transactions between the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries which are Wholly Owned Subsidiaries, or among such Restricted Subsidiaries which are Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of the Company;

 

  (vi)

any disposition of Cash Equivalents or obsolete or worn out equipment, in each case, in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Company);

 

  (vii)

the sale or other disposition of assets, including real property, no longer used or useful in the conduct of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

  (viii)

the making of any Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment that is permitted to be made, and is made, under Section 4.07 hereof; and

 

  (ix)

a transaction involving the sale of Capital Stock of, or the disposition of assets in, an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Authentication Order” means a written request or order signed on behalf of the Company by an Officer of the Company and delivered to the Trustee.

Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

Book Value” means, with respect to any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the book value thereof as reflected in the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Company filed with the SEC (or if such asset has been acquired after the date of such financial statements, the then-current book value thereof as reasonably determined by the Company consistent with recent practices).

Business Day” means any day other than a Legal Holiday.

Capital Stock” of any Person means any and all shares, rights to purchase, warrants or options (whether or not currently exercisable), participations, or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated and whether voting or non-voting) the equity (which includes, but is not limited to, common stock, preferred stock and partnership and joint venture interests) of such Person (excluding any debt securities that are convertible into, or exchangeable for, such equity).

 

3


Capitalized Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of such obligation will be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

Cash Equivalents” means any of the following:

 

  (i)

direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof or obligations guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof, in each case maturing within one year of the date of acquisition thereof;

 

  (ii)

certificates of deposit, time deposits, bankers acceptances and other obligations placed with commercial banks organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof, or branches or agencies of foreign banks licensed under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof, having a short-term rating of not less than A- by each of Moody’s and S&P at the time of acquisition, and having a maturity of not more than one year;

 

  (iii)

commercial paper rated at least P-1, A-1 or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s or S&P, respectively, and in each case and maturing not more than one year from the date of the acquisition thereof;

 

  (iv)

repurchase agreements or money-market accounts which are fully secured by direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof; and

 

  (v)

investments in money market funds (x) substantially all of the assets of which consist of investments described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) or (y) which (A) have total net assets of at least $2 billion, (B) have investment objectives and policies that substantially conform with the Company’s investment policy as in effect from time to time, (C) purchase only first-tier or U.S. government obligations as defined by Rule 2a-7 of the SEC promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and (D) otherwise comply with such Rule 2a-7.

Change of Control” means any of the following:

 

  (i)

the sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act); provided that a transaction where the holders of all classes of Common Equity of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the aggregate voting power of all classes of Common Equity of such Person or group immediately after such transaction will not be a Change of Control;

 

4


  (ii)

the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; provided that a liquidation or dissolution of the Company which is part of a transaction or series of related transactions that does not constitute a Change of Control under the “provided” clause of clause (i) above will not constitute a Change of Control under this clause (ii);

 

  (iii)

any transaction or a series of related transactions (as a result of a tender offer, merger, consolidation or otherwise) that results in, or that is in connection with, any Person, including a “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) acquiring “beneficial ownership” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the aggregate voting power of all classes of Common Equity of the Company or of any Person that possesses “beneficial ownership” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the aggregate voting power of all classes of Common Equity of the Company;

 

  (iv)

a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company not being comprised of Continuing Directors; or

 

  (v)

a change of control shall occur as defined in the instrument governing any publicly traded debt securities of the Company which requires the Company to repay or repurchase such debt securities.

Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, or any successor securities clearance agency.

Common Equity” of any Person means all Capital Stock of such Person that is generally entitled to (i) vote in the election of directors of such Person, or (ii) if such Person is not a corporation, vote or otherwise participate in the selection of the governing body, partners, managers or others that will control the management and policies of such Person.

Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges” of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries means for any period, the sum of the amounts for such period of:

 

  (i)

Consolidated Net Income, plus

 

  (ii)

Consolidated Income Tax Expense (without regard to income tax expense or credits attributable to extraordinary and nonrecurring gains or losses on Asset Sales), plus

 

  (iii)

Consolidated Interest Expense, plus

 

  (iv)

all depreciation, and, without duplication, amortization (including, without limitation, capitalized interest amortized to cost of sales), plus

 

  (v)

all other non-cash items reducing Consolidated Net Income during such period, minus

 

5


  (vi)

all other non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income during such period; all as determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” of the Company means, with respect to any determination date, the ratio of (i) Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges of the Company for the prior four full fiscal quarters for which financial results have been reported immediately preceding the determination date, to (ii) the aggregate Consolidated Interest Incurred of the Company for the prior four full fiscal quarters for which financial results have been reported immediately preceding the determination date; provided that:

(1) with respect to any Indebtedness Incurred during, and remaining outstanding at the end of, such four full fiscal quarter period, such Indebtedness will be assumed to have been incurred as of the first day of such four full fiscal quarter period;

(2) with respect to Indebtedness repaid (other than a repayment of revolving credit obligations repaid solely out of operating cash flows) during such four full fiscal quarter period, such Indebtedness will be assumed to have been repaid on the first day of such four full fiscal quarter period;

(3) with respect to the Incurrence of any Acquired Indebtedness, such Indebtedness and any proceeds therefrom will be assumed to have been Incurred and applied as of the first day of such four full fiscal quarter period, and the results of operations of any Person and any Subsidiary of such Person that, in connection with or in contemplation of such Incurrence, becomes a Subsidiary of the Company or is merged with or into the Company or one of the Company’s Subsidiaries or whose assets are acquired, will be included, on a pro forma basis, in the calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio as if such transaction had occurred on the first day of such four full fiscal quarter period; and

(4) with respect to any other transaction pursuant to which any Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company or is merged with or into the Company or one of the Company’s Subsidiaries or pursuant to which any Person’s assets are acquired, such Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated on a pro forma basis as if such transaction (and the change in Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges resulting therefrom) had occurred on the first day of such four full fiscal quarter period.

Consolidated Income Tax Expense” of the Company for any period means the income tax expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Interest Expense” of the Company for any period means the Interest Expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Interest Incurred” of the Company for any period means the Interest Incurred of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Consolidated Net Income” of the Company for any period means the aggregate net income (or loss) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there will be excluded from such net income (to the extent otherwise included therein), without duplication:

 

  (i)

the net income (or loss) of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary) in which any Person (including, without limitation, an Unrestricted Subsidiary) other than the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income has actually been received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in the form of cash dividends or similar cash distributions during such period, or in any other form but converted to cash during such period;

 

  (ii)

except to the extent includable in Consolidated Net Income pursuant to the foregoing clause (i), the net income (or loss) of any Person that accrued prior to the date that (a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (b) the assets of such Person are acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

  (iii)

the net income of any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that (but only so long as) the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary of that income is not permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary during such period;

 

  (iv)

in the case of a successor to the Company by consolidation, merger or transfer of its assets (other than as a result of a holding corporation reorganization), any earnings of the successor prior to such merger, consolidation or transfer of assets; and

 

  (v)

the gains (but not losses) realized during such period by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries resulting from (a) the acquisition of securities issued by the Company or extinguishment of Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, (b) Asset Sales by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and (c) other extraordinary items realized by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in calculating Consolidated Net Income, the Company will be entitled to take into consideration the tax benefits associated with any loss described in clause (v) of the preceding sentence, but only to the extent such tax benefits are actually recognized by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period; provided, further, that there will be included in such net income, without duplication, the net income of any Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent such net income is actually received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the form of cash dividends or similar cash distributions during such period, or in any other form but converted to cash during such period.

 

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Consolidated Tangible Assets” of the Company as of any date means the total amount of assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (less applicable reserves) on a consolidated basis at the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date, as determined in accordance with GAAP after giving effect to any transaction occurring after the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter pursuant to which any Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company or is merged with or into the Company or one of the Company’s Subsidiaries or pursuant to which any Person’s assets are acquired, on a pro forma basis as if such transaction had occurred as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter, less: (i) Intangible Assets and (ii) appropriate adjustments on account of minority interests of other Persons holding equity investments in Restricted Subsidiaries, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii) above, as reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date.

Consolidated Tangible Net Worth” of the Company as of any date means the stockholders’ equity (including any Preferred Stock that is classified as equity under GAAP, other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date, as determined in accordance with GAAP, plus any amount of unvested deferred compensation included, in accordance with GAAP, as an offset to stockholders’ equity, less the amount of Intangible Assets reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date; provided that solely for purposes of calculating the ratio of Adjusted Indebtedness to Adjusted Consolidated Tangible Net Worth pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof, Consolidated Tangible Net Worth shall be calculated after giving effect to (i) the issuance of any Capital Stock occurring after the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter, on a pro forma basis assuming such Capital Stock had been issued and remains outstanding as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter; (ii) any redemption or repurchase of any Capital Stock occurring after the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter, on a pro forma basis assuming such Capital Stock had been redeemed or repurchased as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter; and (iii) any other transaction occurring after the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter pursuant to which any Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company or is merged with or into the Company or one of the Company’s Subsidiaries or pursuant to which any Person’s assets are acquired, on a pro forma basis as if such transaction had occurred as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter.

Continuing Director” means at any date a member of the Board of Directors of the Company who:

 

  (i)

was a member of the Board of Directors of the Company on the Issue Date; or

 

  (ii)

was nominated for election or elected to the Board of Directors of the Company with the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the directors who were Continuing Directors at the time of such nomination or election.

Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee” shall be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 11.02 hereof or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Holders and the Company or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).

 

8


Credit Facilities” means, with respect to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, one or more debt facilities or other financing arrangements (including, without limitation, commercial paper or letter of credit facilities or indentures) providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, letters of credit or other Indebtedness (including the Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility), including any notes, mortgages, deeds of trust, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements or refundings thereof and any indentures, credit facilities, letter of credit facilities or commercial paper facilities that replace, refund or refinance any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount permitted to be borrowed thereunder or alters the maturity thereof (provided that such increase in borrowing is permitted under Section 4.10) or adds Restricted Subsidiaries as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder and whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders.

Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

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

Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.06(c) hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.

Depositary” means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.03 hereof as the Depositary with respect to the Notes, and any and all successors thereto appointed as Depositary hereunder and having become such pursuant to the applicable provision of this Indenture.

Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the final maturity date of the Notes; provided that any Capital Stock which would not constitute Disqualified Stock but for provisions thereof giving holders thereof the right to require the Company to repurchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control occurring prior to the final maturity of the Notes will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the change of control provisions applicable to such Capital Stock are no more favorable to the holders of such Capital Stock than Section 4.08 hereof and such Capital Stock specifically provides that the Company will not repurchase or redeem (or be required to repurchase or redeem) any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions prior to the Company’s repurchase of Notes pursuant to Section 4.08 hereof.

 

9


Disqualified Stock Dividend” of any Person means, for any dividend payable with regard to Disqualified Stock issued by such Person, the amount of such dividend multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the maximum statutory combined federal, state and local income tax rate (expressed as a decimal number between 1 and 0) then applicable to such Person.

Equity Offering” means a public or private equity offering or sale after the Issue Date by the Company for cash of Capital Stock, other than an offering or sale of Disqualified Stock.

Euroclear” means Euroclear S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system or any successor securities clearance agency.

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

Existing Indebtedness” means all of the Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries that is outstanding on the date of this Indenture.

Fair Market Value” means with respect to any asset or property the sale value that would be obtained in an arm’s length transaction between an informed and willing seller under no compulsion to sell and an informed and willing buyer under no compulsion to buy. Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company acting in good faith and shall be evidenced by a board resolution (certified by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company) or an officer’s certificate of the principal financial officer of the Company delivered to the Trustee.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and interpretations of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and interpretations of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession of the United States, as in effect from time to time. At any time after the Issue Date, the Company may elect to apply IFRS accounting principles in lieu of GAAP and, upon any such election, references herein to GAAP shall thereafter be construed to mean IFRS (except as otherwise provided herein); provided that any such election, once made, shall be irrevocable; provided, further, any calculation or determination herein that requires the application of GAAP for periods that include fiscal quarters ended prior to the Company’s election to apply IFRS shall remain as previously calculated or determined in accordance with GAAP. The Company shall give notice of any such election made in accordance with this definition to the Trustee and the Holders of Notes.

Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(ii) hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.

Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

 

10


Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any interest rate swap agreement, foreign currency exchange agreement, interest rate collar agreement, option or futures contract or other similar agreement or arrangement relating to interest rates or foreign exchange rates.

Holder” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered in the Security Register.

IFRS” means International Financial Reporting Standards, as adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board.

Incur” (and derivatives thereof) means to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume, guarantee, extend the maturity of, or otherwise become liable with respect to any Indebtedness; provided, however, that neither the accrual of interest (whether such interest is payable in cash or kind) nor the accretion of original issue discount shall be considered an Incurrence of Indebtedness.

Indebtedness” of any Person at any date means, without duplication,

 

  (i)

all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such Person or only to a portion thereof);

 

  (ii)

all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments (including a purchase money obligation) given in connection with the acquisition of any businesses, properties or assets of any kind or with services incurred in connection with capital expenditures (other than any obligation to pay a contingent purchase price which, as of the date of incurrence thereof, is not required to be recorded as a liability in accordance with GAAP);

 

  (iii)

all fixed obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit or other similar instruments or reimbursement obligations with respect thereto (other than standby letters of credit or similar instruments issued for the benefit of, or surety, performance, completion or payment bonds, earnest money notes or similar purpose undertakings or indemnifications issued by, such Person in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Company));

 

  (iv)

all obligations of such Person with respect to Hedging Obligations (other than those that fix or cap the interest rate on variable rate Indebtedness otherwise permitted by this Indenture or that fix the exchange rate in connection with Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency and otherwise permitted by this Indenture);

 

  (v)

all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person;

 

  (vi)

all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person;

 

  (vii)

all Indebtedness of others guaranteed by, or otherwise the liability of, such Person to the extent of such guarantee or liability; and

 

11


  (viii)

all Disqualified Stock issued by such Person (the amount of Indebtedness represented by any Disqualified Stock will equal the greater of the voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends); provided that Indebtedness shall not include accrued expenses, trade payables, liabilities related to inventory not owned, customer deposits or deferred income taxes arising in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Company). The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date will be:

 

(a)

the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above;

 

(b)

the maximum liability of such Person for any contingent obligations under clause (vii) above; and

 

(c)

in the case of clause (vi) (if the Indebtedness referred to therein is not assumed by such Person), the lesser of the (A) Fair Market Value of all assets subject to a Lien securing the Indebtedness of others on the date that the Lien attaches and (B) amount of the Indebtedness secured.

Indenture” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

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

Initial Purchasers” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Regions Securities LLC, Wedbush Securities Inc. and TCBI Securities, Inc.

Intangible Assets” of the Company means all unamortized debt discount and expense, unamortized deferred charges, goodwill, patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and all other items which would be treated as intangibles on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Interest Expense” of any Person for any period means, without duplication, the aggregate amount of (i) interest which, in conformity with GAAP, would be set opposite the caption “interest expense” or any like caption on an income statement for such Person (including, without limitation, imputed interest included on Capitalized Lease Obligations, all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit securing financial obligations and bankers’ acceptance financing, the net costs associated with Hedging Obligations, amortization of other financing fees and expenses, the interest portion of any deferred payment obligation, amortization of discount or premium, if any, and all other non-cash interest expense other than interest and other charges amortized to cost of sales) and includes, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, without duplication (including duplication of the foregoing items), all interest amortized to cost of sales for such period, and (ii) the amount of Disqualified Stock Dividends recognized by the Company on any Disqualified Stock whether or not paid during such period.

Interest Incurred” of any Person for any period means, without duplication, the aggregate amount of (i) interest which, in conformity with GAAP, would be set opposite the caption “interest expense” or any like caption on an income statement for such Person (including, without limitation, imputed interest included on Capitalized Lease Obligations, all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit securing financial obligations and

 

12


bankers’ acceptance financing, the net costs associated with Hedging Obligations, amortization of other financing fees and expenses, the interest portion of any deferred payment obligation, amortization of discount or premium, if any, and all other noncash interest expense other than interest and other charges amortized to cost of sales) and includes, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, without duplication (including duplication of the foregoing items), all interest capitalized for such period, all interest attributable to discontinued operations for such period to the extent not set forth on the income statement under the caption “interest expense” or any like caption, and all interest actually paid by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary under any guarantee of Indebtedness (including, without limitation, a guarantee of principal, interest or any combination thereof) of any other Person during such period and (ii) the amount of Disqualified Stock Dividends recognized by the Company on any Disqualified Stock whether or not declared during such period.

Interest Payment Date” means March 15 and September 15 of each year to stated maturity, commencing September 15, 2024.

Investment Grade” means, with respect to a debt rating of the Notes, a rating of Baa3 (or the equivalent) or higher by Moody’s, together with a rating of BBB- (or the equivalent) or higher by S&P or, in the event S&P or Moody’s or both shall cease rating the Notes (for reasons outside the control of the Company) and the Company shall select any other Rating Agency, the equivalent of such ratings by such other Rating Agency.

Investments” of any Person means all (i) investments by such Person in any other Person in the form of loans, advances or capital contributions, (ii) guarantees of Indebtedness or other obligations of any other Person by such Person, (iii) purchases (or other acquisitions for consideration) by such Person of Indebtedness, Capital Stock or other securities of any other Person and (iv) other items that would be classified as investments on a balance sheet of such Person determined in accordance with GAAP. For all purposes of this Indenture, the amount of any such Investment shall be the fair market value thereof (with the fair market value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value). The making of any payment in accordance with the terms of a guarantee or other contingent obligation permitted under this Indenture shall not be considered an Investment.

Issue Date” means March 15, 2024, the initial date of issuance of the Notes under this Indenture.

Legal Holiday” means Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York, Atlanta, Georgia or at a place of payment are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment shall be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other similar encumbrance of any kind upon or in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law (including, without limitation, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement).

 

13


Mandatory Convertible Notes” means any Indebtedness of a Person, the principal amount of which is payable at maturity solely in Capital Stock of such Person (provided that a requirement to pay accrued, but unpaid, interest on such Indebtedness in cash at maturity or a requirement to pay cash fees, expenses or premiums as a result of the acceleration of payment, early redemption or otherwise with respect to such Indebtedness shall not disqualify such Indebtedness as Mandatory Convertible Notes).

Material Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company which accounted for 5% or more of the Consolidated Tangible Assets or Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges of the Company on a consolidated basis for the fiscal year ending immediately prior to any Default or Event of Default.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., a subsidiary of Moody’s Corporation, or any successor to its debt rating business.

Non-Recourse Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means Indebtedness of such Person for which (i) the sole legal recourse for collection of principal and interest on such Indebtedness is against the specific property identified in the instruments evidencing or securing such Indebtedness and such property was acquired (directly or indirectly, including through the purchase of Capital Stock of the Person owning such property) with the proceeds of such Indebtedness or such Indebtedness was Incurred within 90 days after the acquisition (directly or indirectly, including through the purchase of Capital Stock of the Person owning such property) of such property and (ii) no other assets of such Person may be realized upon in collection of principal or interest on such Indebtedness. Indebtedness which is otherwise Non-Recourse Indebtedness will not lose its character as Non-Recourse Indebtedness because there is recourse to the borrower, any guarantor or any other Person for (a) environmental warranties, covenants and indemnities, (b) indemnities for and liabilities arising from fraud, misrepresentation, misapplication or non-payment of rents, profits, deposits, insurance and condemnation proceeds and other sums actually received by the borrower from secured assets to be paid to the lender, waste and mechanics’ liens, breach of separateness covenants, and other customary exceptions or (c) in the case of the borrower thereof only, other obligations in respect of such Indebtedness that are payable solely as a result of a voluntary or collusive non-voluntary bankruptcy filing (or similar filing or action) by such borrower.

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

Notes” means the Notes as set forth in the recitals and more particularly means any Notes authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, including any Additional Notes. Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “Notes” for all purposes of this Indenture include any Additional Notes that are actually issued.

Obligations” means, with respect to any Indebtedness, all obligations (whether in existence on the Issue Date or arising afterwards, absolute or contingent, direct or indirect) for or in respect of principal (when due, upon acceleration, upon redemption, upon mandatory repayment or repurchase pursuant to a mandatory offer to purchase, or otherwise), premium, interest, penalties, fees, indemnification, reimbursement and other amounts payable and liabilities with respect to such Indebtedness, including all interest accrued or accruing after the commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or similar case or proceeding at the contract rate (including, without limitation, any contract rate applicable upon default) specified in the relevant documentation, whether or not the claim for such interest is allowed as a claim in such case or proceeding.

 

14


Officer” means the chairman, the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer, the chief operating officer, the chief accounting officer, the treasurer, or any assistant treasurer, the controller, the secretary, any assistant secretary or any vice president of a Person.

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers, one of whom must be the Person’s chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer or chief accounting officer.

OID Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(iv) hereof to be placed on each Note issued hereunder that has more than a de minimis amount of original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

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

Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, a Person who has an account with the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Clearstream).

Paying Agent” means any office or agency where Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees may be presented for payment.

Permitted Investments” of any Person means any Investments of such Person that are not Restricted Investments.

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

Preferred Stock” of any Person means all Capital Stock of such Person which has a preference in liquidation or with respect to the payment of dividends.

Private Placement Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(i) hereof to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture, except where otherwise permitted by the provisions of this Indenture.

QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.

Rating Agency” means a statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, nationally recognized in the United States and selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company) which shall be substituted for S&P or Moody’s, or both, as the case may be.

 

15


Record Date” for the interest, if any, payable on any applicable Interest Payment Date means March 1 or September 1 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.

Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness that refunds, refinances or extends any Existing Indebtedness or other Indebtedness, including Acquired Indebtedness, permitted to be incurred by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, but only to the extent that:

 

  (i)

the Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, as the case may be, to the same extent as the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended, if at all;

 

  (ii)

the Refinancing Indebtedness is scheduled to mature either (a) no earlier than the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended, or (b) after the maturity date of the Notes;

 

  (iii)

the portion, if any, of the Refinancing Indebtedness that is scheduled to mature on or prior to the maturity date of the Notes has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the portion of the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended that is scheduled to mature on or prior to the maturity date of the Notes;

 

  (iv)

such Refinancing Indebtedness is in an aggregate amount that is equal to or less than the aggregate amount then outstanding (including accrued interest) under the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended plus an amount necessary to pay any reasonable fees and expenses, including premiums and defeasance costs, related to such refinancing; and

 

  (v)

such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred by the same Person that initially Incurred the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced or extended, except that the Company may Incur Refinancing Indebtedness to refund, refinance or extend Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary.

Registrar” means an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange.

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

Regulation S Global Note” means a Global Note in the form of Exhibit A hereto, as the case may be, bearing the Global Note Legend, the Private Placement Legend and the Regulation S Global Note Legend and, if applicable, the OID Legend, and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes initially sold in reliance on Rule 903.

Regulation S Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(iii) hereof to be placed on the Regulation S Global Note.

 

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

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

Restricted Investment” means an Investment in joint ventures or Unrestricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate fair market value (with the fair market value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this definition that are at the time outstanding, net of any amounts paid to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary as a return of, or on, such Investments, in excess of 5% of Consolidated Tangible Assets.

Restricted Payment” means any of the following:

 

  (i)

the declaration of any dividend or the making of any other payment or distribution of cash, securities or other property or assets in respect of the Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than (a) dividends, payments or distributions payable solely in Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and (b) in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary, dividends, payments or distributions payable to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary and pro rata dividends, payments or distributions payable to minority stockholders of such Restricted Subsidiary);

 

  (ii)

the purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition for value of any Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Capital Stock held by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary);

 

  (iii)

any Restricted Investment; and

 

  (iv)

any principal payment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of any Subordinated Indebtedness (other than (a) Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.10(b)(vii) hereof or (b) the payment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of such Indebtedness in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of such payment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement); provided, however, that Restricted Payments will not include any purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition for value of Indebtedness or Capital Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary if the consideration therefor consists solely of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.

Restricted Period” means the 40-day distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S.

Restricted Subsidiary” means each of the Subsidiaries of the Company which is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

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

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

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

Rule 902” means Rule 902 promulgated under Regulation S.

Rule 903” means Rule 903 promulgated under Regulation S.

Rule 904” means Rule 904 promulgated under Regulation S.

S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global, Inc., a New York corporation, or any successor to its debt rating business.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Secured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness which is secured by (i) a Lien on any property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) a Lien on shares of stock owned directly or indirectly by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in a corporation or on equity interests owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in a partnership or other entity not organized as a corporation or in the Company’s rights or the rights of a Restricted Subsidiary in respect of Indebtedness of a corporation, partnership or other entity in which the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary has an equity interest; provided that “Secured Indebtedness” shall not include Non-Recourse Indebtedness. The securing in the foregoing manner of any such Indebtedness which immediately prior thereto was not Secured Indebtedness shall be deemed to be the creation of Secured Indebtedness at the time security is given.

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

Security Register” is a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange kept by the Registrar.

Subordinated Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness which is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, as the case may be.

Subsidiary” of any Person means any (i) corporation of which at least a majority of the aggregate voting power of all classes of the Common Equity is directly or indirectly beneficially owned by such Person and (ii) any entity other than a corporation of which such Person, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns at least a majority of the Common Equity; provided that in each of case (i) and (ii), such Person is required to consolidate such entity in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Subsidiary Guarantee” means the guarantee of the Notes by each Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture.

Subsidiary Guarantors” means (i) each of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries in existence on the Issue Date and (ii) each of the Company’s Subsidiaries that becomes a guarantor of the Notes pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, in each case until released from its Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the yield to maturity as of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to March 15, 2027; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to March 15, 2027 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.

Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

Trustee” means the party named as such until a successor replaces such party in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and thereafter means the successor trustee serving under this Indenture.

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

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

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means Beazer Charity Foundation, Inc., a Delaware non-profit corporation, Beazer Employees Disaster Assistance Corp, a Georgia corporation, Gatherings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Charity Title Agency, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, Charity Title Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and, to the extent considered a Subsidiary of the Company, Beazer Homes Capital Trust I, and each of the Subsidiaries of the Company (including any newly formed or acquired Subsidiary) so designated by a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company as provided below and provided that:

 

(a)

neither the Company nor any of its other Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries) (1) provides any direct or indirect credit support for any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness) or (2) is directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary;

 

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(b)

the creditors with respect to Indebtedness for borrowed money of such Subsidiary have agreed in writing that they have no recourse, direct or indirect, to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries or the Capital Stock of Unrestricted Subsidiaries), including, without limitation, recourse with respect to the payment of principal or interest on any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary; and

 

(c)

no default with respect to any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary (including any right which the holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against such Subsidiary) would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any other Indebtedness of the Company and of its other Subsidiaries (other than other Unrestricted Subsidiaries), to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity.

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate an Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that:

 

  (i)

any such designation will be deemed to be an Incurrence by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Indebtedness (if any) of such designated Subsidiary for purposes of Section 4.10 hereof as of the date of such designation;

 

  (ii)

immediately after giving effect to such designation and the Incurrence of any such additional Indebtedness, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio or the ratio of Adjusted Indebtedness of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to Adjusted Consolidated Tangible Net Worth contained in Section 4.10 hereof; and

 

  (iii)

the Liens on the property and assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary could then be incurred in accordance with Section 4.11 hereof as of the date of such designation.

Subject to the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company also may designate any Restricted Subsidiary to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that (a) the Restricted Subsidiary to be so designated has total consolidated assets of $1,000 or less at the time of designation, or (b) with respect to any other Restricted Subsidiary, at the time of such designation:

 

  (i)

all previous Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Restricted Subsidiary (net of any returns previously paid on such Investments) will be deemed to be Investments at the time of such designation and such Investments must be permitted at such time under Section 4.07 hereof;

 

  (ii)

immediately after giving effect to such designation and such Investment, either (x) the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio or the ratio of Adjusted Indebtedness of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to Adjusted Consolidated Tangible Net Worth contained in Section 4.10 hereof or (y) either the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries or the ratio of Adjusted Indebtedness of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to Adjusted Consolidated Tangible Net Worth would be greater than such ratio immediately prior to such designation, in each case on a pro forma basis taking into account such designation; and

 

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  (iii)

no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing.

Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company will be evidenced to the Trustee by the filing with the Trustee of a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing conditions and setting forth the underlying calculations.

Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 13, 2022, among the Company, the lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as issuing lender and administrative agent, as amended up to and including the date hereof, and as such facility may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

U.S. Person” means a U.S. person as defined in subsection (k) of Rule 902.

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

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness or portion thereof, at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payment of principal, including, without limitation, payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (ii) the sum of all such payments described in clause (a) above.

Wholly Owned Subsidiary” of any Person means (i) a Subsidiary of which 100% of the Common Equity (except for directors’ qualifying shares or certain minority interests owned by other Persons solely due to local law requirements that there be more than one stockholder, but which interest is not in excess of what is required for such purpose) is owned directly by such Person or through one or more other Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person, or (ii) any entity other than a corporation in which such Person, directly or indirectly, owns all of the Common Equity of such entity.

 

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Section 1.02 Other Definitions.

 

Term

  

Defined in Section

“Change of Control Offer”

   4.08

“Change of Control Termination Date”

   4.08

“Change of Control Price”

   4.08

“Covenant Defeasance”

   7.01

“Covenant Suspension Event”

   4.14

“DTC”

   2.03

“Event of Default”

   5.01

“Legal Defeasance”

   7.01

“Note Register”

   2.03

“Reversion Date”

   4.14

“Successor”

   4.13

“Suspended Covenants”

   4.14

“Suspension Date”

   4.14

“Suspension Period”

   4.14

Section 1.03 [Reserved].

Section 1.04 Rules of Construction.

Unless the context otherwise requires:

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

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

(c) “or” is not exclusive;

(d) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular;

(e) “will” shall be interpreted to express a command;

 

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(f) provisions apply to successive events and transactions;

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

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

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

Section 1.05 Acts of Holders.

(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or the holding by any Person of a Note, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section 1.05.

(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by the certificate of any notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by or on behalf of any legal entity other than an individual, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute proof of the authority of the Person executing the same. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner that the Trustee deems sufficient.

(c) The ownership of Notes shall be proved by the Note Register.

(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action by the Holder of any Note shall bind every future Holder of the same Note and the Holder of every Note issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof, in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Note.

(e) The Company may set a record date for purposes of determining the identity of Holders entitled to give any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or take any other act, or to vote or consent to any action by vote or consent authorized or permitted to be given or taken by Holders, but shall have no obligation to do so.

 

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(f) Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Note may do so with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Note or by one or more duly appointed agents, each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such principal amount. Any notice given or action taken by a Holder or its agents with regard to different parts of such principal amount pursuant to this paragraph shall have the same effect as if given or taken by separate Holders of each such different part.

(g) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Holder, including the Depositary that is the Holder of a Global Note, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders, and the Depositary that is the Holder of a Global Note may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such Global Note through such depositary’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(h) The Company may fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interests in any Global Note held by the Depositary entitled under the procedures of such depositary to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders, but shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 180 days after such record date.

Article II.

THE NOTES

Section 2.01 Form and Dating; Terms.

(a) General. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rules or usage. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

(b) Global Notes. Notes issued in global form shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (including the Global Note Legend thereon and the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Notes issued in definitive form shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon and without the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Notes as shall be specified in the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and each shall provide that it shall

 

24


represent up to the aggregate principal amount of Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as applicable, to reflect exchanges and redemptions and transfers of interests. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form or any successor entity thereof, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.06 hereof.

(c) Terms. The aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

The terms and provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. However, to the extent any provision of any Note conflicts with the express provisions of this Indenture, the provisions of this Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

The Notes shall be subject to repurchase by the Company pursuant to a Change of Control Offer as provided in Section 4.08 hereof. The Notes shall not be redeemable, other than as provided in Article III.

Additional Notes ranking pari passu with the Notes may be created and issued from time to time by the Company without notice to or consent of the Holders and shall be consolidated with and form a single class with the Notes and shall have the same terms as to status, waivers, amendments, offers to purchase, redemption or otherwise as the Notes; provided that the Company’s ability to issue Additional Notes shall be subject to the Company’s compliance with Section 4.10 hereof. Any Additional Notes shall be issued with the benefit of an indenture supplemental to this Indenture.

(d) Euroclear and Clearstream Procedures Applicable. The provisions of the “Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System” and “Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear” and the “General Terms and Conditions of Clearstream Banking” and “Customer Handbook” of Clearstream shall be applicable to transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Notes that are held by Participants through Euroclear or Clearstream.

Section 2.02 Execution and Authentication.

At least one Officer shall execute the Notes on behalf of the Company by manual or facsimile signature.

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

A Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose until authenticated substantially in the form provided for in Exhibit A attached hereto, as the case may be, by the manual or facsimile signature of the Trustee. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been duly authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

 

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On the Issue Date, the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, authenticate and deliver the Notes. In addition, at any time, from time to time, the Trustee shall upon an Authentication Order authenticate and deliver any Additional Notes. Such Authentication Order shall specify the amount of the Notes to be authenticated and, in the case of any issuance of Additional Notes pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof, shall certify that such issuance is in compliance with Section 4.10 of this Indenture.

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

Section 2.03 Registrar and Paying Agent.

The Company shall maintain a Registrar and a Paying Agent. The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes (“Note Register”) and of their transfer and exchange. The Company may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar and the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without prior notice to any Holder. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If the Company fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.

The Company initially appoints The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) to act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.

The Company initially appoints the Trustee to act as the Paying Agent and Registrar for the Notes and to act as custodian with respect to the Global Notes.

Section 2.04 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.

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

 

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Section 2.05 Holder Lists.

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least two Business Days before each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders of Notes.

Section 2.06 Transfer and Exchange.

(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 2.06, a Global Note may be transferred, in whole and not in part, only to another nominee of the Depositary or to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. A beneficial interest in a Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note unless (i) the Depositary (x) notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Note or (y) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Company within 120 days, (ii) the Company, at its option, notifies the Trustee in writing that the Company elects to cause the issuance of the Notes in certificated form (provided that under industry practices as of the date hereof, the Depositary would notify Participants of the Company’s determination, but would only withdraw beneficial interests from a Global Note at the request of Participants), (iii) there shall have occurred and be continuing a Default with respect to the Notes, or (iv) the Trustee has received written notice by or on behalf of the Depositary that the such beneficial interest is to be exchanged for a Definitive Note and the Trustee has forwarded such notice to the Company. Upon the occurrence of any of the preceding events in (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, Definitive Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests therein will be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of the Depositary (in accordance with its customary procedures). Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.07 and 2.10 hereof. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note, except for Definitive Notes issued subsequent to any of the preceding events in (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above and pursuant to Section 2.06(c) hereof. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.06(a); provided, however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.06(b), (c) or (f) hereof.

(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with either subparagraph (i) or (ii) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:

(i) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery

 

27


thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend; provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note may not be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 2.06(b)(i).

(ii) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 2.06(b)(i) hereof, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either (A) (1) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase or (B) (1) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above; provided that in no event shall Definitive Notes be issued upon the transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof.

(iii) Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(ii) hereof and the Registrar receives the following:

 

  (A)

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

 

  (B)

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

 

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(iv) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(ii) hereof and the Registrar receives the following:

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

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

and, if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

If any such transfer is effected pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(iv) at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(iv).

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

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

(i) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then, upon the occurrence of any of the events in subsection (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of Section 2.06(a) hereof and receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:

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

 

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(B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

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

(D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;

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

(F) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,

the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the applicable principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall mail such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(i) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.

(ii) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only upon the occurrence of any of the events in subsection (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of Section 2.06(a) hereof and if the Registrar receives the following:

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

 

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

and, if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

(iii) Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon the occurrence of any of the events in subsection (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of Section 2.06(a) hereof and satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.06(b)(ii) hereof, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the applicable principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(iii) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from or through the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall mail such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(iii) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.

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

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

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

(B) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

 

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

(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;

(E) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or

(F) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,

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

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

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

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

and, if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section 2.06(d)(ii), the Trustee shall cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.

 

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

If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to this Section 2.06(d)(ii) or (iii) at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so transferred.

(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.06(e), the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 2.06(e):

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

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

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

(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications required by item (3) thereof, if applicable.

(ii) Restricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:

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

 

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

and, if the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

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

(f) [Reserved]

(g) Legends. The following legends shall appear on the face of all Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of this Indenture:

(i) Private Placement Legend.

(A) Except as permitted by subparagraph (B) below, each Global Note and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution therefor) shall bear the legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS SECURITY (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, US. PERSONS EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT), OR (B) IT IS NOT A US. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS NOTE IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST

 

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HEREIN EXCEPT (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A PERSON WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 904 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (D) PURSUANT TO THE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), (E) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IF THE ISSUER SO REQUESTS), OR (F) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS SECURITY IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS “OFFSHORE TRANSACTION,” “UNITED STATES” AND “US. PERSON” HAVE THE MEANING GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.”

(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraph (b)(iv), (c)(ii), (c)(iii), (d)(ii), (d)(iii), (e)(ii), (e)(iii) or (f) of this Section 2.06 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.

(ii) Global Note Legend. Each Global Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(h) OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY (OR A NOMINEE THEREOF) WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY. UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY

 

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

(iii) Regulation S Global Note Legend. The Regulation S Global Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER HEREOF REPRESENTS THAT IT IS NOT A US. PERSON, NOR IS IT PURCHASING FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A US. PERSON, AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THE FOREGOING SHALL NOT APPLY FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF FORTY DAYS FROM THE LATER OF (i) THE DATE ON WHICH THESE NOTES WERE FIRST OFFERED AND (ii) THE DATE OF ISSUANCE OF THESE NOTES.”

(iv) OID Legend. Each Note issued hereunder that has more than a de minimis amount of original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS NOTE IS ISSUED WITH ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT FOR PURPOSES OF SECTION 1271 ET SEQ. OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED. A HOLDER MAY OBTAIN THE ISSUE PRICE, AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT, ISSUE DATE AND YIELD TO MATURITY FOR SUCH NOTE BY SUBMITTING A REQUEST FOR SUCH INFORMATION TO BEAZER HOMES USA, INC., 1000 ABERNATHY ROAD, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30328, ATTENTION: GENERAL COUNSEL.”

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

 

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Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

(i) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.

(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof or at the Registrar’s request.

(ii) No service charge shall be made to a holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.07, 2.10, 3.06, 4.08 and 8.05 hereof).

(iii) Neither the Registrar nor the Company shall be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

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

(v) The Company shall not be required (A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of any selection of Notes for redemption under Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the day of selection, (B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part or (C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a Record Date and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date.

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

 

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(vii) Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note at the office or agency of the Company designated pursuant to Section 4.02 hereof, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more replacement Notes of any authorized denomination or denominations of a like aggregate principal amount.

(viii) At the option of the Holder, Notes may be exchanged for other Notes of any authorized denomination or denominations of a like aggregate principal amount upon surrender of the Notes to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Global Notes or Definitive Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail, the replacement Global Notes and Definitive Notes which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02 hereof.

(ix) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 2.06 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.

Section 2.07 Replacement Notes.

If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee, the Registrar or the Company and the Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the ownership and destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Company shall issue and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee’s requirements are met. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an indemnity bond must be supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee and the Company to protect the Company, the Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company may charge for its expenses in replacing a Note.

Every replacement Note is a contractual obligation of the Company and shall be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued hereunder.

Section 2.08 Outstanding Notes.

The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those described in this Section 2.08 as not outstanding. Except as set forth in Section 2.09 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Note.

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser.

If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding and interest on it ceases to accrue.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds, on a redemption date or maturity date, money sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding and shall cease to accrue interest.

 

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Section 2.09 Treasury Notes.

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Company, or by any Affiliate of the Company, shall be considered as though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Notes so owned which have been pledged in good faith shall not be disregarded if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right to deliver any such direction, waiver or consent with respect to the Notes and that the pledgee is not the Company or any obligor upon the Notes or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.

Section 2.10 Temporary Notes.

Until certificates representing Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, shall authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of certificated Notes but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Notes and as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes.

Holders and beneficial holders, as the case may be, of temporary Notes shall be entitled to all of the benefits accorded to Holders, or beneficial holders, respectively, of Notes under this Indenture.

Section 2.11 Cancellation.

The Company at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee or, at the direction of the Trustee, the Registrar or the Paying Agent and no one else shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall destroy cancelled Notes (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act). Certification of the destruction of all cancelled Notes shall be delivered to the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.12 Defaulted Cash Interest.

If the Company defaults in a payment of cash interest on the Notes, it shall pay the defaulted interest in any lawful manner plus, to the extent lawful, interest payable on the defaulted interest to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted cash interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such defaulted interest or

 

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shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such defaulted interest as provided in this Section 2.12. The Trustee shall fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and payment date; provided that no such special record date shall be less than 10 days prior to the related payment date for such defaulted interest. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such special record date. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Company (or, upon the written request of the Company, the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company) shall send to each Holder a notice that states the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.12 and for greater certainty, each Note delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Note shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.

Section 2.13 CUSIP and ISIN Numbers.

The Company in issuing the Notes may use CUSIP or ISIN numbers (if then generally in use) and, if so, the Trustee shall use CUSIP or ISIN numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will as promptly as practicable notify the Trustee of any change in the CUSIP or ISIN numbers.

Article III.

REDEMPTION

Section 3.01 Notices to Trustee.

If the Company elects to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 3.07 hereof, it shall furnish to the Trustee, at least 2 Business Days, unless a shorter period shall be agreed to by the Trustee, before notice of redemption is required to be mailed or caused to be mailed to Holders pursuant to Section 3.03 hereof but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, an Officers’ Certificate setting forth (i) the paragraph or subparagraph of such Note or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur, (ii) the redemption date, (iii) the principal amount of the Notes, as the case may be, to be redeemed and (iv) the redemption price. The Trustee shall have no duty to determine, or verify the calculation of, the redemption price or any component thereof, and the Company’s actions and determinations in calculating the redemption price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

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Section 3.02 Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased.

In the event less than all of the Notes, are to be redeemed or purchased in an offer to purchase at any time, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be redeemed or purchased (a) if the Notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the Notes are listed, (b) on a pro rata basis or (c) by lot or by any other method the Trustee considers fair and appropriate, unless otherwise required by law or regulatory requirements. In the event of partial redemption or purchase by lot, the particular Notes to be redeemed or purchased shall be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 15 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date by the Trustee from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption or purchase.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Notes selected for redemption or purchase and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption or purchase, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed or purchased. Notes and portions of Notes selected shall be in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; no Notes of $2,000 or less can be redeemed in part, except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed or purchased, the entire outstanding amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not $2,000 or a multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, shall be redeemed or purchased. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption or purchase also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase.

Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption.

The Company shall send notices of redemption at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary.

The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state:

(a) the redemption date;

(b) the redemption price;

(c) if any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the portion of the principal amount of that Note that is to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Note representing the same indebtedness to the extent not redeemed will be issued in the name of the Holder of the Notes upon cancellation of the original Note;

(d) the name and address of the Paying Agent;

(e) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

(f) that, unless the Company defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;

 

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(g) the paragraph or subparagraph of the Notes or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and

(h) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP or ISIN number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.

Notice of any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.03 upon any corporate transaction or other event (including any Equity Offering, Incurrence of Indebtedness, Change of Control or other transaction) may be given prior to the completion thereof. In addition, any redemption pursuant to this Article III or notice thereof may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of a corporate transaction or other event. If any redemption is so subject to the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, the notice thereof shall describe each such condition and, if applicable, shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by the Company in its sole discretion), and/or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied (or waived by the Company in its sole discretion) by the redemption date, or by the redemption date as so delayed, and/or that such notice may be rescinded at any time by the Company if the Company determines in its sole discretion that any or all of such conditions will not be satisfied (or waived). In addition, the Company may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Company’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person.

At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense; provided that the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee, at least 2 Business Days before notice of redemption is required to be mailed or caused to be mailed to Holders pursuant to this Section 3.03 (unless a shorter notice shall be agreed to by the Trustee), an Officers’ Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph.

Section 3.04 Effect of Notice of Redemption.

Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 3.03 hereof, Notes called for redemption become irrevocably due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price (except in connection with a redemption pursuant to Section 3.07(b) hereof). The notice, if mailed in a manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Note designated for redemption in whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Note. Subject to Section 3.05 hereof, on and after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

Section 3.05 Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price.

Prior to 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the redemption or purchase date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption or purchase price of and accrued and unpaid interest on all Notes to be redeemed or purchased on that date. The Trustee or the Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Company any money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Company in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, all Notes to be redeemed or purchased.

 

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If the Company complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after the redemption or purchase date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase. If a Note is redeemed or purchased on or after a Record Date but on or prior to the related Interest Payment Date, then any accrued and unpaid interest to such Interest Payment Date shall be paid, on such Interest Payment Date, to the Person in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such Record Date (and the Holder entitled to the related redemption price shall not be entitled to such accrued and unpaid interest, unless such Holder is such Person). If any Note called for redemption or purchase shall not be so paid upon surrender for redemption or purchase because of the failure of the Company to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption or purchase date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest accrued to the redemption or purchase date not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof.

Section 3.06 Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part.

Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed or purchased in part, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder at the expense of the Company a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed or unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered representing the same indebtedness to the extent not redeemed or purchased; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. It is understood that, notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, only an Authentication Order and not an Opinion of Counsel or Officers’ Certificate is required for the Trustee to authenticate such new Note.

Section 3.07 Optional Redemption.

(a) The Company may redeem all or any portion of the Notes at any time and from time to time on or after March 15, 2027 and prior to maturity at the following redemption prices (expressed in percentages of the principal amount thereof) together, in each case, with accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption (subject to the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 3.05), if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning on each year indicated below:

 

Year

   Percentage  

March 15, 2027

     103.750

March 15, 2028

     101.875

March 15, 2029 and thereafter

     100.000

 

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(b) In addition, on or prior to March 15, 2027, the Company may on any one or more occasions, at its option, redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this Indenture with the net cash proceeds of an Equity Offering at 107.500% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption (subject to the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 3.05); provided that at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes originally issued under this Indenture remain outstanding after such redemption. Notice of any such redemption must be given within 60 days after the date of the closing of the relevant Equity Offering.

(c) Prior to March 15, 2027, the Company may, at its, option redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date (subject to the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 3.05).

(d) Furthermore, at any time prior to the maturity of the Notes, if at least 90% of the original principal amount of the Notes have previously been repurchased and cancelled in connection with a Change of Control Offer, the Company may redeem all of the remaining Notes, upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at a redemption price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption (subject to the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 3.05).

Section 3.08 Mandatory Redemption.

The Company will be required to offer to purchase all of the outstanding Notes as set forth in Section 4.08 hereof.

Article IV.

COVENANTS

Section 4.01 Payment of Notes.

The Company shall pay or cause to be paid the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes. Principal, premium, if any, and cash interest shall be considered paid on the date due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Company or a Subsidiary, holds as of noon Eastern Time on the due date money deposited by the Company in immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due.

The Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal at the rate equal to the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest at the same rate to the extent lawful.

Section 4.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency.

The Company shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee, Registrar or co-registrar) where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be

 

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served. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

The Company hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as one such office or agency of the Company in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof.

Section 4.03 Reports and Other Information.

(a) As long as any of the Notes are outstanding, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after the filing of the same with the SEC copies of the quarterly and annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports with respect to the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, if any, which the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors may be required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding that neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiary Guarantors may be required to remain subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company shall continue to file with the SEC and provide the Trustee with such annual and quarterly reports and such information, documents and other reports with respect to the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors as are required under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act. If filing of documents by the Company with the SEC as aforementioned in this paragraph is not permitted under the Exchange Act, the Company shall promptly upon written notice supply copies of such documents to any prospective Holder. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 4.03 shall not require the Company to file any such reports, information or documents with the SEC within any specified time period and the obligation to deliver such reports, information or documents to the Trustee and Holders shall only arise after (and only to the extent) such reports, information or documents are filed with the SEC. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company will be deemed to have delivered to the Trustee the reports, information or documents referred to in this Section 4.03(a) if the Company has filed or furnished such reports with the SEC using the EDGAR filing system and such reports, information or documents are publicly available. Delivery of the reports, information and documents to the Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.03 shall be solely for the purpose of compliance with this Section 4.03. The Trustee’s receipt of such reports and information and documents shall not constitute notice to it of the content thereof or of any matter determinable from the content thereof, including the Company’s and Subsidiary Guarantors’ compliance with any of their covenants hereunder, as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely upon Officers’ Certificates.

 

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(b) The Company shall furnish to the Trustee, with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, written notice of any change (within 10 days following such change) in such Person’s (i) legal name, (ii) jurisdiction of organization or formation, (iii) identity or corporate structure, or (iv) organizational identification number.

Section 4.04 Compliance Certificate.

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee a quarterly statement regarding compliance with the provisions under this Indenture, and include in such statement, if any Officer of the Company is aware of any Default or Event of Default, a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto. In addition, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee prompt written notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default and any other development, financial or otherwise, which might materially affect its business, properties or affairs or the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Indenture.

Section 4.05 Taxes.

The Company shall pay or discharge, and shall cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay or discharge, prior to delinquency, all taxes, assessments, and governmental charges levied or imposed upon it or any Restricted Subsidiary or upon the income, profits or property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.

Section 4.06 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.

The Company and each of the Subsidiary Guarantors covenant (to the extent that they may lawfully do so) that they shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on the Notes as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company and each of the Subsidiary Guarantors (to the extent that they may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waive all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenant that they shall not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.

 

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Section 4.07 Limitations on Restricted Payments.

(a) The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any Restricted Payment, directly or indirectly, after the date of this Indenture if at the time of such Restricted Payment:

(i) the amount of such proposed Restricted Payment (the amount of such Restricted Payment, if other than in cash, shall be determined in good faith by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Company), when added to the aggregate amount of all Restricted Payments (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by Section 4.07(b)(ii), Section 4.07(b)(iii), Section 4.07(b)(iv), Section 4.07(b)(vii) and Section 4.07(b)(viii)) declared or made after the Issue Date exceeds the sum of:

(A) $200.0 million, plus

(B) 50% of the Company’s Consolidated Net Income accrued during the period (taken as a single period) commencing on the first day of the fiscal quarter in which the Issue Date occurred and ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the fiscal quarter in which the Restricted Payment is to occur (or, if such aggregate Consolidated Net Income is a deficit, minus 100% of such aggregate deficit), plus

(C) the net cash proceeds derived from the issuance and sale of Capital Stock of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (or any capital contribution to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) that is not Disqualified Stock (other than a sale to, or a contribution by, a Subsidiary of the Company) after the Issue Date, plus

(D) 100% of the principal amount of, or, if issued at a discount, the accreted value of, any Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary which is issued (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) after the Issue Date that is converted into or exchanged for Capital Stock of the Company that is not Disqualified Stock, plus

(E) 100% of the aggregate amounts received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from the sale, disposition or liquidation (including by way of dividends) of any Investment (other than to any Subsidiary of the Company and other than to the extent sold, disposed of or liquidated with recourse to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to any of their respective properties or assets) but only to the extent (x) not included in clause (B) above and (y) that the making of such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment or Restricted Investment, plus

(F) 100% of the principal amount of, or if issued at a discount, the accreted value of, any Indebtedness or other obligation that is the subject of a guarantee by the Company which is released (other than due to a payment on such guarantee) after the Issue Date, but only to the extent that such guarantee constituted a permitted Restricted Payment, plus

(G) with respect to any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” (so long as the designation of such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary was treated as a Restricted Payment made after the Issue Date, and only to the extent not included in clause (B) above), an amount equal to the lesser of (x) the proportionate interest of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in an amount equal to the excess of (I) the total assets of such Subsidiary, valued on an aggregate basis at the lesser of Book Value and Fair Market Value thereof, over (II) the total liabilities of such Subsidiary, determined in accordance with GAAP, and (y) the amount of the Restricted Payment deemed to be made upon such Subsidiary’s designation as an Unrestricted Subsidiary; or

 

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(ii) the Company would be unable to incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio contained in Section 4.10 hereof; or

(iii) a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or occurs as a consequence thereof.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 4.07 shall not prevent:

(i) the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof if the payment thereof would have complied with the limitations of this Indenture on the date of declaration;

(ii) the purchase, repayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of shares of the Company’s Capital Stock or the Company’s or a Restricted Subsidiary’s Indebtedness for, or out of the net proceeds of a substantially concurrent sale (other than a sale to a Subsidiary of the Company) of, other shares of its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), provided that the proceeds of any such sale shall be excluded in any computation made under Section 4.07(a)(i)(C) above;

(iii) the purchase, repayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Indebtedness, including premium, if any, with the proceeds of Refinancing Indebtedness;

(iv) payments or distributions pursuant to or in connection with a merger, consolidation or transfer of assets that complies with Section 4.13 hereof;

(v) any purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition for value of Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary held by officers or employees or former officers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary (or their estates or beneficiaries under their estates) not to exceed $500,000 in any calendar year and $5.0 million in the aggregate since the Issue Date;

(vi) any purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition for value of Capital Stock of the Company not to exceed $10.0 million in any calendar year;

(vii) repurchases of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants or similar instruments if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise price of such options, warrants or similar instruments;

(viii) the payment by the Company of cash in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares upon the exercise of options, warrants or similar instruments or upon the conversion or exchange of Capital Stock of the Company;

 

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(ix) the payment of dividends on Preferred Stock and Disqualified Stock up to an aggregate amount of $10.0 million in any fiscal year; provided that immediately after giving effect to any declaration of such dividend, the Company could incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness under the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio contained under Section 4.10 hereof;

(x) payments not to exceed $75.0 million in the aggregate for the purchase, repayment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of the Company’s junior subordinated notes due July 30, 2036 (or the related trust preferred securities issued by Beazer Homes Capital Trust I), as such securities may be amended or modified from time to time; or

(xi) other Restricted Payments made after the Issue Date in an amount not to exceed the greater of (1) $150.0 million in the aggregate and (2) 7.5% of the Consolidated Tangible Assets.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.07, in the event a Restricted Payment meets the criteria to be made pursuant to more than one of the above clauses of this covenant, the Company, in its sole discretion, shall classify such Restricted Payment in any manner that complies with this covenant and may from time to time reclassify such Restricted Payment in any manner in which such Restricted Payment could be made at the time of such reclassification.

Section 4.08 Change of Control.

(a) Following the occurrence of any Change of Control, the Company shall so notify the Trustee in writing by delivery of an Officers’ Certificate and shall offer to purchase (a “Change of Control Offer”) from all Holders, and shall purchase from Holders accepting such Change of Control Offer on the date fixed for the termination of such Change of Control Offer (the “Change of Control Termination Date”), the outstanding principal amount of Notes at an offer price (the “Change of Control Price”) in cash in an amount equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Change of Control Termination Date in accordance with the procedures set forth under this Section 4.08.

(b) Within 30 days after the date on which a Change of Control occurs, the Company (with notice to the Trustee) or the Trustee at the Company’s request (and at the expense of the Company) shall send or cause to be sent to all Persons who were Holders on the date of the Change of Control at their respective addresses appearing in the Security Register, a notice of such occurrence and of such Holder’s rights arising as a result thereof. Such notice, which shall govern the terms of the Change of Control Offer, will state:

(i) that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to Section 4.08(a) hereof and the length of time the Change of Control Offer will remain open;

(ii) that the Holder has the right to require the Company to repurchase such Holder’s Notes at the Change of Control Price;

(iii) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;

 

49


(iv) that any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Termination Date;

(v) the Change of Control Termination Date, which will be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is sent;

(vi) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any Change of Control Offer will be, required to surrender the Note to the Company, a depositary, if appointed by the Company, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to termination of the Change of Control Offer;

(vii) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Company, depositary or Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration of the Change of Control Offer, or such longer period as may be required by law, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its election to have the Note purchased;

(viii) that Holders which elect to have their Notes purchased only in part will be issued new Notes in a principal amount equal to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered;

(ix) information concerning the date and details of the Change of Control and the business of the Company which the Company in good faith believes will enable such Holders to make an informed decision (which at a minimum will include (A) the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K (including audited consolidated financial statements) of the Company, the most recent subsequently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and any Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company filed subsequent to such Quarterly Report, other than Current Reports on Form 8-K describing Asset Sales otherwise described in the offering materials relating to the Change of Control Offer (or corresponding successor reports); provided that the Company may at its option incorporate by reference any such filed reports in the notice, (B) a description of material developments in the Company’s business subsequent to the date of the latest of such reports, and (C) if material, appropriate pro forma financial information).

(c) In the event of a Change of Control Offer, the Company shall only be required to accept Notes in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

(d) Not later than one Business Day after the Change of Control Termination Date in connection with which the Change of Control Offer is being made, the Company shall (i) accept for payment Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, (ii) deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient, in immediately available funds, to pay the purchase price of all Notes or portions thereof so accepted and (iii) deliver to the Paying Agent an Officers’ Certificate identifying the Notes or portions thereof accepted for payment by the Company. The Paying Agent shall promptly mail or deliver to Holders of Notes so accepted payment in an amount equal to the Change of Control Price of the Notes purchased from each

 

50


such Holder, and the Company shall execute and, upon receipt of an Officers’ Certificate of the Company, the Trustee shall promptly authenticate and mail or deliver to such Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Notes not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Paying Agent at the Company’s expense to the Holder thereof. The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer promptly after the Change of Control Termination Date.

(e) Any Change of Control Offer shall be conducted by the Company in compliance with applicable law, including, without limitation, Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14e-1 thereunder, if applicable.

(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party offers to purchase the Notes in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Section 4.08 and that third party purchases all the Notes validly tendered to it in response to that offer. A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making of the Change of Control Offer.

Section 4.09 Subsidiary Guarantees by Restricted Subsidiaries.

The Company is permitted to cause any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Subsidiary Guarantor. If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates a Restricted Subsidiary (other than, in the Company’s discretion, any Restricted Subsidiary the assets of which have a Book Value of not more than $5.0 million) after the Issue Date, such Restricted Subsidiary shall execute a guarantee substantially in the form included in Exhibit A, execute a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit D, and deliver an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee to the effect that the supplemental indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the new Restricted Subsidiary and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the new Restricted Subsidiary, enforceable against the new Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with its terms (subject to customary exceptions).

Section 4.10 Limitations on Additional Indebtedness.

(a) The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, to, Incur any Indebtedness including Acquired Indebtedness; provided that the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors may Incur Indebtedness, including Acquired Indebtedness, if, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds therefrom, either (i) the Company’s Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio on the date thereof would be at least 2.0 to 1.0 or (ii) the ratio of Adjusted Indebtedness of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to Adjusted Consolidated Tangible Net Worth is less than 7.5 to 1.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of Section 4.10(a) shall not prevent:

(i) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from Incurring (A) Refinancing Indebtedness or (B) Non-Recourse Indebtedness;

 

51


(ii) the Company from Incurring Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes issued on the Issue Date;

(iii) the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor from Incurring Indebtedness under Credit Facilities not to exceed the greater of $300.0 million and 20% of Consolidated Tangible Assets;

(iv) any Subsidiary Guarantee of Indebtedness of the Company under the Notes;

(v) the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries from Incurring Indebtedness under any deposits made to secure performance of tenders, bids, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, progress statements, government contracts and other obligations of like nature (exclusive of the obligation for the payment of borrowed money);

(vi) any Subsidiary Guarantor from guaranteeing Indebtedness of the Company or any other Subsidiary Guarantor, or the Company from guaranteeing Indebtedness of any Subsidiary Guarantor, in each case permitted to be Incurred under this Indenture (other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness);

(vii) (a) any Restricted Subsidiary from Incurring Indebtedness owing to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is both a Wholly Owned Subsidiary and a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (I) such Indebtedness is subordinated to any Subsidiary Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, if any, and (II) such Indebtedness shall only be permitted pursuant to this clause (vii)(a) for so long as the Person to whom such Indebtedness is owing is the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor that is both a Wholly Owned Subsidiary and a Restricted Subsidiary, and (b) the Company from Incurring Indebtedness owing to any Subsidiary Guarantor that is both a Wholly Owned Subsidiary and a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (I) such Indebtedness is subordinated to the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture, and (II) such Indebtedness shall only be permitted pursuant to this clause (vii)(b) for so long as the Person to whom such Indebtedness is owing is a Subsidiary Guarantor that is both a Wholly Owned Subsidiary and a Restricted Subsidiary;

(viii) the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary from Incurring Indebtedness under Capitalized Lease Obligations or purchase money obligations, in each case Incurred for the purpose of acquiring or financing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction or improvement of property or equipment used in the business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed $75.0 million;

(ix) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from Incurring obligations for, pledge of assets in respect of, and guaranties of, bond financings of political subdivisions or enterprises thereof in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Company);

(x) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from incurring Indebtedness owed to a seller of entitled land, lots under development or finished lots under the terms of which the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as obligor, is required to make a payment upon the future sale of such land or lots; and

 

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(xi) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from Incurring Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed $150.0 million.

(c) The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, in any event Incur any Indebtedness that purports to be by its terms (or by the terms of any agreement governing such Indebtedness) subordinated to any other Indebtedness of the Company or of such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, unless such Indebtedness is also by its terms (or by the terms of any agreement governing such Indebtedness) made expressly subordinated to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, at least to the same extent and in the same manner as such Indebtedness is subordinated to such other Indebtedness of the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be.

(d) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.10, in the event an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in the above clauses of this Section 4.10, the Company, in its sole discretion, shall classify such item of Indebtedness in any manner that complies with this Section 4.10 and may from time to time reclassify such item of Indebtedness in any manner in which such item could be Incurred at the time of such reclassification.

Section 4.11 Limitations on Secured Indebtedness.

(a) Notwithstanding any Indebtedness that may be incurred in compliance with Section 4.10, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or guarantee any Secured Indebtedness unless the Notes are equally and ratably secured with (or on a senior basis to, if such Secured Indebtedness is Subordinated Indebtedness) the Secured Indebtedness. Any Lien created for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes pursuant to the preceding sentence shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Lien securing such Secured Indebtedness.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4.11(a):

(i) Section 4.11(a) shall not prohibit the creation, incurrence, assumption or guarantee of Secured Indebtedness which is secured by:

(A) Liens on model homes, homes held for sale, homes that are under contract for sale, or any option, contract or other agreement to sell an asset;

(B) Liens on property acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that, in each case, such Liens (a) were in existence prior to the contemplation of

 

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such acquisition, merger or consolidation and (b) do not extend to any asset other than those of the Person merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or the property acquired by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary;

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

(D) purchase money mortgages (including, without limitation, Capitalized Lease Obligations and purchase money security interests); or

(E) Liens on property or assets of any Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Company or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries; and

(ii) Section 4.11(a) shall not prohibit the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries from creating, incurring, assuming or guaranteeing Secured Indebtedness, without equally or ratably securing the Notes, if, immediately thereafter the aggregate principal amount of all Secured Indebtedness outstanding (excluding (a) Secured Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.11(b)(i) and (b) any Secured Indebtedness in relation to which the Notes have been equally and ratably secured) as of the date of determination would not exceed the greater of (i) $700.0 million and (ii) 40% of Consolidated Tangible Assets.

(c) For purposes of this Section 4.11, Secured Indebtedness shall be deemed to include any amendment, restatement, supplement, renewal, replacement, extension or refunding in whole or in part of Secured Indebtedness not prohibited to be incurred at the time of the original incurrence thereof.

Section 4.12 Maintenance of Corporate Existence; Maintenance of Properties.

(a) Subject to Section 4.13 hereof, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect (i) its corporate existence, and the corporate, partnership or other existence of each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in accordance with the respective organizational documents (as the same may be amended from time to time) of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or the corporate, partnership or other existence of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, if the Company in good faith shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(b) The Company will cause all of its material properties used or useful in the conduct of its business or the business of any Subsidiary to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order and supplied with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided, however, that the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be prevented from selling or otherwise disposing of their properties for value in the ordinary course of business.

Section 4.13 Limitations on Mergers and Consolidations.

(a) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary Guarantor shall consolidate or merge with or into, or sell, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (including, without limitation, by way of liquidation or dissolution), or assign any of its obligations under the Notes, the Guarantees or this Indenture (as an entirety or substantially in one transaction or series of related transactions), to any Person (in each case other than with the Company or another Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary) unless:

(i) the Person formed by or surviving such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be), or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition or assignment shall be made (collectively, the “Successor”), is a solvent corporation or other legal entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and the Successor assumes by supplemental indenture in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee all of the obligations of the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, under the Notes or such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Subsidiary Guarantee, as the case may be, and this Indenture; and

(ii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

The foregoing provisions shall not apply to a transaction involving the consolidation or merger of a Subsidiary Guarantor with or into another Person, or the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor, that results in such Subsidiary Guarantor being released from its Subsidiary Guarantee as provided in Section 9.04 hereof.

Section 4.14 Limitation of Applicability of Certain Covenants if Notes Rated Investment Grade.

If on any date following the Issue Date, (i) the Notes are rated Investment Grade, and (ii) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (the occurrence of the events described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being collectively referred to as a “Covenant Suspension Event” and the date thereof being referred to as a “Suspension Date”), then, Section 4.07, Section 4.10 and Section 4.13(a)(ii) (collectively, the “Suspended Covenants”) shall be suspended with respect to the Notes.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if, subsequent to a Suspension Date, the Notes cease to be rated Investment Grade, then the Suspended Covenants shall be reinstituted as of and from the date of such rating decline (any such date, a “Reversion Date”). The period of time between the Suspension Date and the Reversion Date is referred to as the “Suspension Period.” All Indebtedness Incurred during any Suspension Period will be deemed to have been outstanding prior to the Issue Date. Calculations made after the Reversion Date under Section 4.07 will be made as though Section 4.07 had been in effect since the Issue Date and prior to, but not during, the Suspension Period. Accordingly, Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period will not reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 4.07(a).

Notwithstanding that the Suspended Covenants may be reinstated after the Reversion Date, (i) no Default, Event of Default or breach of any kind will be deemed to exist under this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees with respect to the Suspended Covenants, and none of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall bear any liability for any actions taken or events occurring during the Suspension Period, or any actions taken at any time pursuant to any contractual obligation arising during any Suspension Period, in each case as a result of a failure to comply with the Suspended Covenants during the Suspension Period (or, upon termination of the Suspension Period, as a result of any action taken or event that occurred during the Suspension Period), and (ii) following a Reversion Date, the Company and each Restricted Subsidiary will be permitted, without causing a Default or Event of Default, to honor, comply with or otherwise perform any contractual commitments or obligations arising during any Suspension Period and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby.

Promptly following the occurrence of any Covenant Suspension Event or Reversion Date, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate notifying it of any such occurrence under this Section 4.14. The Trustee will have no obligation to (i) monitor the ratings of the Notes, (ii) independently determine or verify if a Suspension Period has begun or ended, (iii) make any determination regarding the impact of actions taken during the Suspension Period on the Issuer’s future compliance with its covenants or (iv) inform the Holders of the occurrence of the commencement of a Suspension Period or Reversion Date.

Article V.

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 5.01 Events of Default.

(a) An “Event of Default” wherever used herein, means any one of the following events:

(i) the failure by the Company to pay interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable and the continuance of any such failure for a period of 30 days;

(ii) the failure by the Company to pay the principal or premium of any Note when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise (including the failure to make payment pursuant to a Change of Control Offer);

 

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(iii) the failure by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to comply with any of its agreements or covenants in, or provisions of, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees or this Indenture and such failure continues for the period and after the notice specified below;

(iv) the acceleration of any Indebtedness (other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that has an outstanding principal amount of $25.0 million or more in the aggregate;

(v) the failure by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to make any principal or interest payment in respect of Indebtedness (other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with an outstanding aggregate amount of $25.0 million or more within five days of such principal or interest payment becoming due and payable (after giving effect to any applicable grace period set forth in the documents governing such Indebtedness); provided that if such failure to pay shall be remedied, waived or extended, then the Event of Default hereunder shall be deemed likewise to be remedied, waived or extended without further action by the Company;

(vi) a final judgment or judgments that exceed $25.0 million or more in the aggregate, for the payment of money, having been entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and such judgment or judgments is not satisfied, stayed, annulled or rescinded within 60 days of being entered;

(vii) the Company or any Material Subsidiary pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

(A) commences a voluntary case;

(B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case;

(C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property; or

(D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;

(viii) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

(A) is for relief against the Company or any Material Subsidiary as debtor in an involuntary case;

(B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or any Material Subsidiary or a Custodian for all or substantially all of the property of the Company or any Material Subsidiary; or

 

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(C) orders the liquidation of the Company or any Material Subsidiary and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

(ix) any Subsidiary Guarantee of a Material Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of such Subsidiary Guarantee and this Indenture) or is declared null and void and unenforceable or found to be invalid or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Material Subsidiary denies its liability under its Subsidiary Guarantee (other than by reason of release of a Subsidiary Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Subsidiary Guarantee).

(b) A Default under Section 5.01(a)(iii) hereof will not be deemed an Event of Default until the Trustee notifies the Company, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes notify the Company and the Trustee, of the Default and the Company does not cure the Default within 60 days after receipt of the notice of a Default under Section 5.01(a)(iii). The notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that the notice is a “Notice of Default.” If such a Default is cured within such time period, it ceases.

(c) The Trustee may withhold from the Holders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except any Default or Event of Default in payment of principal or interest on the Notes or that resulted from the failure to comply with Section 4.08 hereof) if the Trustee determines that withholding such notice is in the Holders’ interest.

Section 5.02 Acceleration.

(a) If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in sub-clauses (vii) and (viii) of Section 5.01(a) above) shall have occurred and be continuing under this Indenture, the Trustee by notice to the Company, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may declare all Notes to be due and payable immediately. Upon such declaration of acceleration, the amounts due and payable on the Notes, as determined pursuant to this Section 5.02, will be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default with respect to the Company specified in sub-clauses (vii) and (viii) of Section 5.01(a) above occurs, such an amount will ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration, notice or other act on the part of the Trustee and the Company or any Holder.

(b) In the event that the maturity of the Notes is accelerated pursuant to Section 5.02(a) hereof, 100% of the principal amount of the Notes (or, in the case of a default under Section 5.01(a)(ii) or (iii) hereof resulting from a breach of the covenant set forth in Section 4.08 hereof, 101% of the principal amount of the Notes) will become due and payable plus accrued interest, if any, to the date of payment.

Section 5.03 Other Remedies.

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture.

The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder of a Note in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.

 

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Section 5.04 Waiver of Existing Defaults.

Subject to Section 8.02, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of then-outstanding Notes on behalf of all the Holders of the Notes by written notice to the Trustee and the Company may waive any Default or Event of Default (other than any Default or Event of Default in payment of principal or interest) on the Notes under this Indenture. Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may rescind an acceleration and its consequence (except an acceleration due to nonpayment of principal or interest on the Notes) if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree and if all existing Events of Default have been cured or waived. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.05 Control by Majority.

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee or in its exercise of any trust or power conferred on the Trustee; provided, however, that such direction does not conflict with the terms of this Indenture. The Holders may not enforce the provisions of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees except as provided in this Indenture. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction (i) that conflicts with law or this Indenture; (ii) that, subject to Section 6.01, the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other Holder of a Note or (iii) that would involve the Trustee in personal liability.

Section 5.06 Limitation on Suits.

Subject to Section 5.07 hereof, no Holder of a Note may pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:

(a) such Holder has previously given the Trustee written notice that an Event of Default is continuing;

(b) Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the total outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

(c) Holders of the Notes have offered the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against any loss, liability or expense;

(d) the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt thereof and the offer of security or indemnity; and

(e) Holders of a majority in principal amount of the total outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a direction inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.

 

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A Holder of a Note may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder of a Note or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder of a Note.

Section 5.07 Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Note (including in connection with a Change of Control Offer), or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, is absolute and unconditional and shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.08 Collection Suit by Trustee.

If an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(a)(i) or (ii) hereof occurs and is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount of principal of, premium, if any, and interest remaining unpaid on the Notes and interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, interest and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents, counsel, accountants and experts.

Section 5.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceedings, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding has been instituted.

Section 5.10 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

The Trustee is authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents, counsel, accountants and experts) and the Holders of the Notes allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company (or any other obligor upon the Notes including the Subsidiary Guarantors), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to participate as a member in any official committee of creditors appointed in such matter and to collect, receive and distribute any money or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents, counsel, accountants and experts, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents, counsel,

 

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accountants and experts, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 5.11 Priorities.

If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article V, it shall pay out the money in the following order:

(a) to the Trustee, its agents and attorneys for amounts due under Section 6.07 hereof, including payment of all compensation, expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and the costs and expenses of collection;

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

(c) to the Company or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct including a Subsidiary Guarantor, if applicable.

The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders of Notes pursuant to this Section 5.11.

Section 5.12 Undertaking for Costs.

In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as a Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 5.12 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder of a Note pursuant to Section 5.07 hereof, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes.

 

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Article VI.

TRUSTEE

Section 6.01 Duties of Trustee.

(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

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

(i) the duties of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

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

(i) this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section 6.01;

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

(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 5.05 hereof.

(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 6.01.

(e) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under this Indenture at the request of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee.

 

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(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 6.02 Rights of Trustee.

(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.

(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

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

(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

(e) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Company shall be sufficient if signed by an Officer of the Company.

(f) None of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise to incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it.

(g) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a Default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture.

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

 

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

(j) The permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties. The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigations into the facts or matters stated in any certificate, instrument or other documents, unless requested in writing to do so by the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes of the particular series affected thereby. The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request order or direction of the Holders pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture unless the Holders have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses, claims and liabilities that may be incurred therein or thereby.

Section 6.03 Individual Rights of Trustee.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company or any Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights and duties. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 6.10 and 6.11 hereof.

Section 6.04 Trustees Disclaimer.

The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money paid to the Company or upon the Company’s direction under any provision of this Indenture, it shall not be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it shall not be responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes or any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this Indenture other than its certificate of authentication.

Section 6.05 Notice of Defaults.

If a Default occurs and is continuing and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to Holders of Notes a notice of the Default within 90 days after it occurs. Except in the case of a Default relating to the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on any Note or that resulted from the failure to comply with Section 4.08 hereof, the Trustee may withhold from the Holders notice of any continuing Default if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Notes. The Trustee shall not be deemed to know of any Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is such a Default is received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee and such notice refers to the Notes and this Indenture.

 

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Section 6.06 [Reserved].

Section 6.07 Compensation and Indemnity.

The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder as the parties shall agree in writing from time to time. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall reimburse the Trustee promptly upon request for all reasonable disbursements, advances and expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents, counsel, accountants and experts.

The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall indemnify the Trustee for, and hold the Trustee harmless against, any and all loss, damage, claims, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by it in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust and the performance of its duties hereunder (including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Company or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors (including this Section 6.07) or defending itself against any claim whether asserted by any Holder, the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, or liability in connection with the acceptance, exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder). The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss, liability or expense incurred by the Trustee through the Trustee’s own willful misconduct, negligence or bad faith.

The obligations of the Company under this Section 6.07 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee.

Notwithstanding anything contrary in Section 4.11 hereto, to secure the payment obligations of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors in this Section 6.07, the Trustee shall have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Notes. Such Lien shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(a)(vii) hereof occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including the fees and expenses of its agents, counsel, accountants and experts) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

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Section 6.08 Replacement of Trustee.

A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 6.08. The Trustee may resign in writing at any time and be discharged from the trust hereby created by so notifying the Company. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Trustee and the Company in writing. The Company may remove the Trustee if:

(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 6.10 hereof;

(b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

(c) a custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.

If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee (at the Company’s expense), the Company or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder who has been a Holder for at least six months, fails to comply with Section 6.10 hereof, such Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee; provided that all sums owing to the Trustee hereunder have been paid and subject to the Lien provided for in Section 6.07 hereof. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 6.08, the Company’s obligations under Section 6.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

Section 6.09 Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.

If the Trustee consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.

 

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Section 6.10 Eligibility; Disqualification.

There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state thereof that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trustee power, that is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and that has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.

Section 6.11 [Reserved].

Article VII.

LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

Section 7.01 Defeasance Upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations.

(a) The Company may, at its option and at any time, elect to have either paragraph (b) or paragraph (c) below be applied to the outstanding Notes upon compliance with the applicable conditions set forth in paragraph (d).

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise under Section 7.01(a) of the option applicable to this clause (b), the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall be deemed to have been released and discharged from their respective obligations with respect to the outstanding Notes and Subsidiary Guarantees on the date the applicable conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “outstanding” only for the purposes of the Sections and matters under this Indenture referred to in (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under the Notes and this Indenture, except for the following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive solely from the trust fund described in paragraph (d) below and as more fully set forth in such paragraph, payments in respect of the principal of and interest on such Notes when such payments are due and (ii) obligations listed in Section 7.2, subject to compliance with this Section 7.01. The Company may exercise its option under this paragraph (b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under paragraph below with respect to such Notes.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise under Section 7.01(a) of the option applicable to this clause (c), the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall be released and discharged from the obligations under any covenant contained in Section 4.3, Section 4.04, Section 4.05, Section 4.07, Section 4.08, Section 4.09, Section 4.10, Section 4.11, Section 4.12 and Section 4.13 on and after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Notes shall thereafter be deemed to be not “outstanding” for the purpose of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01(a)(iii), but, except as specified above, the

 

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remainder of this Indenture and such Notes shall be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Company’s exercise of under Section 7.01(a) of the option applicable to this Section 7.01(c), subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 7.01(d), Sections 5.01(a)(iii), (iv), and (vi) hereof shall not constitute Events of Default.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of either paragraph (b) or paragraph (c) above to the outstanding Notes:

(i) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.10 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article VII applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of Notes, (1) cash in U.S. dollars, or (2) U.S. Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Notes, money in an amount, or (3) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (i) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Notes on the maturity date of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Notes on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Notes.

(ii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(iii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Notes shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as Section 5.01(a)(vi) and Section 5.01(a)(vii) are concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iv) In the case of an election under Section 7.01(b), the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

 

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(v) In the case of an election under Section 7.01(c), the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance under Section 7.01(b) or the covenant defeasance under Section 7.01(c) (as the case may be) have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that either (i) as a result of a deposit pursuant to subsection (a) above and the related exercise of the Company’s opinion under Section 7.01(b) or Section 7.01(c) (as the case may be), registration is not required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, by the Company, with respect to the trust funds representing such deposit or by the Trustee for such trust funds or (ii) all necessary registrations under said Act have been effected.

(vii) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 2.01.

In the event all or any portion of the Notes are to be redeemed through such irrevocable trust, the Company must make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee, at the time of such deposit, for the giving of the notice of such redemption or redemptions by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 7.02 Survival of the Companys Obligations.

Notwithstanding any Legal Defeasance, Covenant Defeasance or the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture under Section 10.01, the Company’s obligations under Sections 2.03 through 2.07, 4.01, 6.07, 6.08, 7.04 and 7.05, however, shall survive until no Notes are outstanding. Thereafter, the Company’s obligations under Sections 6.07, 7.04 and 7.05 shall survive.

Section 7.03 Application of Trust Money.

The Trustee shall hold in trust money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to Section 7.01. It shall apply the deposited money and the money from U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Indenture to the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes.

Section 7.04 Repayment to the Company.

The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall promptly pay to the Company upon request any excess money or securities held by them at any time. The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal or interest that remains unclaimed for two years, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be

 

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published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of New York or mail to each such Holder notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company. After payment to the Company, Holders of Notes entitled to the money must look to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor for payment as general creditors unless applicable abandoned property law designates another person and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such money shall cease.

Section 7.05 Reinstatement.

If the Trustee is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 7.01 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s and each Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 7.01 until such time as the Trustee is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 7.01; provided, however, that (a) if the Company has made any payment of interest on or principal of any Notes because of the reinstatement of their obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee and (b) unless otherwise required by any legal proceeding or any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority, the Trustee shall return all such money or U.S. Government Obligations to the Company promptly after receiving a written request therefor at any time, if such reinstatement of the Company’s obligations has occurred and continues to be in effect.

Article VIII.

AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 8.01 With Consent of Majority; Without Consent of Holders.

Subject to Section 8.02, this Indenture or the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent (which may include consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for Notes) of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, and any existing Default or Event of Default (other than any continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest on or the principal of the Notes) under, or compliance with any provision of, this Indenture may be waived with the consent (which may include consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for Notes) of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding. The Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Notes or waive any provisions hereof or thereof without notice to or consent of any Holder of Notes:

(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees;

(b) to comply with the provisions of Section 4.13;

 

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(c) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to, or in place of, certificated Notes;

(d) to provide for any Subsidiary Guarantee of the Notes, to add security to or for the benefit of the Notes, or to confirm and evidence the release, termination or discharge of any Subsidiary Guarantee of the Notes when such release, termination or discharge is permitted by this Indenture;

(e) to add covenants or new events of default for the protection of the Holders of the Notes;

(f) to make any change that does not adversely affect the legal rights under this Indenture of any Holder; or

(g) to comply with requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act to the extent this Indenture is to be so qualified.

After an amendment under this Section 8.01 becomes effective, the Company shall mail notice of such amendment to the affected Holders of Notes.

Section 8.02 With Consent of all Affected Holders.

Without the consent of each Holder of Notes affected, an amendment, supplement or waiver, including a waiver pursuant to Section 5.04 of this Indenture or the Notes, may not:

(a) reduce the amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(b) reduce the rate of, or change the time for payment of, interest, including default interest, on any Note;

(c) reduce the principal of, or change the fixed maturity of, any Note or alter the provisions with respect to redemption under Section 3.07 hereof;

(d) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Note;

(e) make any change in Sections 5.04, 4.01 or 8.02;

(f) modify the ranking or priority of the Notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee;

(g) modify any of the provisions with respect to mandatory offers to repurchase Notes pursuant to Section 4.08 hereof after the obligation to make such mandatory offer to repurchase has arisen;

(h) release any Subsidiary Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or this Indenture otherwise than in accordance with the terms contained herein; or

(i) waive a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes.

 

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It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplement, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

The right of any Holder to participate in any consent required or sought pursuant to any provision of this Indenture (and the obligation of the Company to obtain any such consent otherwise required from such Holder) may be subject to the requirement that such Holder shall have been the Holder of record of Notes with respect to which such consent is required or sought as of a date identified by the Trustee in a notice furnished to Holders in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

Section 8.03 [Reserved].

Section 8.04 Revocation and Effect of Consents.

A consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver by a Holder shall bind the Holder and every subsequent Holder of Notes or portion of Notes that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holders’ Notes, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note. Subject to the following paragraph, any such Holder or subsequent Holder, however, may revoke the consent as to his Notes or portion of Notes. Such revocation shall be effective only if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective.

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Notes entitled to consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the last sentence of the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date unless the consent of the requisite number of Holders has been obtained.

After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, it shall bind every Holder, unless it makes a change described in any of clauses of Section 8.02, in which case, the amendment, supplement or waiver shall bind only each Holder of Notes who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of Notes or portion of Notes that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Notes; provided that any such waiver shall not impair or affect the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of and interest on the Notes, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Notes, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates without the consent of such Holder.

Section 8.05 Notation on or Exchange of Notes.

If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of the Notes, the Company may require the Holder of the Notes to deliver it to the Trustee, at which time the Trustee shall place an appropriate notation on the Notes about the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, if the Company or the Trustee so determines, the Company in exchange for the Notes shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Note that reflects the changed terms.

 

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Section 8.06 Trustee to Sign Amendments.

The Trustee shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article if the amendment, supplement or waiver does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. If it does, the Trustee may but need not sign it. In signing or refusing to sign such amendment or supplemental indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that such amendment or supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture, that it is not inconsistent herewith, and that it will be valid and binding upon the Company in accordance with its terms.

Article IX.

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES; RELEASE OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS

Section 9.01 Subsidiary Guarantee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of this Article IX, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby jointly and severally unconditionally guarantees to each Holder and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Company or any other Subsidiary Guarantor to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder, that: (i) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be duly and punctually paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal and (to the extent permitted by law) interest, if any, on the Notes and all other obligations of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantors to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder (including fees, expenses or other) and all other obligations with respect to the Notes and this Indenture will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes, the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at maturity, by acceleration or otherwise. Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed, or failing performance of any other obligation of the Company to the Holders, for whatever reason, each Subsidiary Guarantor will be obligated, jointly and severally with each other Subsidiary Guarantor, to pay, or to perform or cause the performance of, the same immediately. An Event of Default under this Indenture or the Notes shall constitute an event of default under this Article IX, and shall entitle the Holders of Notes to accelerate the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder in the same manner and to the same extent as the obligations of the Company.

(b) Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be continuing, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of, and shall be unaffected by, the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder or the Trustee with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, any release of any other Subsidiary Guarantor, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action to enforce the same, whether or not a Subsidiary Guarantee is affixed to any particular Note, or any other circumstance which might otherwise

 

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constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a Subsidiary Guarantor. Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby waives the benefit of diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenants that its Subsidiary Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes, this Indenture and this Article IX. If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Company or to any Subsidiary Guarantor, or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor, any amount paid by the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor to the Trustee or such Holder, this Article IX, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect. Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that, as between it, on the one hand, and the Holders of Notes and the Trustee, on the other hand, (i) subject to this Article IX, the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article V hereof for the purposes of this Article IX, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (ii) in the event of any acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article V hereof, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Subsidiary Guarantors for the purpose of this Article IX.

(c) This Article IX shall remain in full force and effect and continue to be effective should any petition be filed by or against the Company for liquidation or reorganization, should the Company become insolvent or make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or should a receiver or trustee be appointed for all or any significant part of the Company’s assets, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment and performance of the Notes are, pursuant to applicable law, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any obligee on the Notes, whether as a “voidable preference,” “fraudulent transfer” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment, or any part thereof, is rescinded, reduced, restored or returned, the Subsidiary Guarantees shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reinstated and deemed reduced only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.

(d) Each Subsidiary Guarantor, and by its acceptance hereof each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the guarantee by each Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to its Subsidiary Guarantee not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of the Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Holders and each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under the Subsidiary Guarantees shall be limited to the maximum amount which, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under this Indenture, will result in the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor and its Subsidiary Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or obligation under federal or state law.

 

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Section 9.02 Execution and Delivery of Subsidiary Guarantee.

(a) To further evidence the Subsidiary Guarantee set forth in Section 9.01, each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agrees that a notation of such Subsidiary Guarantee, substantially in the form included in Exhibit A hereto, shall be endorsed on each Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee after such Subsidiary Guarantee is executed and executed by either manual or facsimile signature of an Officer of each Subsidiary Guarantor. The validity and enforceability of any Subsidiary Guarantee shall not be affected by the fact that it is not affixed to any particular Note.

(b) Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agrees that its Subsidiary Guarantee set forth in Section 9.01 shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Note a notation of such Subsidiary Guarantee.

(c) If an Officer of a Subsidiary Guarantor whose signature is on this Indenture or a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates such Note or at any time thereafter, such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Subsidiary Guarantee of such Note shall be valid nevertheless.

(d) The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of any Subsidiary Guarantee set forth in this Indenture on behalf of the Subsidiary Guarantor.

Section 9.03 Additional Subsidiary Guarantors.

Any Person may become a Subsidiary Guarantor by executing and delivering to the Trustee (a) a supplemental indenture in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee which subjects such Person to the provisions of this Indenture as a Subsidiary Guarantor, and (b) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such supplemental indenture has been duly authorized and executed by such Person and constitutes the legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligation of such Person (subject to such customary exceptions concerning fraudulent conveyance laws, creditors’ rights and equitable principles as may be acceptable to the Trustee in its discretion).

Section 9.04 Release of a Subsidiary Guarantor.

(a) If all or substantially all of the assets of any Subsidiary Guarantor or all (or a portion sufficient to cause such Subsidiary Guarantor to no longer be a Subsidiary of the Company) of the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary Guarantor is sold (including by consolidation, merger, issuance or otherwise) or disposed of (including by liquidation, dissolution or otherwise) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, unless the Company elects otherwise, if any Subsidiary Guarantor is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, then such Subsidiary Guarantor (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor or a designation as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) or the Person acquiring such assets (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor) shall be deemed automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from any of its obligations under this Indenture without any further action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of the Notes, subject in each case to compliance with Section 4.13 hereof.

 

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(b) Upon the release of any Subsidiary Guarantor’s guarantee under all then outstanding Applicable Debt during any Suspension Period, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be deemed automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from any of its obligations under this Indenture without any further action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of the Notes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to any release of any Subsidiary Guarantor done in contemplation of, or in connection with, any cessation of the Notes being rated Investment Grade; and provided, further, that in the event (i) any Subsidiary Guarantor released pursuant to this Section 9.04(b) thereafter guarantees any Applicable Debt (or if any released guarantee under any Applicable Debt is reinstated or renewed) or (ii) a Reversion Date shall occur, then such released Subsidiary Guarantor and any other Restricted Subsidiary then existing, the assets of which have a Book Value of $5.0 million or more, shall guarantee the Notes in accordance with this Article IX. For purposes of this Section 9.04(b), Applicable Debt secured by a Lien on a Restricted Subsidiary’s property or issued by a Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed guaranteed by such Restricted Subsidiary.

(c) The Trustee shall deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing the release of a Subsidiary Guarantor upon receipt of a request of the Company accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate certifying as to the compliance with this Section 9.04. Any Subsidiary Guarantor not so released or the entity surviving such Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, will remain or be liable under its Subsidiary Guarantee as provided in this Article IX.

(d) The Trustee shall execute any documents reasonably requested by the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate as provided in this Section 9.04 in order to evidence the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee endorsed on the Notes and under this Article IX.

(e) Except as set forth in Article IV hereof and this Section 9.04, nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Notes shall prevent any consolidation or merger of a Subsidiary Guarantor with or into the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor or shall prevent any sale or conveyance of the property of a Subsidiary Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor.

Section 9.05 Waiver of Subrogation; Right of Contribution.

(a) Except as set forth in Section 9.05(b) below, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any claim or other rights which it may now or hereafter acquire against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that arise from the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of such Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations under this Article IX and this Indenture, including, without limitation, any right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, indemnification, and any right to participate in any claim or remedy of any Holder of Notes against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity, or under contract, statute or common law, including, without limitation, the right to take or receive from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security on account of such claim

 

76


or other rights. If any amount shall be paid to any Subsidiary Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence and the Notes shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall have been deemed to have been paid to such Subsidiary Guarantor for the benefit of, and held in trust for the benefit of, the Holders of the Notes, and shall forthwith be paid to the Trustee for the benefit of such Holders to be credited and applied upon the Notes, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture. Each Subsidiary Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by this Indenture and that the waiver set forth in this Section 9.05 is knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 9.05(a), each Subsidiary Guarantor that makes a payment or distribution under a Subsidiary Guarantee shall be entitled to a contribution from each other Subsidiary Guarantor in an amount pro rata, based on the net assets of each Subsidiary Guarantor, determined in accordance with GAAP.

Article X.

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 10.01 Satisfaction and Discharge.

This Indenture shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further effect as to all Notes, when:

(a) either:

(i) all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered, except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes which have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust, have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) (A) all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the making of a notice of redemption or otherwise, shall become due and payable within one year or may be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, and the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, cash in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption;

 

77


(B) no Default (other than that resulting from borrowing funds to be applied to make such deposit and any similar and simultaneous deposit relating to other Indebtedness and, in each case, the granting of Liens in connection therewith) with respect to this Indenture or the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or shall occur as a result of such deposit and such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the Credit Facilities or any other material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor is bound (other than that resulting from borrowing funds to be applied to make such deposit and any similar and simultaneous deposit relating to other Indebtedness and in each case, the granting of Liens in connection therewith); and

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under this Indenture; and

(c) if applicable, the Company has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be.

In addition, the Company must deliver an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (i) of clause (b) of this Section 10.01, the provisions of Sections 4.01, 4.02 and 10.02 hereof shall survive.

Section 10.02 Application of Trust Money.

Subject to the provisions of Section 7.05 hereof, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 10.01 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 10.01 hereof by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s and any Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 10.01 hereof; provided that if the Company has made any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

78


Article XI.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.01 [Reserved].

Section 11.02 Notices.

Any notice or communication by the Company, any Subsidiary Guarantor or the Trustee to the others is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), fax or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others’ address:

If to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor:

c/o Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

2002 Summit Boulevard, 15th Floor

Atlanta, GA 30319

Fax: (770) 481-7564

Attention: Keith L. Belknap

If to the Trustee:

Regions Bank

Corporate Trust

1717 McKinney Avenue 11th Floor

Dallas, Texas 75202

FAX: (713) 960-4058

Attention: Shawn Bednasek, SVP

The Company, any Subsidiary Guarantor or the Trustee, by notice to the others, may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five calendar days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed by first-class mail; when receipt acknowledged, if faxed; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery; provided that any notice or communication delivered to the Trustee shall be deemed effective upon actual receipt thereof.

Any notice or communication to a Holder shall be mailed by first-class mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, or by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery to its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.

If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

 

79


If the Company mails a notice or communication to Holders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

Section 11.03 Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.

Holders may communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes.

Section 11.04 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.

(a) Upon any request or application by the Company or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, shall furnish to the Trustee:

(i) an Officers’ Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 11.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and

(ii) an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 11.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied.

Section 11.05 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.

Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to Section 4.04 hereof) shall include:

(a) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with (and, in the case of an Opinion of Counsel, may be limited to reliance on an Officers’ Certificate as to matters of fact); and

(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

80


Section 11.06 Rules by Trustee and Agents.

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

Section 11.07 No Personal Liability of Incorporators, Shareholders, Officers, Directors or Employees.

No recourse for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Notes, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor in this Indenture or in any of the Notes or because of the creation of any Indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer, director, employee or controlling person of the Company, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any successor Person thereof. Each Holder, by accepting such Notes waives and releases all such liability.

Section 11.08 Governing Law.

THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Section 11.09 Waiver of Jury Trial.

EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 11.10 Force Majeure.

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software or hardware) services.

Section 11.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

81


Section 11.12 Successors.

All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors. All agreements of each Subsidiary Guarantor in this Indenture shall bind its successors, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.04 hereof.

Section 11.13 Severability.

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

Section 11.14 Counterpart Originals.

The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

Section 11.15 Table of Contents, Headings, etc..

The Table of Contents and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Indenture and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

Section 11.16 [Reserved].

[Signature pages follow]

 

82


BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BEAZER HOMES, LLC
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS, LLC
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BH INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BH MATERIALS, LLC
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BEAZER GENERAL SERVICES, INC.
BEAZER HOMES INDIANA HOLDINGS CORP.
BEAZER HOMES SALES, INC.
BEAZER HOMES TEXAS HOLDINGS, INC.
BEAZER REALTY CORP.
BEAZER REALTY LOS ANGELES, INC.
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


BEAZER MORTGAGE CORPORATION
By:   /s/ David I. Goldberg
  Name:   David I. Goldberg
  Title:   President and Chief Executive
    Officer
BEAZER HOMES INDIANA LLP
By:   BEAZER HOMES INVESTMENTS, LLC,
  its Managing Partner
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC,
  its Sole Member
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BALLARD GREEN UTILITY COMPANY, LLC
BEAZER CLARKSBURG, LLC
DOVE BARRINGTON DEVELOPMENT LLC
BEAZER HOMES INVESTMENTS, LLC
BEAZER GAIN, LLC
MARSHFIELD LAND, LLC
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC,
  its Sole Member
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BEAZER HOMES TEXAS, L.P.
By:   BEAZER HOMES TEXAS HOLDINGS, INC.,
  its General Partner
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


BEAZER REALTY SERVICES, LLC
By:   BEAZER HOMES INVESTMENTS, LLC,
  its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC,
  its Sole Member
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BEAZER FUNDAMENTAL, LLC
By:   BEAZER HOMES TEXAS HOLDINGS, INC.,
  its Sole Member
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BH BUILDING PRODUCTS, LP
By:   BH PROCUREMENT SERVICES, INC.,
  its General Partner
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BH PROCUREMENT SERVICES, INC.
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
CLARKSBURG ARORA LLC
By:   BEAZER CLARKSBURG, LLC,
  its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC,
  its Sole Member
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


CLARKSBURG SKYLARK, LLC
By:   CLARKSBURG ARORA LLC,
  its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER CLARKSBURG, LLC,
  its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC.,
  its Sole Member
By:   /s/ Allan P. Merrill
  Name:   Allan P. Merrill
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


REGIONS BANK
as Trustee
By:   /s/ Shawn Bednasek
  Name: Shawn Bednasek
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


SCHEDULE I

Subsidiary Guarantors

Ballard Green Utility Company, LLC

Beazer General Services, Inc.

Beazer Homes, LLC

Beazer Homes Sales, Inc.

Beazer Homes Investments, LLC

Beazer Realty Corp.

Beazer Homes Holdings, LLC

Beazer Homes Indiana Holdings Corp.

Beazer Homes Texas Holdings, Inc.

Beazer Mortgage Corporation

Beazer Homes Texas, L.P.

Beazer Homes Indiana LLP

Beazer Realty Services, LLC

Beazer Realty Los Angeles, Inc.

BH Building Products, LP

BH Procurement Services, Inc.

Beazer Clarksburg, LLC

Beazer Fundamental, LLC

BH Investment Holdings, LLC

BH Materials, LLC

Dove Barrington Development LLC

Marshfield Land, LLC

Clarksburg Arora LLC

Clarksburg Skylark, LLC

Beazer Gain, LLC

 

SI-1


EXHIBIT A

[FACE OF NOTE]

[Insert the Global Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]

[Insert the Private Placement Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]

[Insert the Regulation S Global Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]

[Insert the OID Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]

 

EA-1


BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.

[RULE 144A][REGULATION S] GLOBAL NOTE

representing

$[initial aggregate principal amount]

7.500% Senior Notes due 2031

CUSIP [    ]

ISIN [    ]

No. [___]

Beazer Homes USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation, promises to pay to [Cede & Co.] or its registered assigns, the principal sum [set forth on the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note attached hereto] [of [initial aggregate principal amount] United States Dollars] on March 15, 2031.

Interest Payment Dates: March 15 and September 15

Record Dates: March 1 and September 1

 

EA-2


IN WITNESS HEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

Dated:

 

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

EA-3


This is one of the Notes referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture:

Dated: March ___, 2024

 

REGIONS BANK,

as Trustee

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

EA-4


[Back of the Note]

7.500% Senior Notes due 2031

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.

 

1.

INTEREST. Beazer Homes USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at 7.500% per annum from March 15, 2024 until maturity on March 15, 2031. The Company will pay interest, semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each, an “Interest Payment Date”). Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of issuance; provided that the first Interest Payment Date shall be September 15, 2024. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The Company will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to time on demand at the interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest from time to time on demand at the interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful.

 

2.

METHOD OF PAYMENT. The Company will pay interest on the Notes to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the March 1 or September 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 2.12 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. At the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders, provided that payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest with respect to Notes represented by one or more permanent global notes registered in the name of or held by the Depositary or its nominee will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holder or Holders thereof. Such payment shall be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

 

3.

PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR. Initially, Regions Bank, the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to the Holders. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity.

 

4.

INDENTURE. The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture, dated as of March 15, 2024 (the “Indenture”), among Beazer Homes USA, Inc., the Subsidiary Guarantors named therein and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture for a statement of such terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

 

EA-5


5.

OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.

(a) Prior to March 15, 2027, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date (subject to the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 3.05 of the Indenture).

(b) The Company may redeem all or any portion of the Notes at any time and from time to time on or after March 15, 2027 and prior to maturity at the following redemption prices (expressed in percentages of the principal amount thereof) together, in each case, with accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption (subject to the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 3.05 of the Indenture), if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning on each year indicated below:

 

Year

   Percentage  

March 15, 2027

     103.750

March 15, 2028

     101.875

March 15, 2029 and thereafter

     100.000

(c) In addition, on or prior to March 15, 2027, the Company may on any one or more occasions, at its option, redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture with the net cash proceeds of an Equity Offering at 7.500% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption (subject to the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 3.05 of the Indenture); provided that at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes originally issued under the Indenture remain outstanding after such redemption. Notice of any such redemption must be given within 60 days after the date of the closing of the relevant Equity Offering.

(d) Furthermore, at any time prior to the maturity of the Notes, if at least 90% of the original principal amount of the Notes have previously been repurchased and cancelled in connection with a Change of Control Offer, the Company may redeem all of the remaining Notes, upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at a redemption price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption (subject to the second sentence of the second paragraph of Section 3.05 of the Indenture).

(e) If the Company redeems less than all of the outstanding Notes, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be redeemed in the manner described under Section 3.02 of the Indenture.

(f) Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph 5 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 of the Indenture.

 

6.

OFFERS TO REPURCHASE. The Company shall be required to make offers to repurchase as set forth under Section 4.08 of the Indenture.

 

EA-6


7.

DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE. The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The transfer of Notes may be registered and may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the Company may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company need not exchange or register the transfer of any Notes or portion of the Notes selected for redemption, except for the unredeemed portion of any Notes being redeemed in part. Also, the Company need not exchange or register the transfer of any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.

 

8.

PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The registered Holder of a Notes may be treated as its owner for all purposes.

 

9.

AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER. The Indenture, the Subsidiary Guarantees or the Notes may be amended or supplemented as provided in the Indenture.

 

10.

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. The Events of Default relating to the Notes are defined in Section 5.01 of the Indenture. If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Sections 5.01(a)(vii) and (viii) of the Indenture) shall have occurred and be continuing under the Indenture, the Trustee by notice to the Company, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may declare all Notes to be due and payable immediately. Upon such declaration of acceleration, the amounts due and payable on the Notes, as determined pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.02 of the Indenture, will be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(a)(vii) and (viii) occurs, such an amount will ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration, notice or other act on the part of the Trustee and the Company or any Holder. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by written notice to the Trustee may waive such Default or Event of Default (other than any Default or Event of Default in payment of principal or interest) on the Notes under the Indenture. Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may rescind an acceleration and its consequence (except an acceleration due to nonpayment of principal or interest on the Notes) if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree and if all existing Events of Default have been cured or waived. Upon such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of the Indenture, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee a quarterly statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and include in such statement, if any Officer of the Company is aware of any Default or Event of Default, a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

11.

AUTHENTICATION. This Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose until authenticated by the manual or facsimile signature of the Trustee.

 

EA-7


12.

[RESERVED].

 

13.

GOVERNING LAW. THE INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND ANY SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

14.

CUSIP/ISIN NUMBERS. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP/ISIN numbers to be printed on the Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP/ISIN numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

The Company will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to the Company at the following address:

c/o Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

2002 Summit Boulevard, 15th Floor

Atlanta, GA 30319

Fax: (770) 481-7564

Attention: Keith L. Belknap

 

EA-8


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to:

 

                             

(Insert assignee’s legal name)

 

                             

(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)

 

                             

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint

 

                             

to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

Date:      

 

Your Signature:

      
  (Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)

 

Signature Guarantee*:    

 

*

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

EA-9


OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.08 of the Indenture, check box ☐ :

If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.08 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased:

$        

Date:     

 

Your Signature:

      
  (Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)
Tax Identification No.:             

 

Signature Guarantee*:    

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

EA-10


SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE*

The initial outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $[initial aggregate principal amount]. The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

  

Amount of

decrease in

Principal Amount of

this Global

Note

  

Amount of

increase in

Principal
Amount of this

Global Note

  

Principal Amount

of this Global

Note following such
decrease or increase

  

Signature of

authorized officer of
Trustee or Custodian

 

*

This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

 

EA-11


[FORM OF NOTATION ON NOTE RELATING TO GUARANTEE]

GUARANTEE

[List of Subsidiary Guarantors] (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) have unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally (such guarantee by each Subsidiary Guarantor being referred to herein as the “Subsidiary Guarantee”), that (i) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be duly and punctually paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal and (to the extent permitted by law) interest, if any, on the Notes and all other obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee all in accordance with the terms set forth under Article IX of the Indenture, and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.

No recourse for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Notes, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor in this Subsidiary Guarantee, the Indenture or any of the Notes or because of the creation of any Indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer, director, employee or controlling person of any Subsidiary Guarantor or any successor Person thereof. Each Holder, by accepting such Notes waives and releases all such liability.

Each holder of a Note by accepting a Note agrees that any Subsidiary Guarantor named below shall have no further liability with respect to its Subsidiary Guarantee if such Subsidiary Guarantor otherwise ceases to be liable in respect of its Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture. The Obligations of each Guarantor under its Note Guarantee shall be limited to the extent necessary to insure that it does not constitute a fraudulent conveyance under applicable law.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

EA-12


The Subsidiary Guarantee shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication on the Notes upon which the Subsidiary Guarantee is noted shall have been executed by the Trustee under the Indenture by the manual or facsimile signature of one of its authorized officers.

 

[LIST OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS]

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

EA-13


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

2002 Summit Boulevard, 15th Floor

Atlanta, GA 30319

Fax: (770) 481-7564

Attention: Keith L. Belknap

Regions Bank

Corporate Trust

1717 McKinney Avenue 11th Floor

Dallas, Texas 75202

FAX: (713) 960-4058

Attention: Shawn Bednasek, SVP

Re: 7.500% Senior Notes due 2031

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of March 15, 2024 (the “Indenture”), among Beazer Homes USA, Inc., the Subsidiary Guarantors named therein and the Trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

____________________ (the “Transferor”) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $_______ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Transfer”), to ______ (the “Transferee”), as further specified in Annex A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:

[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]

1. ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN THE 144 A GLOBAL NOTE OR A DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

2. ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE OR A DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO REGULATION S. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a person in the United States and (x) at the time

 

EB-1


the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (iv) if the proposed transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the transfer is not being made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

3. ☐ CHECK AND COMPLETE IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO ANY PROVISION OF THE SECURITIES ACT OTHER THAN RULE 144A OR REGULATION S. The Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that (check one):

(a) ☐ such Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act;

or

(b) ☐ such Transfer is being effected to the Company or a Subsidiary thereof;

or

(c) ☐ such Transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in compliance with the prospectus- delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

4. ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE OR OF AN UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE.

(a) ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO RULE 144. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

 

EB-2


(b) ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO REGULATION S. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

(c) ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO OTHER EXEMPTION. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

 

EB-3


This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company.

 

    [Insert Name of Transferor] By:
   

By:

   
     

Name:

Dated:                        Title:

 

EB-4


ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

 

  (1)

The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following:

[CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)]

 

  (a)

☐ a beneficial interest in the:

 

  (i)

☐ 144A Global Note (CUSIP 07556QBU8), or

 

  (ii)

☐ Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP U0758TAT4), or

 

  (b)

☐ a Restricted Definitive Note.

 

  (2)

After the Transfer the Transferee will hold:

[CHECK ONE]

 

  (a)

☐ a beneficial interest in the:

 

  (i)

☐ 144A Global Note (CUSIP 07556QBU8), or

 

  (ii)

☐ Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP U0758TAT4), or

 

  (iii)

☐ Unrestricted Global Note, or

 

  (b)

☐ a Restricted Definitive Note; or

 

  (c)

☐ an Unrestricted Definitive Note, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

 

EB-5


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE

Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

2002 Summit Boulevard, 15th Floor

Atlanta, GA 30319

Fax: (770) 481-7564

Attention: Keith L. Belknap

Regions Bank

Corporate Trust

1717 McKinney Avenue 11th Floor

Dallas, Texas 75202

FAX: (713) 960-4058

Attention: Shawn Bednasek, SVP

Re: 7.500% Senior Notes due 2031

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of March 15, 2024 (the “Indenture”), among Beazer Homes USA, Inc., the Subsidiary Guarantors named therein and the Trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

___________ (the “Owner”) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $ _____ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Exchange”). In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:

1. EXCHANGE OF RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE FOR UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE

a. ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

 

EC-1


b. ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection EC-1 with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

c. ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

d. ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

2. EXCHANGE OF RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES FOR RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES

a. ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

 

EC-2


b. ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the [CHECK ONE] ☐ 144A Global Note ☐ Regulation S Global Note, with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company and are dated _______________.

 

[Insert Name of Transferor]

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Dated:

 

     

 

EC-3


EXHIBIT D

[FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

TO BE DELIVERED BY SUBSEQUENT GUARANTORS]

Supplemental Indenture (this “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of ________, between __________________ (the “Guaranteeing Subsidiary”), a subsidiary of Beazer Homes USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Regions Bank, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS, each of Beazer Homes USA, Inc. and the Subsidiary Guarantors (as defined in the Indenture referred to below) has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of March 15, 2024, providing for the issuance of an unlimited aggregate principal amount of 7.500% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”);

WHEREAS, the Indenture provides that under certain circumstances the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee all of the Company’s Obligations under the Notes and the Indenture on the terms and conditions set forth herein and under the Indenture (the “Guarantee”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 8.01 of the Indenture, the Trustee is authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes as follows:

(1) Capitalized Terms. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

(2) Agreement to Guarantee. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary hereby agrees to provide an unconditional Guarantee on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Guarantees and in the Indenture including but not limited to Article IX thereof, and subject to the limitations set forth therein.

(3) Governing Law. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(4) Counterparts. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

(5) Effect of Headings. The headings of the Sections of this Supplemental Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Supplemental Indenture and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

ED-1


(6) The Trustee. The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Supplemental Indenture.

(7) Benefits Acknowledged. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary’s Guarantee is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by the Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture and that the guarantee and waivers made by it pursuant to this Guarantee are knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

(8) Successors. All agreements of the Guaranteeing Subsidiary in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its Successors, except as otherwise provided in this Supplemental Indenture. All agreements of the Trustee in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.

 

ED-2


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

 

[GUARANTEEING SUBSIDIARY]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

REGIONS BANK

as Trustee

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

ED-3

EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

Execution Version

FIRST AMENDMENT

This First Amendment to the Existing Credit Agreement (as defined below), dated as of March 15, 2024 (this “Amendment”), among BEAZER HOMES USA, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), each Guarantor (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement), each Lender (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) under the Existing Credit Agreement (including the New Lender (as defined below) after giving effect to the Assignment (as defined below)) other than the Exiting Lender (as defined below) (the “Extending Lenders”), each Issuing Lender (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) under the Existing Credit Agreement (including the New Lender after giving effect to the Assignment) other than the Exiting Lender (the “Extending Issuing Lenders”), the Exiting Lender, the New Lender and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Borrower, the Lenders, the Issuing Lenders and the Administrative Agent are parties to the Credit Agreement dated as of October 13, 2022 (as modified by that certain Commitment Increase Activation Notice, dated as of October 12, 2023 and that certain Commitment Increase Activation Notice and New Lender Supplement, dated as of October 12, 2023, and as further amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, the Lenders and Issuing Lenders party thereto from time to time and the Administrative Agent;

WHEREAS, Bank of America, N.A. (the “New Lender”) has agreed to become a “Lender” and an “Issuing Lender” under the Existing Credit Agreement and Credit Suisse AG, New York Branch (the “Exiting Lender”) has agreed to assign all of its Commitments to the New Lender as set forth in Section 2;

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Existing Credit Agreement, immediately after giving effect to the Assignment, be amended as set forth in Section 3 (the “Amendments”; and the Existing Credit Agreement as amended by the Amendments, the “Credit Agreement”), to include, among other things, an extension of the maturity of each Extending Lender’s Commitments (and any outstanding Revolving Loans made thereunder) under the Existing Credit Agreement until the date that is the fourth anniversary of the First Amendment Effective Date (as defined below) (the “Extension”);

WHEREAS, the Borrower, the Extending Lenders party hereto (constituting all of the Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement after giving effect to the Assignment), the Extending Issuing Lenders party hereto (constituting all of the Issuing Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement after giving effect to the Assignment) and the Administrative Agent desire to effect the Amendments in accordance with Section 10.1 of the Existing Credit Agreement, on the terms set forth in Exhibit A hereto, as further set forth below; and

WHEREAS, each of the Extending Lenders and the Extending Issuing Lenders party hereto (constituting all of the Lenders and Issuing Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement after giving effect to the Assignment) is willing, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Credit Agreement, to effect the Extension pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.1 of the Existing Credit Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:


SECTION 1. Defined Terms. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms are used herein as defined in the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 2. Assignment and Assumption.

(a) Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4, (i) the New Lender hereby purchases, on the terms set forth in the Assignment and Assumption attached as Exhibit D to the Existing Credit Agreement (the “Assignment and Assumption”) (and subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions set forth on Annex I thereto and the other requirements therein (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the delivery of an administrative questionnaire to the Administrative Agent), which are hereby agreed to by the New Lender and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Section 2 as if set forth herein in full (as incorporated herein, the “Standard Terms and Conditions”)), $35,000,000 in aggregate of Commitments from the Exiting Lender and the related Assigned Interest (as defined in the Assignment and Assumption) and (ii) the Exiting Lender hereby assigns, on the terms set forth in the Assignment and Assumption (and subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions, which are hereby agreed to by the Exiting Lender), $35,000,000 in aggregate of its Commitments (constituting all of its Commitments) and the related Assigned Interest, which such assignment and assumption shall be effective on the First Amendment Effective Date immediately prior to giving effect to the Amendments set forth in Section 3 (the “Assignment”), with the New Lender constituting an Assignee (as defined in the Assignment and Assumption) for purposes of the Assignment (including the Standard Terms and Conditions) and the Exiting Lender constituting an Assignor (as defined in the Assignment and Assumption) for purposes of the Assignment (including the Standard Terms and Conditions). In accordance with Section 10.6(b)(iii) of the Existing Credit Agreement, upon the consummation of the Assignment, the Exiting Lender shall be released from its obligations under the Existing Credit Agreement and shall cease to be a party thereto (but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 10.5 of the Credit Agreement).

(b) The parties hereto hereby consent to the Assignment and the parties further agree that on the First Amendment Effective Date the outstanding Revolving Loans held by the Exiting Lender and the participations of the Exiting Lender in any outstanding Letters of Credit shall be reallocated to the New Lender ratably in proportion to its Commitments after giving effect to the Assignment. In connection with the Assignment and for the purposes of the Assignment only, the parties hereto hereby waive the processing and recordation fee set forth in Section 10.6(b)(ii)(B) of the Existing Credit Agreement.

(c) After giving effect to the Assignment, the Commitments of each Lender shall be as set forth in Schedule I hereto.

SECTION 3. Amendments to the Existing Credit Agreement.

Immediately after giving effect to the Assignment, and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4:

(a) The Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended in accordance with Exhibit A hereto by deleting the stricken text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: stricken text) and by inserting the double-underlined text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: double-underlined text), in each case in the place where such text appears therein; and

 

2


(b) Exhibit B of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended in accordance with Exhibit B hereto by deleting the stricken text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: stricken text) and by inserting the double-underlined text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: double-underlined text), in each case in the place where such text appears therein.

SECTION 4. Conditions to Effectiveness of this Amendment. This Amendment shall become effective on the date on which the following conditions precedent have been satisfied or waived (the date on which such conditions shall have been so satisfied or waived, the “First Amendment Effective Date”):

(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Amendment, executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of (i) each Loan Party, (ii) each Extending Lender (in each case in its capacity as a Lender under the Existing Credit Agreement (such Extending Lenders constituting all of the Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement after giving effect to the Assignment)), (iii) each Extending Issuing Lender (in each case in its capacity as an Issuing Lender under the Existing Credit Agreement (such Extending Issuing Lenders constituting all of the Issuing Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement after giving effect to the Assignment)), (iv) the Exiting Lender, (v) the New Lender and (vi) the Administrative Agent.

(b) The Extending Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel to the Administrative Agent) on or before the First Amendment Effective Date.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received following supporting documents with respect to the Borrower and the other Loan Parties: (i) a copy of its certificate or articles of incorporation, formation, organization or certificate of limited partnership (as applicable) certified as of a date reasonably close to the First Amendment Effective Date to be a true and accurate copy by the Secretary of State (or similar governmental authority) of its state of incorporation or formation, (ii) a certificate of that Secretary of State (or similar governmental authority), dated as of a date reasonably close to the First Amendment Effective Date, as to its existence and (if available) good standing, (iii) a certificate of the Secretary of State (or similar governmental authority) of each jurisdiction, other than its state of incorporation or formation, in which it is qualified as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or other entity (as applicable), as to such qualification, unless any failure to be so qualified in such jurisdiction could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iv) a copy of its by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement (as applicable), certified by its secretary or assistant secretary, general partner, manager or other appropriate Person (as applicable) to be a true and accurate copy of its by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement (as applicable) in effect on the First Amendment Effective Date; (v) a certificate of its secretary or assistant secretary, general partner, manager or other appropriate Person (as applicable), as to the incumbency and signatures of its officers or other Persons who have executed any documents on behalf of such Loan Party in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Amendment, (vi) a copy of resolutions of its Board of Directors, certified by its secretary or assistant secretary to be a true and accurate copy of resolutions duly adopted by such Board of Directors, or other appropriate resolutions or consents of, its partners or members certified by its general partner or manager (as applicable) to be true and correct copies thereof duly adopted, approved or otherwise delivered by its partners or members (to the extent necessary and applicable), each of which is certified to be in full force and effect on the First Amendment Effective Date, authorizing the execution and delivery by it of this Amendment and other Loan Documents delivered on the First Amendment Effective Date to which it is a party and the performance by it of all its obligations thereunder and (vii) such additional

 

3


supporting documents and other information with respect to its operations and affairs as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request (or with respect to the foregoing clauses (i), (iii), (iv) and (v), certification that, except as otherwise indicated therein, there have been no amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications since delivered to the Administrative Agent on the Closing Date).

(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable legal opinion of (i) King & Spalding LLP, counsel to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) Keith L. Belknap (or his successor), as General Counsel of the Borrower. Such legal opinions shall cover such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated by this Amendment as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received, no later than seven (7) days prior to the First Amendment Effective Date (or such lesser period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), delivery of (i) a Compliance Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit B to the Existing Credit Agreement, as of February 1, 2024 and (ii) a Borrowing Base Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit C to the Existing Credit Agreement, as of February 1, 2024, with customary supporting documentation and supplemental reporting.

(f) (i) The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least five (5) days prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, all documentation and other information regarding the Borrower requested in connection with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act and (ii) at least five (5) days prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, any Extending Lender that has requested, in a written notice to the Borrower, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower shall have received such Beneficial Ownership Certification (provided that, upon the execution and delivery by such Extending Lender of its signature page to this Amendment, the condition set forth in this clause (ii) shall be deemed to be satisfied).

(g) (i) (x) each of the representations and warranties made by any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (except any representations and warranties which are qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, are correct and accurate in all respects) on and as the date hereof as if made on and as the date hereof; provided that if any such representations and warranties are expressly made only as of a prior date, such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects (or all respects, as applicable) as of such prior date and (y) no Default or Event of Default has occurred or is continuing on the date hereof or after giving effect to this Amendment (including the Extension) and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying as to the foregoing.

(h) No action, suit or Proceeding before any arbitrator or any Governmental Authority shall have been commenced, no investigation by any Governmental Authority shall have been commenced and no action, suit, Proceeding or investigation by any Governmental Authority shall have been threatened (in writing), against the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of the officers, directors or managers of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by this Amendment in whole or in part or questioning the validity or legality of the transactions contemplated by this Amendment or seeking damages in connection with such transactions.

 

4


(i) All governmental and third party consents, licenses and approvals necessary or, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, advisable in accordance with the transactions contemplated hereby and the continuing operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including shareholder approvals, if any) shall have been obtained on reasonably satisfactory terms and be in full force and effect.

(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received a duly executed Solvency Certificate.

(k) There shall not have occurred any event, condition, situation or status since September 30, 2023 that has had or could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition or business or operations of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

SECTION 5. Representations and Warranties. The Borrower represents and warrants to Administrative Agent that, as of the date hereof:

(a) (i) the Borrower has the power and authority to execute and deliver this Amendment and to perform all its obligations hereunder and (ii) this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and this Amendment constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally;

(b) the execution and delivery by the Borrower of this Amendment and its performance of its obligations hereunder and any and all actions taken by the Borrower (i) have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action, (ii) will not violate or be in conflict with (A) in any material respect, any provisions of law (including, without limitation, any applicable usury or similar law), (B) in any material respect, any order, rule, regulation, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award of any court or other agency of government, or (C) any provision of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, (iii) will not violate, be in conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute (with or without the giving of notice or the passage of time or both) a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument to which the Borrower is a party or by which it or any of its properties or assets is or may be bound (including without limitation any indentures pursuant to which any debt Securities of the Borrower have been issued), except in each case where such violation, conflict or breach would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (iv) except as otherwise contemplated by this Amendment, will not result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon, or any security interest in, any of its properties or assets;

(c) (i) no order, license, consent, approval, authorization of, or registration, declaration, recording or filing (except for the filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K, and a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in each case with the Securities and Exchange Commission) with, or validation of, or exemption by, any governmental or public authority (whether federal, state or local, domestic or foreign) or any subdivision thereof is required in connection with, or as a condition precedent to, the due and valid execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Amendment, or the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any of the respective terms, provisions or conditions thereof and (ii) to the extent that any franchises, licenses, certificates, authorizations, approvals or consents from any federal, state or local (domestic or foreign) government, commission, bureau or agency are required for the acquisition, ownership, operation or maintenance by the Borrower of properties now owned, operated or maintained by any of them, those franchises, licenses, certificates, authorizations, approvals and consents have been validly granted, are in full force and effect and constitute valid and sufficient authorization therefor, except in each case to the extent of omissions that would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

5


(d) each of the representations and warranties made by any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (except any representations and warranties which are qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, are correct and accurate in all respects) on and as the date hereof as if made on and as the date hereof; provided that if any such representations and warranties are expressly made only as of a prior date, such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects (or all respects, as applicable) as of such prior date; and

(e) no Default or Event of Default has occurred or is continuing on the date hereof or after giving effect to this Amendment (including the Extension).

SECTION 6. Continuing Effect; No Other Amendments or Consents; Reaffirmation.

(a) Except as expressly provided herein, all of the terms and provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement are and shall remain in full force and effect. The amendments provided for herein are limited to the specific subsections of the Existing Credit Agreement specified herein and shall not constitute a consent, waiver or amendment of, or an indication of the Administrative Agent’s or the Lenders’ willingness to consent to any action requiring consent under any other provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement or the same subsection for any other date or time period. Upon the effectiveness of the amendments set forth herein, on and after the First Amendment Effective Date, each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Amendment,” “the Agreement,” “hereunder,” “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, and each reference in the other Loan Documents to “Credit Agreement,” “thereunder,” “thereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as a substitution or novation of the obligations outstanding under the Credit Agreement or the other Loan Documents or instruments securing the same, which shall remain in full force and effect, except to any extent expressly modified hereby or by instruments executed concurrently herewith. Nothing implied in this Amendment, the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents or in any other document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be construed as a release or other discharge of any of the Borrower or any other Loan Party from any of its respective obligations and liabilities as a “Borrower” or “Loan Party” hereunder and under the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document. The Credit Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, until (as applicable) and except to any extent modified hereby or in connection herewith.

(b) The Borrower and the Administrative Agent acknowledge and agree that this Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document.

(c) Each Extending Lender, each Extending Issuing Lender, the New Lender and the Exiting Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Amendment on First Amendment Effective Date, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, this Amendment and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory or reasonably satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent, the Extending Lenders, the Extending Issuing Lenders, the New Lender or the Exiting Lender on the First Amendment Effective Date.

(d) Each Loan Party hereby expressly acknowledges the terms of this Amendment and reaffirms, as of the date hereof (i) each Loan Party’s covenants and agreements contained in each Loan Document to which it is a party, including, in each case, such covenants and agreements as in effect immediately after giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby and (ii) each Loan Party’s guarantee (if applicable) of the Obligations under the Guarantee Agreement.

 

6


SECTION 7. Expenses. The Borrower agrees to pay and reimburse the Administrative Agent for all of its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and delivery of this Amendment, and any other documents prepared in connection herewith and the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent, regardless of whether such out-of-pocket fees or disbursements have been presented to the Borrower prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, in accordance with the terms of, and solely to the extent required by, Section 10.5 of the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 8. Counterparts; Electronic Execution. The provisions of Section 10.8 of the Existing Credit Agreement are hereby incorporated herein by reference and shall apply to this Amendment and any Ancillary Document related to this Amendment mutatis mutandis.

SECTION 9. Successors and Assigns. The provisions of this Amendment shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Nothing in this Amendment, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Amendment.

SECTION 10. Severability. Any provision of this Amendment that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 11. Miscellaneous. The provisions of Sections 10.5 and 10.12 of the Existing Credit Agreement are hereby incorporated herein by reference and shall apply to this Amendment and any Ancillary Document related to this Amendment mutatis mutandis.

SECTION 12. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AMENDMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 13. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 10.16 OF THE EXISTING CREDIT AGREEMENT ARE HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND SHALL APPLY TO THIS AMENDMENT AND ANY ANCILLARY DOCUMENT RELATED TO THIS AMENDMENT MUTATIS MUTANDIS.

 

7


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
BEAZER GENERAL SERVICES, INC.
BEAZER HOMES INDIANA HOLDINGS CORP.
BEAZER HOMES SALES, INC.
BEAZER HOMES TEXAS HOLDINGS, INC.
BEAZER REALTY LOS ANGELES, INC.
BEAZER REALTY CORP.
BEAZER HOMES HOLDINGS, LLC
BEAZER HOMES, LLC
BH MATERIALS, LLC
MARSHFIELD LAND, LLC
BH INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President
BEAZER MORTGAGE CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
BEAZER CLARKSBURG, LLC
BEAZER HOMES INVESTMENTS, LLC
DOVE BARRINGTON DEVELOPMENT LLC
BEAZER GAIN, LLC
BALLARD GREEN UTILITY COMPANY, LLC
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC, its Sole Member
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


BEAZER REALTY SERVICES, LLC
By:   BEAZER HOMES INVESTMENTS, LLC, its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC, its Sole Member
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
BEAZER HOMES TEXAS, L.P.
By:   BEAZER HOMES TEXAS HOLDINGS, INC., its General Partner
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President
BH BUILDING PRODUCTS, LP
By:   BH PROCUREMENT SERVICES, INC., its General Partner
By:   BEAZER HOMES TEXAS, L.P., its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER HOMES TEXAS HOLDINGS, INC., its General Partner
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President
 

 

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


BH PROCUREMENT SERVICES, INC.
By:   BEAZER HOMES TEXAS, L.P., its Sole Shareholder
By:   BEAZER HOMES TEXAS HOLDINGS, INC., its General Partner
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President
BEAZER HOMES INDIANA LLP
By:   BEAZER HOMES INVESTMENTS, LLC, its Managing Partner
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC, its Sole Member
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
CLARKSBURG ARORA LLC
By:   BEAZER CLARKSBURG, LLC, its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC, its Sole Member
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


CLARKSBURG SKYLARK, LLC
By:   CLARKSBURG ARORA LLC, its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER CLARKSBURG, LLC, its Sole Member
By:   BEAZER HOMES, LLC, its Sole Member
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
BEAZER FUNDAMENTAL, LLC
By:   Beazer Homes Texas Holdings, Inc.
  Its Sole and Managing Member
By:  

/s/ David I. Goldberg

  Name: David I. Goldberg
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as the Administrative Agent, and as a Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:  

/s/ Amit Mudaliar

  Name: Amit Mudaliar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


REGIONS BANK,
as a Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:  

/s/ Daniel Blazei

  Name: Daniel Blazei
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,
as a Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:  

/s/ Brian Gross

  Name: Brian Gross
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


FLAGSTAR BANK,
as a Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:  

/s/ Nathan Cichon

  Name: Nathan Cichon
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


GOLDMAN SACHS LENDING PARTNERS LLC,
as a Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:  

/s/ Rebecca Kratz

  Name: Rebecca Kratz
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


TEXAS CAPITAL BANK,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ John A. Swanson

  Name: John A. Swanson
  Title: Executive Director

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as the New Lender, a Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:  

/s/ Thomas W. Nowak

  Name: Thomas W. Nowak
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


CREDIT SUISSE AG, NEW YORK BRANCH,
as the Exiting Lender
By:  

/s/ Mikhail Faybusovich

  Name: Mikhail Faybusovich
  Title: Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Cassandra Droogan

  Name: Cassandra Droogan
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to First Amendment]


SCHEDULE I

Commitments

[***]


EXHIBIT A

AMENDED CREDIT AGREEMENT

See attached.


EXECUTION VERSION

Certain information contained in this document has been omitted because it is both (i) not material and (ii) is the type that the registrant treats as private or confidential. Omitted portions are marked with “[***]” in this exhibit.

 

 

 

$265,000,000

CREDIT AGREEMENT1

among

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC., as Borrower,

and

The Several Lenders from Time to Time Parties Hereto,

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as an Issuing Lender and Administrative Agent

Dated as of October 13, 2022

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

REGIONS CAPITAL MARKETS, a division of Regions Bank

and

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners,

and

REGIONS BANK

and

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,

as Syndication Agents

 

1

Conformed version reflects the First Amendment dated as of March 15, 2024.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  
SECTION 1.    DEFINITIONS      1  

1.1.

   Defined Terms      1  

1.2.

   Other Definitional Provisions      34  

1.3.

   GAAP      35  

1.4.

   Interest Rates; Benchmark Notification      35  

1.5.

   Letter of Credit Amounts      36  

SECTION 2.

   AMOUNT AND TERMS OF COMMITMENTS      36  

2.1.

   Commitments      36  

2.2.

   Procedure for Revolving Loan Borrowing      36  

2.3.

   [Reserved]      37  

2.4.

   [Reserved]      37  

2.5.

   Commitment Fees, etc      37  

2.6.

   Termination or Reduction of Commitments      37  

2.7.

   Optional Prepayments      37  

2.8.

   Mandatory Prepayments      38  

2.9.

   Conversion and Continuation Options      38  

2.10.

   Limitations on Tranches      39  

2.11.

   Interest Rates and Payment Dates      39  

2.12.

   Computation of Interest and Fees      39  

2.13.

   Inability to Determine Interest Rate      40  

2.14.

   Pro Rata Treatment and Payments      42  

2.15.

   Requirements of Law      44  

2.16.

   Taxes      45  

2.17.

   Indemnity      48  

2.18.

   Change of Lending Office      49  

2.19.

   Replacement of Lenders      49  

2.20.

   Defaulting Lenders      50  

2.21.

   Increase in Commitments      52  

SECTION 3.

   LETTERS OF CREDIT      53  

3.1.

   General      53  

3.2.

   Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Extension; Certain Conditions      53  

3.3.

   Expiration Date      54  

3.4.

   Fees and Other Charges      54  

3.5.

   Participations      55  

3.6.

   Reimbursement      55  

3.7.

   Obligations Absolute      55  

3.8.

   Disbursement Procedures      56  

3.9.

   Interim Interest      56  

3.10.

   Replacement and Resignation of an Issuing Lender      56  

3.11.

   Cash Collateralization      57  

3.12.

   Letters of Credit Issued for Account of Subsidiaries      57  

SECTION 4.

   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      58  

4.1.

   Financial Statement      58  

4.2.

   No Material Adverse Change      58  

 

i


4.3.

   Organization, Powers, and Capital Stock      58  

4.4.

   Authorization; and Validity of this Agreement; Consents; etc      58  

4.5.

   Compliance with Laws and Other Requirements      59  

4.6.

   Litigation      59  

4.7.

   No Default      60  

4.8.

   Title to Properties      60  

4.9.

   Tax Liability      60  

4.10.

   Regulations U and X; Investment Company Act      60  

4.11.

   ERISA Compliance      61  

4.12.

   Subsidiaries; Joint Ventures      61  

4.13.

   Environmental Compliance      61  

4.14.

   No Misrepresentation      62  

4.15.

   Solvent      62  

4.16.

   Foreign Direct Investment Regulations      62  

4.17.

   Relationship of the Loan Parties      62  

4.18.

   Insurance      62  

4.19.

   Foreign Asset Control Regulations      62  

4.20.

   Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc      63  

4.21.

   Subordinated Debt      63  

4.22.

   Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions      63  

4.23.

   Disclosure      63  

4.24.

   Affected Financial Institution      63  

SECTION 5.

   CONDITIONS PRECEDENT      63  

5.1.

   Conditions to Initial Extension of Credit      63  

5.2.

   Conditions to Each Extension of Credit      65  

SECTION 6.

   AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS      66  

6.1.

   Reporting Requirements      66  

6.2.

   Payment of Taxes and Other Potential Liens      69  

6.3.

   Preservation of Existence      69  

6.4.

   Maintenance of Properties      69  

6.5.

   Access to Premises and Books      69  

6.6.

   Notices      70  

6.7.

   Addition and Removal of Guarantors      70  

6.8.

   Compliance with Laws and Other Requirements      70  

6.9.

   Use of Proceeds      70  

6.10.

   Certain Post-Closing Obligations      71  

SECTION 7.

   NEGATIVE COVENANTS      71  

7.1.

   Financial Condition Covenants      71  

7.2.

   Liens and Encumbrances      71  

7.3.

   Limitation on Fundamental Changes      71  

7.4.

   Permitted Investments      73  

7.5.

   No Margin Stock      74  

7.6.

   Burdensome Agreements      74  

7.7.

   [Reserved]      74  

7.8.

   Prepayment of Indebtedness      74  

7.9.

   Pension Plan      74  

7.10.

   Transactions with Affiliates      74  

7.11.

   Foreign Assets Control Regulations      75  

 

ii


SECTION 8.

   EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES      75  

SECTION 9.

   THE AGENTS      78  

9.1.

   Appointment      78  

9.2.

   Delegation of Duties      78  

9.3.

   Exculpatory Provisions      78  

9.4.

   Reliance by Administrative Agent      78  

9.5.

   Notice of Default      79  

9.6.

   Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders      79  

9.7.

   Indemnification      79  

9.8.

   Posting of Communications      80  

9.9.

   Administrative Agent in Its Individual Capacity      81  

9.10.

   Successor Administrative Agent      81  

9.11.

   Certain ERISA Matters      81  

9.12.

   Erroneous Payments      83  

SECTION 10.

   MISCELLANEOUS      85  

10.1.

   Amendments and Waivers      85  

10.2.

   Notices      86  

10.3.

   No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies      87  

10.4.

   Survival      87  

10.5.

   Expenses; Limitation of Liability; Indemnity, Etc      87  

10.6.

   Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments      89  

10.7.

   Adjustments; Setoff      92  

10.8.

   Counterparts      93  

10.9.

   Severability; Headings      94  

10.10.

   Integration      94  

10.11.

   GOVERNING LAW      94  

10.12.

   Submission To Jurisdiction; Consent to Services of Process; Waivers      94  

10.13.

   Acknowledgements      95  

10.14.

   Releases of Guarantees      96  

10.15.

   Confidentiality; Material Non-Public Information      96  

10.16.

   WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL      97  

10.17.

   USA Patriot Act      98  

10.18.

   Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions      98  

10.19.

   Acknowledgment Regarding Any Supported QFCs      98  

10.20.

   Judgment Currency      99  

10.21.

   Interest Rate Limitation      99  

 

iii


SCHEDULES:

1.1A—Commitments

1.1B—Existing Liens

1.1C—Initial Guarantors

3.1A—L/C Commitments

4.12—Subsidiaries

4.21—Subordinated Debt

6.1(f)—Format of Joint Venture Reporting

6.10—Certain Post-Closing Obligations

7.4—Existing Investments

EXHIBITS:

A—Form of Guarantee Agreement

B—Form of Compliance Certificate

C—Form of Borrowing Base Certificate

D—Form of Assignment and Assumption

E—Form of New Lender Supplement

F—Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

G—Form of Solvency Certificate

 

iv


CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of October 13, 2022, among BEAZER HOMES USA, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time parties to this Agreement (the “Lenders”) and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Issuing Lender and Administrative Agent (each as hereinafter defined).

The parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS

1.1. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the terms listed in this Section 1.1 shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1.1.

ABR”: for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the NYFRB Rate in effect on such day, plus 12 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for a one month Interest Period as published two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such day (or if such day is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, the immediately preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day), plus 1%; provided that for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for any day shall be based on the Term SOFR Reference Rate at approximately 5:00 a.m. Chicago time on such day (or any amended publication time for the Term SOFR Reference Rate, as specified by the CME Term SOFR Administrator in the Term SOFR Reference Rate methodology). Any change in the ABR due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, respectively. If the ABR is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 2.13 (for the avoidance of doubt, only until the Benchmark Replacement has been determined pursuant to Section 2.13(b)), then the ABR shall be the greater of clauses (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above. For the avoidance of doubt, if the ABR as determined pursuant to the foregoing would be less than 1.00%, such rate shall be deemed to be 1.00% for purposes of this Agreement.

ABR Loans”: Loans the rate of interest applicable to which is based upon the ABR.

Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR”: an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the Daily Simple SOFR, plus (b) 0.10%; provided that if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.

Adjusted Term SOFR Rate”: for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the Term SOFR Rate for such Interest Period, plus (b) 0.10%; provided that if the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.

Administrative Agent”: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., together with its affiliates, successors and assigns, as the administrative agent for the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Affected Financial Institution”: (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) any UK Financial Institution.

Affiliate”: as to any Person, any Person (a) which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls, or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with such Person, or (b) which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, owns beneficially or of record twenty percent (20%) or more of the Voting Stock of such Person.


Agent Indemnitee”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.7.

Agent-Related Person”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.5(d).

Agreement”: has the meaning assigned to it in preamble hereto.

Agreement Currency”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.20.

Ancillary Document”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.8.

Anti-Corruption Laws”: all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

Anti-Terrorism Order”: Executive Order No. 13,224, 66 Fed. Reg. 49,079 (2001), issued by the President of the United States of America (Executive Order Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism).

Applicable Margin”: for any day, with respect to each Type of Loan, the applicable rate per annum set forth under the relevant column heading in the Applicable Pricing Grid, based upon the Leverage Ratio as of the end of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which consolidated financial statements have theretofore been most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or 6.1(b); provided that until the date of the delivery of the consolidated financial statements pursuant to Section 6.1(a) for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 the Applicable Margin shall be based on the rates per annum set forth in Category IV in the Applicable Pricing Grid.

Applicable Parties”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.8(b).

Applicable Pricing Grid”: the table set forth below:

 

Category

  

Leverage

Ratio

 

Applicable Margin for

Term Benchmark Loans and,
if applicable, RFR Loans

   

Applicable

Margin for

ABR Loans

   

Commitment

Fee Rate

 

I

   <30%     2.35     1.35     0.25

II

   ≥30 % but

<40%

    2.60     1.60     0.30

III

   ≥40 % but

<50%

    2.85     1.85     0.35

IV

   ≥50%     3.10     2.10     0.40

 

 

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For purposes of the foregoing, each change in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the date that is three (3) Business Days following the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or Section 6.1(b) of the consolidated financial statements and related Compliance Certificate indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Applicable Margin shall be based on the rates per annum set forth in Category IV (i) at any time that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and shall continue to so apply to but excluding the date on which such Event of Default shall cease to be continuing (and thereafter, the Category otherwise determined in accordance with this definition shall apply) or (ii) if the Borrower fails to deliver the consolidated financial statements required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or Section 6.1(b) or any Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant hereto, in each case within the time periods specified herein for such delivery, during the period commencing on and including the day of the occurrence of a Default resulting from such failure and until the delivery thereof.

“Approved Borrower Portal”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.13.

Approved Electronic Platform”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.8.

Approved Fund”: any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

Arrangers”: collectively, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Regions Capital Markets, a division of Regions Bank and Royal Bank of Canada.

Assignee”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.6(b).

Assignment and Assumption”: an Assignment and Assumption, substantially in the form of Exhibit D.

Authorized Financial Officer”: any of the chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the Borrower.

Available Commitment”: as to any Lender at any time, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (a) such Lender’s Commitment then in effect over (b) such Lender’s Percentage Interest of the Outstanding Amount.

Available Tenor”: of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) or payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof), as applicable, that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period for any term rate or otherwise, for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated pursuant to this Agreement as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of “Interest Period” pursuant to clause (e) of Section 2.13.

Bail-In Action”: the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.

 

3


Bail-In Legislation”: (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

Bankruptcy Event”: with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment or has had any order for relief in such proceeding entered in respect thereof; provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

Basel III”: the third of the so-called Basel Accords issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

Benchmark”: initially, the Term SOFR Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event, and the related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to the Term SOFR Rate, or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to clause (b) of Section 2.13.

Benchmark Replacement”: for any Available Tenor, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:

(1) the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR;

(2) the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement for the then-current Benchmark for dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities in the United States at such time and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (1) or (2) above would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

4


Benchmark Replacement Adjustment”: with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any applicable Interest Period and Available Tenor for any setting of such Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and/or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time.

Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes”: with respect to any Benchmark Replacement and/or any Term Benchmark Loan, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “ABR,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “U.S. Government Securities Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period,” timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides in its reasonable discretion may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides in its reasonable discretion is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

Benchmark Replacement Date”: with respect to any Benchmark, the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to such then-current Benchmark:

(1) in the case of clause (1) or (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

(2) in the case of clause (3) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be no longer representative; provided that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (3) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.

For the avoidance of doubt, (i) if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination and (ii) the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (1) or (2) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

 

5


Benchmark Transition Event”: with respect to any Benchmark, the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to such then-current Benchmark:

(1) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);

(2) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Federal Reserve Board, the NYFRB, the CME Term SOFR Administrator, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), in each case, which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

(3) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are no longer, or as of a specified future date will no longer be, representative.

For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

Benchmark Unavailability Period”: with respect to any Benchmark, the period (if any) (x) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date pursuant to clauses (1) or (2) of that definition has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced such then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.13 and (y) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced such then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.13.

Beneficial Ownership Certification”: a certification regarding beneficial ownership or control as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Beneficial Ownership Regulation”: 31 C.F.R. §1010.230.

Benefit Plan”: any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Code to which Section 4975 of the Code applies, and (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of the Plan Asset Regulations or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan.”

 

6


Benefitted Lender”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.7(a).

BHC Act Affiliate”: of a party means an “affiliate’ (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

Board”: the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States (or any successor).

Borrower”: has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble hereto.

Borrowing”: a Revolving Borrowing.

Borrowing Base”: as of any date, an amount equal to the sum of the following assets of the Borrower and each Guarantor:

(a) 100% of Unrestricted Cash denominated in Dollars to the extent it exceeds the Required Liquidity; plus

(b) 100% of the amount of Escrow Proceeds Receivable; plus

(c) 90% of the book value of Units Under Contract; plus

(d) subject to the limitations set forth below, 85% of the book value of Speculative Units (other than Model Units); plus

(e) 85% of the book value of Model Units; plus

(f) 65% of the book value of Land Under Development; plus

(g) subject to the limitation set forth below, 50% of the book value of Entitled Land Held for Future Development and Entitled Land Held For Sale that is not included in clauses (a) through (f) above.

Notwithstanding the foregoing:

(i) the advance rate for Speculative Units (other than Model Units) shall decrease to 50% for any Speculative Unit that has been included in the Borrowing Base for 18 months or more (as determined on a cumulative basis);

(ii) the Borrowing Base shall not include any amount under clause (g) of the definition of “Borrowing Base” to the extent that such amount exceeds 25% of the total Borrowing Base

(iii) the aggregate of amounts included pursuant to clauses (f) and (g) of the definition of “Borrowing Base” shall not exceed, at any time, 50% of the total Borrowing Base; and

(iv) the Borrowing Base shall not include (A) any Speculative Units that have been included in the Borrowing Base for two years or more (as determined on a cumulative basis) and

 

7


(b) any Model Units that have been included in the Borrowing Base for more than 18 months following the sale of the last applicable production unit (as determined on a cumulative basis).

Borrowing Base Availability”: as of any date, an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the Commitments and (b)(i) the Borrowing Base calculated in the most recently delivered Borrowing Base Certificate, minus (ii) the Borrowing Base Debt on such date.

Borrowing Base Certificate”: a certificate duly executed by an Authorized Financial Officer substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

Borrowing Base Debt”: as of any date, an amount equal to (i) the Consolidated Debt, minus (ii) Subordinated Debt due greater than one year, minus (iii) the Outstanding Amount (to the extent included in Consolidated Debt).

Borrowing Date”: any Business Day specified by the Borrower as a date on which the Borrower requests the relevant Lenders to make Loans hereunder.

Business Day”: a day (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) on which banks are open for business in New York City; provided that, in addition to the foregoing, a Business Day shall be (a) in relation to RFR Loans and any interest rate settings, fundings, disbursements, settlements or payments of any such RFR Loan, or any other dealings of such RFR Loan (in each case, solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) and (b) in relation to Loans referencing the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate and any interest rate settings, fundings, disbursements, settlements or payments of any such Loans referencing the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate or any other dealings of such Loans referencing the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, any such day that is only a U.S. Government Securities Business Day.

Capital Stock”: any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of any Person, including any preferred stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease”: of a Person means any lease of property by such Person as lessee which would be capitalized on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Capitalized Lease Obligations”: any obligations under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP.

Cash Collateralize”: to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of one or more of the Issuing Lenders or Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Administrative Agent and each applicable Issuing Lender shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each applicable Issuing Lender. “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

Cash Equivalents”: (i) short-term obligations of, or fully guaranteed by, the United States of America, (ii) commercial paper rated A-1 or better by S&P or P-1 or better by Moody’s, (iii) demand deposit accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business, (iv) short term certificates of deposit and time deposits, which mature within eighteen (18) months from the date of issuance and which are maintained with a Lender, a domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $100,000,000, or are fully insured by the FDIC, including, for the avoidance of doubt, investments placed through the CDARS and ICS deposit placement program, and (v) money market funds substantially all the assets of which are described in the preceding clauses.

 

8


CDARS”: the Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service.

Change in Status”: the occurrence of any of the following events with respect to a Subsidiary that, immediately prior to such event, is a Guarantor: (a) all of the assets of such Subsidiary are sold or otherwise disposed of to a third party in a transaction in compliance with the terms of this Agreement; (b) all of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary held by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is sold or otherwise disposed of to any Person other than a Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in a transaction in compliance with the terms of this Agreement; (c) such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary (or otherwise ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary, including by way of liquidation or merger) in compliance with the terms of this Agreement or (d) such Subsidiary becomes an Excluded Subsidiary in compliance with the terms of this Agreement.

Change in Status Notice”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 6.7.

Change of Control”: (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower or (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated.

Charges”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.21.

Charity Subsidiaries”: Beazer Charity Foundation, Inc., Charity Title Group LLC and Charity Title Agency LLC.

Closing Date”: the date on which the conditions precedent set forth in Section 5.1 shall have been satisfied, which date is October 13, 2022.

CME Term SOFR Administrator”: CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited as administrator of the forward-looking term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) (or a successor administrator).

Code”: the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

Collateral Account”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.11.

Commitment”: as to any Lender, the obligation of such Lender, if any, to make Revolving Loans and participate in Letters of Credit in an aggregate principal and/or face amount not to exceed the amount set forth under the heading “Commitment” opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1 A or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender became a party hereto, as the same may be changed from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof. The original aggregate amount of the Commitments is $265,000,000.

 

9


Commitment Fee Rate”: for any day, the applicable rate per annum set forth under the column “Commitment Fee Rate” in the Applicable Pricing Grid, based upon the Leverage Ratio as of the end of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which consolidated financial statements have theretofore been most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or 6.1(b); provided that until the date of the delivery of the consolidated financial statements pursuant to Section 6.1(a) for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 the Commitment Fee Rate shall be based on the rates per annum set forth in Category IV in the Applicable Pricing Grid.

Commitment Period”: the period from and including the Closing Date to the Termination Date.

Communications”: collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Lender by means of electronic communications pursuant to Section 9.8, including through an Approved Electronic Platform.

Competitor”: any Person that is itself, or is owned or Controlled by, (i) a Homebuilder or (ii) engaged primarily in the business of investing in distressed real estate and not a banking institution, life insurance company, or other similar financial institution that ordinarily is engaged in the business of making real estate loans in the ordinary course of business.

Completed Unit”: a Unit as to which either (or both) of the following has occurred: (a) a notice of completion has been filed or recorded in the appropriate real estate records; or (b) all necessary construction has been completed in order to obtain a certificate of occupancy (whether or not such certificate of occupancy has actually been obtained), or if a notice of completion or certificate of occupancy is not required to be provided to, or issued by, the applicable jurisdiction, respectively, the Unit is otherwise ready for occupancy in accordance with applicable law.

Compliance Certificate”: a certificate duly executed by an Authorized Financial Officer substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

Connection Income Taxes”: Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

Consolidated Debt”: at any date, without duplication (a) all funded debt of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) funded debt of Joint Ventures that are Subsidiaries with recourse to or guaranteed by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, plus (c) the sum of (i) all reimbursement obligations with respect to drawn Performance Letters of Credit (excluding any portion of the actual or potential reimbursement obligations that are secured by cash collateral) and (ii) all reimbursement obligations with respect to drawn Financial Letters of Credit (excluding any portion of the actual or potential reimbursement obligations that are secured by cash collateral) and, without duplication, the maximum amount available to be drawn under all Financial Letters of Credit (excluding any portion of the actual or potential reimbursement obligations that are secured by cash collateral), in each case issued for the account of, or guaranteed by, any Loan Party or any of their Restricted Subsidiaries, plus (d) all guarantees of the Loan Parties or their Restricted Subsidiaries of funded debt of third parties; provided, however, except as provided above in this definition with respect to Financial Letters of Credit, in the case of any Contingent Obligation only amounts due and payable at the time of determination will be included in the calculation of Consolidated Debt, plus (e) funded debt of Unrestricted Subsidiaries or third parties with recourse to or guaranteed by any Loan Party or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, plus (f) all Hedging Obligations of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries, excluding Indebtedness of a Loan Party to another Loan Party, plus (g) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

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Consolidated EBITDA”: for any period, (a) the Consolidated Net Income of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries, plus (b) to the extent deducted from revenues in determining Consolidated Net Income of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries: (i) Consolidated Interest Expense, (ii) expense for income taxes paid or accrued, (iii) depreciation, (iv) amortization (including amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets), (v) non-cash charges (including impairment charges for land and other long-lived assets), (vi) extraordinary losses, and (vii) loss on early extinguishment of indebtedness, minus (c) to the extent added to revenues in determining Consolidated Net Income, non-cash gains and extraordinary gains (including for the avoidance of doubt, gains relating to the release of any tax valuation asset reserves and gains on early extinguishment of indebtedness); provided, however, that the Consolidated EBITDA of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall only be included in the amount of the Loan Parties’ pro-rata share of interest of such Restricted Subsidiaries.

Consolidated Interest Expense”: for any period, the consolidated interest expense and capitalized interest and other charges amortized to cost of sales of Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Interest Incurred”: for any period, the aggregate amount (without duplication and determined, in each case (to the extent applicable), in accordance with GAAP) of interest (excluding interest of a Loan Party to another Loan Party) incurred, whether such interest was expensed or capitalized, paid, accrued, or scheduled to be paid or accrued during such period by any of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries during such period, including (a) the interest portion of all deferred payment obligations, and (b) all commissions, discounts, and other fees and charges (excluding premiums) owed with respect to bankers’ acceptances and letter of credit financings (including, without limitation, letter of credit fees) and Hedging Obligations, in each case to the extent attributable to such period; provided, however, that the Consolidated Interest Incurred of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall only be included in the amount of the Loan Parties’ pro-rata share of interest of such Restricted Subsidiaries. For purposes of this definition, interest on Capital Leases shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by the Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capital Leases in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Net Income”: for any period, the net income (or loss) attributable to Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. For the avoidance of doubt, the calculation of Consolidated Net Income will exclude net income (or loss) of Joint Ventures and Unrestricted Subsidiaries that otherwise would be consolidated under GAAP; provided that Consolidated Net Income shall include, without duplication, the net income of any Joint Venture and Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent such net income is actually received by any Loan Party or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the form of cash dividends or similar cash distributions during such period, or in any other form that is received and converted to cash during such period.

Consolidated Tangible Net Worth”: at any date, the consolidated stockholders equity (including any preferred stock that is classified as equity under GAAP, other than Disqualified Stock), less Intangible Assets, of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries determined in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis, all determined as of such date. For the avoidance of doubt, the calculation of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth will exclude, without duplication, (i) the stockholders’ equity (less Intangible Assets) of Joint Ventures and Unrestricted Subsidiaries that otherwise would be consolidated under GAAP and (ii) any intercompany liabilities of Joint Ventures and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

 

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Contingent Obligation”: any agreement, undertaking or arrangement by which such Person assumes, guarantees, endorses, contingently agrees to purchase or provide funds for the payment of, or otherwise becomes or is contingently liable upon, the monetary obligation or monetary liability of any other Person, or agrees to maintain the net worth or working capital or other financial condition of any other Person, or otherwise assures any creditor of such other Person against loss, including, without limitation, any comfort letter, operating agreement, take-or-pay contract, “put” agreement or other similar arrangement.

Contractual Obligation”: any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

Control”: the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Corresponding Tenor”: with respect to any Available Tenor, as applicable, either a tenor (including overnight) or an interest payment period having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as such Available Tenor.

Covered Entity”: any of the following:

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

Covered Party”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.19.

Credit Party”: the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Lender, or any other Lender.

Daily Simple SOFR”: for any day (a “SOFR Rate Day”), a rate per annum equal to SOFR for the day (such day “SOFR Determination Date”) that is five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to (i) if such SOFR Rate Day is a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, such SOFR Rate Day or (ii) if such SOFR Rate Day is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, the U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately preceding such SOFR Rate Day, in each case, as such SOFR is published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website. Any change in Daily Simple SOFR due to a change in SOFR shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in SOFR without notice to the Borrower.

Default”: any event or circumstance that, with the giving of notice or passage of time, or both, would become an Event of Default.

 

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Default Right”: has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable

Defaulting Lender”: any Lender that (a) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations as of the date of certification) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit under this Agreement; provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of (A) a Bankruptcy Event or (B) a Bail-In Action.

Disqualified Stock”: with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person that, by its terms, or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is putable or exchangeable, or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (other than solely as a result of a change of control), is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely as a result of a change of control), in whole or in part, in each case prior to the date that is 120 days after the Termination Date; provided, however, that if such Capital Stock is issued to any plan for the benefit of employees of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because (i) it may be required to be repurchased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or (ii) in the case of an option issued to any such employee, such option gives the employee the right, under certain circumstances, to require the Borrower to withhold shares to pay the exercise price or the withholding taxes that are applicable upon exercise of such option.

Dividing Person”: has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “Division”. “Division”: the division of the assets, liabilities and/or obligations of a Person (the

Dividing Person”) among two or more Persons (whether pursuant to a “plan of division” or similar arrangement), which may or may not include the Dividing Person and pursuant to which the Dividing Person may or may not survive.

Division Successor”: any Person that, upon the consummation of a Division of a Dividing Person, holds all or any portion of the assets, liabilities and/or obligations previously held by such Dividing Person immediately prior to the consummation of such Division. A Dividing Person which retains any of its assets, liabilities and/or obligations after a Division shall be deemed a Division Successor upon the occurrence of such Division.

 

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Dollars” and “$”: dollars in lawful currency of the United States.

EEA Financial Institution”: (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country”: any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority”: any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Electronic Signature”: an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

Eligible Assignee”: any of (i) a Lender or a Lender Affiliate, (ii) a commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, and having (x) total assets in excess of $1,000,000,000 and (y) a combined capital and surplus of at least $250,000,000; (iii) a commercial bank organized under the laws of any other country which is a member of the OECD, or a political subdivision of any such country, and having (x) total assets in excess of $1,000,000,000 and (y) a combined capital and surplus of at least $250,000,000; provided that such bank is acting through a branch or agency located in the country in which it is organized or another country which is also a member of OECD; (iv) a life insurance company organized under the laws of any State of the United States, or organized under the laws of any country and licensed as a life insurer by any State within the United States and having admitted assets of at least $1,000,000,000; (v) a nationally or internationally recognized investment banking company or other financial institution in the business of making, investing in or purchasing loans, or an Affiliate thereof organized under the laws of any State of the United States or any other country which is a member of OECD, and licensed or qualified to conduct such business under the laws of any such State and having (1) total assets of at least $1,000,000,000 and (2) a net worth of at least $250,000,000; or (vi) an Approved Fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) in no event shall a Defaulting Lender or its Lender Parent be deemed to be an Eligible Assignee, and (b) “Eligible Assignee” shall not include the Borrower, any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or a Competitor.

Entitled Land Held For Future Development”: unimproved Qualified Real Property Inventory comprised of land where all requisite zoning requirements and land use requirements have been satisfied, and all requisite approvals have been obtained from all applicable governmental authorities (other than approvals which are simply ministerial and non-discretionary in nature or otherwise not material) in order to develop the land as a residential housing project.

Entitled Land Held For Sale”: unimproved Qualified Real Property Inventory comprised of land where all requisite zoning requirements and land use requirements have been satisfied, and all requisite approvals have been obtained from all applicable governmental authorities (other than approvals which are simply ministerial and non-discretionary in nature or otherwise not material) in order to sell to a third party.

 

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Environmental Laws”: any and all foreign, Federal, state, local or municipal laws, rules, orders, regulations, statutes, ordinances, codes, decrees, requirements of any Governmental Authority or other Requirements of Law (including common law) regulating, relating to or imposing liability or standards of conduct concerning protection of human health or the environment, as now or may at any time hereafter be in effect.

Environmental Liability”: any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Substances, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Substances, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Substances into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Equity Interests”: shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest, but excluding any debt securities convertible into any of the foregoing.

ERISA”: the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

ERISA Affiliate”: any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with any Loan Party, is (i) treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Sections 412 of the Code, Sections 414(m) or (o) of the Code or (ii) under common control, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA. Any entity that qualified as an ERISA Affiliate on any date prior to the date hereof, shall continue to be an ERISA Affiliate, for purposes of this definition, for any period during which any Loan Party could remain liable under the Code or ERISA on account of such prior ERISA Affiliate status.

ERISA Event”: (a) a Reportable Event; (b) the filing, pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA, of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (c) a withdrawal by any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it is a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (d) a determination that any Plan is, or is expected to be, in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA); (e) a complete or partial withdrawal by any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) or in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA); (f) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan (under Sections 4041 of ERISA), the treatment of a plan amendment as a termination of a Multiemployer Plan (under Section 4041A of ERISA), or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (g) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

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Escrow Proceeds Receivable”: funds due to the Borrower or any Guarantor held in escrow following the sale and conveyance of title of a Unit to a buyer which are not subject to or encumbered by any Lien (other than the Permitted Liens described in clauses (b) through (e), (j) and (l) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”).

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule”: the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor Person), as in effect from time to time.

Event of Default”: any of the events specified in Section 8.

Exchange Act”: the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Excluded Subsidiary”: any (i) non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower, (ii) Unrestricted Subsidiary, (iii) Subsidiary organized in a jurisdiction other than the United States (solely to the extent a guarantee of the Obligations by such Subsidiary could reasonably be expected to result in adverse tax consequences to the Borrower), (iv) Subsidiary for which any guarantee of the Obligations (x) is legally prohibited by any Requirement of Law or requires any consent, approval, license or authorization from any Governmental Authority, unless such consent, approval, license or authorization has been received or (y) is contractually prohibited on the Closing Date or on the date of the acquisition or formation of such Subsidiary by any Loan Party or Subsidiary of any Loan Party, so long as such prohibition is not created in contemplation of such acquisition or formation and (v) not-for-profit Subsidiary.

Excluded Taxes”: any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in the Loans, any Letter of Credit or Commitments pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loans, any Letter of Credit or Commitments (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.19) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.17, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.16(e) or Section 2.16(f) and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Existing Credit Agreement”: that certain Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 24, 2012 (as amended by that certain First Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2014, that certain Second Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 6, 2015, that certain Third Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 13, 2016, that certain Fourth Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 24, 2017, that certain Fifth Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2018, that certain Sixth Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 20, 2019, that certain Seventh Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 9, 2019, that certain Eighth Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2020, that certain Ninth Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 8, 2020 and that certain Tenth Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 24, 2021), among the Borrower, the lenders and issuers party thereto, Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Island Branch, acting through one or more of its branches or affiliates, as agent and the other agents and parties party thereto from time to time.

 

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FATCA”: Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Code.

FDIC”: the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Federal Funds Effective Rate”: for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions (as shall be set forth on the NYFRB’s Website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the effective federal funds rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Federal Reserve Board”: the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

Financial Letter of Credit”: a letter of credit that is not a Performance Letter of Credit.

“First Amendment”: that certain First Amendment to this Agreement, dated as of March 15, 2024.

“First Amendment Effective Date”: has the meaning assigned to it in the First Amendment.

Fitch”: Fitch Ratings Inc.

Floor”: 0.0%.

Fronting Exposure”: at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Percentage Interest of the outstanding L/C Obligations with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Lender other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

Funding Office”: the office of the Administrative Agent specified in Section 10.2 or such other office as may be specified from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its funding office by written notice to the Borrower and the Lenders.

GAAP”: generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect at the time any determination is made or financial statement is required hereunder as promulgated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Accounting Principles Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or any other body existing from time to time which is authorized to establish or interpret such principles, applied on a consistent basis throughout any applicable period, subject to any change required by a change in GAAP; provided, however, that if any change in generally accepted accounting principles from those applied in preparing the financial statements referred to in Section 4.1 affects the calculation of any financial covenant contained herein, (i) the Borrower, the Lenders and Administrative Agent hereby agree to make such amendments hereto to the effect that each

 

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such financial covenant is not more or less restrictive than such covenant as in effect on the date hereof using generally accepted accounting principles consistent with those reflected in such financial statements, and (ii) pending the effectiveness of such amendment, the Borrower shall not be in Default hereunder if, solely as a result of such change in generally accepted accounting principles, the Borrower is not in compliance with any financial covenant contained herein.

Governmental Authority”: the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank), and any corporation or other entity owned or controlled, through stock or capital ownership or otherwise, by any of the foregoing.

Guarantee Agreement”: the Guarantee Agreement to be executed and delivered by each Guarantor, substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

Guarantors”: each of the Borrower’s direct or indirect Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 1.1C hereto and each Subsidiary of the Borrower which becomes a Guarantor pursuant to Section 6.7 (in each case other than any such Subsidiary that has been released from its guarantee under the Guarantee Agreement in compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents).

Hazardous Substances”: all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Hedging Obligations”: of a Person, any and all obligations of such Person, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), (a) under any and all agreements, devices or arrangements designed to protect at least one of the parties thereto from the fluctuations of interest rates, commodity prices, exchange rates or forward rates applicable to such party’s assets, liabilities, or exchange transaction, including, but not limited to, dollar-denominated or cross-currency interest rate exchange agreements, forward currency exchange agreements, interest rate cap or collar protection agreements, forward rate currency or interest rate options, puts and warrants, and (b) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any of the foregoing.

Homebuilder”: any Person that is listed on the most recent Builder 100 list published by Builder magazine, ranked by revenues or closings (or if such list is no longer published, identified in such other published list or through such other means as is mutually agreed by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower) or any Affiliate of such Person.

ICS”: Insured Cash Sweep.

Increased Facility Closing Date”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.21.

Indebtedness”: of any Person at any date, without duplication, (a) all liabilities and obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person, (i) in respect of borrowed money, (ii) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments, (iii) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services, except those incurred in the ordinary course of its business that would constitute ordinarily a trade payable to trade creditors (but specifically excluding from such

 

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exception the deferred purchase price of Real Property Inventory), (iv) evidenced by bankers’ acceptances, (v) consisting of obligations, whether or not assumed, secured by Liens or payable out of the proceeds or production from property now or hereafter owned or acquired by such Person, except Liens described in clauses (b) through (e), (g), (j) and (l) of the definition of” Permitted Liens”, so long as the obligations secured thereby are not more than sixty (60) days delinquent, (vi) consisting of Capitalized Lease Obligations (including any Capitalized Leases entered into as a part of a sale/leaseback transaction), (vii) consisting of liabilities and obligations under any receivable sales transactions, (viii) consisting of a Financial Letter of Credit (but excluding Performance Letters of Credit or performance or surety bonds) or a reimbursement obligation of such Person with respect to any Financial Letter of Credit (but excluding Performance Letters of Credit or performance or surety bonds), (ix) consisting of Hedging Obligations, (x) consisting of Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities or (xi) consisting of Contingent Obligations; and (b) obligations of such Person to purchase Securities or other property arising out of or in connection with the sale of the same or substantially similar securities or property.

Indemnified Taxes”: (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a) hereof, Other Taxes.

Indemnitee”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.5(c).

Intangible Assets”: assets that are considered to be intangible assets under GAAP, including customer lists, goodwill, copyrights, trade names, trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized deferred charges and unamortized debt discount.

Interest Coverage Ratio”: as of any date, for the applicable period of the four quarters then ended, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA to (b) Consolidated Interest Incurred.

Interest Payment Date”: (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December and the Termination Date, (b) with respect to any RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13), (1) each date that is on the numerically corresponding day in each calendar month that is one month after the Borrowing of such Loan (or, if there is no such numerically corresponding day in such month, then the last day of such month) and (2) the Termination Date and (c) with respect to any Term Benchmark Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Term Benchmark Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and the Termination Date.

Interest Period”: with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, three or six months thereafter (in each case, subject to the availability for the Benchmark applicable to the relevant Loan or Commitment), as the Borrower may elect; provided that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, (ii) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period and (iii) no tenor that has been removed from this definition pursuant to Section 2.13(e) shall be available for specification in such borrowing request or interest election request. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

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Investment”: (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person (including as a Division Successor pursuant to a Division of any Person that was not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary prior to such Division), (b) a loan, advance, extension of credit (by way of guaranty or otherwise) or capital contribution to another Person or (c) the purchase or other acquisition of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes hereof, the book value of any Investment shall be calculated in accordance with GAAP.

IP Rights”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 4.20.

IRS”: the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Issuance Date”: the date of issuance of a Letter of Credit by an Issuing Lender.

Issuing Lender”: each of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Regions Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, Credit Suisse Bank of America, N.AG, New York Branch., Goldman Sachs Lending Partners LLC and Flagstar Bank, FSB each in its capacity as issuer of any Letter of Credit and any other Lender approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that has agreed in its sole discretion to act as an “Issuing Lender” hereunder, or any of their respective affiliates, in each case in its capacity as issuer of any Letter of Credit. Each reference herein to “the Issuing Lender” shall be deemed to be a reference to the relevant Issuing Lender.

Joint Venture”: any Person, other than a Subsidiary, in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary holds any stock, partnership interest, joint venture interest, limited liability company interest or other equity interest.

Judgment Currency”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.20.

L/C Commitment”: with respect to each Issuing Lender, the commitment of such Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit hereunder. The initial amount of each Issuing Lender’s L/C Commitment is set forth on Schedule 3.1A, or if an Issuing Lender has entered into an Assignment and Assumption or has otherwise assumed a L/C Commitment after the Closing Date, the amount set forth for such Issuing Lender as its L/C Commitment in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent. The L/C Commitment of an Issuing Lender may be modified from time to time by agreement between such Issuing Lender and the Borrower, and notified to the Administrative Agent. The original aggregate amount of the L/C Commitments is $100,000,000.

L/C Disbursement”: a payment made by an Issuing Lender pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

L/C Obligations”: at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of the then outstanding Letters of Credit and (b) the aggregate amount of drawings under Letters of Credit that have not then been reimbursed pursuant to Section 3.6. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Article 29(a) of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time) or Rule 3.13 or Rule 3.14 of the International Standby Practices, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time) or similar terms of the Letter of Credit

 

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itself, or if compliant documents have been presented but not yet honored, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” and “undrawn” in the amount so remaining available to be paid, and the obligations of the Borrower and each Lender shall remain in full force and effect until the Issuing Lender and the Lenders shall have no further obligations to make any payments or disbursements under any circumstances with respect to any Letter of Credit.

L/C Participants”: the collective reference to all the Lenders other than the Issuing Lender.

L/C Sublimit”: $100,000,000.

Land Under Development”: Entitled Land Held For Future Development where physical site improvement has commenced but which is not a Unit Under Construction, Completed Unit, Model Unit or Unit Under Contract.

Lender Parent”: with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

Lender-Related Person”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.5(b).

Lenders”: has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble hereto.

Letter of Credit”: any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.

Letter of Credit Agreement”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.2.

Letters of Credit”: as defined in Section 3.1.

Leverage Ratio”: the ratio, as of any date, of (a) Consolidated Debt, minus Unrestricted Cash, to the extent Unrestricted Cash exceeds the Required Liquidity, divided by (b) Consolidated Debt, minus Unrestricted Cash, to the extent Unrestricted Cash exceeds the Required Liquidity, plus Consolidated Tangible Net Worth.

Liabilities”: any losses, claims (including intraparty claims), demands, damages or liabilities of any kind.

Lien”: any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, charge, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), preference, priority or other security agreement or similar preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including without limitation any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing, and the authorized filing by or against a Person of any financing statement as debtor under the Uniform Commercial Code or comparable law of any jurisdiction). For the avoidance of doubt, a restriction, covenant, easement, right of way, or similar encumbrance affecting any interest in real property owned by any Loan Party and which does not secure an obligation to pay money is not a Lien.

Liquidity”: at any time, the sum of (i) all Unrestricted Cash held by the Loan Parties and their consolidated Subsidiaries and (ii) the Revolver Availability.

LLC”: any Person that is a limited liability company under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation.

 

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Loan”: any Revolving Loan made by any Lender pursuant to this Agreement.

Loan Documents”: this Agreement, the Guarantee Agreement, the Notes, applications in connection with the issuance of Letters of Credit and any amendment, waiver, supplement or other modification to any of the foregoing.

Loan Parties”: as of any date, collectively, the Borrower and the Guarantors. A “Loan Party” shall mean, the Borrower or any Guarantor, individually.

Material Adverse Effect”: since the date of the audited financial statements most recently delivered prior to the Closing Date: (a) a change, event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse effect on the business, assets, operations or financial condition of Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to perform its payment or other material obligations under any loan document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect, or enforceability against the Borrower or any other Loan Party of any material obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party under any loan document to which it is a party.

Maximum Amount”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.21.

Minimum Collateral Amount”: at any time, (i) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances, an amount equal to 100% of the Fronting Exposure of all Issuing Lenders with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time and (ii) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lenders in their sole discretion.

Minimum Liquidity Amount”: $40,000,000.

Model Unit”: a Completed Unit to be used as a model home in connection with the sale of Units in a residential housing project.

Moody’s”: Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Multiemployer Plan”: any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

New Lender”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.21.

New Lender Supplement”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.21.

Non-Recourse Indebtedness”: Indebtedness of a Loan Party for which its liability is limited to the Real Property Inventory upon which it grants a Lien to the holder of such Indebtedness as security for such Indebtedness (including, in the case of Indebtedness of a Subsidiary that holds title to Real Property Inventory, liability of that Subsidiary and liabilities secured by a pledge of the equity interests of such Subsidiary (if such Real Property Inventory constitutes all or substantially all the assets of such Subsidiary)).

Non-U.S. Lender”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.16(f)(ii).

Notes”: the collective reference to any promissory note evidencing Loans.

 

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NYFRB”: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

NYFRB Rate”: for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

NYFRB’s Website”: the website of the NYFRB at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source.

Obligations”: all advances to, and debts, liabilities and obligations of, the Borrower and Guarantors arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against the Borrower or any Guarantor or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding. Without limiting the foregoing, the Obligations include (a) the obligation to pay principal, interest, Letter of Credit commissions, charges, expenses, fees, indemnities and other amounts payable by the Borrower or any Guarantor under any Loan Document and (b) the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse any amount in respect of any of the foregoing that the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in each case in its sole discretion, may elect to pay or advance on behalf of the Borrower.

Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities”: (a) any repurchase obligation or liability of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) any liability of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries under any financing lease, any synthetic lease (under which all or a portion of the rent payments made by the lessee are treated, for tax purposes, as payments of interest, notwithstanding that the lease may constitute an operating lease under GAAP) or any other similar lease transaction, or (c) any obligations of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries arising with respect to any other transaction which is the functional equivalent of or takes the place of borrowing and which has an actual or implied interest component but which does not constitute a liability on the consolidated balance sheets of such Person and its Subsidiaries.

Other Connection Taxes”: with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit or Loan Document).

Other Taxes”: all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.19).

Outstanding Amount”: as of any date, the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding after giving effect to any borrowings, repayments and prepayments on such date, plus the amount of L/C Obligations outstanding on such date after giving effect to any issuance or reimbursements made on such date.

 

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Overnight Bank Funding Rate”: for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight eurodollar transactions denominated in Dollars by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions (as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on the NYFRB’s Website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate.

Participant”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.6(c).

Participant Register”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.6(c).

Patriot Act”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.17.

Payment”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.12.

Payment Notice”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.12.

PBGC”: the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Subtitle A of Title IV of ERISA (or any successor entity).

Percentage Interest”: as to any Lender at any time, the percentage which such Lender’s Commitment then constitutes of the Total Commitments or, at any time after the Commitments shall have expired or terminated, the percentage which the aggregate principal amount of such Lender’s Loans then outstanding constitutes of the aggregate principal amount of the Loans then outstanding; provided that, in the event that the Loans are paid in full prior to the reduction to zero of the Outstanding Amount, the Percentage Interests shall be determined in a manner designed to ensure that the remaining Outstanding Amount shall be held by the Lenders on a comparable basis.

Performance Letter of Credit”: any letter of credit issued: (a) on behalf of a Person in favor of a Governmental Authority, including, without limitation, any utility, water, or sewer authority, or other similar entity, for the purpose of assuring such Governmental Authority that such Person or an Affiliate of such Person will properly and timely complete work it has agreed to perform for the benefit of such Governmental Authority; (b) in lieu of cash deposits to obtain a license, in place of a utility deposit, or for land option contracts; (c) in lieu of other contract performance, to secure performance warranties payable upon breach, and to secure the performance of labor and materials, including, without limitation, construction, bid, and performance bonds; or (d) to secure refund or advance payments on contractual obligations where default of a performance-related contract has occurred.

Permitted Investments”: (a) readily marketable, direct, full faith, and credit obligations of the United States, or obligations guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States, maturing within not more than eighteen (18) months from the date of acquisition; (b) short term certificates of deposit and time deposits, which mature within eighteen (18) months from the date of issuance and which are maintained with a Lender, a domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $100,000,000 or are fully insured by the FDIC, including, for the avoidance of doubt, investments placed through CDARS and ICS; (c) commercial paper or master notes maturing in 365 days or less from the date of issuance rated either “P-1” by Moody’s, or “A” by S&P); (d) debt instruments of a domestic issuer which mature in one (1) year or less and which are rated “A” or better by Moody’s or S&P on the date of acquisition of such investment; (e) demand deposit accounts which are maintained in the ordinary course of business; (f) short term tax exempt securities including municipal notes, commercial paper,

 

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auction rate floaters, and floating rate notes rated either “P-1” by Moody’s or “A-1” by S&P which mature in one (1) year or less; (g) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the United States or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within not more than one (1) year from the date of acquisition thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having one (1) of the two (2) highest ratings obtainable from any two of S&P, Moody’s, or Fitch (or, if at any time no two (2) of the foregoing shall be rating such obligations, then from such other nationally recognized rating services acceptable to Administrative Agent); (h) investment grade bonds, other than domestic corporate bonds issued by the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, maturing no more than seven (7) years after the date of acquisition thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having a rating of at least A or the equivalent from any two (2) of S&P, Moody’s, or Fitch (or, if at any time no two (2) of the foregoing shall be rating such obligations, then from such other nationally recognized rating services acceptable to Administrative Agent); and (i) shares of money market, mutual, or similar funds which invest primarily in securities of the type described in clauses (a) through (h) above.

Permitted Liens”:

(a) Liens existing on the date of this Agreement and described on Schedule 1.1B hereto and Liens, if any, granted to secure the Obligations;

(b) Liens imposed by governmental authorities for Taxes not yet subject to penalty or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the Borrower in accordance with GAAP;

(c) statutory liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, landlords, repairmen or other like Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary course of business; provided that (i) the underlying obligations are not overdue or (ii) such Liens are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the Borrower in accordance with GAAP;

(d) Liens securing the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than borrowed money), leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(e) easements, rights-of-way, zoning restrictions, assessment district or similar Liens in connection with municipal financing or community development bonds, and similar restrictions, encumbrances or title defects which, singly or in the aggregate, do not in any case materially detract from the value of the real estate subject thereto (as such real estate is used by any Loan Party) or interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Loan Parties;

(f) Liens arising by operation of law in connection with judgments, only to the extent, for an amount and for a period not resulting in an event of default hereunder with respect thereto; provided that the execution or enforcement thereof is stayed and the claim is being contested in good faith, with adequate reserves therefor being maintained by the Borrower in accordance with GAAP;

(g) pledges or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security legislation;

(h) Liens securing Indebtedness of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Loan Party (other than as a result of a Division of a Loan Party or of a Division of a Person in which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary has an Investment in immediately prior to the Division) or is merged with or into a Loan Party and Liens on assets or properties at the time of acquisition thereof; provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation, were not incurred in anticipation thereof and do not extend to any other assets;

 

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(i) Liens securing Non-Recourse Indebtedness;

(j) Liens securing obligations of any Loan Party to any third party in connection with (i) Profit and Participation Agreements, (ii) any option or right of first refusal to purchase real property or marketing deed of trust granted to the master developer or the seller of real property that arises as a result of the non-use or non-development of such real property by such Loan Party or relates to the coordinated marketing and promotion by the master developer, or (iii) joint development agreements with third parties to perform and/or pay for or reimburse the costs of construction and/or development related to or benefiting any Loan Party’s property and property belonging to such third parties, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of such Loan Party’s business;

(k) Liens securing Indebtedness incurred to refinance any Indebtedness that was previously so secured by a Lien and permitted hereunder (which refinancing Indebtedness may exceed the amount refinanced; provided that such refinancing Indebtedness is otherwise permitted under this Agreement) upon terms and conditions substantially similar to the terms of the Lien securing such refinanced Indebtedness immediately prior to it having been so refinanced;

(l) Liens arising pursuant to vexatious, frivolous or meritless claims, suits, actions or filings, or other similar bad faith actions, taken by a Person not an Affiliate of the Borrower; provided that a Loan Party is disputing such Lien in good faith and by appropriate proceedings;

(m) Liens securing Hedging Obligations arising in the ordinary course of business of a Loan Party and not for speculative purposes;

(n) Liens securing obligations of a Loan Party arising in connection with letters of credit and/or letter of credit facilities;

(o) Liens on leases of Model Units;

(p) Liens securing purchase money security interests (including purchase money mortgages) and Capitalized Lease Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(q) Liens securing Indebtedness or obligations in an amount not in excess of $20,000,000 in the aggregate; and

(r) Liens on property or assets of any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party securing Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Borrower or one or more Loan Parties.

Person”: any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, governmental authority or other entity.

Plan”: an “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, other than a multiemployer plan (as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA), that is subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code in respect of which any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate is, or was at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years, an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

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Plan Asset Regulations”: 29 CFR § 2510.3-101 et seq., as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time.

Prime Rate”: the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.

Proceeding”: any claim, litigation, investigation, action, suit, arbitration or administrative, judicial or regulatory action or proceeding in any jurisdiction.

Profit and Participation Agreement”: an agreement, secured by a deed of trust, mortgage or other Lien against a property or asset, with respect to which the purchaser of such property or asset agrees to pay the seller of such property or asset a profit, price, premium participation or other similar amount in respect of such property or asset.

PTE”: prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

QFC”: has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).

QFC Credit Support”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.19.

Qualified Real Property Inventory”: as of any date, Real Property Inventory that is not subject to or encumbered by any deed of trust, mortgage, judgment Lien, or any other Lien (other than the Permitted Liens described in clauses (b) through (e), (j) and (l) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”) and other Liens which have been bonded around so as to remove such Liens as encumbrances against such Real Property Inventory in a matter satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel).

Real Property Inventory”: as of any date, land that is owned by any Loan Party, which land is being developed or held for future development or sale, together with the right, title and interest of such Loan Party in and to the streets, the land lying in the bed of any streets, roads or avenues, open or proposed, in or of, the air space and development rights pertaining thereto and the right to use such air space and development rights, all rights of way, privileges, liberties, tenements, hereditaments and appurtenances belonging in or in any way appertaining thereto, all fixtures, all easements now or hereafter benefiting such land and all royalties and rights appertaining to the use and enjoyment of such land necessary for the residential development of such land, together with all of the buildings and other improvements now or hereafter erected on such land, and any fixtures appurtenant thereto and all related personal property.

Recent Balance Sheet”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 4.8.

 

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Recipient”: (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Lender, as applicable.

Reference Time” with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is the Term SOFR Rate, 5:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on the day that is two U.S. Government Securities Business Days preceding the date of such setting, (2) if the Benchmark is the Daily Simple SOFR (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) then four U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such setting, and (3) if such Benchmark is not the Term SOFR Rate or the Daily Simple SOFR, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

Register”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.6(b).

Regulations U and X”: Regulations U and X of the Board as in effect from time to time.

“Regulatory Authority”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.15.

Reimbursement Obligation”: the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.6 for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit.

Related Parties”: with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Relevant Governmental Body”: the Federal Reserve Board and/or the NYFRB, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board and/or the NYFRB or, in each case, any successor thereto.

Relevant Rate”: (i) with respect to any Term Benchmark Loan, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate or (ii) with respect to any RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13), the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR, as applicable.

Reportable Event”: a reportable event as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA, with respect to a Plan, excluding, however, such events as to which the PBGC by regulation waived the requirement of Section 4043(a) of ERISA that it be notified within 30 days of the occurrence of such event; provided, however, that a failure to meet the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the Code and of Section 302 of ERISA shall be a Reportable Event regardless of the issuance of any such waiver of the notice requirement in accordance with either Section 4043(a) of ERISA or Section 412(d) of the Code.

Required Lenders”: subject to Section 2.20(a)(i), at any time, the holders of more than fifty percent (50%) of the Total Commitments then in effect or, if the Commitments have been terminated, the Outstanding Amount at such time.

Required Liquidity”: $10,000,000.

Requirement of Law”: any law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

 

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Resolution Authority”: an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.

Responsible Officer”: as to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the president, chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer, controller or other executive officer.

Restricted Payments”: with respect to any Person, any dividend (other than dividends payable solely in common stock of the Person making such dividend) on, or any payment on account of, including any sinking or other analogous fund for, the purchase, redemption, defeasance, retirement or other acquisition of, any Capital Stock of any Person or any of its Subsidiaries, or any other distribution in respect thereof, either directly or indirectly, whether in cash or property or in obligations of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries.

Restricted Subsidiaries”: as of any date, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower and any other Loan Party which are not Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

Revolver Availability”: as of any date, the lesser of (a) Borrowing Base Availability, minus the Outstanding Amount and (b) Commitments, minus the Outstanding Amount.

Revolving Borrowing”: Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Term Benchmark Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

Revolving Loans”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.1.

RFR Loan”: a Loan that bears interest on a one-month interest period at a rate based on the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13).

S&P”: Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business.

Sanctioned Country”: at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

Sanctioned Person”: at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b), or (d) any Person otherwise the subject of any Sanctions.

Sanctions”: all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State or other relevant sanctions authority.

SEC”: the Securities and Exchange Commission, any successor thereto and any analogous Governmental Authority.

 

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Securities Act”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 6.1(e).

SOFR”: a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the SOFR Administrator.

SOFR Administrator”: the NYFRB (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).

SOFR Administrator’s Website”: the NYFRB’s website, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.

SOFR Determination Date”: has the meaning specified in the definition of “Daily Simple SOFR”.

SOFR Rate Day”: has the meaning specified in the definition of “Daily Simple SOFR”.

Solvency Certificate”: a solvency certificate by the chief financial officer or treasurer of the Borrower in the form attached hereto as Exhibit G.

Solvent”: when used with respect to any Person, means that, as of any date of determination, (a) the aggregate fair market value of such Person’s assets exceeds its liabilities (whether contingent, subordinated, unmatured, unliquidated, or otherwise), (b) such person has not incurred debts beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account all reasonably anticipated financing and refinancing proceeds), and (c) such Person does not have unreasonably small capital to conduct such Person’s businesses. In computing the amount of contingent or unliquidated liabilities at any time, such liabilities will be computed as the amount which, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represent the amount that can be reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability discounted to present value at rates believed to be reasonable by such Person.

Speculative Unit”: any Completed Unit that is not a Unit Under Contract.

Subordinated Debt”: any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Loan Party which is subordinated to the Obligations at all times (including in respect of any amendment or modification thereto) pursuant to terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Subsidiary”: as to any Person, (a) any corporation, limited liability company, association or other business entity (other than a partnership), of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the equity interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of the board of directors or other governing body thereof are at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof) and (b) any partnership (i) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (ii) the only general partners of which are such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination hereof).

Supported QFC”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.19.

Syndication Agents”: collectively, Regions Bank and Royal Bank of Canada.

 

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Taxes”: all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

Term Benchmark”: when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate.

Termination Date”: October 13March 15, 20262028 , subject, however, to earlier termination of the Total Commitment pursuant of the terms of this Agreement.

Term SOFR Determination Day”: has the meaning assigned to it under the definition of “Term SOFR Reference Rate”.

Term SOFR Rate”: with respect to any Term Benchmark Loan and for any tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, the Term SOFR Reference Rate at approximately 5:00 a.m., Chicago time, two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the commencement of such tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, as such rate is published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator.

Term SOFR Reference Rate”: for any day and time (such day, the “Term SOFR Determination Day”), with respect to any Term Benchmark Loan denominated in Dollars and for any tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, the rate per annum published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator and identified by the Administrative Agent as the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR. If by 5:00 pm (New York City time) on such Term SOFR Determination Day, the “Term SOFR Reference Rate” for the applicable tenor has not been published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Rate has not occurred, then, so long as such day is otherwise a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such Term SOFR Determination Day will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate as published in respect of the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate was published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator, so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Term SOFR Determination Day.

Total Commitments”: at any time, the aggregate amount of the Commitments then in effect.

Tranches”: the collective reference to Term Benchmark Loans for the then current Interest Periods and RFR Loans (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) with respect to all of which begin on the same date and end on the same later date.

Transferee”: any Assignee or Participant.

Type”: as to any Loan, its nature as an ABR Loan, a Term Benchmark Loan or (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) a RFR Loan.

UK Financial Institution”: any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.

 

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UK Resolution Authority”: the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.

Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement”: the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

Unfunded Pension Liability”: the excess of a Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.

Uniform Commercial Code”: the Uniform Commercial Code, as the same may, from time to time, be in effect in the State of New York; provided, however, that in the event that, by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any or all of the perfection or priority of the security interest in any collateral provided pursuant to this Agreement is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the term “Uniform Commercial Code” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or priority (but not attachment) and for purposes of definitions related to such provisions.

Unit”: Qualified Real Property Inventory that is, or is planned to be, comprised of a single family residential housing unit.

Unit Under Contract”: a Unit, whether completed or under construction, as to which the Borrower or Guarantor owning such Unit has entered into a bona fide contract of sale (a) in a form customarily employed by the Borrower or such Guarantor, (b) not more than twelve (12) months after the date of such contract, (c) with a Person who is not a Subsidiary or Affiliate, (d) under which no defaults then exist and (e) in the case of any Unit the purchase of which is to be financed in whole or in part by a loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration, to the Borrower’s or applicable Guarantor’s knowledge, the applicable buyer shall have made, or will be required to make, the minimum down payment required (if any) under the rules of the relevant agency.

United States” or “U.S.”: the United States of America.

Units Under Construction”: Units where on-site construction has commenced as evidenced by the trenching of foundations for such Units, other than Units Under Contract.

Unrestricted Cash”: cash and Cash Equivalents of the Loan Parties that are free and clear of all Liens and not subject to any restrictions on the use thereof to pay Indebtedness and other obligations of the applicable Loan Party.

Unrestricted Subsidiary”: (a) (i) Beazer Employees Disaster Assistance Corp., a Georgia corporation, (ii) Gatherings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, (iii) Beazer Homes Capital Trust I and (iv) the Charity Subsidiaries and (b) each of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower (including any newly formed or acquired Subsidiary) so designated by a resolution adopted by the board of directors of the Borrower as provided below and provided that:

 

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(a) neither the Borrower nor any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries (1) provides any direct or indirect credit support for any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness) or (2) is directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary;

(b) the creditors with respect to Indebtedness for borrowed money of such Subsidiary have agreed in writing that they have no recourse, direct or indirect, to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (other than the Capital Stock of Unrestricted Subsidiaries), including, without limitation, recourse with respect to the payment of principal or interest on any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary; and

(c) no default with respect to any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary (including any right which the holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against such Subsidiary) would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any other Indebtedness of the Borrower and of its other Restricted Subsidiaries, to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity.

The board of directors of the Borrower may designate an Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that:

(i) any such designation will be deemed to be an incurrence by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Indebtedness (if any) and any Investment (if any) of such designated Subsidiary for purposes of Section 7.1 and Section 7.4 hereof, as applicable, as of the date of such designation;

(ii) immediately after giving effect to such designation and the incurrence of any such additional Indebtedness (a) the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be in pro forma compliance with Section 7.1 and (b) the Borrowing Base Debt, plus the Outstanding Amount does not exceed the Borrowing Base;

(iii) the Liens on the property and assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary could then be incurred in accordance with Section 7.2 hereof as of the date of such designation;

(iv) Section 6.7 of this Agreement and the provisions of the Guarantee Agreement are complied with, to the extent applicable thereto, with respect to such Subsidiary; and

(v) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing.

Subject to the foregoing, the board of directors of the Borrower also may designate any Restricted Subsidiary to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that at the time of such designation:

(i) all previous Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Restricted Subsidiary (net of any returns previously paid on such Investments) will be deemed to be Investments at the time of such designation and such Investments must be permitted at such time under Section 7.4 hereof;

(ii) immediately after giving effect to such designation and such Investment, (i) the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants in Section 7.1 and (ii) the Borrowing Base Debt, plus the Outstanding Amount does not exceed the Borrowing Base; and

 

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(iii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing.

Any such designation by the board of directors of the Borrower will be evidenced to the Administrative Agent by delivering a certified copy of the resolution of the board of directors of the Borrower giving effect to such designation and a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing conditions and setting forth the underlying calculations.

U.S. Government Securities Business Day”: any day except for (i) a Saturday, (ii) a Sunday or (iii) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.

U.S. Person”: a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Special Resolution Regime”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 10.19.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”: has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.16(f)(iii)(C).

Voting Stock”: with respect to any Person, securities of any class of Capital Stock of such Person entitling the holders thereof (whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has voting power by reason of any contingency) to vote in the election of members of the board of directors of such Person.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary”: of any Person, a Subsidiary, of which one hundred percent (100%) of the outstanding Capital Stock is owned directly by such Person or through one or more other Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Withdrawal Liability”: liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers”: (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.

1.2. Other Definitional Provisions.

(a) For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Term Benchmark Loan” or an “RFR Loan”) or by class and Type (e.g., a “Term Benchmark Revolving Loan” or an “RFR Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Term Benchmark Borrowing” or an “RFR Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing” or an “RFR Revolving Borrowing”).

 

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(b) Unless otherwise specified therein, all terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in the other Loan Documents or any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto.

(c) As used herein and in the other Loan Documents, and any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, (i) accounting terms relating to any Loan Party not defined in Section 1.1 and accounting terms partly defined in Section 1.1, to the extent not defined, shall have the respective meanings given to them under GAAP, (ii) the words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”, (iii) the word “incur” shall be construed to mean incur, create, issue, assume, become liable in respect of or suffer to exist (and the words “incurred” and “incurrence” shall have correlative meanings), (iv) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, Capital Stock, securities, accounts, leasehold interests and contract rights, and (v) references to agreements or other Obligations shall, unless otherwise specified, be deemed to refer to such agreements or Obligations as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

(d) The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Section, Schedule and Exhibit references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.

(e) The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.

1.3. GAAP. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the definition of “GAAP” or in the definitions of “Capitalized Lease” or “Capitalized Lease Obligations,” any change in accounting for leases pursuant to GAAP resulting from the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“FAS 842”), to the extent such adoption would require treating any lease (or similar arrangement conveying the right to use) as a capital lease where such lease (or similar arrangement) would not have been required to be so treated under GAAP as in effect on December 31, 2015, such lease shall not be considered a capital lease, and all calculations and deliverables under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be made or delivered, as applicable, in accordance therewith.

1.4. Interest Rates; Benchmark Notification. The interest rate on a Loan denominated in Dollars may be derived from an interest rate benchmark that may be discontinued or is, or may in the future become, the subject of regulatory reform. Upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, Section 2.13(b) provides a mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission, performance or any other matter related to any interest rate used in this Agreement, or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof, including without limitation, whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, the existing interest rate being replaced or have the same volume or liquidity as did any existing interest rate prior to its discontinuance or unavailability. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates and/or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of any interest rate used in this Agreement or any alternative, successor or alternative rate (including any Benchmark

 

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Replacement) and/or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain any interest rate used in this Agreement, any component thereof, or rates referenced in the definition thereof, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.

1.5. Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the amount of such Letter of Credit available to be drawn at such time; provided that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Letter of Credit Agreement related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the available amount thereof (without consideration of the occurrence of any contingency other than the passage of time), the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum amount is available to be drawn at such time.

SECTION 2. AMOUNT AND TERMS OF COMMITMENTS

2.1. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Lender severally agrees to make revolving credit loans (“Revolving Loans”) to the Borrower from time to time during the Commitment Period in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding which, when added to such Lender’s Percentage Interest of the L/C Obligations then outstanding, and after giving effect to the proposed Revolving Loan and application of the proceeds thereof to the repayment of any outstanding Obligations, does not exceed the lesser of (A) the amount of such Lender’s Commitment and (B) such Lender’s Percentage Interest of the Borrowing Base Availability. During the Commitment Period the Borrower may use the Commitments by borrowing, prepaying the Revolving Loans in whole or in part, and reborrowing, all in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof. The Revolving Loans may from time to time be Term Benchmark Loans, RFR Loans (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) or ABR Loans, as determined by the Borrower and notified to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Sections 2.2 and 2.9. The Borrower shall repay all outstanding Revolving Loans on the Termination Date.

2.2. Procedure for Revolving Loan Borrowinga. . The Borrower may borrow under the Commitments during the Commitment Period on any Business Day; provided that the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable notice (which notice must be received by the Administrative Agent (a) (1) prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time, three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the requested Borrowing Date, in the case of Term Benchmark Loans, or (2) in the case of an RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13), not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, or (b) by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the requested Borrowing Date, in the case of ABR Loans), specifying: (i) the amount and Type of Loans to be borrowed, (ii) the requested Borrowing Date, (iii) in the case of Term Benchmark Loans, the respective amounts of each such Type of Loan and the respective lengths of the initial Interest Period therefor and (iv) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed.; provided that, if such notice is submitted through an Approved Borrower Portal, any related signature requirement may be waived at the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent. Each borrowing under the Commitments shall be in an amount equal to (x) in the case of ABR Loans or (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) RFR Loans, $1,000,000 or a whole multiple thereof (or, if the then aggregate Available Commitments are

 

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less than $1,000,000, such lesser amount) and (y) in the case of Term Benchmark Loans, $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Upon receipt of any such notice from the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof. Each Lender will make the amount of its pro rata share of each borrowing available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Borrower at the Funding Office prior to 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Borrowing Date requested by the Borrower in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent. Such borrowing will then be made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of such office with the aggregate of the amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by the Lenders and in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent or by otherwise transferring such amounts as the Borrower shall direct.

2.3. [Reserved].

2.4. [Reserved].

2.5. Commitment Fees, etc.

(a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee for the period from and including the date hereof to but excluding the last day of the Commitment Period, computed at the Commitment Fee Rate on the average daily amount of the Available Commitment of such Lender during the period for which payment is made, payable quarterly in arrears no later than the date that is fifteen (15) days following the last day of such quarter; provided, however, pursuant to Section 2.20, the Borrower shall not be obligated to pay a commitment fee for the account of any Defaulting Lender.

(b) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent the fees in the amounts and on the dates as set forth in any fee agreements with the Administrative Agent and to perform any other obligations contained therein.

2.6. Termination or Reduction of Commitments. Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Termination Date. The Borrower shall have the right, upon not less than three (3) Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, to terminate the Commitments or, from time to time, to reduce the amount of the Commitments; provided that no such termination or reduction of Commitments shall be permitted if, after giving effect thereto and to any prepayments of the Loans made on the effective date thereof, the Outstanding Amount would exceed the Total Commitments (as so terminated or reduced). Any such reduction shall be in an amount equal to $1,000,000, or a whole multiple thereof, and shall reduce permanently the Commitments then in effect.

2.7. Optional Prepayments. The Borrower may at any time and from time to time prepay the Loans, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty, upon irrevocable notice delivered to the Administrative Agent (a) no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior thereto, in the case of Term Benchmark Loans, (b) no later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, one (1) Business Day prior thereto, in the case of ABR Loans and (c) no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior thereto, in the case of RFR Loans (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13), which notice shall specify the date and amount of prepayment and whether the prepayment is of Term Benchmark Loans, ABR Loans or RFR Loans; provided that (i) if a Term Benchmark Loan or an RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) is prepaid on any day other than the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall also pay any amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.17 and (ii) if such notice is submitted through an Approved Borrower Portal, any related signature

 

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requirement may be waived at the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each relevant Lender thereof. If any such notice is given, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein, together with accrued interest to such date on the amount prepaid. Partial prepayments of Revolving Loans shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple thereof.

2.8. Mandatory Prepayments. If, on any date, the Outstanding Amount exceeds the Borrowing Base Availability, the Borrower shall, on such date, reduce the Outstanding Amount to an amount equal to or less than the Borrowing Base Availability.

Amounts to be applied in connection with prepayments made pursuant to this Section 2.8 shall be applied, first, to the prepayment of Revolving Loans, and second, if the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans then-outstanding is less than the amount of such prepayments (because L/C Obligations constitute a portion thereof), the Borrower shall, to the extent of the balance, deposit an amount in cash equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount in a cash collateral account established with the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. The application of any prepayment of Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.8 shall be made, first, to ABR Loans, and, if applicable to RFR Loans, and, second, to Term Benchmark Loans. Each prepayment of the Loans under this Section 2.8 shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the amount prepaid.

2.9. Conversion and Continuation Options.

(a) The Borrower may elect from time to time to convert Term Benchmark Loans or (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) RFR Loans to ABR Loans by giving the Administrative Agent prior irrevocable notice of such election no later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Business Day preceding the proposed conversion date; provided that (i) any such conversion of Term Benchmark Loans may only be made on the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto and (ii) if such notice is submitted through an Approved Borrower Portal, any related signature requirement may be waived at the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent. The Borrower may elect from time to time to convert ABR Loans to (i) Term Benchmark Loans by giving the Administrative Agent prior irrevocable notice of such election no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third U.S. Government Securities Business Day preceding the proposed conversion date (which notice shall specify the length of the initial Interest Period therefor) and (ii) RFR Loans (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) by giving the Administrative Agent prior irrevocable notice of such election no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth U.S. Government Securities Business Day preceding the proposed conversion date; provided that (i) no ABR Loan or RFR Loan may be converted into a Term Benchmark Loan when any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Required Lenders have determined in their sole discretion not to permit such conversions and (ii) if such notice is submitted through an Approved Borrower Portal, any related signature requirement may be waived at the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each relevant Lender thereof.

(b) Any Term Benchmark Loan or (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) RFR Loan may be continued as such upon the expiration of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto by the Borrower giving irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the term “Interest Period” set forth in Section 1.1, of the length of the next Interest Period to be applicable to such Loans; provided that (i) no Term Benchmark Loan and RFR Loan may be continued as such when any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Required Lenders have determined in their sole

 

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discretion not to permit such continuations and (ii) if such notice is submitted through an Approved Borrower Portal, any related signature requirement may be waived at the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent; provided, further, that if the Borrower shall fail to give any required notice as described above or if such continuation is not permitted pursuant to the preceding proviso, such Loans shall be automatically converted to ABR Loans on the last day of such then expiring Interest Period. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each relevant Lender thereof.

2.10. Limitations on Tranches. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all borrowings, conversions and continuations of Term Benchmark Loans and RFR Loans and all selections of Interest Periods shall be in such amounts and be made pursuant to such elections so that, (a) after giving effect thereto, the aggregate principal amount of the Term Benchmark Loans comprising each Tranche shall be equal to $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (b) no more than ten (10) Tranches shall be outstanding at any one time.

2.11. Interest Rates and Payment Dates.

(a) Each Term Benchmark Loan shall bear interest during each Interest Period with respect thereto at a rate per annum equal to the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate determined for such Interest Period, plus the Applicable Margin.

(b) Each ABR Loan shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the ABR, plus the Applicable Margin.

(c) Each RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR, plus the Applicable Margin.

(d) (i) If all or a portion of the principal amount of any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation shall not be paid when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), such overdue amount shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to (x) in the case of the Loans, the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.11, plus two percent (2%) or (y) in the case of Reimbursement Obligations, the rate applicable to ABR Loans, plus two percent (2%), and (ii) if all or a portion of any interest payable on any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation or any commitment fee or other amount payable hereunder shall not be paid when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), after giving effect to any applicable grace period, such overdue amount shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the rate then applicable to ABR Loans, plus two percent (2%), in each case, with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) above, from the date of such nonpayment until such amount is paid in full.

(e) Interest shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date, provided that interest accruing pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section 2.11 shall be payable from time to time on demand.

2.12. Computation of Interest and Fees.

(a) Interest and fees payable pursuant hereto shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual days elapsed, except that, with respect to ABR Loans the rate of interest on which is calculated on the basis of the Prime Rate, the interest thereon shall be calculated on the basis of a 365- (or 366-, as the case may be) day year for the actual days elapsed. Interest shall accrue for each period from and including the first day of such period but excluding the last day of such period. The

 

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Administrative Agent shall as soon as practicable notify the Borrower and the relevant Lenders of each determination of a Adjusted Term SOFR Rate or, if applicable, the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR. Any change in the interest rate on a Loan resulting from a change in the ABR shall become effective as of the opening of business on the day on which such change becomes effective. The Administrative Agent shall as soon as practicable notify the Borrower and the relevant Lenders of the effective date and the amount of each such change in interest rate.

(b) Each determination of an interest rate by the Administrative Agent pursuant to any provision of this Agreement shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower and the Lenders in the absence of manifest error. The Administrative Agent shall, at the request of the Borrower, deliver to the Borrower a statement showing the quotations used by the Administrative Agent in determining any interest rate pursuant to Section 2.11(a).

2.13. Inability to Determine Interest Rate. Subject to clauses (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of this Section 2.13, if:

(i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) (A) prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Term Benchmark Borrowing, that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate (including because the Term SOFR Reference Rate is not available or published on a current basis), for such Interest Period or (B) at any time, that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13); or

(ii) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that (A) prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Term Benchmark Borrowing, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period or (B) at any time, Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone, telecopy or electronic mail as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until (x) the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist with respect to the relevant Benchmark and (y) the Borrower delivers a new interest election request in accordance with the terms of Section 2.9 or a new borrowing request in accordance with the terms of Section 2.2, (1) any interest election request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Term Benchmark Borrowing and any Borrowing Request that requests a Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing shall instead be deemed to be an interest election request or a borrowing request, as applicable, for (x) an RFR Borrowing so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is not also the subject of Section 2.13(a)(i) or (ii) above or (y) an ABR Borrowing if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR also is the subject of Section 2.13(a)(i) or (ii) above and (2) any borrowing request that requests an RFR Borrowing (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to this Section 2.13) shall instead be deemed to be a Borrowing Request, as applicable, for an ABR Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then all other Types of Borrowings shall be permitted. Furthermore, if any Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the

 

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effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to this Section 2.13) is outstanding on the date of the Borrower’s receipt of the notice from the Administrative Agent referred to in this Section 2.13(a) with respect to a Relevant Rate applicable to such Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan, then until (x) the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist with respect to the relevant Benchmark and (y) the Borrower delivers a new interest election request in accordance with the terms of Section 2.9 or a new borrowing request in accordance with the terms of Section 2.2, (1) any Term Benchmark Loan shall on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan, be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute, (x) an RFR Borrowing so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is not also the subject of Section 2.13(a)(i) or (ii) above or (y) an ABR Loan if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR also is the subject of Section 2.13(a)(i) or (ii) above, on such day, and (2) any RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) shall on and from such day be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute an ABR Loan.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, if a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then (x) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (1) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (y) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(d) The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (1) any occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, (2) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, (3) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes, (4) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to clause (e) below and (5) the commencement or conclusion of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.13, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.13.

 

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(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including the Term SOFR Rate) and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is or will be no longer representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is or will no longer be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.

(f) Upon the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Borrower may revoke any request for a Term Benchmark Borrowing or RFR Borrowing (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to this Section 2.13), or for a conversion to or continuation of Term Benchmark Loans, to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any request for a Term Benchmark Borrowing into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to (A) an RFR Borrowing so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is not the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event or (B) an ABR Borrowing if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of ABR based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of ABR. Furthermore, if any Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to this Section 2.13) is outstanding on the date of the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period with respect to a Relevant Rate applicable to such Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan, then until such time as a Benchmark Replacement is implemented pursuant to this Section 2.13, (1) any Term Benchmark Loan shall on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan, be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute, (x) an RFR Borrowing so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is not the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event or (y) an ABR Loan if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event, on such day and (2) any RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to this Section 2.13) shall on and from such day be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute an ABR Loan.

2.14. Pro Rata Treatment and Payments.

(a) Except as set forth in Section 2.20 below, each borrowing by the Borrower from the Lenders hereunder, each payment by the Borrower on account of any commitment fee and any reduction of the Commitments of the Lenders shall be made pro rata according to the respective Percentage Interests of the Lenders.

(b) Except as set forth in Section 2.20 below, each payment (including each prepayment) by the Borrower on account of principal of and interest on the Revolving Loans shall be made pro rata according to the respective outstanding principal amounts of the Revolving Loans then held by the Lenders.

 

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(c) All payments (including prepayments) to be made by the Borrower hereunder, whether on account of principal, interest, fees or otherwise, shall be made without setoff or counterclaim and shall be made prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the due date thereof to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders, at the Funding Office, in Dollars and in immediately available funds. Except as set forth in Section 2.20 below, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payments to each Lender promptly upon receipt in like funds as received, net of any amounts owing by such Lender pursuant to Section 9.7. If any payment hereunder (other than payments on the Term Benchmark Loans or RFR Loans (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13)) becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day. If any payment on a Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such payment into another calendar month, in which event such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the case of any extension of any payment of principal pursuant to the preceding two sentences, interest thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate during such extension.

(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified in writing by any Lender prior to a borrowing that such Lender will not make the amount that would constitute its share of such borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender is making such amount available to the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. If such amount is not made available to the Administrative Agent by the required time on the Borrowing Date therefor, such Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent, on demand, such amount with interest thereon, at a rate equal to the greater of (i) the Federal Funds Effective Rate and (ii) a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, for the period until such Lender makes such amount immediately available to the Administrative Agent. A certificate of the Administrative Agent submitted to any Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (d) shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. If such Lender’s share of such borrowing is not made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender within three (3) Business Days after such Borrowing Date, the Administrative Agent shall also be entitled to recover such amount with interest thereon at the rate per annum applicable to ABR Loans, on demand, from the Borrower.

(e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified in writing by the Borrower prior to the date of any payment due to be made by the Borrower hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower is making such payment, and the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be required to, in reliance upon such assumption and, subject to Section 2.20, make available to the Lenders their respective pro rata shares of a corresponding amount. If such payment is not made to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after such due date, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover, on demand, from each Lender to which any amount which was made available pursuant to the preceding sentence, such amount with interest thereon at the rate per annum equal to the daily average Federal Funds Effective Rate. Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against the Borrower.

(f) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Sections 2.14(d), 2.14(e), 3.4(a) or 9.7, then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Agreement), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.

 

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2.15. Requirements of Law.

(a) If (1) the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of Law or in the interpretation or application thereof or compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any central bank or other Governmental Authority made subsequent to the date hereof, (2) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or any requests, rules, guidelines, or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued or (3) any requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority), in each case pursuant to Basel III, regardless of the date actually enacted, adopted or issued:

(A) shall subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of “Excluded Taxes” and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

(B) shall impose, modify or hold applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan or similar requirement against assets held by, deposits or other liabilities in or for the account of, advances, loans or other extensions of credit by, or any other acquisition of funds by, any office of such Lender or the Issuing Lender; or

(C) shall impose on such Lender or the Issuing Lender any other similar condition, cost or expense (other than taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such Lender or Issuing Lender or such other Recipient, by an amount that such Lender deems to be material, of making, converting into, continuing or maintaining any Term Benchmark Loans participating in Letters of Credit, or to reduce any amount receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient hereunder in respect thereof, then, in any such case, the Borrower shall promptly pay such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient, as the case may be, upon its demand, any additional amounts necessary to compensate such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient, as the case may be for such increased cost or reduced amount receivable. If any Lender or Issuing Lender becomes entitled to claim any additional amounts pursuant to this paragraph (C), it shall promptly notify the Borrower by providing a certificate along with reasonably detailed calculations of such additional amounts (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of the event by reason of which it has become so entitled.

(b) If any Lender or the Issuing Lender shall have determined that the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of Law regarding capital or liquidity adequacy or in the interpretation or application thereof or compliance by such Lender or the Issuing Lender or any corporation controlling such Lender or the Issuing Lender with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority, including compliance with (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or any requests, rules, guidelines, or

 

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directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued and (ii) any requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) pursuant to Basel III, made subsequent to the date hereof shall have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s, or Issuing Lender’s or such corporation’s capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder or under or in respect of any Letter of Credit to a level below that which such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such corporation could have achieved but for such adoption, change or compliance (taking into consideration such Lender’s, the Issuing Lender’s or such corporation’s policies with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity) by an amount deemed by such Lender or the Issuing Lender to be material, then from time to time, after submission by such Lender or the Issuing Lender to the Borrower by providing a certificate along with reasonably detailed calculations of such additional amounts (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of a written request therefor, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender or the Issuing Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such corporation for such reduction.

(c) A certificate as to any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 2.15 submitted by any Lender or the Issuing Lender to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.15, the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Lender pursuant to this Section 2.15 for any amounts incurred more than six months prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Lender notifies the Borrower of such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided that, if the circumstances giving rise to such claim have a retroactive effect, then such six-month period shall be extended to include the period of such retroactive effect. The obligations of the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

2.16. Taxes.

(a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment, then the Borrower shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.16) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.16, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law or, at the option of the Administrative Agent, timely reimburse it for the payment of any Other Taxes.

(c) The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 2.16) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses

 

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arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.6(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (d).

(e) A Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by Applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in paragraphs (f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) of this Section 2.16) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(f) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(i) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. Federal backup withholding tax;

(ii) any Lender that is not a U.S. Person (a “Non-U.S. Lender”) shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Non-U.S. Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

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(A) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(B) executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(C) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-1 to the effect that such Non-U.S. Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E; or

(D) to the extent a Non-U.S. Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, IRS Form W-8BEN, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-2 or Exhibit F-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Non-U.S. Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Non-U.S. Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Non-U.S. Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(iii) any Non-U.S. Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Non-U.S. Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. Federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(iv) If a payment made to a Lender under this Agreement would be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax imposed by FATCA and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the

 

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Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or Administrative Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA, to determine that such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA and, as necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (iv), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(g) If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.16 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.16), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.16 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This paragraph (g) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(h) The agreements in this Section 2.16 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

(i) For purposes of this Section 2.16, the term “Lender” includes an Issuing Lender and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

2.17. Indemnity(a) . (a) With respect to Loans that are not RFR Loans, in the event of (i) the payment of any principal of any Term Benchmark Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or an optional or mandatory prepayment of Loans), (ii) the conversion of any Term Benchmark Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (iii) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Term Benchmark Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.7 and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (iv) the assignment of any Term Benchmark Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 2.17(a) shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

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(b) With respect to RFR Loans (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13), in the event of (i) the payment of any principal of any RFR Loan other than on the Interest Payment Date applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or an optional or mandatory prepayment of Loans), (ii) the failure to borrow or prepay any RFR Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.7 and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (iii) the assignment of any RFR Loan other than on the Interest Payment Date applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 2.17(b) shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

2.18. Change of Lending Office. Each Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of Section 2.15 or 2.16(a) with respect to such Lender, it will, if requested by the Borrower, use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy considerations of such Lender) to designate another lending office for any Loans affected by such event with the object of avoiding the consequences of such event; provided that such designation is made on terms that, in the sole judgment of such Lender, cause such Lender and its lending office(s) to suffer no economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, and provided, further, that nothing in this Section 2.18 shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the rights of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.16(a).

2.19. Replacement of Lenders. The Borrower shall be permitted to replace any Lender that (a) requests reimbursement for amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.16(a), (b) is a Defaulting Lender, or (c) does not consent to any proposed amendment, supplement, modification, consent or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that requires the consent of each of the Lenders or each of the Lenders affected thereby (so long as the consent of the Required Lenders has been obtained), with a replacement financial institution; provided that (i) such replacement does not conflict with any Requirement of Law, (ii) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such replacement, (iii) prior to any such replacement, such Lender shall have taken no action under Section 2.18 so as to eliminate the continued need for payment of amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.16(a), (iv) the replacement Lender shall purchase, at par, all Loans and other amounts owing to such replaced Lender on or prior to the date of replacement (it being understood that, upon receipt by such replaced Lender of all amounts owing to it, such replaced Lender shall be deemed to have assigned its Commitment to the replacement Lender pursuant to a form of Assignment and Assumption in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.6), (v) the Borrower shall be liable to such replaced Lender under Section 2.17 if any Term Benchmark Loan or any RFR Loan (solely if applicable after the effectiveness of a Benchmark Replacement or otherwise pursuant to Section 2.13) owing to such replaced Lender shall be purchased other than on the last day of the Interest Period relating thereto, (vi) the replacement Lender shall be an Eligible Assignee reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (vii) the replaced Lender shall be obligated to make such replacement in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.6 (provided that the Borrower shall be obligated to pay the registration and processing fee referred to therein), (viii) until such time as such replacement shall be consummated, the Borrower shall pay all additional amounts (if any) required pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.16(a), as the case may be, and (ix) any such replacement shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any rights that the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender shall have against the replaced Lender.

 

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2.20. Defaulting Lenders.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as such Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable law:

(i) Voting. Such Defaulting Lender shall not be entitled to vote on any matter requiring the consent or approval of all Lenders or the Required Lenders, and the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether all Lenders or the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 10.1); provided that (a) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender which affects such Defaulting Lender differently than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender and (b) the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender may not be increased without the consent of such Defaulting Lender, Administrative Agent and Borrower.

(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Section 8 or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.7 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Issuing Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lenders’ Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 3.11; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lenders’ future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 3.11; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the Issuing Lenders as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the Issuing Lenders against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Obligations in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 5.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of,

 

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and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments without giving effect to Section 2.20(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.20 shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees:

(A) No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any commitment fee contemplated by Section 2.5(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

(B) Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fees pursuant to Section 3.4 for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Percentage Interest of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which the Defaulting Lender has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.20(a)(ii).

(C) With respect to any fees pursuant to Section 3.4 not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv) below, (y) pay to each Issuing Lender the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

(iv) Reallocation of Participations to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that (x) the conditions set forth in Section 5.2 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrower shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, the Borrower shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), and (y) such reallocation does not cause the aggregate credit exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment. No reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

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(v) Cash Collateral. If the reallocation described in clause (iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under law, Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lenders’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 3.11.

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Lender agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Commitments (without giving effect to Section 2.20(a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

(c) New Letters of Credit. So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Lender shall be required to issue, extend, renew or increase any Letter of Credit unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect thereto.

(d) If (i) a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to a Lender Parent shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) any Issuing Lender has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, no Issuing Lender shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless such Issuing Lender shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, satisfactory to such Issuing Lender to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

2.21. Increase in Commitments. The Borrower may, at its option, at any time or from time to time prior to the Termination Date, increase the Total Commitments by up to $135,000,000 (the “Commitment Increase”) to an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $400,000,000 by requesting the existing Lenders or new lenders to commit to any such Commitment Increase; provided that: (i) no Lender shall be required to commit to any such increase; (ii) such increase shall be in an amount equal to at least $10,000,000 (or such lesser amount as agreed by the Administrative Agent) or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; (iii) no such increase shall become effective unless at the time thereof and after giving effect thereto (A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (B) each of the representations and warranties made by any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects; provided, further, that, to the extent any such representation and warranty is already qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, such representation shall be true and correct in all respects and (C) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate from Borrower to the effect of sub-clauses (A) and (B) of clause (iii); and (iv) no new lender shall become a Lender pursuant to this Section 2.21 unless such lender is an Eligible Assignee and the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Lender shall have given its prior written consent; provided, further, that such prior written consent shall (1) not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed and (2) only be required to the extent such consent would be required in connection with the assignment of Loans or Commitments to such new lender pursuant to Section 10.6. The Borrower shall be entitled to pay upfront or other fees to such lenders who extend credit pursuant to this Section 2.21 as the Borrower and such lenders may agree. Such increases in the Commitments shall

 

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become effective on the date (each such date, an “Increased Facility Closing Date”) specified in an activation notice delivered to the Administrative Agent no less than ten (10) Business Days prior to the effective date of such notice specifying the amount of the increase and the effective date thereof (or such earlier date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion). Each new lender that provides any part of any such increase in the Commitments (a “New Lender”) shall execute a New Lender Supplement (each, a “New Lender Supplement”), substantially in the form of Exhibit E, whereupon such New Lender shall become a Lender for all purposes and to the same extent as if originally a party hereto and shall be bound by and entitled to the benefits of this Agreement. Unless otherwise agreed by Administrative Agent, on each Increased Facility Closing Date, Borrower shall borrow Revolving Loans under the relevant increased Commitments from each Lender participating in the relevant increase in an amount determined by reference to the amount of each Type of Loan (and, in the case of Term Benchmark Loans, of each Tranche) which would then have been outstanding from such Lender if (x) each such Type or Tranche had been borrowed or effected on such Increased Facility Closing Date and (y) the aggregate amount of each such Type or Tranche requested to be so borrowed or effected had been proportionately increased, and, if applicable in connection with such increased Commitments, Borrower shall pay all amounts due under Section 2.17. The Relevant Rate applicable to any Term Benchmark Loan borrowed pursuant to the preceding sentence shall equal the Relevant Rate then applicable to the Term Benchmark Loans of the other Lenders in the same Tranche (or, until the expiration of the then-current Interest Period, such other rate as shall be agreed upon between Borrower and the relevant Lender).

SECTION 3. LETTERS OF CREDIT

3.1. General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request any Issuing Lender to issue letters of credit (“Letters of Credit”) as the applicant thereof for the support of its or its Subsidiaries’ obligations, in a form reasonably acceptable to such Issuing Lender, at any time and from time to time during the Commitment Period; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, Goldman Sachs Lending Partners LLC shall not be obligated to issue commercial letters of credit.

3.2. Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Extension; Certain Conditions(a). To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, including an Approved Borrower Portal, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the respective Issuing Lender) to an Issuing Lender selected by it and to the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment or extension, but in any event no less than three (3) Business Days) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with Section 3.3), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend or extend such Letter of Credit. In addition, as a condition to any such Letter of Credit issuance, the Borrower shall have entered into a continuing agreement (or other letter of credit agreement) for the issuance of letters of credit and/or shall submit a letter of credit application, in each case, as required by the respective Issuing Lender and using such Issuing Lender’s standard form (each, a “Letter of Credit Agreement”). In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any Letter of Credit Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment or extension (i) (A) the L/C Obligations would not exceed the L/C Sublimit and (B) such Issuing Lender’s Percentage Interest of L/C Obligations when aggregated with such Issuing Lender’s Percentage Interest of outstanding Revolving Loans would not exceed such Issuing Lender’s Commitment, (ii) the

 

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aggregate amount of the Available Commitments would not be less than zero, and (iii) the Borrowing Base Availability, minus the Outstanding Amount would not be less than zero. The Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, reduce the Letter of Credit Commitment of any Issuing Lender with the consent of such Issuing Lender; provided that the Borrower shall not reduce the Letter of Credit Commitment of any Issuing Lender if, after giving effect of such reduction, the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) above shall not be satisfied.

An Issuing Lender shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

(i) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such Issuing Lender from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to such Issuing Lender shall prohibit, or require that such Issuing Lender refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Issuing Lender with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such Issuing Lender is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon such Issuing Lender any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable on the Closing Date and that such Issuing Lender in good faith deems material to it; or

(ii) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such Issuing Lender applicable to letters of credit generally.

3.3. Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination by notice from the applicable Issuing Lender to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any extension of the expiration date thereof, one year after such extension) and (ii) the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Termination Date.

3.4. Fees and Other Charges.

(a) The Borrower will pay a fee on the undrawn portion of all outstanding Letters of Credit at a per annum rate equal to the Applicable Margin then in effect with respect to Term Benchmark Loans, shared ratably among the Lenders and payable quarterly in arrears on calendar quarters no later than the date that is fifteen (15) days following the last day of such calendar quarter. In addition, the Borrower shall pay to each Issuing Lender for its own account a fronting fee equal to the greater of (x) $500 and (y) 0.125% per annum on the aggregate undrawn and unexpired amount of each Letter of Credit issued by it, payable quarterly in arrears on calendar quarters no later than the date that is fifteen (15) days following the last day of such calendar quarter after the issuance date.

(b) In addition to the foregoing fees, the Borrower shall pay or reimburse each Issuing Lender for such normal and customary costs and expenses as are incurred or charged by such Issuing Lender in issuing, negotiating, effecting payment under, amending or otherwise administering any Letter of Credit.

 

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3.5. Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the applicable Issuing Lender or the Lenders, such Issuing Lender hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Lender, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Percentage Interest of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Issuing Lender, such Lender’s Percentage Interest of each L/C Disbursement made by such Issuing Lender and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in Section 3.6, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason, including after the Termination Date. Each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this Section 3.5 in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments.

3.6. Reimbursement. If an Issuing Lender shall make any L/C Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such L/C Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such L/C Disbursement not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date that such L/C Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such L/C Disbursement prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.2 that such payment be financed with an ABR Borrowing in an equivalent amount, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Borrowing. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable L/C Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Percentage Interest thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Percentage Interest of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in this Agreement with respect to Loans made by such Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the respective Issuing Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 3.6, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the respective Issuing Lender or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this Section 3.6 to reimburse such Issuing Lender, then to such Lenders and such Issuing Lender as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this to this Section 3.6 to reimburse an Issuing Lender for any L/C Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such L/C Disbursement.

3.7. Obligations Absolute. The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse L/C Disbursements as provided in Section 3.6 of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect,(iii) payment by the respective Issuing Lender under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar

 

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to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 3, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor any Issuing Lender, nor any of their respective Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms, any error in translation or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the respective Issuing Lender; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse an Issuing Lender from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Lender’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of an Issuing Lender (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Lender shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, an Issuing Lender may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

3.8. Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Lender for any Letter of Credit shall, within the time allowed by applicable law or the specific terms of the Letter of Credit following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under such Letter of Credit. Such Issuing Lender shall promptly after such examination notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy or electronic mail) of such demand for payment if such Issuing Lender has made or will make an L/C Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Lender and the Lenders with respect to any such L/C Disbursement.

3.9. Interim Interest. If the Issuing Lender for any Letter of Credit shall make any L/C Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such L/C Disbursement in full on the date such L/C Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such L/C Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the reimbursement is due and payable at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Loans and such interest shall be due and payable on the date when such reimbursement is payable; provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such L/C Disbursement when due pursuant to Section 3.6, then Section 2.11(d) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this Section 3.9 shall be for the account of such Issuing Lender, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to Section 3.6 to reimburse such Issuing Lender for such L/C Disbursement shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

3.10. Replacement and Resignation of an Issuing Lender1. . (i) An Issuing Lender may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Lender and the successor Issuing Lender. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of an Issuing Lender. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Lender pursuant to this Agreement. From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (x) the successor Issuing Lender

 

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shall have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Lender under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued by it thereafter and (y) references herein to the term “Issuing Lender” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Lender, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Lenders, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Lender hereunder, the replaced Issuing Lender shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Lender under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit or extend or otherwise amend any existing Letter of Credit.

(ii) Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Issuing Lender, any Issuing Lender may resign as an Issuing Lender at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders, in which case, such resigning Issuing Lender shall be replaced in accordance with Section 3.10(i) above.

3.11. Cash Collateralization2. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this Section 3.11, the Borrower shall deposit in an account or accounts with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders (the “Collateral Account”), an amount in cash equal to 105% of the L/C Obligations as of such date, plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in Section 8(f). Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. In addition, and without limiting the foregoing or Section 3.3, if any L/C Obligations remain outstanding after the expiration date specified in said Section 3.3, the Borrower shall immediately deposit into the Collateral Account an amount in cash equal to 105% of such L/C Obligations as of such date, plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon.

The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse each Issuing Lender for L/C Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed, together with related fees, costs and customary processing charges, and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the L/C Obligations at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy other Obligations. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

3.12. Letters of Credit Issued for Account of Subsidiaries3. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder supports any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, or states that a Subsidiary is the “account party,” “applicant,” “customer,” “instructing party,” or the like of or for such Letter of Credit, and without derogating from any rights of the applicable Issuing Lender (whether arising by contract, at law, in equity or otherwise) against such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit, the Borrower (i) shall reimburse, indemnify and compensate the applicable Issuing Lender hereunder for such Letter of Credit (including to reimburse any and all drawings thereunder) as if such Letter of Credit had been issued solely for the account of the Borrower

 

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and (ii) irrevocably waives any and all defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of any or all of the obligations of such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of such Letters of Credit for its Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

To induce the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to make the Loans and issue or participate in the Letters of Credit, the Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and each Lender that:

4.1. Financial Statement. Borrower has furnished to Lenders that are parties this Agreement on the Closing Date a copy of the Form 10-K of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries for the periods ended September 31, 2020 and September 30, 2021 and the Form 10-Q of Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries for the periods ended December 31, 2021, March 31, 2022 and June 30, 2022; it being understood that such financial statements filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Borrower (and which are available online on the SEC website, SEC.gov) shall be deemed to have been provided by the Borrower. The financial statements and the notes thereto included in such Form 10-Ks and such Form10-Qs fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as at the dates specified therein and the consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, all in conformity with GAAP.

4.2. No Material Adverse Change. There has been no material adverse change in the financial condition of Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, since September 30, 2021.

4.3. Organization, Powers, and Capital Stock. Each of the Loan Parties (a) is a corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company (as applicable) duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under laws of its state of incorporation or formation, (b) has the power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease and to carry on its business as now conducted, (c) is duly qualified or licensed to transact business in every jurisdiction in which such qualification or licensing is necessary to enable it to enforce all of its contracts and other rights and to avoid any penalty or forfeiture except in each case to the extent of omissions that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.4. Authorization; and Validity of this Agreement; Consents; etc.

(a) Each of the Loan Parties has the power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Notes, the Guarantee Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party and to perform all its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery by the Borrower of this Agreement and the Notes and by each of the Loan Parties of the Guarantee Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party and its performance of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and any and all actions taken by the Loan Parties (i) have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action or other applicable limited partnership or limited liability company action, (ii) will not violate or be in conflict with (A) in any material respect, any provisions of law (including, without limitation, any applicable usury or similar law), (B) in any material respect, any order, rule, regulation, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award of any court or other agency of government, or (C) any provision of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, certificate of limited partnership or limited partnership agreement, or articles or certificate of formation or operating agreement (as applicable), (iii) will not violate, be in conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute (with or without the giving of notice or the passage of

 

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time or both) a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument to which such Loan Party is a party or by which it or any of its properties or assets is or may be bound (including without limitation any indentures pursuant to which any debt Securities of the Borrower have been issued), except in each case where such violation, conflict or breach would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (iv) except as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, will not result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon, or any security interest in, any of its properties or assets. Each of this Agreement, the Notes, the Guarantee Agreement and the other applicable Loan Documents has been duly executed and delivered by the applicable Loan Parties. The Loan Documents constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the applicable Loan Parties enforceable against the applicable Loan Parties in accordance with their terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally.

(b) None of the Loan Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement or instrument or is subject to any charter or other restrictions that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Loan Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries is in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of any of the obligations, covenants or conditions contained in any agreement or instrument to which it is a party that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) No order, license, consent, approval, authorization of, or registration, declaration, recording or filing (except for the filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K, and a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in each case with the Securities and Exchange Commission) with, or validation of, or exemption by, any governmental or public authority (whether federal, state or local, domestic or foreign) or any subdivision thereof is required in connection with, or as a condition precedent to, the due and valid execution, delivery and performance by any Loan Party of the Credit Agreement, the Notes, the Guarantee Agreement or the other Loan Documents, or the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any of the respective terms, provisions or conditions thereof. To the extent that any franchises, licenses, certificates, authorizations, approvals or consents from any federal, state or local (domestic or foreign) government, commission, bureau or agency are required for the acquisition, ownership, operation or maintenance by any Loan Party of properties now owned, operated or maintained by any of them, those franchises, licenses, certificates, authorizations, approvals and consents have been validly granted, are in full force and effect and constitute valid and sufficient authorization therefor, except in each case to the extent of omissions that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.5. Compliance with Laws and Other Requirements. The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are in compliance with and conform to all statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders, restrictions and all other legal requirements of all domestic or foreign governments or any instrumentality thereof having jurisdiction over the conduct of their respective businesses or the ownership of their respective properties, the violation of which would have a Material Adverse Effect on it, including, without limitation, Environmental Laws, regulations of the Board, the Federal Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, the Florida Land Sales Act or any comparable statute in any other applicable jurisdiction. None of the Loan Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries has received any notice to the effect that its operations are not in compliance with any of the requirements of applicable Environmental Laws or any applicable federal, state and local health and safety statutes and regulations or the subject of any federal or state investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a release of any Hazardous Substances into the environment, which non-compliance or remedial action could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.6. Litigation. Except as disclosed in Borrower’s Current Reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or Annual Reports on Form 10-K, there is no action, suit, Proceeding, arbitration, inquiry or investigation (whether or not purportedly on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries)

 

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pending or, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, threatened (in writing) against or affecting the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries (a) with respect to this Agreement, the Notes, the Guarantee Agreement, any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or (b) which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Loan Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries is in default with respect to any final judgment, writ, injunction, decree, rule or regulation of any court or federal, state, municipal or other governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, domestic or foreign, which default would or could have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.7. No Default. No event has occurred and is continuing that is a Default or an Event of Default.

4.8. Title to Properties. Each of the Loan Parties has good and marketable fee title, or title insurable by a reputable and nationally recognized title insurance company, to the Real Property Inventory owned by it, and to all the other assets owned by it and either reflected on the balance sheet and related notes and schedules most recently delivered by the Borrower to the Lenders (the “Recent Balance Sheet”) or acquired by it after the date of that balance sheet and prior to the date hereof, except for those properties and assets which have been disposed of since the date of the Recent Balance Sheet or which no longer are used or useful in the conduct of its business or which are classified as real estate not owned under GAAP. All such Real Property Inventory and other assets owned by the Loan Parties are free and clear of all mortgages, Liens, charges and other encumbrances (other than Permitted Liens).

4.9. Tax Liability. The Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and other tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state and other taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate Proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.10. Regulations U and X; Investment Company Act.

(a) Neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board). Margin stock (as defined in Regulation U) constitutes less than 25% of those assets of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis which are subject to any limitation on sale, pledge, or other restriction hereunder.

(b) No part of the proceeds of any extensions of credit hereunder will be used to purchase or carry any such margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any such margin stock. If requested by the Lenders, the Borrower shall furnish to the Lenders a statement in conformity with the requirements of Federal Reserve Form U-1 referred to in Regulation U of said Board. No part of the proceeds of any extensions of credit hereunder will be used for any purpose that violates, or which is inconsistent with, the provisions of Regulation X of said Board of Governors.

(c) None of the Loan Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

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4.11. ERISA Compliance.

(a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the application provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state laws. Except as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto and, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification, and (ii) each Loan Party and each ERISA Affiliate has 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 Borrower, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Except as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Plan has any Unfunded Pension Liability; (iii) no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA); (iv) no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (v) no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

4.12. Subsidiaries; Joint Ventures. As of the Closing Date, Schedule 4.12 contains a complete and accurate list of (a) all Subsidiaries of the Borrower, including, with respect to each Subsidiary, (i) its state of incorporation, (ii) all jurisdictions (if any) in which it is qualified as a foreign corporation, (iii) the number of shares of its Capital Stock outstanding, and (iv) the number and percentage of its shares owned by the Borrower and/or by any other Subsidiary, and (b) each Joint Venture, including, with respect to each such Joint Venture, (i) its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) all other jurisdictions in which it is qualified as a foreign entity and (iii) the number and percentage of its shares of Capital Stock owned by the Borrower and/or by any other Subsidiary. All the outstanding shares of Capital Stock of each Subsidiary of the Borrower are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, except as otherwise provided by state wage claim laws of general applicability. All of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock of each Subsidiary owned by the Borrower or another Subsidiary as specified in Schedule 4.12 are owned free and clear of all Liens, security interests, equity or other beneficial interests, charges and encumbrances of any kind whatsoever, except for Permitted Liens. Neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party owns of record or beneficially any shares of the Capital Stock or other equity interests of any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, except Excluded Subsidiaries.

4.13. Environmental Compliance. No Hazardous Substances in violation of any Environmental Laws, or in amount or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in liability under any Environmental Laws, are present upon any of the Real Property Inventory owned by any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or any Real Property Inventory which is encumbered by any mortgage held by any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, and none of the Loan Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries has received any notice to the effect that any of the Real Property Inventory owned by any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or any of their respective operations are not

 

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in compliance with any of the requirements of applicable Environmental Laws or are the subject of any action, suit, Proceeding relating to any remedial action, or any federal or state investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed, to respond to a release of any Hazardous Substance into the environment which non-compliance, presence or remedial action could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.14. No Misrepresentation. No representation or warranty by any Loan Party made under this Agreement and no certificate, schedule, exhibit, report or other document provided or to be provided by any Loan Party in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including, without limitation, the negotiation of and compliance with the Loan Documents) contains or will contain, when taken as a whole, a misstatement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein in order to make the statements contained therein, in the light of the circumstances under which made, not materially misleading (after giving effect to all supplements and updates thereto from time to time); provided that with respect to any management projections, budgets, estimates and other forward-looking information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

4.15. Solvent. Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis are Solvent.

4.16. Foreign Direct Investment Regulations. Neither the making of the Loans or advances of credit nor the repayment thereof nor any other transaction contemplated hereby will involve or constitute a violation by any Loan Party of any provision of the Foreign Direct Investment Regulations of the United States Department of Commerce or of any license, ruling, order, or direction of the Secretary of Commerce thereunder.

4.17. Relationship of the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties are engaged as an integrated group in the business of owning, developing and selling Real Property Inventory and of providing the required services, credit and other facilities for those integrated operations. The Loan Parties require financing on such a basis that funds can be made available from time to time to such entities, to the extent required for the continued successful operation of their integrated operations. The Loans and other advances of credit to be made to the Borrower under this Agreement are for the purpose of financing the integrated operations of the Loan Parties, and the Loan Parties expect to derive benefit, directly or indirectly, from the Loans and other advances, both individually and as a member of the integrated group, since the financial success of the operations of the Loan Parties is dependent upon the continued successful performance of the integrated group as a whole.

4.18. Insurance. The properties of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries operate.

4.19. Foreign Asset Control Regulations. Neither the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents by Borrower or any Loan Party nor the use of the proceeds of any Loan or any extension of credit, will violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or the Anti-Terrorism Order or any enabling legislation or executive order relating to any of the same. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, none of the Borrower, any Loan Party nor any of their respective subsidiaries (a) are or will become a blocked person described in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (b) engage or will engage in any dealings or transactions or be otherwise associated with any such blocked person.

 

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4.20. Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. The Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries own, or possess 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. No claim has been asserted and is pending against the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries challenging or questioning the ownership, use, validity or enforceability of any such IP Rights, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.21. Subordinated Debt. The Obligations constitute senior indebtedness which is entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions of all outstanding Subordinated Debt, which outstanding Subordinated Debt as of the Closing Date is identified in Schedule 4.21.

4.22. Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, its employees and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Loan or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.

4.23. Disclosure. As of the Closing Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification provided by Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender is true and correct in all respects.

4.24. Affected Financial Institution. No Loan Party is an Affected Financial Institution.

SECTION 5. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

5.1. Conditions to Initial Extension of Credit. The effectiveness of this Agreement the agreement of each Lender (including the Issuing Lenders) to make the initial extension of credit requested to be made by it is subject to the satisfaction, prior to or concurrently with the making of such extension of credit on the Closing Date, of the following conditions precedent:

(a) Credit Agreement; Guarantee and Notes. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) this Agreement, executed and delivered by the Borrower and each Lender listed on Schedule 1.1A, which shall be in full force and effect, (ii) the Guarantee Agreement, executed and delivered by each Guarantor, which shall be in full force and effect, and (iii) Notes, if requested, payable to each requesting Lender and its registered assigns, which shall be in full force and effect.

(b) Financial Statements. The Lenders shall have received (i) Form 10-K for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries filed for each of the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2021 (which financial statements shall be deemed delivered when filed with the SEC) and (ii) Form 10-Q for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries filed for each of the fiscal quarters ended December 31, 2021, March 31, 2022 and June 30, 2022 (which financial statements shall be deemed delivered when filed with the SEC).

(c) Fees. The Lenders, the Arrangers and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel to the Administrative Agent) on or before the Closing Date.

 

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(d) Closing Certificate; Certified Certificate of Incorporation; Good Standing Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received following supporting documents with respect to the Borrower and the other Loan Parties: (i) a copy of its certificate or articles of incorporation, formation, organization or certificate of limited partnership (as applicable) certified as of a date reasonably close to the Closing Date to be a true and accurate copy by the Secretary of State (or similar governmental authority) of its state of incorporation or formation; (ii) a certificate of that Secretary of State (or similar governmental authority), dated as of a date reasonably close to the Closing Date, as to its existence and (if available) good standing; (iii) a certificate of the Secretary of State (or similar governmental authority) of each jurisdiction, other than its state of incorporation or formation, in which it is qualified as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or other entity (as applicable), as to such qualification, unless any failure to be so qualified in such jurisdiction could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) a copy of its by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement (as applicable), certified by its secretary or assistant secretary, general partner, manager or other appropriate Person (as applicable) to be a true and accurate copy of its by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement (as applicable) in effect on the Closing Date; (v) a certificate of its secretary or assistant secretary, general partner, manager or other appropriate Person (as applicable), as to the incumbency and signatures of its officers or other Persons who have executed any documents on behalf of such Loan Party in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (vi) a copy of resolutions of its Board of Directors, certified by its secretary or assistant secretary to be a true and accurate copy of resolutions duly adopted by such Board of Directors, or other appropriate resolutions or consents of, its partners or members certified by its general partner or manager (as applicable) to be true and correct copies thereof duly adopted, approved or otherwise delivered by its partners or members (to the extent necessary and applicable), each of which is certified to be in full force and effect on the Closing Date, authorizing the execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and any Notes, Guarantee Agreement and other Loan Documents delivered on the Closing Date to which it is a party and the performance by it of all its obligations thereunder; and (vii) such additional supporting documents and other information with respect to its operations and affairs as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

(e) Legal Opinions. The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable legal opinion of (i) King & Spalding LLP, counsel to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) Keith L. Belknap (or his successor), as General Counsel of the Borrower. Such legal opinions shall cover such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

(f) Representations and Warranties; No Defaults. (i) (a) the representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Section 4 hereof are correct and accurate in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date; provided that, to the extent any such representation and warranty is already qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, such representation shall be true and correct in all respects, and (b) no event has occurred and is continuing which constitutes an Event of Default or Default hereunder as of the Closing Date, or after giving effect to any extension of credit on the Closing Date and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received certificates signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying as to the foregoing.

(g) Compliance Certificate; Borrowing Base Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received, no later than seven (7) days prior to the Closing Date (or such lesser period of time as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), delivery of (i) a Compliance Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, as of June 30, 2022, and (ii) a Borrowing Base Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit C, as of June 30, 2022, with customary supporting documentation and supplemental reporting.

 

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(h) KYC/Beneficial Ownership. (i) The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least five (5) days prior to the Closing Date, all documentation and other information regarding the Borrower requested in connection with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act and (ii) at least five (5) days prior to the Closing Date, any Lender that has requested, in a written notice to the Borrower, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower shall have received such Beneficial Ownership Certification (provided that, upon the execution and delivery by such Lender of its signature page to this Agreement, the condition set forth in this clause (ii) shall be deemed to be satisfied).

(i) No Proceeding or Litigation; No Injunctive Relief. No action, suit or Proceeding before any arbitrator or any Governmental Authority shall have been commenced, no investigation by any Governmental Authority shall have been commenced and no action, suit, Proceeding or investigation by any Governmental Authority shall have been threatened (in writing), against the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of the officers, directors or managers of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in whole or in part or questioning the validity or legality of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or seeking damages in connection with such transactions.

(j) Consents, Licenses Approvals, etc. All governmental and third party consents, licenses and approvals necessary or, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, advisable in accordance with the transactions contemplated hereby and the continuing operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including shareholder approvals, if any) shall have been obtained on reasonably satisfactory terms and be in full force and effect.

(k) Solvency Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a duly executed Solvency Certificate.

(l) No Material Adverse Change. There shall not have occurred any event, condition, situation or status since September 30, 2021 that has had or could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition or business or operations of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

(m) Termination of Existing Credit Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence, in the form of a customary payoff letter satisfactory to it, that substantially concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (a) the Existing Credit Agreement has been terminated (and the commitment of each financial institution to make loans and other extensions of credit pursuant to the Existing Credit Agreement shall have been terminated in full), (b) all outstanding Indebtedness and other obligations and amounts owing thereunder have been paid in full, and (c) all guarantees and security interests granted in connection with the Existing Credit Agreement have been terminated and, other than as set forth on Schedule 6.10, released.

(n) Additional Documents. Such other agreements, instruments and documents as the Administrative Agent, its counsel or any Lender may reasonably request.

5.2. Conditions to Each Extension of Credit. The agreement of each Lender (including any Issuing Lender) to make any extension of credit requested to be made by it on any date (including its initial extension of credit) is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

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(a) Borrowing Request. The Administrative Agent shall have received notice of the Borrower’s request for Revolving Loans as provided in Section 2.2 or the Borrower’s request for the issuance of a Letter of Credit as provided in Section 3.2.

(b) Representations and Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties made by any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except any representations and warranties which are qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, shall be correct and accurate in all respects) on and as of such date as if made on and as of such date; provided that if any such representations and warranties are expressly made only as of a prior date, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects (or all respects, as applicable) as of such prior date.

(c) No Default. No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such date or after giving effect to the extensions of credit requested to be made on such date.

(d) Availability. If, after giving effect to such Loan or Letter of Credit, the Borrowing Base Availability is less than the Outstanding Amount, Borrower shall, on such date, reduce the Outstanding Amount by an amount at least equal to such deficiency.

(e) Borrowing Base Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a Borrowing Base Certificate for the most recently ended month for which a Borrowing Base Certificate is required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(l), showing the Borrowing Base Availability after giving pro forma effect to such Loan or Letter of Credit.

Each borrowing by and issuance of a Letter of Credit on behalf of the Borrower hereunder shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower as of the date of such extension of credit that the conditions contained in this Section 5.2 have been satisfied.

SECTION 6. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

The Borrower hereby agrees that, so long as the Commitments remain in effect, any Letter of Credit remains outstanding or any Loan or other amount (other than contingent obligations (such as indemnities or increased costs) as to which no claim bas been asserted) is owing to any Lender, any Issuing Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder, the Borrower shall and shall cause each Loan Party to:

6.1. Reporting Requirements. The Borrower shall maintain a standard system of accounting established and administered in accordance with GAAP and shall cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent (for prompt distribution by the Administrative Agent to Lenders):

(a) as soon as available and in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022), a consolidated balance sheet of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of the end of that fiscal year and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for that fiscal year, all with accompanying notes and schedules, prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied and audited and reported upon by Deloitte & Touche LLP or another firm of independent certified public accountants of similar recognized standing selected by the Borrower and acceptable to the Administrative Agent (such audit report shall be unqualified except for qualifications relating to changes in GAAP and required or approved by the Borrower’s independent certified public accountants); the financial statements filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Borrower (and which are available online) shall be deemed to have been provided by the Borrower under this reporting requirement;

 

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(b) as soon as available and in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first three quarters, of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of the end of that quarter, and the related consolidated statement of operations and cash flows of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries for the period from the beginning of the fiscal year to the end of that quarter, all prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, unaudited but certified to be true and accurate, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments, by an Authorized Financial Officer of the Borrower; the financial statements filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Borrower (and which are available online) shall be deemed to have been provided by the Borrower under this reporting requirement;

(c) (x) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements described in subsection (a) above, to the extent such accountants issue such letters, a letter signed by that firm of independent certified public accountants to the effect that, during the course of their examination, nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that any Event of Default has occurred, or if such Event of Default has occurred, specifying the facts with respect thereto, (y) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements described in subsection (a) or (b) above, a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Executive Vice President and an Authorized Financial Officer of the Borrower to the effect that having read this Agreement, and based upon an examination which they deemed sufficient to enable them to make an informed statement, there does not exist any Event of Default or Default, or if such Event of Default or Default has occurred, specifying the facts with respect thereto and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, and (z) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements described in subsection (a) or (b) above, a certificate of an Authorized Financial Officer of the Borrower including, with respect to such financial statements, any adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such consolidated financial statements;

(d) within 90 days after the beginning of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2023, a projection, in reasonable detail and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, on a quarterly basis, of the earnings, cash flow, balance sheet and covenant calculations (with assumptions for all of the foregoing) of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries for that fiscal year;

(e) promptly upon becoming available, copies of all financial statements, reports, notices and proxy statements sent by the Borrower to its stockholders, and of all regular and periodic reports and other material (including copies of all registration statements and reports under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) filed by the Borrower with or furnished to any securities exchange or any governmental authority or commission, except material filed with or furnished to governmental authorities or commissions relating to the development of Real Property Inventory in the ordinary course of the business of the Loan Parties and which does not relate to or disclose any Material Adverse Effect; the reports and financial statements filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Borrower (and which are available online) shall be deemed to have been provided by the Borrower under these reporting requirements;

(f) as soon as available and in any event within 90 days after the end of the fourth quarter of each fiscal year for the Joint Ventures, a statement of earnings, assets, liabilities and net worth, indicating Borrower’s and each Loan Party’s pro rata share thereof, in the form attached as Schedule 6.1(f);

 

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(g) the following reports: within 45 days after the end of each of the first three quarters, and within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the quarter ending December 31, 2022 and fiscal year ending September 30, 2022), a report which shall include the information and calculations provided for in the Compliance Certificate attached to this Agreement, which shall be in reasonable detail and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, with calculations indicating whether the Borrower is in compliance, as of the last day of such quarterly or annual period, as the case may be, with the provisions of the financial covenants in Section 7.1 of Borrower and the Loan Parties (the reports furnished pursuant to this subsection (g) shall each be certified to be true and correct by an Authorized Financial Officer of the Borrower);

(h) as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days after the Borrower knows that any Reportable Event has occurred with respect to any Plan, a statement, signed by an Authorized Financial Officer of the Borrower, describing said Reportable Event and the action which the Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto;

(i) as soon as possible and in any event within 10 days after receipt thereof by any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, a copy of (i) any notice or claim to the effect that any of the Loan Parties or of their Subsidiaries is or may be liable to any Person as a result of the release by any of the Loan Parties, any of their Subsidiaries, or any other Person of any Hazardous Substance into the environment, and (ii) any notice alleging any violation of any Environmental Law or any federal, state or local health or safety law or regulation by any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, which, in either case, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(j) concurrently with the quarterly financial statements described in subsection (b) above (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion) following the end of any quarter in which there occurred an event that requires a Subsidiary that is not then a Guarantor to become a Guarantor under this Agreement (as described in Section 6.7 below) (or at any time that the Borrower may elect to cause any other Subsidiary to be a Guarantor), the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (i) a supplemental guaranty, substantially in the form provided for in the Guarantee Agreement, executed by a duly authorized officer of such Subsidiary; (ii) a copy of the certificate of incorporation or other organizational document of such Subsidiary, certified by the secretary of state or other official of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation; (iii) representations and warranties from Borrower regarding such Guarantor’s formation, authority, execution, delivery, non-contravention and enforceability of the supplemental guaranty as are delivered by the Borrower and Loan Parties at the Closing Date and (iv) such other documents and instruments as Administrative Agent may reasonably require, including appropriate favorable opinions of counsel to such Person in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent;

(k) such supplements to the aforementioned documents and additional information and reports as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably require and information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act; and

(l) as soon as available, but in any event within twenty (20) days after the end of each calendar month, a Borrowing Base Certificate, certified by an Authorized Financial Officer of the Borrower, showing the calculation of the Borrowing Base and Borrowing Base Availability as of the last day of such month, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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6.2. Payment of Taxes and Other Potential Liens. Pay and discharge or cause to be paid and discharged promptly all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon any Loan Party or upon any of their respective incomes or receipts or upon any of their respective properties before the same shall become in default or past due, or result in the imposition of a Lien or charge upon such properties or any part thereof; provided, however, that it shall not constitute a violation of the provisions of this Section 6.2 if any Loan Party shall fail to perform any such obligation or to pay any such tax, assessment, governmental charge or levy which is being contested in good faith, by proper proceedings diligently pursued, and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in conformity with GAAP.

6.3. Preservation of Existence. Do or cause to be done all things or proceed with due diligence with any actions or courses of action which may be necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence under the laws of their respective states of incorporation or formation and all qualifications or licenses in jurisdictions in which such qualification or licensing is required for the conduct of its business, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit any merger, consolidation, Division, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 7.3. The Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted. The primary business of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries shall at all times be the acquisition, development and sale of real estate assets and ancillary and complementary businesses thereto.

6.4. Maintenance of Properties. Maintain all its properties and assets in good working order and condition and make all necessary repairs, renewals and replacements thereof so that its business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times; and maintain or require to be maintained (a) adequate insurance, by financially sound and reputable insurers, on all properties of the Loan Parties which are of a character usually insured by Persons engaged in the same or a similar business (including, without limitation, all Real Property Inventory encumbered by mortgages securing mortgage loans made by any Loan Party, to the extent normally required by prudent mortgagees, and all Real Property Inventory which is the subject of an equity investment by any Loan Party, to the extent normally carried by prudent builder-developers) against loss or damage resulting from fire, defects in title or other risks insured against by extended coverage and of the kind customarily insured against by those Persons, (b) adequate public liability insurance against tort claims which may be incurred by any Loan Party, and (c) such other insurance as may be required by law, in each case, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Lenders full information as to the insurance carried.

6.5. Access to Premises and Books. At all reasonable times and as often as any Lender may reasonably request, permit authorized representatives and agents (including accountants) designated by that Lender to (a) have access to the premises of the Borrower and each Subsidiary and to their respective corporate books and financial records, and all other records relating to their respective operations and procedures, (b) make copies of or excerpts from those books and records and (c) upon reasonable notice to the Borrower, discuss the respective affairs, finances and operations of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries with, and to be advised as to the same by, their respective officers and directors.

 

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6.6. Notices. Give prompt written notice to the Administrative Agent (who promptly shall furnish the same to the Lenders) of (a) any Proceeding instituted by or against the Borrower or any of the Loan Parties in any federal or state court or before any commission or other regulatory body, federal, state or local or other governmental agency, which, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on any Loan Party, (b) any other event which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in a Material Adverse Effect, (c) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default and (d) any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in parts (c) or (d) of such certification.

6.7. Addition and Removal of Guarantors. Give the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of the formation or acquisition of any Restricted Subsidiary or of any Subsidiary ceasing to be an Excluded Subsidiary. Each such (x) newly formed Restricted Subsidiary (to the extent such Restricted Subsidiary is not an Excluded Subsidiary) and (y) Restricted Subsidiary that has ceased to be an Excluded Subsidiary shall be required to become a Guarantor in accordance with the terms set forth in Section 6.1(j).

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, if at any time or from time to time any event results in a Change in Status of a Guarantor, the Borrower shall deliver notice thereof to the Administrative Agent, including a reasonably detailed description of the Change in Status and a statement of the effective date of the Change in Status (such written notice, a “Change in Status Notice”). Such notice shall be delivered no later than 45 days after the end of the fiscal quarter during which such Change in Status occurs; provided, however, that with respect to any Change in Status occurring during the last quarter of Borrower’s fiscal year, such notice shall be delivered no later than 90 days after the end of such final fiscal quarter. Each Change in Status event shall be effective as of the effective date requested in such Change in Status Notice, automatically, without any further action by any party to this Agreement, and upon the requested effective date included in the Change in Status Notice, the Subsidiary that is or was subject to such Change in Status shall no longer be a Guarantor and shall be released from the Guarantee Agreement so long as, (x) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or shall result therefrom, (y) the Guarantor is released from its guarantee(s) under all other Indebtedness ranking pari passu with the Obligations (other than by reason of payment under such guarantees) and (z) the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Section 6.7 have been complied with and that such release is authorized and permitted under this Agreement.

6.8. Compliance with Laws and Other Requirements. Promptly and fully comply with, conform to and obey all present and future laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees, awards and all other legal requirements applicable to the Loan Parties, their Subsidiaries and their respective properties, including, without limitation, Regulation Z of the Board, the Federal Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, ERISA, the Florida Land Sales Act or any similar statute in any applicable jurisdiction, in each case, the violation of which would have a Material Adverse Effect on any Loan Party. The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

6.9. Use of Proceeds. Use and cause to be used the proceeds of the Loans and other extensions of credit for working capital and general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, including, subject to Section 7.8, to repay or prepay Indebtedness. The Borrower will not request any Loan or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit (A) in furtherance of an offer,

 

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payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (B) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, or (C) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

6.10. Certain Post-Closing Obligations. Within the time periods after the Closing Date specified in Schedule 6.10 or such later date as the Administrative Agent agrees in its reasonable discretion, the Borrower shall deliver the documents and take the actions specified on Schedule 6.10.

SECTION 7. NEGATIVE COVENANTS

The Borrower hereby agrees that, so long as the Commitments remain in effect, any Letter of Credit remains outstanding or any Loan or other amount (other than contingent obligations (such as indemnities and increased costs) as to which no claim bas been asserted) is owing to any Lender, the Issuing Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder:

7.1. Financial Condition Covenants. The Borrower shall not,

(a) Maximum Leverage Ratio. As of the end of each fiscal quarter, permit the Leverage Ratio to exceed sixty percent (60%).

(b) Minimum Liquidity Test. Fail to maintain Liquidity in an amount not less than the Minimum Liquidity Amount.

(c) Minimum Interest Coverage Ratio: As of the end of each fiscal quarter, fail to maintain an Interest Coverage Ratio greater than 1.50:1.00.

(d) Minimum Net Worth Test. Fail to maintain minimum Consolidated Tangible Net Worth of at least (a) $625,142,250770,012,600 , plus (b) the sum of (i) 50% of the cumulative Consolidated Net Income of each fiscal quarter where net income is positive, of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries from and after JulyJanuary 1, 20222024 , plus (ii) 50% of the net proceeds from any equity offerings of Borrower (other than offerings of Disqualified Stock), in each case, from and after ClosingFirst Amendment Effective Date.

7.2. Liens and Encumbrances. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any other Loan Party to, grant or suffer or permit to exist any Liens on any of its rights, properties or assets other than Permitted Liens.

7.3. Limitation on Fundamental Changes; Sale of Assets.

(a) The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, do any of the following:

(i) sell, assign, license, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or any material portion of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) (including, in each case, by way of a Division), except (A) for the sale or other disposition of inventory in the ordinary course of business, (B) dispositions, sales, or assignments of properties (including a bulk sale of properties held in a geographic region) relating to restructuring or withdrawal from one or more geographic regions; provided that the fair value of such dispositions, sales or transfers in this clause (B) does not exceed in any twelve (12) consecutive months 15% of

 

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Consolidated Tangible Net Worth (determined as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements are available), (C) the sale and leaseback of Model Units, and (D) unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Administrative Agent has provided written notice to the Borrower that it is prohibiting the transactions otherwise permitted under this clause, (1) any sale or other disposition of Cash Equivalents or obsolete or worn out equipment, in each case, in the ordinary course of business (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) and (2) the sale or other disposition of assets, including Real Property Inventory, no longer used or useful in the conduct of business of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(ii) merge into or consolidate with any other Person or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it or consummate a Division as the Dividing Person;

(iii) dissolve, liquidate or wind up its business by operation of law or otherwise; or

(iv) distribute to the stockholders of the Borrower any Capital Stock of any Subsidiary that is a Guarantor; provided, however, that any Subsidiary or any other Person may merge into or consolidate with, consummate a Division, or may dissolve and liquidate into a Loan Party and any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge into or consolidate with, consummate a Division, or may dissolve and liquidate into another Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, if (and only if), (1) in the case of a merger or consolidation involving a Loan Party other than the Borrower, the surviving Person is, or upon such merger or consolidation becomes, a Loan Party, (2) in the case of a merger or consolidation involving the Borrower, the Borrower is the surviving Person, (3) in the case of a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, such Subsidiary is merging or consolidating with any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, (4) in the case of a Division of a Subsidiary that is an LLC and such Subsidiary is the Dividing Person, immediately upon the consummation of the Division, the assets of the applicable Dividing Person are held by one or more Subsidiaries at such time, or, with respect to assets not so held by one or more Subsidiaries, such Division, in the aggregate, would not otherwise result in a disposition prohibited by Section 7.3(a)(i) above, (5) the character of the business of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will not be materially changed by such occurrence, and (6) such occurrence shall not constitute or give rise to (a) an Event of Default or (b) a default (beyond all applicable grace and cure periods) in respect of any of the covenants contained in any agreement to which the Borrower or any such Subsidiary is a party or by which its property may be bound if such default would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, acquire another Person (or all or substantially all of the assets of such Person or of a business unit of such Person) unless (i) the primary business of such Person is engaging in homebuilding, land acquisition or land development businesses and businesses that are reasonably related thereto or reasonable extensions thereof and (ii) such acquisition shall not be undertaken by means of a hostile takeover, hostile tender offer or other similar hostile transaction.

Nothing contained in this Section 7.3, however, shall restrict any sale or other disposition of assets among the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries which is in the ordinary course of business or is otherwise in compliance with all other provisions of this Agreement.

 

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7.4. Permitted Investments. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make any Investment or otherwise acquire any interest in any Person, except:

(a) Investments in or loans or advances to (i) the Borrower and (ii) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Guarantor;

(b) Cash Equivalents (including Permitted Investments);

(c) receivables owing to Borrower or any Guarantor if created or acquired in the ordinary course of business;

(d) lease, utility and other similar deposits in the ordinary course of business;

(e) Investments made by Borrower or any Guarantor for consideration consisting only of Capital Stock of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Stock);

(f) guarantees of performance obligations in the ordinary course of business;

(g) Investments outstanding on the Closing Date, as set forth on Schedule 7.4;

(h) Investments permitted by Section 7.3(b);

(i) Investments in mortgages, receivables, other securities or ownership interests, loans or advances made in connection with a strategy to acquire land or other homebuilding assets through foreclosure or other exercise of remedies;

(j) Investments in securities of trade creditors or customers received pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such trade creditors or customers;

(k) Investments or securities received in settlement of debts owing to Borrower or any Guarantor in the ordinary course of business;

(l) loans to employees, agents, customers or suppliers in the ordinary course of business not to exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding;

(m) Investments in Persons that are in the business of homebuilding, land acquisition or land development businesses and businesses that are reasonably related thereto or reasonable extensions thereof not to exceed in the aggregate amount outstanding at any time 20% of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth;

(n) Investments in Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors or in Joint Ventures (including guarantees of Indebtedness and other obligations of Joint Ventures or Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors) in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed 5% of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth; and

(o) other Investments in the aggregate amount not to exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding.

 

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7.5. No Margin Stock. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, use or permit to be used any of the proceeds of the Loans or other extensions of credit hereunder to purchase or carry any “margin stock” (as defined in Regulation U).

7.6. Burdensome Agreements. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any Contractual Obligation that limits the ability (i) of any Restricted Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any Guarantor or to otherwise transfer property to the Borrower or any Guarantor, (ii) of any Restricted Subsidiary to guarantee the Indebtedness of the Borrower or (iii) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person to secure its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party; provided, however, that this clause (iii) shall not prohibit the requirement of granting a pari passu Lien in favor of any holder of any public Indebtedness if the Obligations hereunder are required to be secured; provided, further, however, the foregoing shall not apply to (v) restrictions imposed by law or this Agreement, (w) customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to a sale of a Subsidiary or all or substantially all of its assets pending such sale; provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (x) customary provisions in leases, partnership agreements, limited liability company organizational governance documents, joint venture agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business that restrict the transfer or encumbrance of leasehold interests or ownership interests in such partnership, limited liability company, joint venture or similar Person, (y) customary restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to any secured Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder; provided that such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such secured Indebtedness, or the proceeds thereof and (z) with respect to clause (iii), customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment thereof.

7.7. [Reserved].

7.8. Prepayment of Indebtedness. If a Default has occurred and is continuing or an acceleration of the indebtedness under this Agreement has occurred, the Borrower shall not voluntarily prepay, or permit any Guarantor voluntarily to prepay, the principal amount, in whole or in part, of any Indebtedness other than (a) Indebtedness owed to each Lender hereunder, (b) Indebtedness which ranks pari passu with the Indebtedness incurred under this Agreement which is or becomes due and owing whether by reason of acceleration or otherwise and (c) Indebtedness which is exchanged for, or converted into, Capital Stock other than Disqualified Stock (or securities to acquire Capital Stock other than Disqualified Stock) of the Borrower.

7.9. Pension Plan. The Borrower shall not enter into, maintain or make contributions to, or permit any Subsidiary to enter into, maintain or make contributions to, directly or indirectly, any plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, except for defined benefit pension plans of any Persons formed or acquired, directly or indirectly, by Borrower or any Subsidiary as permitted under this Agreement.

7.10. Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower shall not enter into any transaction (including, without limitation, the purchase or sale of any property or service) with, or make any payment or transfer to, any Affiliate (or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to do any of the foregoing), except in the ordinary course of business and pursuant to the reasonable requirements of the Borrower’s or a Restricted Subsidiary’s business and upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary than the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary would obtain in a comparable arms’-length transaction; provided that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (a) transactions exclusively between or among Loan Parties and (b) transactions involving the purchase, sale or exchange of property having an aggregate value of $10,000,000 or less in any fiscal year.

 

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7.11. Foreign Assets Control Regulations. The Borrower shall not use or permit the use the proceeds of any Loan or any extension of credit in any manner that will violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or the Anti-Terrorism Order or any enabling legislation or executive order relating to any of the same. Without limiting the foregoing, neither the Borrowers nor any other Loan Party will permit itself nor any of its Subsidiaries to (a) become a blocked person described in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (b) engage in any dealings or transactions or be otherwise associated with any person who is a blocked person.

SECTION 8. EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

If any of the following events shall occur and be continuing:

(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation when due in accordance with the terms hereof; or the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan, Reimbursement Obligation, any fees hereunder or any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document within five (5) Business Days after any such interest, fees or other amounts becomes due in accordance with the terms hereof; or

(b) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by any Loan Party herein or in any other Loan Document or that is contained in any certificate, document or financial or other statement furnished by it at any time under or in connection with this Agreement or any such other Loan Document shall be false or misleading in any material respect (or, with respect to any representations and warranties which are qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) when made or deemed made; or

(c) any Loan Party shall default in the observance or performance of any covenant contained in Sections 6.1(l), 6.3, 6.5, 6.6 or 6.9, or Section 7; or

(d) any Loan Party shall default in the observance or performance of any other covenant contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than as provided in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Section 8), and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days; or

(e) any Loan Party shall (i) default in making any payment of any principal of any Indebtedness (including any Contingent Obligation, but excluding the Loans and Non-Recourse Indebtedness) beyond any applicable period of grace, or (ii) default in making any payment of any interest on any such Indebtedness or Contingent Obligation set forth in clause (i) beyond the period of grace, if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which such Indebtedness was created, or (iii) default in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Contingent Obligations set forth in clause (i) or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or beneficiary of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or beneficiary) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity or (in the case of any such Indebtedness constituting a Contingent Obligation) to become payable; provided that a default, event or condition described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (e) shall not at any time constitute an Event of Default unless, at such time, one or more defaults, events or conditions of the type described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph (e) shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to Indebtedness or Contingent Obligation the aggregate outstanding principal amount of which is $25,000,000 or more; or

 

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(f) (i) the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall commence any case, proceeding or other action (A) under any existing or future law of any jurisdiction, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or relief of debtors, seeking to have an order for relief entered with respect to it, or seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, winding-up, liquidation, dissolution, composition or other relief with respect to it or its debts, or (B) seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator or other similar official for it or for all or any substantial part of its assets; or (ii) there shall be commenced against the Borrower or any other Loan Party any case, proceeding or other action of a nature referred to in clause (i) above that (A) results in the entry of an order for relief or any such adjudication or appointment or (B) remains un-dismissed or undischarged for a period of 60 days; or (iii) there shall be commenced against the Borrower or any other Loan Party any case, proceeding or other action seeking issuance of a warrant of attachment, execution, distraint or similar process against all or any substantial part of its assets that results in the entry of an order for any such relief that shall not have been vacated, discharged, or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 60 days from the entry thereof; or (iv) the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall take any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any of the acts set forth in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above; or (v) the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall generally not, or shall be unable to, or shall admit in writing its inability to, pay its debts as they become due; or (vi) the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall make a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or

(g) (i) an ERISA Event shall have occurred, (ii) a trustee shall be appointed by a United States district court to administer any Plan, (iii) the PBGC shall institute proceedings to terminate any Plan(s), (iv) any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate shall have been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that it has incurred or will be assessed withdrawal liability (within the meaning of Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA) to such Multiemployer Plan and such entity does not have reasonable grounds for contesting such withdrawal liability or is not contesting such withdrawal liability in a timely and appropriate manner; or (v) any other event or condition shall occur or exist with respect to a Plan; and in each case in clauses (i) through (v) above, such event or condition, together with all other such events or conditions, if any, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

(h) one or more final non-appealable judgments or decrees shall be entered against any Loan Party involving in the aggregate a liability of more than $25,000,000, and all such judgments or decrees shall not have been paid, vacated, discharged, stayed or bonded pending appeal within 30 days from the entry thereof; or

(i) any Loan Party shall be found responsible for (A) the release by any Loan Party, any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person of any Hazardous Substance into the environment, or (B) any violation of any Environmental Law or any federal, state or local health or safety law or regulation, which, in either case of clause (A) or (B), could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or

(j) any of the Loan Documents (including the guarantee contained in Section 1 of the Guarantee Agreement) shall cease, for any reason, to be in full force and effect or any Loan Party or any Affiliate of any Loan Party shall so assert (excluding release of any Guarantor from its guarantee in accordance with the Loan Documents); or

(k) there shall occur any Change of Control of the Borrower;

 

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then, and in any such event, (A) if such event is an Event of Default specified in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (f) above with respect to the Borrower, automatically the Commitments shall immediately terminate and the Loans (with accrued interest thereon) and all other amounts owing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all amounts of L/C Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall have presented the documents required thereunder) shall immediately become due and payable, and (B) if such event is any other Event of Default, either or both of the following actions may be taken: (i) with the consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, or upon the request of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower declare the Commitments to be terminated forthwith, whereupon the Commitments shall immediately terminate; and (ii) with the consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, or upon the request of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower, declare the Loans (with accrued interest thereon) and all other amounts owing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all amounts of L/C Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall have presented the documents required thereunder) to be due and payable forthwith, whereupon the same shall immediately become due and payable. With respect to all Letters of Credit with respect to which presentment for honor shall not have occurred at the time of an acceleration pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall at such time deposit in a cash collateral account opened by the Administrative Agent an amount equal to 103% of the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit. Amounts held in such cash collateral account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to the payment of drafts drawn under such Letters of Credit, and the unused portion thereof after all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, if any, shall be applied to repay other obligations of the Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. After all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, all Reimbursement Obligations shall have been satisfied and all other obligations of the Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall have been paid in full, the balance, if any, in such cash collateral account shall be returned to the Borrower (or such other Person as may be lawfully entitled thereto). Except as expressly provided above in this Section 8, presentment, demand, protest and all other notices of any kind are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower.

On and after the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall apply all payments in respect of any Obligations in the following order: (i) first, to pay Obligations in respect of (A) any fees, expenses, reimbursements or indemnities then due to the Administrative Agent, (B) any fees (other than commitment fees and Letter of Credit fees), expenses, reimbursements or indemnities then due to the Lenders and Issuing Lenders and (C) to pay commitment fees, Letter of Credit fees and interest due in respect of Loans and Letters of Credit; (ii) second, to the ratable payment or prepayment of principal outstanding on Loans and Letters of Credit; and (iii) third, to the ratable payment of all other Obligations. On or after the occurrence of an Event of Default, all principal payments in respect of Loans shall be applied: (i) first, to repay outstanding ABR Loans and (ii) second to repay outstanding Term Benchmark Loans and, if applicable, RFR Loans, with those that have the earlier expiring Interest Period being repaid prior to those that have later expiring Interest Periods. The order of priority set forth in this paragraph and the related provisions of this Agreement are set forth solely to determine the rights and priorities of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and the Issuing Lenders as among themselves. The order of priority set forth in clause (i) may be changed only with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the order of priority of payments in respect of Letters of Credit may be changed only with the prior written consent of the Issuing Lenders.

 

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SECTION 9. THE AGENTS

9.1. Appointment. Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Administrative Agent as the agent of such Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent, in such capacity, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent.

9.2. Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by or through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys in-fact selected by it with reasonable care. The Syndication Agents shall not have any duties or responsibilities hereunder in their capacity as such.

9.3. Exculpatory Provisions. Neither Administrative Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be (i) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except to the extent that any of the foregoing are found by a final and non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from its or such Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Loan Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page) or for any failure of any Loan Party to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Administrative Agent shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party. The motivations of the Administrative Agent are commercial in nature and not to invest in the general performance or operations of the Borrower.

9.4. Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any instrument, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy or email message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrower rendered in any legal opinion for the benefit of the Administrative Agent or any Lender), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the owner thereof for all purposes unless a written notice of assignment, negotiation or transfer thereof shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders) as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in accordance with a request of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders), and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of the Loans.

 

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9.5. Notice of Default. The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default unless the Administrative Agent has received notice from a Lender or the Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default”. In the event that the Administrative Agent receives such a notice, the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders); provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders.

9.6. Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Administrative Agent nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates have made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Administrative Agent hereafter taken, including any review of the affairs of a Loan Party or any affiliate of a Loan Party, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the Administrative Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any arranger of this credit facility or any other Lender and their respective Related Parties, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their affiliates and made its own decision to make its Loans hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any arranger of this credit facility or any other Lender and their respective Related Parties, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their affiliates. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects or creditworthiness of any Loan Party or any affiliate of a Loan Party that may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates.

9.7. Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify the Administrative Agent and its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents, advisors and controlling persons (each, an “Agent Indemnitee”) (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective Percentage Interests in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section 9.7, from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of, the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent Indemnitee under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no

 

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Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Agent Indemnitee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section 9.7 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

9.8. Posting of Communications. The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Communications available to the Lenders and the Issuing Lenders by posting the Communications on IntraLinks™, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other similar electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the “Approved Electronic Platform”).

(a) Although the Approved Electronic Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the Closing Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Approved Electronic Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Approved Electronic Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Lenders and the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of any Lender that are added to the Approved Electronic Platform, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Lenders and the Borrower hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Approved Electronic Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.

(b) THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY ARRANGER, ANY SYNDICATION AGENT OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, “APPLICABLE PARTIES”) HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY LOAN PARTY, ANY LENDER, ANY ISSUING LENDER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF ANY LOAN PARTY’S OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM.

(c) Each Lender and each Issuing Lender agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that Communications have been posted to the Approved Electronic Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and Issuing Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (which could be in the form of electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s (as applicable) email address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and that the foregoing notice may be sent to such email address.

 

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(d) Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Lenders and the Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Communications on the Approved Electronic Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.

(e) Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Lender to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.

9.9. Administrative Agent in Its Individual Capacity. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with any Loan Party as though such Administrative Agent were not an agent hereunder. With respect to its Loans made or renewed by it and with respect to any Letter of Credit issued or participated in by it, the Administrative Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity.

9.10. Successor Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may resign as Administrative Agent upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Lenders and the Borrower. If the Administrative Agent shall resign as Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, then the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders, which successor agent shall (unless an Event of Default under Section 8(a) or Section 8(f) with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing) be subject to approval by the Borrower (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), whereupon such successor agent shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the Administrative Agent, and the term “Administrative Agent” shall mean such successor agent effective upon such appointment and approval, and the former Administrative Agent’s rights, powers and duties as Administrative Agent shall be terminated, without any other or further act or deed on the part of such former Administrative Agent or any of the parties to this Agreement or any holders of the Loans. If no successor agent has accepted appointment as Administrative Agent by the date that is thirty (30) days following a retiring Administrative Agent’s notice of resignation, the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective, and the Lenders shall assume and perform all of the duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above. After any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation as Administrative Agent, the provisions of this Section 9 and of Section 10.5 shall continue to inure to its benefit.

9.11. Certain ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments;

 

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(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement;

(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement; or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that none of the Administrative Agent or any Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto); and

(c) The Administrative Agent and each Arranger hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

 

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9.12. Erroneous Payments.

(a) Each Lender and Issuing Lender hereby agrees that (x) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Lender or Issuing Lender that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Lender or Issuing Lender from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a “Payment”) were erroneously transmitted to such Lender or Issuing Lender (whether or not known to such Lender or Issuing Lender), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Lender or Issuing Lender, as applicable, shall promptly, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days thereafter (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, specify in writing), return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon (except to the extent waived in writing by the Administrative Agent) in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender or Issuing Lender, as applicable, to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Lender or such Issuing Lender, as applicable, shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or Issuing Lender under this Section 9.12 shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.(b) (c) (d) (b) Each Lender and Issuing Lender hereby further agrees that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a “Payment Notice”) or (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Lender and Issuing Lender agrees that, in each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Lender or such Issuing Lender, as applicable, shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days thereafter (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, specify in writing), return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon (except to the extent waived in writing by the Administrative Agent) in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.(e) (f) (g) (c) The Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby agrees that (x) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Lender or Issuing Lender, as applicable, that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Lender or Issuing Lender, as applicable, with respect to such amount and (y) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations owed by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, except, in each case, to the extent such erroneous Payment is, and solely with respect to the amount of such erroneous Payment that is, comprised of funds received by the Administrative Agent from any Loan Party for the purpose of making such erroneous Payment.(h) (d) Each party’s obligations under this Section 9.12 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender or Issuing Lender, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.

 

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9.13. Borrower Communications

(a) The Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lenders agree that the Borrower may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Borrower Communications to the Administrative Agent through an electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the “Approved Borrower Portal”).

(b) Although the Approved Borrower Portal and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the First Amendment Effective Date, a user ID/password authorization system), each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Lenders and the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of the Borrower that are added to the Approved Borrower Portal, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Lenders and the Borrower hereby approves distribution of Borrower Communications through the Approved Borrower Portal and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.

(c) THE APPROVED BORROWER PORTAL IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER COMMUNICATION, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED BORROWER PORTAL AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED BORROWER PORTAL AND THE BORROWER COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED BORROWER PORTAL. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY OF ITS RELATED PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, “APPLICABLE PARTIES”) HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY LOAN PARTY, ANY LENDER, ANY ISSUING LENDER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF THE BORROWER’S TRANSMISSION OF BORROWER COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED BORROWER PORTAL.

“Borrower Communications” means, collectively, any borrowing request, interest election request, notice of prepayment, notice requesting the issuance, amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit or other notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent through an Approved Borrower Portal.

(d) Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Lenders and the Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Borrower Communications on the Approved Borrower Portal in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.

 

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(e) Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Borrower to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.

SECTION 10. MISCELLANEOUS

10.1. Amendments and Waivers. Subject to Section 2.13, neither this Agreement, any other Loan Document, nor any terms hereof or thereof may be amended, supplemented or modified except in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10.1. The Required Lenders and each Loan Party party to the relevant Loan Document may, or, with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and each Loan Party party to the relevant Loan Document may, from time to time, (a) enter into written amendments, supplements or modifications hereto and to the other Loan Documents for the purpose of adding any provisions to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or changing in any manner the rights of the Lenders or of the Loan Parties hereunder or thereunder or (b) waive, on such terms and conditions as the Required Lenders or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, may specify in such instrument, any of the requirements of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any Default or Event of Default and its consequences; provided, however, that no such waiver and no such amendment, supplement or modification shall (i) forgive the principal amount or extend the final scheduled date of maturity of any Loan, reduce the stated rate of any interest or fee payable hereunder (except (x) in connection with the waiver of applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates (which waiver shall be effective with the consent of the Required Lenders) and (y) that any amendment or modification of defined terms used in the financial covenants in this Agreement shall not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest or fees for purposes of this clause (i)) or extend the scheduled date of any payment thereof, or increase the amount or extend the expiration date of any Lender’s Commitment, in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (except that an increase in the available portion of any Commitment of any Lender pursuant to the reallocation provisions of Section 2.20 shall not be deemed to constitute an increase of the Commitment of such Lender); (ii) eliminate or reduce the voting rights of any Lender under this Section 10.1 without the written consent of such Lender; (iii) (A) reduce any percentage specified in the definition of “Required Lenders”, (B) consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (except in accordance with this Agreement), (C) release all or substantially all of the collateral, if any, provided pursuant to this Agreement or (D) release all or substantially all of the Guarantors from their obligations under the Guarantee Agreement, in each case, without the written consent of all Lenders; (iv) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 2.14 without the written consent of all the Lenders; (v) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 9 or any other provision of any Loan Document that affects the Administrative Agent without the written consent of the Administrative Agent; or (vi) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 3 without the written consent of the Issuing Lender; provided, further, that if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower acting together identify any ambiguity, omission, mistake, typographical error or other defect in any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to amend, modify or supplement such provision to cure such ambiguity, omission, mistake, typographical error or other defect, and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement. Any such waiver and any such amendment, supplement or modification shall apply equally to each of the Lenders and shall be binding upon the Loan Parties, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and all future holders of the Loans. In the case of any waiver, the Loan Parties, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall be restored to their former position and rights hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and any Default or Event of Default waived shall be deemed to be cured and not continuing; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default, or impair any right consequent on a subsequent or other Default or Event of Default.

 

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10.2. Notices. All notices, requests and demands to or upon the respective parties hereto to be effective shall be in writing (including by telecopy), and, unless otherwise expressly provided herein, shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when delivered, or, in the case of telecopy notice, when received, addressed as follows in the case of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and as set forth in an administrative questionnaire delivered to the Administrative Agent in the case of the Lenders, or to such other address as may be hereafter notified by the respective parties hereto:

 

Borrower:

   Beazer Homes USA, Inc.
   1000 Abernathy Road NE, Suite 260
   Atlanta, GA 30328
   Attention: David Goldberg, Chief Financial Officer
   Telephone: (770) 829-3756
   Email: david.goldberg@beazer.com
   with copies to:
   King & Spalding LLP
   1180 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 1600
   Atlanta, GA 30309
   Attention: Chadwick M. Werner
   Telecopy: (404) 572-5135
   Telephone: (404)572-2717
   Email: cwerner@kslaw.com

Administrative Agent:

   JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
   500 Stanton Christiana Rd.
   NCC5 / 1st Floor
   Newark, Delaware 19713
   Attention: Loan & Agency Services Group
   Attention: Michelle Won
   Tel: 302-634-2214
   Email: michelle.won@chase.com
  

Agency Withholding Tax Inquiries:

 

   Email: agency.tax.reporting@jpmorgan.com
  

Agency Compliance/Financials/Intralinks:

 

   Email: covenant.compliance@jpmchase.com

provided that any notice, request or demand to or upon the Administrative Agent or the Lenders shall not be effective until received.

Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Section 2 unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

 

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10.3. No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

To the extent permitted by applicable law no party hereto shall assert, and each such party hereby waives, any Liabilities against any other party hereto, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that, nothing in this Section 10.3 shall relieve the Borrower of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee, as provided in Section 10.5, against any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

10.4. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the other Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Documents shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 10.5 and Section 9 shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

10.5. Expenses; Limitation of Liability; Indemnity, Etc.4.

(a) Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and their Affiliates, including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Lender in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section 10.5, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or

 

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negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the expense reimbursement obligations under this clause (a) in respect of fees, charges and disbursements of counsel shall be limited to one primary counsel and one additional local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction for all covered parties, taken as a whole, and, in the case of an actual or potential conflict of interest, one additional counsel (and one additional local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction) in each relevant jurisdiction for each group of affected parties similarly situated.

(b) Limitation of Liability. To the extent permitted by applicable law (i) the Borrower and any Loan Party shall not assert, and the Borrower and each Loan Party hereby waives, any claim against the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any Issuing Lender and any Lender, and any Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called a “Lender-Related Person”) for any Liabilities arising from the use by others of information or other materials (including, without limitation, any personal data) obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet, any Approved Electronic Platform and any Approved Borrower Portal), and (ii) no party hereto shall assert, and each such party hereby waives, any Liabilities against any other party hereto, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that, nothing in this Section 10.5(b) shall relieve the Borrower and each Loan Party of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee, as provided in Section 10.5(c), against any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

(c) Indemnity. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Arranger, each Issuing Lender and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all Liabilities and related expenses, including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by an Issuing Lender to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iv) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Substances on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (v) any actual or prospective Proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not such Proceeding is brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or its or their respective equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third Person and whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such Liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have (x) resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee (or any of its controlled affiliates and its or their respective officers, directors and employees) or (y) arising from disputes brought by an Indemnitee against any other Indemnitee and not involving an act or omission by the Borrower or any of its Affiliates (other than any claims against any Indemnitee in its capacity as, or fulfilling its role as, the Administrative Agent, Arranger or any similar role). This Section 10.5(c) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims or damages arising from any non-Tax claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifications obligations under this clause (c) in respect of fees, charges and disbursements of counsel shall be limited to one primary counsel and one additional local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction for all covered parties, taken as a whole, and, in the case of an actual or potential conflict of interest, one additional counsel (and one additional local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction) in each relevant jurisdiction for each group of affected parties similarly situated.

 

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(d) Lender Reimbursement. Each Lender severally agrees to pay any amount required to be paid by the Borrower under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 10.5 to the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each, an “Agent-Related Person”) (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective Percentage Interest in effect on the date on which such payment is sought under this Section 10.5 (or, if such payment is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Percentage Interest immediately prior to such date), and agrees to indemnify and hold each Agent-Related Person harmless from and against any and all Liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent-Related Person in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent-Related Person under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that the unreimbursed expense or Liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against such Agent-Related Person in its capacity as such; provided, further, that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such Liabilities, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted primarily from such Agent-Related Party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section 10.5 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section 10.5 shall be payable not later than thirty days after written demand therefor.

10.6. Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments.

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of an Issuing Lender that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign, participate or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder (x) to a Competitor without the Borrower’s prior written consent or (y) otherwise except in accordance with this Section 10.6. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of an Issuing Lender that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section 10.6) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

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(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment, participations in Letters of Credit and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) of:

(A) the Borrower; provided that (i) the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to an assignment of all or a portion of the Revolving Loans and Commitments unless it shall have objected thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof and (ii) no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other Person;

(B) the Administrative Agent; provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment by a Lender to an Affiliate of such Lender; and

(C) each Issuing Lender; provided that no consent of the Issuing Lenders shall be required for an assignment by a Lender to an Affiliate of such Lender.

(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitments or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitments or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent; provided that (1) no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) such amounts shall be aggregated in respect of each Lender and its affiliates or Approved Funds, if any;

(B) (1) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 and (2) no assigning Lender shall have paid in full any amounts owing by it to the Administrative Agent; and

(C) the Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an administrative questionnaire in which the Assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) below, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, the Assignee shall have the rights

 

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and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15 and 2.16 (as they relate to any period during which such Lender was a party hereto), and Sections 2.17 and 10.5). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 10.6 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section 10.6.

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amount of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). No transfer or assignment of a Lender’s participation hereunder shall be effective unless and until recorded in the Register. The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.

(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an Assignee, the Assignee’s completed administrative questionnaire (unless the Assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section 10.6 and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section 10.6, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the Assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.4(b), 2.4(c), 2.14(d), 2.14(e), 3.4, 3.5 or 9.7, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph (v).

(c) Subject to Section 10.6(a)(ii), any Lender may, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lenders, sell participations to one or more Persons provided such Persons are a banking institution, life insurance company, or other similar chartered or licensed financial institution that ordinarily is engaged in the business of making real estate loans, or any fund that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a

 

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Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver that (1) requires the consent of each Lender directly affected thereby pursuant to clause (i) of the proviso to the second sentence of Section 10.1 and (2) directly affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 10.6 (subject to the requirements and limitations in such Sections, including the requirements under Section 2.16(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.16(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)). To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.7(b) as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant shall be subject to Section 10.7(a) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.19 with respect to any Participant. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.16 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a change in any Requirement of Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.

(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section 10.6 shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or Assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(e) The Borrower, upon receipt of written notice from the relevant Lender, agrees to issue Notes to any Lender requiring Notes to facilitate transactions of the type described in paragraph (d) above.

10.7. Adjustments; Setoff.

(a) Except to the extent that this Agreement or a court order expressly provides for payments to be allocated to a particular Lender, if any Lender (a “Benefitted Lender”) shall receive any payment of all or part of the Obligations owing to it (other than in connection with an assignment made pursuant to Section 10.6), or receive any collateral in respect thereof (whether voluntarily or involuntarily, by setoff, pursuant to events or proceedings of the nature referred to in Section 8(f), or

 

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otherwise), in a greater proportion than any such payment to or collateral received by any other Lender, if any, in respect of the Obligations owing to such other Lender, such Benefitted Lender shall purchase for cash from the other Lenders a participating interest in such portion of the Obligations owing to each such other Lender, or shall provide such other Lenders with the benefits of any such collateral, as shall be necessary to cause such Benefitted Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such collateral ratably with each of the Lenders; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such Benefitted Lender, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest.

(b) In addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders provided by law, each Lender and their respective Affiliates shall have the right, without notice to the Borrower, any such notice being expressly waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon any Obligations becoming due and payable by the Borrower (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise but after giving effect to any applicable period of grace), to apply to the payment of such Obligations, by setoff or otherwise, any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by such Lender, any Affiliate thereof or any of their respective branches or agencies to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent after any such application made by such Lender or its Affiliate; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such application.

10.8. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by email or facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof. A set of the copies of this Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of (x) this Agreement, (y) any other Loan Document and/or (z) any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any notice delivered pursuant to Section 10.2), certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or the transactions contemplated hereby and/or thereby (each an “Ancillary Document”) that is an Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, such other Loan Document or such Ancillary Document, as applicable. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in any electronic form (including deliveries by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page), each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept Electronic Signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent and pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (i) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept any Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party without further verification thereof and without any obligation to review the appearance or form of any such Electronic Signature and (ii) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart. Without limiting

 

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the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower hereby (i) agrees that, for all purposes, including without limitation, in connection with any workout, restructuring, enforcement of remedies, bankruptcy proceedings or litigation among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Borrower and the Loan Parties, Electronic Signatures transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page and/or any electronic images of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as any paper original, (ii) the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document in the form of an imaged electronic record in any format, which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document (and all such electronic records shall be considered an original for all purposes and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record), (iii) waives any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement, such other Loan Document and/or such Ancillary Document, respectively, including with respect to any signature pages thereto and (iv) waives any claim against any Lender-Related Person for any Liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agent’s and/or any Lender’s reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures and/or transmissions by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page, including any Liabilities arising as a result of the failure of the Borrower and/or any Loan Party to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.

10.9. Severability; Headings. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

10.10. Integration. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to (i) fees payable to the Administrative Agent and (ii) changes to the L/C Commitment of any Issuing Lender represent the entire agreement of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Administrative Agent or any Lender relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents.

10.11. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

10.12. Submission To Jurisdiction; Consent to Services of Process; Waivers.

(a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan (or if such court lacks subject matter jurisdiction, the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan), and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or Proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, or for recognition or

 

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enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or Proceeding may (and any such claims, cross-claims or third party claims brought against the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties may only) be heard and determined in such Federal (to the extent permitted by law) or New York State court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or Proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall (i) affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or Proceeding relating to this Agreement against any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction, (ii) waive any statutory, regulatory, common law, or other rule, doctrine, legal restriction, provision or the like providing for the treatment of bank branches, bank agencies, or other bank offices as if they were separate juridical entities for certain purposes, including Uniform Commercial Code Sections 4-106, 4-A-105(1)(b), and 5-116(b), UCP 600 Article 3 and ISP98 Rule 2.02, and URDG 758 Article 3(a), or (iii) affect which courts have or do not have personal jurisdiction over the issuing lender or beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any advising bank, nominated bank or assignee of proceeds thereunder or proper venue with respect to any litigation arising out of or relating to such Letter of Credit with, or affecting the rights of, any Person not a party to this Agreement, whether or not such Letter of Credit contains its own jurisdiction submission clause.

(b) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or Proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section 10.12. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or Proceeding in any such court.

(c) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 10.2. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

(d) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or Proceeding referred to in this Section 10.12 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

10.13. Acknowledgements. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that:

(a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

(b) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary relationship with or duty to the Borrower arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between Administrative Agent and Lenders, on one hand, and the Borrower, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor;

(c) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the Borrower and the Lenders; and

(d) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender is advising the Borrower as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting, regulatory or any other matters in any jurisdiction.

 

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The Borrower further acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party, together with its Affiliates, in addition to providing or participating in commercial lending facilities such as that provided hereunder, is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, the Borrower and other companies with which the Borrower may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion.

In addition, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party and its affiliates may be providing debt financing, equity capital or other services (including financial advisory services) to other companies in respect of which the Borrower may have conflicting interests regarding the transactions described herein and otherwise. No Credit Party will use confidential information obtained from the Borrower by virtue of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or its other relationships with the Borrower in connection with the performance by such Credit Party of services for other companies, and no Credit Party will furnish any such information to other companies. The Borrower also acknowledges that no Credit Party has any obligation to use in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, or to furnish to the Borrower, confidential information obtained from other companies

10.14. Releases of Guarantees. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, Administrative Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender (without requirement of notice to or consent of any Lender except as expressly required by Section 10.1) to take any action requested by Borrower having the effect of releasing any guarantee obligations to the extent necessary to permit consummation of any transaction not prohibited by any Loan Document or that has been consented to in accordance with Section 10.1; provided that releases of Guarantors must comply with Section 6.7 unless otherwise consented to by the Lenders in accordance with Section 10.1.

10.15. Confidentiality; Material Non-Public Information. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lenders and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and its and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process,(d) to any other party to this Agreement, € in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or Proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 10.15, to (1) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (2) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) on a confidential basis to (1) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided for herein or (2) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of identification numbers with respect to the credit facilities provided for herein, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (1) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 10.15 or (2) becomes

 

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available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section 10.15, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Lender or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 10.15 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 10.15 shall prohibit any Person from voluntarily disclosing or providing any Information within the scope of this confidentiality provision to any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization (any such entity, a “Regulatory Authority”) to the extent that any such prohibition on disclosure set forth in this Section 10.15 shall be prohibited by the laws or regulations applicable to such Regulatory Authority.

EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION 10.15 FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW.

10.16. WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10.16.

 

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10.17. USA Patriot Act. Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Patriot Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.

10.18. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.

10.19. Acknowledgment Regarding Any Supported QFCs(b) . To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Swap Agreements or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support “QFC Credit Support” and each such QFC a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States): In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are

 

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permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

10.20. Judgment Currency(c) . If, for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder or any other Loan Document in one currency into another currency, the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the first currency with such other currency on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of the Borrower in respect of any such sum due from it to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than that in which such sum is denominated in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement (the “Agreement Currency”), be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender from the Borrower in the Agreement Currency, the Borrower agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, against such loss. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is greater than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in such Currency, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, agrees to return the amount of any excess to the Borrower (or to any other Person who may be entitled thereto under Applicable law).

10.21. Interest Rate Limitation(d) . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section 10.21 shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the NYFRB Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

[Signatures appear on the next page.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.,
as Borrower
By:  

   

 

 

Name:

Title:

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

 


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, a Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:  

   

 

 

Name:

Title:

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


[LENDER]
as a Lender and an Issuing Lender
By:  

   

 

 

Name:

Title:

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


EXHIBIT B

AMENDED FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

[***]

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

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Beazer Homes Announces Closing of Offering of $250 Million Senior Unsecured Notes due 2031

ATLANTA — (BUSINESS WIRE) — March 15, 2024 Beazer Homes USA, Inc. (NYSE: BZH) (the “Company”) announced today the completion of its previously-announced offering of $250 million aggregate principal amount of 7.500% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”). The Notes were offered in a private offering that was exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

The net proceeds of the offering will be used to finance the repurchase of the Company’s 6.750% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “2025 Notes”), of which $197.9 million in aggregate principal amount is currently outstanding and which mature on March 15, 2025, with any remaining proceeds to be used for general corporate purposes.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Notes, nor does it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful. The offer and sale of the Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and the Notes were offered only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. Unless so registered, the Notes cannot be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this release that state the Company’s or management’s intentions, expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. Specifically, the Company cannot assure you that the redemption of the 2025 Notes described above will be consummated on the terms currently contemplated, if at all. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH) is one of the country’s largest homebuilders. Every Beazer home is designed and built to provide Surprising Performance, giving you more quality and more comfort from the moment you move in - saving you money every month. With Beazer’s Choice Plans, you can personalize your primary living areas - giving you a choice of how you want to live in the home, at no additional cost. And unlike most national homebuilders, we empower our customers to shop and compare loan options. Our Mortgage Choice program gives you the resources to easily compare multiple loan offers and choose the best lender and loan offer for you, saving you thousands over the life of your loan.

Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

David I. Goldberg

Sr. Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

770-829-3700

investor.relations@beazer.com

Source: Beazer Homes USA, Inc.