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PATTERSON UTI ENERGY INC false 0000889900 --12-31 0000889900 2023-08-29 2023-08-29

 

 

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): August 29, 2023

 

 

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   1-39270   75-2504748

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation )

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

10713 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N.,    
Suite 800, Houston, Texas     77064
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)     (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 281-765-7100

Not Applicable

(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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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 Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value   PTEN   The Nasdaq Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company 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.  ☐

 

 

 


Introduction

As previously disclosed, on June 14, 2023, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Patterson-UTI”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (as amended, the “Merger Agreement”) with NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation (“NexTier”), Pecos Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Patterson-UTI (“Merger Sub Inc.”), and Pecos Second Merger Sub LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of Patterson-UTI (“Merger Sub LLC”), which provided for, among other things, (i) the merger of Merger Sub Inc. with and into NexTier, with NexTier continuing as the surviving entity (the “Surviving Corporation”) (the “First Company Merger”) and (ii) immediately following the First Company Merger, the merger of the Surviving Corporation with and into Merger Sub LLC, with Merger Sub LLC continuing as the surviving entity (collectively with the First Company Merger, the “Mergers”). On September 1, 2023, following approval by the stockholders of both Patterson-UTI and NexTier at special meetings held on August 30, 2023, the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (the “Transactions”) were consummated and NexTier became a wholly owned subsidiary of Patterson-UTI.

 

Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Term Loan Agreement

On August 29, 2023 (the “Term Loan Closing Date”), Patterson-UTI entered into a Term Loan Agreement (the “Term Loan Agreement”), by and among Patterson-UTI, as borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and lender, and the other lenders party thereto.

The Term Loan Agreement is a committed senior unsecured term loan facility (the “Facility”) that permits a single borrowing of up to $300 million, which may be drawn by Patterson-UTI on or before November 27, 2023. The maturity date under the Term Loan Agreement is the date that is 364 days following the funding of the Facility.

Loans under the Term Loan Agreement bear interest by reference, at Patterson-UTI’s election, to (i) Term SOFR (as defined in the Term Loan Agreement) plus 0.10%, or (ii) base rate (subject, in each case, to a 0% floor), plus, in each case, an applicable margin. The applicable margin on Term SOFR loans varies from 1.25% to 1.75%, and the applicable margin on base rate loans varies from 0.25% to 0.75%, depending on Patterson-UTI’s credit rating determined by S&P and Moody’s. The applicable margin on SOFR rate loans and base rate loans will increase (a) by 0.25% on the date that is 90 days after the funding of the Facility, (b) by an additional 0.25% on the date that is 180 days following the funding of the Facility, and (c) by an additional 0.25% on the date that is 270 days after the funding of the Facility, for a total increase of 0.75% to the applicable margin in effect on the day of the funding of the Facility.

In addition to paying interest on outstanding borrowings under the Facility, Patterson-UTI is required to pay (A) a commitment fee to the lenders under the Facility equal to 0.20% per annum of the average daily unused commitments thereunder for the period beginning 30 days following the Term Loan Closing Date through the earliest of (1) the date on which the Facility is funded, (2) November 27, 2023 and (3) the date on which the commitments under the Facility are terminated and (B) a funding fee to the lenders under the Facility equal to 0.25% of any borrowing on the funding date of the Facility.

The Term Loan Agreement contains representations, warranties, affirmative and negative covenants, events of default and associated remedies that Patterson-UTI believes are customary for agreements of this nature, including certain restrictions on the ability of Patterson-UTI and each subsidiary of Patterson-UTI to grant liens and on the ability of subsidiaries of Patterson-UTI which are not guarantors of the Facility to incur debt. If Patterson-UTI’s credit rating determined by S&P and Moody’s is below investment grade, Patterson-UTI will become subject to a restricted payment covenant, which would require Patterson-UTI to have a Pro Forma Debt Service Coverage Ratio (as defined in the Term Loan Agreement) greater than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00 immediately before and immediately after making any restricted payment.


The Term Loan Agreement requires mandatory prepayment in an amount equal to 100% of the net cash proceeds from (i) the issuance by Patterson-UTI or any subsidiary of Patterson-UTI of new indebtedness (other than certain permitted indebtedness), (ii) the issuance by Patterson-UTI or any subsidiary of Patterson-UTI of equity interests (other than certain permitted equity interests), and (iii) asset dispositions by Patterson-UTI or any subsidiary of Patterson-UTI (other than dispositions of inventory or equipment in the ordinary course of business) in excess of $35,000,000 in the aggregate (subject to the right of Patterson-UTI or a subsidiary of Patterson-UTI to use such asset disposition proceeds for capital expenditures within 90 days of any such disposition). The Term Loan Agreement also requires that Patterson-UTI’s debt to capitalization ratio, expressed as a percentage, not exceed 50% as of the last day of each fiscal quarter. The Term Loan Agreement generally defines the debt to capitalization ratio as the ratio of (a) total borrowed money indebtedness of Patterson-UTI and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis to (b) the sum of such indebtedness plus the consolidated net worth of Patterson-UTI and its subsidiaries as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of Patterson-UTI.

The above description of the Term Loan Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Term Loan Agreement filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto.

Amendment to Credit Agreement

On August 29, 2023, Patterson-UTI entered into Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Amendment”), which amends Patterson-UTI’s Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2018 (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among Patterson-UTI, as borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, letter of credit issuer, swing line lender and lender and each of the other letter of credit issuers and lenders party thereto.

The Amendment, among other things, (i) deems certain outstanding letters of credit issued for the account of BEP Diamond Holdings Corp. (an entity the issued and outstanding equity interests of which Patterson-UTI acquired through a series of mergers on August 14, 2023) with a face amount of $2.5 million to have been issued under the Credit Agreement (the “Ulterra Letters of Credit”), and (ii) extends the maturity date for $85 million of revolving credit commitments of certain lenders under the Credit Agreement from March 27, 2025 to March 27, 2026. As a result, of the $600 million of revolving credit commitments under the Credit Agreement, the maturity date for $501.7 million of such commitments is March 27, 2026; the maturity date for $48.3 million of such commitments is March 27, 2025; and the maturity date for the remaining $50 million of such commitments is March 27, 2024. As of August 31, 2023, Patterson-UTI had $420 million of borrowings outstanding under the Credit Agreement (including borrowings to repay outstanding indebtedness of NexTier as described below) and no letters of credit outstanding under the Credit Agreement other than the Ulterra Letters of Credit. The Credit Agreement is described in Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources” of Patterson-UTI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which description is incorporated herein by reference herein.

The above description of the Amendment is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Amendment filed as Exhibit 10.2 hereto.

 

Item 2.01

Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

The information set forth in the Introduction above regarding the Transactions is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.01.

As discussed in the Introduction, on September 1, 2023, the Mergers were consummated in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement. In connection with the consummation of the Mergers, subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Merger Agreement, each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of NexTier (“NexTier Common Stock”) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Mergers (the “Effective Time”) (including outstanding restricted shares) was converted into the right to receive 0.7520 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Patterson-UTI (“Patterson-UTI Common Stock”) and each share of NexTier Common Stock held in treasury by NexTier or owned directly or indirectly by Patterson-UTI, Merger Sub Inc. or Merger Sub LLC was automatically cancelled and ceased to exist.


The issuance of shares of Patterson-UTI Common Stock pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, and other shares of Patterson-UTI Common Stock reserved for issuance in connection with the Transactions, were registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to Patterson-UTI’s registration statement on Form S-4, as amended (File No. 333-273295), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 31, 2023. The joint proxy statement/prospectus (the “Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus”) included in the registration statement contains additional information about the Mergers. Patterson-UTI incurred $95 million of borrowings under the Credit Agreement to repay outstanding indebtedness of NexTier under its debt facilities upon closing of the Mergers.

The foregoing description of the Transactions and the Merger Agreement is a summary only, does not purport to be complete, and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is attached as Annex A to the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus.

 

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 in Item 1.01 and Item 2.01 is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

 

Item 5.02

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Departure of Directors

In connection with the consummation of the Mergers, each of Michael W. Conlon and Terry Hunt delivered a letter effectuating his resignation as a director of Patterson-UTI and, as of the Effective Time, ceased to be a director of Patterson-UTI. These resignations were not a result of any disagreements between Patterson-UTI and the directors on any matter relating to its operations, policies or practices.

Appointment of Directors

As of the Effective Time, in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement and as approved by the board of directors of Patterson-UTI (the “Board”), the Board was increased to 11 members, which consists of the following members: (i) Robert W. Drummond, Gary M. Halverson, Amy H. Nelson, Leslie A. Beyer and James C. Stewart, each a former member of the NexTier board of directors who has been appointed to the Board (each, a “New Director”); and (ii) Curtis W. Huff, William A. Hendricks, Jr., Tiffany (TJ) Thom Cepak, Cesar Jaime, Janeen S. Judah and Julie J. Robertson, each a continuing director of the Board. In connection with their appointments, each of the New Directors will receive the standard annual non-employee director compensation for serving on the Board. In addition, each of the New Directors is entering into Patterson-UTI’s standard form of indemnification agreement for its non-employee directors. For a description of the compensation program for Patterson-UTI’s non-employee directors and Patterson-UTI’s indemnification agreements, see Patterson-UTI’s proxy statement for its 2023 annual meeting of stockholders, filed with the SEC on April 11, 2023.

As of the Effective Time, in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, the Board made the following committee appointments: (i) Mr. Drummond was appointed to serve on the Executive Committee and the Sustainability Committee of the Board; (ii) Mr. Halverson was appointed to serve on the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee of the Board; (iii) Ms. Nelson was appointed to serve on the Compensation Committee and Sustainability Committee of the Board; (iv) Ms. Beyer was appointed to serve on the Nominating and Governance Committee and Sustainability Committee of the Board; (v) Mr. Stewart was appointed to serve on the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee and Sustainability Committee of the Board; (vi) Mr. Huff was appointed to serve on the Executive Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board; (vii) Mr. Hendricks was appointed to serve on the Executive Committee of the Board; (viii) Ms. Cepak was appointed to serve on the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee of the Board; (ix) Mr. Jaime was appointed to serve on the Audit Committee and Sustainability Committee of the Board; (x) Ms. Judah was appointed to serve on the Audit Committee and Sustainability Committee of the Board; and (xi) Ms. Robertson was appointed to serve on the Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board. Mr. Huff continues to serve as Chairman of the Board and Mr. Drummond was appointed to serve as Vice Chairman of the Board.


None of the New Directors are related to any officer or director of Patterson-UTI. With respect to each of the New Directors, there are no arrangements or understandings between such director and any other persons pursuant to which he or she will serve as a director, other than the Merger Agreement.

Officer Transition; Compensatory Plans and Arrangements

In connection with the Transactions, each of the NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. Equity and Incentive Award Plan (as amended, the “Equity and Incentive Award Plan”) and the NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. (Former C&J Energy) Management Incentive Plan (as amended, the “Former C&J Energy Plan”) as well as certain equity awards that were granted and outstanding under the Equity and Incentive Award Plan and the Former C&J Energy Plan were assumed by Patterson-UTI and converted into equity awards in respect of shares of Patterson-UTI Common Stock. In addition, certain shares remaining available for future issuance under the Equity and Incentive Award Plan were assumed by Patterson-UTI and added to the number of shares of Patterson-UTI Common Stock available for issuance under the Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. 2021 Long-Term Incentive Plan pursuant to an amendment to such plan. The Equity and Incentive Award Plan, Former C&J Energy Plan, and Amendment to the Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. 2021 Long-Term Incentive Plan are filed as Exhibits 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

NexTier previously entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Drummond, pursuant to which he became eligible to receive severance benefits upon a qualifying termination of employment which occurred immediately following the closing of the Transactions. Accordingly, in connection with the Transactions, Mr. Drummond entered into a Separation Agreement and General Release of Claims with NexTier, effective as of September 1, 2023, providing for (i) a cash amount equal to three times the sum of Mr. Drummond’s annual base salary plus annual target bonus, payable over 36 months; (ii) a cash amount equal to Mr. Drummond’s target annual bonus for the year of termination payable in a lump sum payment, (iii) 36 months of the cost of continuation of coverage of group health coverage payable in a lump sum payment, (iv) full vesting of all of Mr. Drummond’s outstanding equity awards and (v) a lump sum payment equal to 50% of the value of Mr. Drummond’s paid time off days for the 2023 calendar year. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the separation agreement by and between Mr. Drummond and NexTier, which is filed as Exhibit 10.6 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

On August 31, 2023, James M. Holcomb entered into a letter agreement with Patterson-UTI, which became effective at the Effective Time (the “Holcomb Agreement”). The Holcomb Agreement provides for the transition of Mr. Holcomb out of his role as Chief Operating Officer of Patterson-UTI and into the new role of Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer. The Holcomb Agreement further provides that, following the one-year anniversary of the closing of the Transaction, Mr. Holcomb will not have “good reason” to terminate his employment with Patterson-UTI due to the transition of his role in connection with the Transactions and any resulting changes in his authority, duties or responsibilities. The Holcomb Agreement also provides a $2 million cash retention bonus, payable in eight quarterly installments following the closing of the Transactions, subject to Mr. Holcomb’s continued employment in good standing with Patterson-UTI on each applicable payment date. Any unpaid portions of Mr. Holcomb’s retention bonus will become payable if terminated by Patterson-UTI without cause or by Mr. Holcomb for good reason (unless, within six months of the closing of the Transactions, Mr. Holcomb resigns for good reason as a result of the transition of his role, in which case the full amount of the retention bonus will be forfeited with any previously paid portions offset against any severance amounts payable to Mr. Holcomb). The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Holcomb Agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 10.7 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.


Item 5.03

Amendments to Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

Certificate of Elimination

Effective as of April 21, 2021, the Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated April 22, 2020, by and between Patterson-UTI and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (as amended, the “Rights Agreement”) expired in accordance with its terms. The Rights Agreement provided common stockholders of Patterson-UTI with the right to purchase shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (“Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock”). On September 1, 2023, Patterson-UTI filed a certificate of elimination with respect to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The certificate of elimination, which was effective upon filing, eliminated from the restated certificate of incorporation of Patterson-UTI all matters set forth in the certificate of designation with respect to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. No shares of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were issued or outstanding at the time of the filing of the certificate of elimination. A copy of the certificate of elimination is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Restated Certificate of Incorporation

Effective September 1, 2023, the Board approved and adopted, and Patterson-UTI filed, a restated certificate of incorporation of Patterson-UTI, which merely restated and integrated, but did not further amend, the amended and restated certificate of incorporation of Patterson-UTI. The restated certificate of incorporation included the amendment also filed on September 1, 2023 increasing the authorized shares of Patterson-UTI Common Stock from 400 million to 800 million. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the amendment and the restated certificate of incorporation, which are attached as Exhibits 3.2 and 3.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Item 5.07

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

On August 30, 2023, Patterson-UTI held a special meeting of Patterson-UTI stockholders (the “Special Meeting”). The proposals are described in detail in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. The adjournment proposal described in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus was not acted upon at the Special Meeting. The final results regarding each proposal acted upon at the Special Meeting are set forth below.

 

  1.

The proposal to approve the issuance of shares of Patterson-UTI Common Stock to NexTier stockholders in the Mergers contemplated by the Merger Agreement:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes

182,393,581   174,600   452,330   11,145,569

 

  2.

The proposal to approve an amendment of Patterson-UTI’s restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of Patterson-UTI Common Stock from 400 million to 800 million:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes

192,355,965   1,350,012   460,103   N/A

 

Item 7.01

Regulation FD Disclosure.

On September 1, 2023, Patterson-UTI issued a press release announcing the closing of the Transactions. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated into this Item 7.01 by reference.

The information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall not otherwise be subject to the liabilities of that section and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, unless specifically identified therein as being incorporated therein by reference. The furnishing of this communication is not intended to constitute a representation that such information is required by Regulation FD or that the material it contains include material information that is not otherwise publicly available.

 


Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a) Financial Statements of Business Acquired

The financial statements required by this Item 9.01(a) are not included in this Current Report on Form 8-K. Patterson-UTI intends to file such financial statements by amendment to a Current Report on Form 8-K not later than 71 calendar days after the date this Current Report on Form 8-K is required to be filed.

(b) Pro Forma Financial Information

The pro forma financial information required by this Item 9.01(b) is not included in this Current Report on Form 8-K. Patterson-UTI intends to file such pro forma financial information by amendment to a Current Report on Form 8-K not later than 71 calendar days after the date this Current Report on Form 8-K is required to be filed.

(d) Exhibits:

 

  3.1    Certificate of Elimination, dated September 1, 2023, with Respect to Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
  3.2    Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., dated September 1, 2023.
  3.3    Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., dated as of September 1, 2023.
10.1    Term Loan Agreement, dated August 29, 2023, by and among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., as borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and lender and the other lenders party thereto.
10.2    Fourth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated August 29, 2023, by and among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, letter of credit issuer, swing line lender and a lender and each of the other letter of credit issuers and lenders party thereto.
10.3    NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. Equity and Incentive Award Plan, as amended September 1, 2023.
10.4    NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. (Former C&J Energy) Management Incentive Plan, as amended September 1, 2023.
10.5    Amendment to the Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. 2021 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended.
10.6    Separation Agreement and General Release of Claims. dated September 1, 2023, by and between NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. and Robert W. Drummond.
10.7    Letter Agreement, dated August 30, 2023, by and between Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and James M. Holcomb.
99.1    Press Release, dated September 1, 2023.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 


SIGNATURE

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

 

Date: September 1, 2023      
    Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
    By:  

/s/ C. Andrew Smith

    Name:   C. Andrew Smith
    Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

EX-3.1 2 d463540dex31.htm EX-3.1 EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.

CERTIFICATE OF ELIMINATION

OF THE

SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

Pursuant to Section 151(g) of the General Corporation Law

of the State of Delaware

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), does hereby certify as follows:

1. Pursuant to Section 151(g) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) adopted the following resolutions respecting the Company’s Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, which resolutions have not been amended or rescinded:

WHEREAS, on April 22, 2020, the Board adopted a resolution designating a series of 400,000 shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock”); and

WHEREAS, the Board deems it advisable and in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders to eliminate the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that none of the authorized shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock are outstanding, and none will be issued subject to the Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock previously filed with respect to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “Certificate of Designation”);

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and empowered, for and in the name and on behalf of the Company, to take any and all actions as such officers deem necessary, advisable and appropriate to eliminate the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, including to execute and file, or cause to be executed and filed, a Certificate of Elimination of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “Certificate of Elimination”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

FURTHER RESOLVED, that when the Certificate of Elimination setting forth these resolutions becomes effective, it shall have the effect of eliminating from the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, all matters set forth in the Certificate of Designation with respect to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, and all of the shares that were designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be returned to the status of preferred shares of the Company, without designation as to series; and FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and empowered, for and in the name and on behalf of the Company, to take or cause to be taken all such other actions and to execute, acknowledge, file and deliver all such other instruments as the officers, or any one or more of them, approve as necessary or desirable in order to carry out and perform the purposes and intent of the foregoing resolutions, the taking of such actions or execution of such instruments to be conclusive evidence of the necessity or desirability thereof.


2. In accordance with Section 151(g) of the DGCL, all matters set forth in the previously filed Certificate of Designations with respect to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock are hereby eliminated.

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Certificate to be signed by its duly authorized officer this 1st day of September, 2023.

 

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.
By:  

/s/ C. Andrew Smith

Name: C. Andrew Smith
Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to Certificate of Elimination]

EX-3.2 3 d463540dex32.htm EX-3.2 EX-3.2

Exhibit 3.2

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

to the

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify:

FIRST: The name of the Corporation is PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.

SECOND: The following amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted by a vote of the stockholders sufficient for approval effective August 30, 2023, in the manner prescribed by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware:

The first sentence of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation is amended to read in its entirety as follows:

FOURTH: The total number of shares of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is eight hundred one million (801,000,000) shares, of which 800 million (800,000,000) shares shall be Common Stock, having a par value of $0.01 per share, and one million (1,000,000) shares shall be Preferred Stock, having a par value of $0.01 per share.

THIRD: The aforesaid amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

FOURTH: The aforesaid amendment does not effect a change in the amount of stated capital.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said corporation has caused this certificate to be signed this 1st day of September, 2023.

 

By:  

/s/ C. Andrew Smith

Name: C. Andrew Smith.
Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

- 1 -

EX-3.3 4 d463540dex33.htm EX-3.3 EX-3.3

Exhibit 3.3

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.

(Originally incorporated on October 14, 1993 under the name

Patterson Energy, Inc.)

FIRST: The name of the Corporation is Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

SECOND: The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

THIRD: The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted are to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

FOURTH: The total number of shares of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is eight hundred one million (801,000,000) shares, of which 800 million (800,000,000) shares shall be Common Stock, having a par value of $0.01 per share, and one million (1,000,000) shares shall be Preferred Stock, having a par value of $0.01 per share. The shares of such classes of stock shall have the following express terms:

SECTION 1. PREFERRED STOCK

1.1 Authority of the Board of Directors to Create Series. The Board of Directors is hereby expressly granted authority, to the full extent now or hereafter permitted herein and by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, at any time or from time to time, by resolution or resolutions, to create one or more series of Preferred Stock, to fix the authorized number of shares of any series (which number of shares may vary as between series and be changed from time to time by like action), and to fix the terms of such series, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) the designation of such series, which may be by distinguishing number, letter, or title;

(b) the rate or rates at which shares of such series shall be entitled to receive dividends; the periods in respect of which dividends are payable; the conditions upon, and times of payment of, such dividends; the relationship and preference, if any, of such dividends to dividends payable on any other class or classes or any other series of stock; whether such dividends shall be cumulative and, if cumulative, the date or dates from which such dividends shall accumulate; and the other terms and conditions applicable to dividends upon shares of such series;

(c) the rights of the holders of the shares of such series in case the Corporation be liquidated, dissolved or wound up (which may vary depending upon the time, manner, or voluntary or involuntary nature or other circumstances of such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up) and the relationship and preference, if any, of such rights to rights of holders of shares of stock of any other class or classes or any other series of stock;

(d) the right, if any, of the Corporation to redeem shares of such series at its option, including any limitation of such right, and the amount or amounts to be payable in respect of the shares of such series in case of such redemption (which may vary depending on the time, manner, or other circumstances of such redemption), and the manner, effect, and other terms and conditions of any such redemption; (e) the obligation, if any, of the Corporation to purchase, redeem, or retire shares of such series and/or to maintain a fund for such purpose, and the amount or amounts to be payable from time to time for such purpose or into such fund, or the number of shares to be purchased, redeemed, or retired, the per share purchase price or prices, and the other terms and conditions of any such obligation or obligations;


(f) the voting rights, if any, which, if granted, may be full, special, or limited, to be given the shares of such series, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the right, if any, as a series or in conjunction with other series or classes, to elect one or more members of the Board of Directors either generally or at certain times or under certain circumstances, and restrictions, if any, on particular corporate acts without a specified vote or consent of holders of such shares (such as, among others, restrictions on modifying the terms of such series or of the Preferred Stock, restricting the permissible terms of other series or the permissible variations between series of the Preferred Stock, authorizing or issuing additional shares of the Preferred Stock, creating debt, or creating any class of stock ranking prior to or on a parity with the Preferred Stock or any series thereof as to dividends, or assets remaining for distribution to the stockholders in the event of the liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Corporation);

(g) the right, if any, to exchange or convert the shares into shares of any other series of the Preferred Stock or into shares of any other class of stock of the Corporation or the securities of any other corporation, and the rate or basis, time, manner, terms, and conditions of exchange or conversion or the method by which the same shall be determined; and

(h) the other special powers, preferences, or rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, of the shares of such series.

The Board of Directors shall fix the terms of each such series by resolution or resolutions adopted at any time prior to the issuance of the shares thereof, and the terms of each such series may, subject only to restrictions, if any, imposed by this Certificate of Incorporation or by applicable law, vary from the terms of other series to the extent determined by the Board of Directors from time to time and provided in the resolution or resolutions fixing the terms of the respective series of the Preferred Stock.

1.2 Status of Certain Shares. Shares of any series of the Preferred Stock, whether provided for herein or by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, which have been redeemed (whether through the operation of a sinking fund or otherwise) or which, if convertible or exchangeable, have been converted into or exchanged for shares of stock of any other class or classes, or which have been purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation, shall have the status of authorized and unissued shares of the Preferred Stock of the same series and may be reissued as a part of the series of which they were originally a part or may be reclassified and reissued as part of a new series of the Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors or as a part of any other series of the Preferred Stock, all subject to the conditions or restrictions on issuance set forth herein or in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors providing for the issue of any series of the Preferred Stock.

SECTION 2. COMMON STOCK

2.1 Issuance, Consideration, and Terms. Any unissued shares of the Common Stock may be issued from time to time for such consideration, having a value of not less than the par value thereof, as may be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors. Any treasury shares may be disposed of for such consideration as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Common Stock shall be subject to the express terms of the Preferred Stock and any series thereof. Each share of Common Stock shall be of equal rank and shall be identical to every other share of Common Stock. Holders of Common Stock shall have such rights as are provided herein and by law.

2.2 Voting Rights. Except as expressly required by law or as provided in or fixed and determined pursuant to Section 1 of this Article FOURTH, the entire voting power and all voting rights shall be vested exclusively in the Common Stock. Each holder of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share standing in such holder’s name on the books of the Corporation.

 

2


2.3 Dividends. Subject to Section 1 of this Article FOURTH, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive, and shall share equally share for share, when and as declared by the Board of Directors, out of the assets of the Corporation which are by law available therefor, dividends or distributions payable in cash, in property, or in securities of the Corporation.

FIFTH: The Board of Directors is authorized to make, alter, or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.

SIXTH: Meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, within or without the State of Delaware, as may be designated by or in the manner provided in the Bylaws, or, if not so designated, at the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless and to the extent that the Bylaws so provide.

SEVENTH: Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Board of Directors (or a majority of the members thereof) of the Corporation by action at a meeting, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation acting without a meeting, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, the President of the Corporation or the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding stock of the Corporation entitled to be voted at such special meeting. Such special meetings may not be called by any other person or persons or in any other manner.

EIGHTH: The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights of stockholders herein are subject to this reservation.

NINTH: To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director.

TENTH: Any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors must be effected at a duly called annual meeting or special meeting of such holders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such holders.

ELEVENTH: Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between the Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between the Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of the Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of Section 291 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of Section 279 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of the Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of the Corporation, as the case may be, and also on the Corporation.

This Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (i) was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., without a vote of the stockholders, in accordance with Section 245 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, (ii) only restates and integrates and does not further amend the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., as heretofore amended; and there is no discrepancy between those provisions and the provisions of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

3


Dated this 1st day of September, 2023.

 

/s/ William A. Hendricks, Jr.

William A. Hendricks, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer

 

4

EX-10.1 5 d463540dex101.htm EX-10.1 EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

Execution Version

 

 

 

TERM LOAN AGREEMENT

Dated as of August 29, 2023

Among

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.,

as the Borrower,

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as the Administrative Agent and a Lender,

and

The Other Lenders Party Hereto

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,

as Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1  

1.01

 

Defined Terms

     1  

1.02

 

Other Interpretive Provisions

     28  

1.03

 

Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP

     29  

1.04

 

Rounding

     29  

1.05

 

Times of Day

     30  

1.06

 

Responsible Officer

     30  

1.07

 

Rates

     30  

1.08

 

Divisions

     30  

ARTICLE II

 

THE COMMITMENTS AND LOANs

     31  

2.01

 

The Loans

     31  

2.02

 

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans

     31  

2.03

 

[Reserved]

     32  

2.04

 

Voluntary Prepayments

     32  

2.05

 

Mandatory Prepayments

     33  

2.06

 

Termination or Reduction of Commitments

     34  

2.07

 

Repayment of Loans

     34  

2.08

 

Interest

     34  

2.09

 

Fees

     35  

2.10

 

Computation of Interest and Fees

     36  

2.11

 

Evidence of Debt

     36  

2.12

 

Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback

     36  

2.13

 

Sharing of Payments by Lenders

     38  

2.14

 

[Reserved]

     38  

2.15

 

[Reserved]

     38  

2.16

 

Defaulting Lenders

     38  

ARTICLE III

 

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

     40  

3.01

 

Taxes

     40  

3.02

 

Illegality

     44  

3.03

 

Inability to Determine Rates

     44  

3.04

 

Increased Costs

     47  

3.05

 

Compensation for Losses

     48  

3.06

 

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

     48  

3.07

 

Survival

     49  

ARTICLE IV

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     49  

4.01

 

Conditions of Effectiveness

     49  

4.02

 

Conditions to all Loans

     51  

ARTICLE V

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     52  

5.01

 

Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws

     52  

5.02

 

Authorization; No Contravention

     52  


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

5.03

 

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

     52  

5.04

 

Binding Effect

     52  

5.05

 

Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect

     53  

5.06

 

Litigation

     53  

5.07

 

No Default

     53  

5.08

 

Ownership of Property; Liens

     53  

5.09

 

Environmental Compliance

     53  

5.10

 

Insurance

     53  

5.11

 

Taxes

     54  

5.12

 

ERISA Compliance

     54  

5.13

 

Subsidiaries; Equity Interests

     54  

5.14

 

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act

     55  

5.15

 

Disclosure

     55  

5.16

 

Compliance with Laws

     55  

5.17

 

OFAC; FCPA

     55  

ARTICLE VI

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     56  

6.01

 

Financial Statements

     56  

6.02

 

Certificates; Other Information

     57  

6.03

 

Notices

     57  

6.04

 

Payment of Obligations

     58  

6.05

 

Preservation of Existence, Etc.

     58  

6.06

 

Maintenance of Properties

     58  

6.07

 

Maintenance of Insurance

     59  

6.08

 

Compliance with Laws

     59  

6.09

 

Books and Records

     59  

6.10

 

Inspection Rights

     59  

6.11

 

Use of Proceeds

     59  

6.12

 

FCPA Policies and Procedures

     59  

6.13

 

Guarantors

     59  

ARTICLE VII

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     60  

7.01

 

Liens

     60  

7.02

 

[Reserved]

     61  

7.03

 

Indebtedness of Subsidiaries

     62  

7.04

 

Fundamental Changes

     62  

7.05

 

Hedging Agreements

     62  

7.06

 

Change in Nature of Business

     62  

7.07

 

Transactions with Affiliates

     63  

7.08

 

Burdensome Agreements

     63  

7.09

 

Use of Proceeds

     63  

7.10

 

Financial Covenant

     63  

7.11

 

Restricted Payments

     63  

 

-ii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

ARTICLE VIII

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

     64  

8.01

 

Events of Default

     64  

8.02

 

Remedies Upon Event of Default

     66  

8.03

 

Application of Funds

     66  

ARTICLE IX

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     67  

9.01

 

Appointment and Authority

     67  

9.02

 

Rights as a Lender

     67  

9.03

 

Exculpatory Provisions

     67  

9.04

 

Reliance by Administrative Agent

     68  

9.05

 

Delegation of Duties

     69  

9.06

 

Resignation of Administrative Agent

     69  

9.07

 

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

     69  

9.08

 

No Other Duties, Etc.

     70  

9.09

 

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

     70  

9.10

 

Guaranty Matters

     70  

9.11

 

Certain ERISA Matters

     71  

9.12

 

Erroneous Payments

     72  

ARTICLE X

 

MISCELLANEOUS

     74  

10.01

 

Amendments, Etc.

     74  

10.02

 

Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication

     76  

10.03

 

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

     77  

10.04

 

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

     77  

10.05

 

Payments Set Aside

     79  

10.06

 

Successors and Assigns

     79  

10.07

 

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

     84  

10.08

 

Right of Setoff

     85  

10.09

 

Interest Rate Limitation

     85  

10.10

 

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution

     86  

10.11

 

Survival of Representations and Warranties

     87  

10.12

 

Severability

     87  

10.13

 

Defaulting Lenders

     87  

10.14

 

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

     89  

10.15

 

Waiver of Jury Trial

     90  

10.16

 

USA PATRIOT Act Notice

     90  

10.17

 

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

     90  

10.18

 

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

     91  

10.19

 

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions

     91  

10.20

 

Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs

     92  

 

-iii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  
SCHEDULES     

2.01

 

Commitments and Applicable Percentages

  

5.13

 

Subsidiaries; Other Equity Investments

  

7.01

 

Existing Liens

  

10.02

 

Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices

  
EXHIBITS     
 

Form of

  

A

 

Loan Notice

  

B

 

Note

  

C

 

Compliance Certificate

  

D

 

Assignment and Assumption

  

E

 

[Reserved]

  

F

 

[Reserved]

  

G

 

[Reserved]

  

H

 

Prepayment Notice

  

I-1

 

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

  

I-2

 

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

  

I-3

 

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

  

I-4

 

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

  

 

-iv-


TERM LOAN AGREEMENT

This TERM LOAN AGREEMENT is entered into as of August 29, 2023 among PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as the Administrative Agent and a Lender.

The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a senior unsecured term loan facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

“Acquisition” means the acquisition, through a series of mergers, by the Borrower of all of the Equity Interests in NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation, pursuant to the terms of the Acquisition Agreement.

“Acquisition Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 14, 2023, among the Borrower, Pecos Merger Sub Inc., Pecos Second Merger Sub LLC, and NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc., as amended by that certain First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 27, 2023, between the Borrower and NexTier Oilfield Solutions, Inc., as in effect on the date hereof and as further amended, supplemented or otherwise modified so long as such amendment, supplement or other modification is not materially adverse to the interest of the Lenders.

“Adjusted Term SOFR” means, for purposes of any calculation, the rate per annum equal to (a) Term SOFR for such calculation plus (b) the Term SOFR Adjustment; provided that if Adjusted Term SOFR as so determined shall ever be less than the Floor, then Adjusted Term SOFR shall be deemed to be the Floor.

“Administrative Agent” means Wells Fargo in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time provide to the Borrower and the Lenders.

“Administrative Questionnaire” means an administrative questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.


“Affected Financial Institution” means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) any UK Financial Institution.

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

“Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

“Agreement” means this Term Loan Agreement, as the same may hereafter be renewed, extended, amended or restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

“Anti-Corruption Laws” has the meaning specified in Section 5.17(b).

“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Facility represented by such Lender’s unfunded Commitment plus the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans at such time. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

“Applicable Rate” means, subject to the last paragraph of this definition, at any time with respect to any SOFR Loans or Base Rate Loans, the following percentages based upon the ratings by S&P and Moody’s, respectively, applicable on such date to the Debt Rating:

 

Level

  

S&P/Moody’s

Ratings

  

SOFR Loans

 

Base Rate Loans

I

   ≥ BBB/Baa2    1.25%   0.25%

II

   BBB-/Baa3    1.50%   0.50%

III

   ≤ BB+/Ba1    1.75%   0.75%

For purposes of the foregoing, (a) if a Debt Rating is issued by each of S&P and Moody’s and such Debt Ratings do not fall at the same Level, then the higher of such Debt Ratings shall apply (with the Debt Rating for Level I being the highest and the Debt Rating for Level III being the lowest), unless there is a split in Debt Ratings of more than one Level, in which case the Level immediately below the higher of such Debt Ratings shall be used; (b) if either Moody’s or S&P (but not both) shall have in effect a Debt Rating, then the Level shall be determined by the Debt Rating issued by either Moody’s or S&P, as the case may be; (c) if neither Moody’s nor S&P shall have in effect a Debt Rating (other than by reason of the circumstances referred to in clause (d) of this paragraph), then the Level shall be deemed to be Level III; and (d) if the rating system of Moody’s or S&P shall change, or if both such rating agencies shall cease to be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrower and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to reflect such changed rating system or the unavailability of ratings from such rating agencies and, pending the effectiveness of any such amendment, the Applicable Rates shall be determined by reference to the Level most recently in effect prior to such change or cessation.

 

-2-


Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) from and after the date that is 90 days following the Funding Date but prior to the date that is 180 days following the Funding Date, the Applicable Rate then applicable to SOFR Loans and Base Rate Loans shall be equal to the applicable amount set forth in the table above plus 25 basis points, (ii) from and after the date that is 180 days following the Funding Date but prior to the date that is 270 days following the Funding Date, the Applicable Rate then applicable to SOFR Loans and Base Rate Loans shall be equal to the applicable amount set forth in the table above plus 50 basis points, and (iii) from and after the date that is 270 days following the Funding Date, the Applicable Rate then applicable to SOFR and Base Rate Loans shall be equal to the applicable amount set forth in the table above plus 75 basis points.

“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

“Arranger” means Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (or each successor thereto) in its capacity as lead arranger and sole book runner.

“Asset Disposition Proceeds” the excess, if any, of (a) the cash and cash equivalents received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with a sale or disposition of any asset (including any cash or cash equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received) over (b) the sum of (i) payments made to retire any Indebtedness that is secured by such asset and that is required to be repaid in connection with the sale or disposition thereof (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents), (ii) the reasonable fees, costs and expenses incurred by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in connection therewith (including sales commissions and legal, accounting and investment banking fees), (iii) taxes paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection with such sale or disposition (including sales, use and other transfer taxes and deed or mortgage recording taxes), (iv) amounts held in escrow or purchase price holdbacks pursuant to the purchase agreement or equivalent agreement in connection with such sale or disposition, provided that upon release of such amounts from escrow or holdback to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, such amounts shall then constitute Asset Disposition Proceeds, and (v) the amount of reserves established by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in good faith and pursuant to commercially reasonable practices for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets in accordance with GAAP, provided that if the amount of such reserves exceeds the amounts for which it was reserved, then such excess, upon the determination thereof, shall then constitute Asset Disposition Proceeds.

 

-3-


“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit D or in any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any capital or finance lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital or finance lease.

“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

“Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (a) if such Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining the length of an interest period pursuant to this Agreement or (b) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark, in each case, 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 Section 3.03(c)(iv).

“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earlier of (a) the earlier termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 or Section 8.02, and (b) November 27, 2023.

“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.

“Bail-In Legislation” means, (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, rule, regulation 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).

“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus one-half of one percent (0.50%), (b) the Prime Rate, and (c) the Adjusted Term SOFR for a one-month tenor in effect on such day plus one percent (1.00%); provided that, if the applicable interest rate as determined under any of the preceding provisions of this definition is less than 0%, then “Base Rate” shall be deemed to be equal to 0% for such determination.

 

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Each change in the Base Rate shall take effect simultaneously with the corresponding change or changes in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR, as applicable (provided that clause (c) shall not be applicable during any period in which Adjusted Term SOFR is unavailable or unascertainable).

“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

“Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of “Term SOFR”.

“Benchmark” means, initially, the Term SOFR Reference Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event has occurred with respect to the Term SOFR Reference 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 Section 3.03(c)(i).

“Benchmark Replacement” means, with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event, the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower 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 to the then-current Benchmark for Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; provided that, if such Benchmark Replacement as so determined would be less than the Floor, such Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any applicable Available Tenor, 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 giving due consideration to (a) 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 and/or (b) 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.

“Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earlier to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

(a) in the case of clause (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (i) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (ii) the date on which the administrator of 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 (b) in the case of clause (c) 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 non-representative; provided that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (c) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.

 

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For the avoidance of doubt, the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (a) or (b) 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).

“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

(a) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of 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);

(b) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the FRB, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), 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

(c) 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 not, or as of a specified future date will not 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).

 

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“Benchmark Transition Start Date” means, in the case of a Benchmark Transition Event, the earlier of (a) the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and (b) if such Benchmark Transition Event is a public statement or publication of information of a prospective event, the 90th day prior to the expected date of such event as of such public statement or publication of information (or if the expected date of such prospective event is fewer than 90 days after such statement or publication, the date of such statement or publication).

“Benchmark Unavailability Period” means the period (if any) (x) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 3.03(c)(i) and (y) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 3.03(c)(i).

“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 CFR § 1010.230.

“Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of SOFR Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located.

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, for purposes of this Agreement and to the extent permitted by applicable Laws, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

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“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:

(a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire (such right, an “option right”), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 25% or more of the equity securities of the Borrower entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Borrower on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or

(b) during any period of 12 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of the Borrower cease to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body.

“Closing Date” means August 29, 2023, the first date all of the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01.

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

“Covered Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.20(a).

“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make a Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01 in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 under the caption “Commitment” or opposite such caption in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be reduced from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The aggregate amount of the Commitments on the date hereof is $300,000,000.

“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

“Conforming Changes” means, with respect to either the use or administration of Term SOFR or the use, administration, adoption or implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Base Rate,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “U.S.

 

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Government Securities Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period” or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of “interest period”), timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of Section 3.05 and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of any such rate or to permit the use and 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 any such rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income Taxes (including state franchise Taxes based on income or similar Taxes based on income) payable by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment expense, (iv) non-recurring transaction costs and expenses incurred during such period in connection with an acquisition; provided that the aggregate amount of such costs and expenses under this clause (iv) shall not exceed $75,000,000 in any four fiscal quarter period, and (v) other expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries reducing such Consolidated Net Income which do not represent a cash item in such period or any future period and minus (b) to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period. For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, if the Borrower or any Subsidiary has had a material acquisition or disposition during such period, Consolidated EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such material acquisition or disposition had occurred on the first day of such period.

“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, excluding (a) Indebtedness of the type described in clauses (b) (so long as such amounts in such clause are contingent obligations), (c) and (g) of the definition of “Indebtedness” and (b) Guarantees in respect of Indebtedness described in the foregoing clause (a).

“Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the portion of rent expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP.

 

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“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses) for that period.

“Consolidated Net Worth” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, shareholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on that date.

“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means, as of any date of determination, the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is available, minus all current liabilities (excluding the current portion of any long-term debt) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries reflected on such balance sheet and minus total goodwill and other intangible assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries reflected on such balance sheet, all calculated on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (which calculation shall give pro forma effect to any acquisition by or disposition of assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries involving the payment or receipt by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, of consideration (whether in the form of cash or non-cash consideration) in excess of $25,000,000 that has occurred since the end of such fiscal quarter, as if such acquisition or disposition had occurred on the last day of such fiscal quarter).

“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

“Debt Incurrence” means any incurrence or issuance of Indebtedness, or sale of its Indebtedness, by any of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries after the Closing Date.

“Debt Incurrence Proceeds” means, with respect to any Debt Incurrence, all cash received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from such Debt Incurrence after payment of, or provision for, all underwriter or purchaser fees, expenses, discounts and commissions, original issue discount, SEC and blue sky fees, printing costs, fees and expenses of accountants, lawyers and other professional advisors, brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket fees and expenses actually incurred in connection with such Debt Incurrence; provided that, an original issue discount shall not reduce the amount of such Debt Incurrence Proceeds unless such discount is taken at or immediately following the closing of such Debt Incurrence and such discount has not already been taken into account to reduce the amount of proceeds received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from such Debt Incurrence.

“Debt Rating” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or Moody’s of the Borrower’s senior, unsecured, non-credit enhanced, long-term Indebtedness for borrowed money.

 

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“Debt to Capitalization Ratio” means the ratio of Consolidated Funded Indebtedness to Total Capital.

“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

“Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a SOFR Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum.

“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to the second paragraph of Section 10.13(a), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two (2) Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect, (c) has failed, within two (2) Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower and the continued effectiveness of such confirmation), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, (iii) has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or for any such appointment or (iv) become the subject of a Bail-in Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error. With respect to the Administrative Agent, a Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender only upon the delivery of written notice of the Administrative Agent’s determination as to a Defaulting Lender to the Borrower and each Lender.

 

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“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia.

“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

“Electronic Record” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 15 U.S.C. 7006.

“Electronic Signature” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 15 U.S.C. 7006.

“Eligible Assignee” means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a Lender; (c) an Approved Fund; and (d) any other Person (other than a natural person) approved by (i) the Administrative Agent and (ii) unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower (each such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) “Eligible Assignee” shall not include the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries and (y) with respect to the foregoing clause (d), the Borrower shall be deemed to have approved such assignee unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof.

“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries 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 Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials 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.

 

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“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

“Equity Issuance” means any issuance of equity securities or any other Equity Interests (including any preferred equity securities) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower.

“Equity Issuance Proceeds” means, with respect to any Equity Issuance, all cash received by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower from such Equity Issuance after payment of, or provision for, all underwriter and purchaser fees, expenses, discounts and commissions, SEC and blue sky fees, printing costs, fees and expenses of accountants, lawyers and other professional advisors, brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket fees and expenses actually incurred in connection with such Equity Issuance.

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c), (m) or (o) of the Code.

“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete withdrawal (within the meaning of Section 4203 of ERISA) or partial withdrawal (within the meaning of Section 4205 of ERISA) by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or receipt by the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate of notice that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041(c) of ERISA, receipt by the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate of notice or the termination or a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA, or receipt by the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate of notice of the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) receipt by the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate of notice of a determination by the PBGC that an event has occurred or a condition exists which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

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“Erroneous Payment” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 9.12(a).

“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

“Excluded Equity Issuance” means the issuance of equity securities or any other Equity Interests (a) to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower and (b) to employees, directors, officers, consultants and advisors pursuant to the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s long-term incentive plans, as amended and in effect, in the ordinary course of business.

“Excluded Debt” means (a) the Borrower’s Indebtedness under this Agreement or under the Revolving Credit Documents, (b) the intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to the extent such intercompany Indebtedness is permitted under Section 7.03(b), (c) purchase money Indebtedness, capital leases or Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities incurred by the Borrower used to acquire fixed or capital assets (including Equity Interests in Persons other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) so long as such Indebtedness is either unsecured or the Lien securing such Indebtedness is permitted under Section 7.01(h) or Section 7.01(m), (d) purchase money Indebtedness, capital leases or Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities incurred by a Subsidiary used to acquire fixed or capital assets (including Equity Interests in Persons other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) so long as such Indebtedness is permitted under Section 7.03(a) and the Lien securing such Indebtedness is permitted under Section 7.01(h) or Section 7.01(m) and (e) Indebtedness of the Borrower or a Subsidiary under clauses (b), (c), (d), (h) and (j) of the definition thereof.

“Excluded Taxes” means 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 or profits (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 a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 3.06) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(g) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

“Facility” means, at any time, the facility provided pursuant to Section 2.01.

 

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“FATCA” means 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 and any agreements 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.

“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York based on such day’s Federal funds transactions by depositary institutions (as determined in such manner as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the federal funds effective rate; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the rate most recently published; provided further that the Federal Funds Rate shall not be less than zero.

“Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated August 4, 2023 between the Borrower and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.

“Floor” means a rate of interest equal to 0%.

“Foreign Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary (other than a Domestic Subsidiary) that is treated as a controlled foreign corporation under Section 957 of the Code.

“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

“Funding Date” means the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied and the Loans are made.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

 

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“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

“Granting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.06(g).

“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

“Guarantor” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower executing a Guaranty; provided, however, that any Person constituting a Guarantor as described in the preceding portion of this definition shall cease to constitute a Guarantor when it is released and discharged from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to the terms hereof, or the terms of the applicable Guaranty. For the avoidance of doubt, no Subsidiary of the Borrower is a Guarantor on the Closing Date.

“Guaranty” means any guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of itself and the Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit E to the Revolving Credit Agreement, mutatis mutandis but including a waiver by the Guarantors party thereto substantially consistent with Section 10.04(d), or otherwise in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

“Hazardous Materials” means 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.

 

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“Hydrocarbon Interests” means all rights, titles, interests and estates now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in any and all oil, gas and other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon properties and interests, including without limitation, mineral fee or lease interests, production sharing agreements, concession agreements, license agreements, service agreements, risk service agreements or similar Hydrocarbon Interests granted by an appropriate Governmental Authority, farmout, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profit interests, oil payments, production payment interests and similar interests in Hydrocarbons, including any reserved or residual interests of whatever nature.

“Hydrocarbons” means oil, gas, casing head gas, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons, all products refined, separated, settled and dehydrated therefrom, including, without limitation, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, refined lubricating oils, diesel fuel, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, helium, sulfur and all other minerals.

“Illegality Notice” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3.03(b).

“Immaterial Subsidiary” means, at any time, each Subsidiary, the Net Tangible Assets of which do not represent 5% or more of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets for the period of four fiscal quarters most recently ended.

“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

(b) (i) reimbursement obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments; and (ii) contingent obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade accounts payable to a Person in the United States or Canada in the ordinary course of business and, in each case, not past due for more than 60 days, and (ii) trade accounts payable to a Person in a country other than the United States or Canada in the ordinary course of business and, in each case, not past due for more than 120 days); and

(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse; (h) obligations in respect of a forward sale of production for which such Person has received payment in advance other than on ordinary trade terms;

(f) capital leases;

 

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(g) Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities;

(i) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, on a date certain and not subject to any contingencies, or at the option of the holder of such Equity Interest, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and

(j) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of any capital lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of the Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.

“Indemnitee” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).

“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a SOFR Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

“Interest Period” means, as to each SOFR Loan, the period commencing on the date such SOFR Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a SOFR Loan and ending on the date that is one, three or six months thereafter, in each case as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided that:

(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

(b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; (c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the latest Maturity Date; and

 

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(d) no tenor that has been removed from this definition pursuant to Section 3.03(c)(iv) shall be available for specification in any Loan Notice.

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

“Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time designate by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

“Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, the Fee Letter, and any Guaranty.

“Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of SOFR Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor, if any.

“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Loan Parties collectively to perform their payment or other material obligations under any Loan Document; (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Borrower of any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (d) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against a Guarantor of any Loan Document to which it is a party if such material adverse effect constitutes a material adverse effect on the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of the Loan Documents against the Borrower and the Guarantors considered as a whole.

 

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“Material Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary other than an Immaterial Subsidiary.

“Maturity Date” means the earlier of (a) August 28, 2024, and (b) the earlier termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 (other than as a result of the funding of the Loans in full on the Funding Date) or Section 8.02.

“Maximum Rate” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.09.

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto which is a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or with respect to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability, contingent or otherwise.

“Net Tangible Assets” means, on any date, with respect to any Subsidiary, the aggregate amount of assets (less applicable accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization and other reserves and other properly deductible items) of such Subsidiary, minus (a) all current liabilities of such Subsidiary (excluding current maturities of long-term debt) and (b) all goodwill of such Subsidiary, all determined in accordance with GAAP.

“Non-Guarantor Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Guarantor.

“Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing the Loan made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

“Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities and obligations of, the Borrower arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, 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 Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

“OFAC” means The Office of Foreign Assets Control, United States Department of Treasury.

 

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“Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities” means, with respect to any Person as of any date of determination thereof, without duplication and to the extent not included as a liability on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP: (a) with respect to any asset securitization transaction (including any accounts receivable purchase facility) (i) the unrecovered investment of purchasers or transferees of assets so transferred provided that such investment is ultimately due for repayment at some date certain, and (ii) any other payment, recourse, repurchase, hold harmless, indemnity or similar obligation of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of assets transferred or payments made in respect thereof, other than limited recourse provisions that are customary for transactions of such type and that neither (x) have the effect of limiting the loss or credit risk of such purchasers or transferees with respect to payment or performance by the obligors of the assets so transferred nor (y) impair the characterization of the transaction as a true sale under applicable Laws (including Debtor Relief Laws); (b) any Synthetic Lease Obligation; (c) the monetary obligations under any sale and leaseback transaction which does not create a liability on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries; or (d) any other monetary obligation arising with respect to any other transaction which (i) is characterized as indebtedness for Tax purposes but not for accounting purposes in accordance with GAAP or (ii) is the functional equivalent of or takes the place of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries (for purposes of this clause (d), any transaction structured to provide Tax deductibility as interest expense of any dividend, coupon or other periodic payment will be deemed to be the functional equivalent of a borrowing).

“Oil and Gas Agreements” means operating agreements, processing agreements, farm-out and farm-in agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, contracts for the gathering and/or transportation of oil and natural gas, unitization agreements, pooling arrangements, joint bidding agreements, joint venture agreements, participation agreements, surface use agreements, service contracts, leases and subleases of Oil and Gas Properties or other similar agreements which are customary in the oil and gas business, howsoever designated, in each case made or entered into in the ordinary course of the oil and gas business as conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

“Oil and Gas Properties” means (a) Hydrocarbon Interests; (b) the Property now or hereafter pooled or unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; (c) all presently existing or future unitization, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units created thereby (including, without limitation, all units created under orders, regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or any portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; (d) all operating agreements, contracts and other agreements which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such Hydrocarbon Interest; (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, the lands covered thereby and all oil in tanks and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues and other income from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; and (f) all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and property in any manner appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests, and any and all property, now owned or hereinafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon Interests or property (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment or other personal property which may be on such premises for the purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including any and all oil wells, gas wells, injection wells or other wells, buildings, structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps, pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures, valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus, equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together with all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any and all of the foregoing.

 

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“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and the operating or limited liability company agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

“Other Taxes” means 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 or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other 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 3.06(b)).

“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).

“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).

“Patriot Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.16.

“Payment Recipient” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 9.12(a).

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

“Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, with respect to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate, may have any liability, contingent or otherwise.

“Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of “Term SOFR”.

 

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“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

“Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.

“Prime Rate” means, at any time, the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its prime rate. Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective as of the opening of business on the day such change in such prime rate occurs. The parties hereto acknowledge that the rate announced publicly by the Administrative Agent as its prime rate is an index or base rate and shall not necessarily be its lowest or best rate charged to its customers or other banks.

“Priority Debt” means, without duplication, (a) Indebtedness of Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness permitted under Sections 7.03(a) through (c)) and (b) Indebtedness secured by Liens pursuant to Section 7.01(m).

“Pro Forma Debt Service Coverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Restricted Payment to be made in any fiscal quarter (the “Test Quarter”), the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the four-fiscal quarter period ended immediately prior to such Test Quarter and for which a Compliance Certificate has been delivered under Section 6.02(a), to (b) the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such four-fiscal quarter period plus (ii) all Restricted Payments (other than those constituting dividends) made or to be made in such Test Quarter plus (iii) all Restricted Payments constituting dividends made or to be made in such Test Quarter multiplied by four. For the avoidance of doubt, only Restricted Payments constituting dividends in subclause (iii) of this definition shall be multiplied by four for purposes of calculating the Pro Forma Debt Service Coverage Ratio.

“Property” of any Person means any property or assets (whether real, personal, or mixed, tangible or intangible) of such Person.

“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

“QFC Credit Support” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.20.

“Recipient” means (a) other than as to Section 3.04(a), the Administrative Agent and (b) any Lender, as applicable.

“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

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“Relevant Governmental Body” means the FRB and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the FRB and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or any successor thereto.

“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30-day notice period has been waived.

“Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the sum of (a) the Aggregate Commitments plus (ii) the Total Outstandings at such time; provided that the portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

“Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.

“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of a Loan Party.

“Restricted Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.11.

“Revolving Credit Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2018, among the Borrower, as borrower, Wells Fargo, as administrative agent and swing line lender, and the lenders and letter of credit issuers party thereto, as amended as of March 26, 2019, March 27, 2020 and November 9, 2022 and as further amended, restated, amended and restated, or otherwise modified from time to time.

“Revolving Credit Documents” means the “Loan Documents” as described and defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement.

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., or any successor thereof which is a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

“SOFR” means a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the SOFR Administrator.

“SOFR Administrator” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).

“SOFR Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate based on Adjusted Term SOFR.

“SPC” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(g).

“Sanctions” has the meaning specified in Section 5.17(a).

 

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“Solvent” means, as to any Person, on the date of any determination, that on such date the fair value of the property of such Person, exclusive of property transferred, concealed or removed with intent to hinder, delay or defraud such entity’s creditors and property that may be exempted from property of a bankruptcy estate pursuant to Section 522 of the Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, is greater than the total amount of the probable liability of the debts of such Person. The determination of “Solvent” may include considerations, determinations and assumptions that are reasonable for such conclusion.

“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

“Supported QFC” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.20.

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination values determined in accordance therewith, such termination values, and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amounts determined as the mark-to-market values for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or Tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

 

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“Taxes” means 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 SOFR” means,

(a) for any calculation with respect to a SOFR Loan, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period on the day (such day, the “Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on any Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day, and

(b) for any calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor of one month on the day (such day, the “Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such day, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on any Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Base Rate SOFR Determination Day.

“Term SOFR Adjustment” means a percentage equal to 0.10% per annum.

“Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (CBA) (or a successor administrator of the Term SOFR Reference Rate selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion).

“Term SOFR Reference Rate” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.

“Threshold Amount” means $100,000,000.

 

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“Total Capital” means, at any time, the sum of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness at such time and (b) Consolidated Net Worth as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower.

“Total Outstandings” means the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Loans occurring on such date.

“Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a SOFR Loan.

“U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday or (c) 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; provided, that for purposes of notice requirements in Sections 2.02(a) and 2.04, in each case, such day is also a Business Day.

“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States person” as defined Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

“U.S. Special Resolution Regimes” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.21.

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(g)(ii)(B)(iii).

“UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended form time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person subject to 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.

“UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.

“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

“Unfunded Pension Liability” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA as of the most recently completed fiscal year of the Pension Plan, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets as of the most recently completed fiscal year of the Pension Plan, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.

“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

“Wells Fargo” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and its successors.

“Withholding Agent” means any Loan Party and the Administrative Agent.

 

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“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (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.

1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

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(d) Any reference herein to a merger, transfer, consolidation, amalgamation, assignment, sale, disposition, or similar term, shall be deemed to apply to a division of or by a limited liability company, limited partnership or trust, or an allocation of assets to a series of a limited liability company, limited partnership or trust (or the unwinding of such division or allocation), as if it were a merger, transfer, amalgamation, consolidation, assignment, sale, disposition, or similar term, as applicable, to, of, or with a separate Person. Any series of limited liability company, limited partnership or trust and any entity surviving or resulting from the division of a limited liability company, limited partnership or trust shall constitute a separate Person hereunder (and each series of a limited liability company or entity surviving or resulting from the division of any limited liability company that is a Subsidiary, joint venture, or any other like term shall also constitute such a Person or entity).

1.03 Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP.

(a) Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including calculations for purposes of determining (i) the Applicable Rate, (ii) compliance with the covenants set forth in Sections 7.01, 7.03, 7.04 and 7.10 and (iii) the relevant definitions used with respect to the provisions referred to in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii)) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated and prepared in conformity with, GAAP in effect as of the Closing Date and applied on a consistent basis with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements except as provided in Section 1.03(b) or as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

(b) Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP or in the application thereof would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement, or the operation of any other provision, set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement or provision to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, regardless of whether any such request is made before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, (i) such ratio or requirement or provision shall continue to be computed or interpreted in accordance with GAAP as in effect immediately prior to such change becoming effective (including, GAAP in effect as of the Closing Date until the first such amendment is made) and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP. All financial covenants, ratios and other calculations shall be calculated without giving effect to the lease accounting standards issued by Financial Accounting Standards Board in February 2016 with respect to accounting for leasing transactions.

1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

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1.05 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Central time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

1.06 Responsible Officer. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

1.07 Rates. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, (a) the continuation of, administration of, submission of, calculation of or any other matter related to the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR, or any component definition thereof or rates referred to in the definition thereof, or with respect to any alternative, successor or replacement rate thereto (including any Benchmark Replacement), including whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement), as it may or may not be adjusted pursuant to Section 3.03(c), will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, or have the same volume or liquidity as, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR, Term SOFR or any other Benchmark prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, or (b) the effect, implementation or composition of any Conforming Changes. The Administrative Agent and its Affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR, Term SOFR, any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) or any relevant adjustments thereto and such transactions may be adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR, or any other Benchmark, any component definition thereof or rates referred to 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.

1.08 Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.

 

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ARTICLE II

THE COMMITMENTS AND LOANS

2.01 The Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make a single loan (each such loan, a “Loan”) to the Borrower on a Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment in effect on such date. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01 and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Upon the funding of its Loan, each Lender’s Commitment shall immediately and automatically terminate without further action pursuant to Section 2.06. Loans may be Base Rate Loans or SOFR Loans, as further provided herein.

2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

(a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of SOFR Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. (i) on the date that is three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans or of any conversion of SOFR Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans; provided that, if the Borrower submits a Loan Notice for a SOFR Loan to be made on or after the Closing Date but prior to the date that is four (4) U.S. Government Securities Business Days after the Closing Date, such Loan Notice shall be accompanied by a funding indemnity letter in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent with respect to costs of the type described in Section 3.05 that may be incurred if the Loan is not made on the Closing Date. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of SOFR Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable SOFR Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of SOFR Loans in any such Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

(b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify, on the same day that the request is received from the Borrower, each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection.

 

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In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 2:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Sections 4.01 and 4.02, the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Wells Fargo with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a SOFR Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such SOFR Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as SOFR Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for SOFR Loans upon determination of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in the Prime Rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than six Interest Periods in effect with respect to Loans.

2.03 [Reserved].

2.04 Voluntary Prepayments. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. (A) on the date that is three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of SOFR Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of SOFR Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of such prepayment, the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit H. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s ratable portion (based on such Lender’s Applicable Percentage). If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest to the date of prepayment on the amount prepaid, and, in the case of SOFR Loans, any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.

 

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2.05 Mandatory Prepayments.

(a) If the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries receives Debt Incurrence Proceeds (other than such proceeds resulting from Excluded Debt) then not later than one Business Day following the receipt of such proceeds, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans in an amount equal to 100% of such Debt Incurrence Proceeds (but net of any loss, cost or expense that the Borrower pays under Section 3.05 as a result of such prepayment of the Loans).

(b) If the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries receives Equity Issuance Proceeds (other than such proceeds resulting from Excluded Equity Issuance), then not later than one Business Day following the receipt of such Equity Issuance Proceeds, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans in an amount equal to 100% of such Equity Issuance Proceeds (but net of any loss, cost or expense that the Borrower pays under Section 3.05 as a result of such prepayment of the Loans).

(c) If the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries receives any Asset Disposition Proceeds in respect to any sale or other disposition of any asset (other than the sale or other disposition of any inventory or equipment in the ordinary course of business) in excess of $35,000,000 in the aggregate from and after the Closing Date, then within three (3) Business Days after the receipt of such Asset Disposition Proceeds, the Borrower shall prepay the principal amount of the Loans in an amount equal to 100% of such Asset Disposition Proceeds; provided, however, that such Asset Disposition Proceeds shall not be required to be prepaid so long as (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such sale or other disposition, (ii) on or prior to the date of such sale or other disposition, a Responsible Officer of the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate certifying that such Asset Disposition Proceeds are reasonably expected to be used by the Borrower or a Subsidiary to make capital expenditures (including the purchase of fixed assets to be used in the business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary) within 90 days following the date of such sale or other disposition (which certificate shall set forth the estimate of the Asset Disposition Proceeds to be so expended), and (iii) such Asset Disposition Proceeds are used to make such capital expenditures within 90 days following the date of such sale or other disposition; and provided further, that if all or any portion of such Asset Disposition Proceeds are not reinvested within such 90-day period (or, in any case, such earlier date, if the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, determines that it cannot reinvest or otherwise decides not to reinvest the Asset Disposition Proceeds from such sale or other disposition), all such Asset Disposition Proceeds not reinvested as permitted above shall be prepaid on the last day of such 90-day period (or such earlier date, as the case may be).

(d) Upon the occurrence of any event triggering the prepayment requirements under clauses (a) through (c) above, the Borrower shall promptly deliver notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly so notify the Lenders.

(e) Each prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.05 shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the amount prepaid to the date of such prepayment, and each prepayment of SOFR Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05 shall be accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 3.05.

(f) Amounts prepaid pursuant to this Section 2.05 may not be reborrowed.

 

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2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Facility, or from time to time permanently reduce the unfunded Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five (5) Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, and (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any termination or reduction of the Facility under this Section 2.06. Upon any reduction of the Commitments, the Commitment of each Lender shall be reduced by such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such reduction amount. All fees in respect of the Facility accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Facility shall be paid on the effective date of such termination. Each Lender’s Commitment shall automatically terminate in full upon the earlier of (a) the Funding Date once such Lender has funded its Loan, and (b) the last day of the Availability Period.

2.07 Repayment of Loans. The Borrower shall repay in full, together with all accrued interest thereon, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans and all other Obligations on the Maturity Date.

2.08 Interest.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.08(b), (i) each SOFR Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to Adjusted Term SOFR for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter, so long as such amount remains unpaid, bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(ii) If any Event of Default under Section 8.01(f) with respect to the Borrower occurs and is continuing, then the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iv) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, so long as any Event of Default is continuing (except as set forth in clause (ii) above), the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

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(v) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times

as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

(d) In connection with the use or administration of Term SOFR, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the effectiveness of any Conforming Changes in connection with the use or administration of Term SOFR.

2.09 Fees. Except as provided in Section 10.13:

(a) Commitment Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to 0.20% per annum times the average daily unused portion of the Aggregate Commitments. The commitment fee provided in this clause (a) shall accrue at all times from the date that is 30 days following the Closing Date through and including the earliest of (i) the Funding Date, (ii) the last day of the Availability Period, and (iii) the date upon which the Commitments are terminated in whole pursuant to Section 2.06 (other than as a result of the funding of the Loans in full on the Funding Date) or Section 8.02, and shall be due and payable in arrears on the earliest of (A) the Funding Date, (B) the last day of the Availability Period, and (C) the date upon which the Commitments are terminated in whole pursuant to Section 2.06 (other than as a result of the funding of the Loans in full on the Funding Date) or Section 8.02.

(b) Funding Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender, a funding fee in an amount equal to 0.25% times the aggregate amount of the Loans made by such Lender hereunder on the Funding Date (including pursuant to Section 2.12(b)). The funding fee provided in this clause (b) shall be fully earned and due and payable on the Funding Date.

(c) Other Fees.

(i) The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent the fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

(ii) The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

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2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Wells Fargo’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be presumed correct and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

2.11 Evidence of Debt. The Loans made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be presumed correct absent manifest error of the amount of the Loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 1:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

 

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(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount and/or interest thereon for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower such corresponding amount paid by the Borrower and/or the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

(ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be presumed correct, absent manifest error.

(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Loan set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to make payments pursuant to Sections 9.12 or 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan or to make any payment under Sections 9.12 or 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or to make its payment under Sections 9.12 or 10.04(c).

 

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(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

2.13 Sharing of Payments by Lenders. Subject to Sections 2.16 and 10.08, if any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it, resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

(a) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

(b) the provisions of this Section 2.13 shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender) or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section 2.13 shall apply).

Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.

2.14 [Reserved].

2.15 [Reserved].

2.16 Defaulting Lenders.

(a) Defaulting Lender Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is not a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.13(a), to the extent not prohibited by applicable Law:

(i) Waivers and Amendments. That Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and in Sections 10.01 and 10.13(c)(ii).

 

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(ii) Reallocation of Payments. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08, shall, in lieu of being distributed to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a) or such other provision of this Agreement applicable with respect to the distribution thereof, be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, 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 that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, and applied to such Loans in such manner as determined by the Administrative Agent; third, to the payment of any amounts owing hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Lenders from, or as a result of, any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; fourth, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing hereunder or any other Loan Document to any Loan Party from, or as a result of, any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Loan Party against, that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and fifth, to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that, with respect to this clause fifth if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of that Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments that were in effect at the time such Loans were made to the Borrower. 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 pursuant to this Section 2.16(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(b) Rights and Remedies against a Defaulting Lender. The Borrower may replace or remove any Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 10.13. The rights and remedies against, and with respect to, a Defaulting Lender under this Section 2.16, are in addition to, and cumulative of, all other rights and remedies that the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Borrower or any other Loan Party may, at any time, have against, or with respect to, such Defaulting Lender.

 

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ARTICLE III

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

3.01 Taxes.

(a) Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 3.01, the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

(b) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except for Taxes required to be deducted under by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent 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 applicable Loan Party 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) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

(c) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Loan Parties shall timely pay 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.

(d) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, within 30 days after written 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) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses 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. Failure or delay on the part of any Recipient to demand payment pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Recipient’s right to demand such payment; provided that, no Recipient shall be indemnified for any Indemnified Taxes the demand for which is made to the Borrower later than 180 days after the later of (i) the date on which the relevant Governmental Authority makes written demand upon such Recipient for payment of such Indemnified Taxes, and (ii) the date on which such Recipient has made payment of such Indemnified Taxes.

 

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(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. 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 any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded 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 clause (e).

(f) Evidence of Payments. As soon as reasonably practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 3.01, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(g) Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or 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 Section 3.01(g)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) 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 or is prohibited by the applicable law of such Lender’s jurisdiction.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

(A) 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 at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form) certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S.

 

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federal backup withholding Tax; (B) any Foreign 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 Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(i) in the case of a Foreign 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 W-8BEN-E (or any successor form), as applicable, 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 W-8BEN-E (or any successor form), as applicable, 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;

(ii) executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor form);

(iii) in the case of a Foreign 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 I-1 to the effect that such Foreign 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 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” 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 or W-8BEN-E (or any successor form), as applicable; or

(iv) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor form), accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor form), IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or any successor form), as applicable, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit I-2 or Exhibit I-3, as applicable, IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form), and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit I-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C) any Foreign 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 Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or 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

 

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(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “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.

(h) Treatment of Certain Refunds. 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 3.01 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01), 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 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 clause (h) (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 clause (h), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this clause (h) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Taxes 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 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.

(i) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 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 the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.

 

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3.02 Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund or to determine or charge interest rates or fees with respect to any Loan, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the applicable interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest or fees with respect to any such Loan shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall, (a) repay any such Person’s participation in the Loans or other applicable Obligations on the last day of the Interest Period for each Loan, or on another applicable date with respect to another Obligation, occurring after the Administrative Agent has notified the Borrower or, in each case, if earlier, the date specified by such Person in the notice delivered to the Administrative Agent (being no earlier than the last day of any applicable grace period permitted by applicable Law) and (b) take all reasonable actions requested by such Person to mitigate or avoid such illegality. Upon any such repayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so repaid or converted.

3.03 Inability to Determine Rates.

(a) Circumstances Affecting Benchmark Availability. Subject to clause (c) below, in connection with any request for a SOFR Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof or otherwise, if for any reason (i) the Administrative Agent shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that reasonable and adequate means do not exist for ascertaining Adjusted Term SOFR for the applicable Interest Period with respect to a proposed SOFR Loan on or prior to the first day of such Interest Period or (ii) the Required Lenders shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that Adjusted Term SOFR does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining such Loans during such Interest Period and, in the case of clause (ii), the Required Lenders have provided notice of such determination to the Administrative Agent, then, in each case, the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice thereof to the Borrower. Upon notice thereof by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, any obligation of the Lenders to make SOFR Loans, and any right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to or continue any Loan as a SOFR Loan, shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected SOFR Loans or the affected Interest Periods) until the Administrative Agent (with respect to clause (ii), at the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, (A) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans (to the extent of the affected SOFR Loans or the affected Interest Periods) or, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein and (B) any outstanding affected SOFR Loans will be deemed to have been converted into Base Rate Loans at the end of the applicable Interest Period. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.

 

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(b) Laws Affecting SOFR Availability. If, after the date hereof, the introduction of, or any change in, any applicable Law or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any such Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency, shall make it unlawful or impossible for any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) to honor its obligations hereunder to make or maintain any SOFR Loan, or to determine or charge interest based upon SOFR, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR, such Lender shall promptly give notice thereof to the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice to the Borrower and the other Lenders (an “Illegality Notice”). Thereafter, until each affected Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist, (i) any obligation of the Lenders to make SOFR Loans, and any right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to a SOFR Loan or continue any Loan as a SOFR Loan, shall be suspended and (ii) if necessary to avoid such illegality, the Administrative Agent shall compute the Base Rate without reference to clause (c) of the definition of “Base Rate”. Upon receipt of an Illegality Notice, the Borrower shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, upon demand from any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all SOFR Loans to Base Rate Loans (in each case, if necessary to avoid such illegality, the Administrative Agent shall compute the Base Rate without reference to clause (c) of the definition of “Base Rate”), on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if all affected Lenders may lawfully continue to maintain such SOFR Loans to such day, or immediately, if any Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such SOFR Loans to such day. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.

(c) Benchmark Replacement Setting.

(i) Benchmark Replacement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace the then-current Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement. Any such amendment with respect to a Benchmark Transition Event will become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Administrative Agent has posted such proposed amendment to all affected Lenders and the Borrower so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such amendment from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. No replacement of a Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement pursuant to this Section 3.03(c)(i) will occur prior to the applicable Benchmark Transition Start Date.

(ii) Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Administrative Agent will have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

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(iii) Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (A) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement and (B) the effectiveness of any Conforming Changes in connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower of the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to Section 3.03(c)(iv). 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 3.03(c), including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in 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 3.03(c).

(iv) Unavailability of Tenor of Benchmark. 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), (A) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including the Term SOFR Reference Rate) and either (1) 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 (2) 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 not or will not be representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (B) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (A) above either (1) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (2) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is not or will not be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.

(v) Benchmark Unavailability Period. Upon the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, (A) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans and (B) any outstanding affected SOFR Loans will be deemed to have been converted to Base Rate Loans at the end of the applicable Interest Period. 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 the Base Rate based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of the Base Rate.

 

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3.04 Increased Costs.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve (including pursuant to regulations issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, special, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities” in Regulation D of the FRB, as amended and in effect from time to time)), special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or advances, loans or other credit extended or participated in by, any Lender or any Recipient;

(ii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (except for (A) Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of “Excluded Taxes” payable by such Recipient and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

(iii) impose on any Recipient any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Recipient;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Recipient of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon written request of such Recipient, the Borrower shall promptly pay to any such Recipient such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Recipient for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be presumed correct 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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(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than six months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the six-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

3.05 Compensation for Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

(c) any assignment of a SOFR Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.13;

including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.

3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or Section 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

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(b) Replacement or Removal of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower may replace or remove, as the case may be, such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.

3.07 Survival. All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all Obligations hereunder.

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

4.01 Conditions of Effectiveness. The effectiveness of this Agreement and the obligation of each Lender to make its Loans hereunder are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders:

(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement;

(ii) a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;

(iii) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of a secretary or assistant secretary or similar officer of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;

(iv) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each Loan Party is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation;

 

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(v) a customary opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, counsel to the Borrower, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, as to the enforceability of the Loan Documents and other matters reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent; (vi) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower either (A) attaching copies of all third party consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower, and the validity against the Borrower, of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and stating that such consents, licenses and approvals are in full force and effect, or (B) stating that no such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;

(vii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying, as of the Closing Date, (A) that the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent that such representation and warranty is qualified by materiality, in which case such representation and warranty shall have been true and correct in all respects), except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, (B) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or, after giving effect to any Borrowing on the Closing Date (if any) or the application of proceeds therefrom, immediately would result therefrom; and (C) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of the Audited Financial Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to have or result in, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

(viii) a certificate signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower certifying that the Borrower (on a consolidated basis with the Subsidiaries), after giving effect to any Borrowing on the Closing Date (if any), the application of the proceeds thereof and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated hereby, is Solvent; and

(ix) such other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders reasonably may require.

(b) Any fees required to be paid by the Borrower on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.

(c) Unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).

(d) The Administrative Agent and each Lender shall have received all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent and each such Lender shall have reasonably requested in order to comply with its respective obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act.

(e) The Administrative Agent and each Lender shall have received, to the extent requested by such Person, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower (or a certification that the Borrower qualifies for an express exclusion from the “legal entity customer” definition under the Beneficial Ownership Regulations), in each case, at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.

 

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Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 9.04, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required hereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

4.02 Conditions to all Loans. The obligation of each Lender to honor any Loan Notice (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of SOFR Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document (other than the representation and warranties contained in Section 5.05(b) and Section 5.06), or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Loan, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representation and warranty contained in subsection (a) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01.

(b) No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, or after giving effect to such proposed Loan or the application of the proceeds thereof, would immediately result therefrom.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received a Loan Notice in accordance with the requirements hereof.

(d) Any fees required to be paid by the Borrower on the Funding Date shall have been paid.

(e) No statute, rule, regulation or other legal requirement shall have been promulgated or enacted and be in effect that on a permanent basis restrains, enjoins, or prohibits the Lenders from making such Loan.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that the Acquisition has been, or will be substantially concurrently with the making of such Loan, consummated in all material respects pursuant to the terms of the Acquisition Agreement and attaching thereto a copy of the Acquisition Agreement, including any amendments, supplements and modifications thereto.

Each Loan Notice (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of SOFR Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) through (d) and Section 4.02(f) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Loan.

 

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ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, and (d) is in compliance with all Laws; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i), (c) or (d), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) violate the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) violate or result in any breach of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law. Each Loan Party is in compliance with all Contractual Obligations referred to in clause (b)(i), except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect (except for any reports required to be filed by the Borrower with the SEC and routine Tax filings).

5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is party thereto, in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and fraudulent conveyance laws, and other similar laws and provisions, and general principles of equity.

 

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5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a) The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for Taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.

(b) From the period commencing on the date of the Audited Financial Statements and ending on the Closing Date, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.06 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (b) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination, and that, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.07 No Default. No Default has occurred and is continuing or after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document would immediately result therefrom.

5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each of the Borrower and each Subsidiary has good record and indefeasible title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 7.01.

5.09 Environmental Compliance. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof, the Borrower has reasonably concluded that such Environmental Laws and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.10 Insurance. The properties of the Borrower and its 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 Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary operates.

 

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5.11 Taxes. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and other material Tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid prior to delinquency all federal, state and other material Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except (a) those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries have received any written notice from any Governmental Authority proposing a Tax assessment against the Borrower or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is party, with any Person other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower, to any Tax sharing agreement other than the tax sharing agreement described in the Form 10-K of Seventy Seven Energy Inc. filed with the SEC on February 13, 2017; provided that the allocation of Taxes in connection with a business acquisition agreement does not constitute a Tax sharing agreement.

5.12 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other federal or state Laws. The Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate have made all material amounts of 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 non-exempt 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) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with each other ERISA Event that has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) the Unfunded Pension Liability of all Pension Plans does not exceed the Threshold Amount; and (iii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

5.13 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests. As of the Closing Date, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.13, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by a Loan Party in the amounts specified on Schedule 5.13 free and clear of all Liens.

 

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5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 7.01 or Section 7.05 or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the Borrower and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness and within the scope of Section 8.01(e) will be margin stock.

(b) None of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

5.15 Disclosure. The Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or has stated in filings with the SEC of the type described in Section 6.02(b), all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No written report, financial statement, certificate or other written information furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by, or read in conjunction with, other written information so furnished) when taken as a whole, contains any material misstatement of fact or, when read together with filings with the SEC of the type described in Section 6.02(b), omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading in any material respect; provided that, with respect to forward-looking information (other than projected financial information) and information of a general economic or industry-specific nature, the Borrower makes no representations and with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed by it to be reasonable at the time. As of the Closing Date, all of the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct.

5.16 Compliance with Laws. Each of the Borrower and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.17 OFAC; FCPA.

(a) None of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents acting in any capacity, directly or indirectly, in connection with, or benefiting from, this Agreement, is a Person that is, or is owned or controlled by Persons that are: (i) the subject of any trade or economic sanctions administered or enforced by the OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, or His Majesty’s Treasury (collectively, “Sanctions”), or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of any Sanction.

 

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(b) None of the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower, nor to the knowledge of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee or agent of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a material violation by such Persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder or any other bribery or anti-corruptions law applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Anti-Corruption Laws”), and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

ARTICLE VI

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

6.01 Financial Statements. The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (for delivery to each Lender):

(a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its annual report on Form 10-K, or its equivalent, for such fiscal year that includes a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, prepared in accordance with GAAP, and audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit; and

(b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its quarterly report on Form 10-Q, or its equivalent, that includes a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, and that includes a certification of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, certifying that the foregoing fairly presents in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, and, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes (provided, however, that the requirement for certification contained in this paragraph (b) shall be deemed satisfied by a certification of a Responsible Officer made in conjunction with a Form 10-Q as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 as in effect on the Closing Date (or as subsequently amended if such law as amended requires a certification that is more comprehensive than, or substantially similar to, the certification required by this paragraph (b))).

 

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As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02, the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under clause (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in clauses (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.

6.02 Certificates; Other Information. The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (for delivery to each Lender):

(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower;

(b) promptly after the same are publicly available, the following (provided, however, that the requirement to deliver the following may be satisfied by giving notice as provided in the last paragraph of this Section 6.02): (i) each report on Form 8-K (other than earnings reports) or 12b-25 and each effective registration statement filed with the SEC, and (ii) each annual report, proxy, financial statement or other report sent to the stockholders of the Borrower, to the extent that such items are not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto; and

(c) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.

The Borrower shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirement to deliver documents pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(b) if such documents shall have been timely made available on “EDGAR” and/or on the Borrower’s home page on the world wide web (as of the date of this Agreement located at www.patenergy.com). Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide to the Administrative Agent a copy by electronic mail of the Compliance Certificates required by Section 6.02(a). Except for such Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

6.03 Notices. The Borrower shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent:

 

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(a) of the occurrence of any Default of which any Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains knowledge; (b) the pendency or commencement of any litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding against the Borrower or any Subsidiary as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination, and that if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(c) of the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, when taken together with each other ERISA Event that has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect; and

(d) of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by the Borrower, excluding changes to GAAP of general applicability.

Each notice delivered pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

6.04 Payment of Obligations. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, prior to delinquency, that, if not paid, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, and (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP, except to the extent that the failure to do any of the above could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Guarantor (if any) and each Material Subsidiary to: (a) preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction not prohibited by Section 7.04; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the failure to preserve any of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.06 Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Guarantor (if any) and each Material Subsidiary to: (a) maintain, preserve (ordinary wear and tear excepted) and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in accordance with industry practices; (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities.

 

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6.07 Maintenance of Insurance. The Borrower shall maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance with respect to its and its Subsidiaries’ properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business operating in the same or similar locations, of such types and in such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Person (including, without limitation, by the maintenance of adequate self-insurance reserves to the extent customary among such companies).

6.08 Compliance with Laws. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.09 Books and Records. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct, in all material respects, entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

6.10 Inspection Rights. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower and at the Administrative Agent’s or such Lender’s expense; provided, however, that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.

6.11 Use of Proceeds. The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Loans for general corporate purposes, including the payment of fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Acquisition and the closing of the Facility; provided, however, that no portion of the proceeds of any Loan will be used in any manner prohibited by Section 7.09.

6.12 FCPA Policies and Procedures. The Borrower shall maintain in effect policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with the Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions.

6.13 Guarantors. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each applicable Subsidiary to, execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a Guaranty, in each case, simultaneously with the execution and delivery of any Guarantee by such Person under and pursuant to the terms of the Revolving Credit Documents.

 

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ARTICLE VII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

7.01 Liens. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Liens existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that (i) the property covered thereby is not changed, (ii) the amount secured or benefited thereby is not increased, and (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed;

(c) Liens for Taxes or unpaid utilities not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(d) carriers’, warehousemen’s, landlords’, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of more than 60 days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;

(e) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;

(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety bonds (other than bonds related to judgments or litigation), performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;

 

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(h) (i) Liens securing purchase money obligations of the Borrower or Subsidiaries of the Borrower, for fixed or capital assets acquired after the Closing Date, or capital lease obligations or Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities of the Borrower or Subsidiaries of the Borrower, provided that, with respect to Liens securing such purchase money, Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities or capital lease obligations, (A) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed or leased by such Indebtedness, (B) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost or fair market value, whichever is lower, of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition and (C) such Liens attach to such property concurrently with or within 90 days after the acquisition thereof, and (ii) Liens securing any refinancing of such Indebtedness, provided that such Liens do not extend to additional property and the amount of the Indebtedness is not increased; and provided further that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness described in this clause (h) shall not exceed $50,000,000 at any time;

(i) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h) or securing appeal or other surety bonds related to such judgments;

(j) Liens arising in the ordinary course of business under Oil and Gas Agreements to secure compliance with such agreements, provided that any such Lien referred to in this clause are for claims which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP, and provided, further, that any such Lien referred to in this clause does not materially impair the use of the property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which such property is held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or materially impair the value of such property subject thereto, and provided, further, that such Liens are limited to property that is the subject of the relevant Oil and Gas Agreement and any proceeds thereof;

(k) Liens created or incurred after the Closing Date existing (x) on assets at the time of acquisition thereof or (y) at the time of acquisition or purchase by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any business entity then owning such assets, so long as such Liens were not incurred, extended or renewed in contemplation of such acquisition or purchase; provided that (i) the Liens shall attach solely to the assets acquired or purchased, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations and liabilities, and only such amounts, that it secures on the date of such acquisition and (iv) at the time of the assumption of such debt and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

(l) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business that constitute banker’s Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a depositary institution, whether arising by operation of law or pursuant to contract; and

(m) Liens not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.01; provided, that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Priority Debt at the time of and after giving effect to such Lien under this clause, shall not exceed the greater of (x) $500,000,000 and (y) 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

7.02 [Reserved]

 

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7.03 Indebtedness of Subsidiaries. The Borrower shall not permit any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) (i) subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 7.01(b), Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Section 7.01(b), (ii) subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 7.01(h), purchase money Indebtedness, Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities or capital lease obligations secured by Liens permitted by Section 7.01(h) and (iii) to the extent constituting Indebtedness and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Sections 7.01(e), (f) or (l), as applicable, such Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Sections 7.01(e), (f) or (l), as applicable;

(b) unsecured Indebtedness owed by any Subsidiary to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary;

(c) (i) subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 7.01(k), Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Section 7.01(k), and (ii) unsecured Indebtedness existing at the time of acquisition or purchase, including by way of merger, by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any business entity, so long as such Indebtedness was not incurred, extended or renewed in contemplation of such acquisition or purchase; provided that at the time of the assumption of such Indebtedness or the acquisition or purchase of such business entity and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist; and

(d) Indebtedness not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.03 and incurred and outstanding under this clause (d) after giving effect thereto; provided, that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Priority Debt shall not exceed, at the time of incurrence, assumption or creation of such Indebtedness under this clause (d), the greater of (x) $500,000,000 and (y) 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

7.04 Fundamental Changes. The Borrower shall not (a) wind up, liquidate or dissolve its affairs, (b) amalgamate or consolidate with, or merge into, any other Person, or permit any other Person to amalgamate or consolidate with, or merge into the Borrower, or (c) sell, lease or otherwise dispose of (or permit any Subsidiary to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of), in one transaction or a series of transactions, all or substantially all the assets of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries (taken as a whole), provided that, the foregoing shall not prohibit (x) any amalgamation, consolidation or merger of the Borrower so long as (i) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, and (ii) the Borrower is the surviving, resulting or continuing Person in such merger, amalgamation or consolidation, or (y) the sale, lease or disposal of assets between or among the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries.

7.05 Hedging Agreements. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Contracts other than in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks to which the Borrower or its Subsidiaries are exposed in the conduct of their business and not for purposes of speculation.

7.06 Change in Nature of Business. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to, engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof (including energy services) or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.

 

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7.07 Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to, enter into any material transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, except that the foregoing shall not apply to transactions among the Borrower and one or more of its Subsidiaries, or between or among the Borrower’s Subsidiaries.

7.08 Burdensome Agreements. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any Revolving Credit Document) that limits the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or make other payments or distributions to the Borrower or any Guarantor or to otherwise transfer property to the Borrower or any Guarantor, except restrictions that could not reasonably be expected to impair the Borrower’s ability to repay the Obligations as and when due.

7.09 Use of Proceeds. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to,

(a) use the proceeds of any Loan, whether directly or indirectly to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose; or

(b) directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Loan, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person (i) to fund any activities or business of, or with, any Person, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding, is, or whose government is, the subject of any Sanction, (ii) in any other manner that would result in a violation of any Sanction applicable to any party hereto, or (iii) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws.

7.10 Financial Covenant. The Borrower shall not permit the Debt to Capitalization Ratio as of, and determined as of, the last day of each fiscal quarter and expressed as a percentage, to exceed 50%.

7.11 Restricted Payments. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to, declare or pay any dividend on, or make any payment or other distribution on account of, or purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire (directly or indirectly), or set apart assets for a sinking or other analogous fund for the purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition of, any class of Equity Interests of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, or make any distribution of cash, property or assets to the holders of shares of any Equity Interests of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof (all of the foregoing, the “Restricted Payments”); provided that: (a) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any

 

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other Loan Party; (b) Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties may make Restricted Payments to other Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties; and (c) the Borrower may declare and make (and each Subsidiary of the Borrower may declare and make to enable the Borrower to do the same) Restricted Payments so long as (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, and (ii) either (A) immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, the Pro Forma Debt Service Coverage Ratio is greater than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00, or (B) immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment (or if a public announcement has been made declaring such Restricted Payment, then at the time such public announcement is made), the Borrower’s Debt Rating is at least BBB- by S&P or Baa3 by Moody’s.

ARTICLE VIII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

8.01 Events of Default. Any of the following shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) Non-Payment. The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within three days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants. The Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Sections 6.03(a), 6.05(a), 6.11, or 6.13 or Article VII; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for 30 days after delivery of written notice thereof to the Borrower from the Administrative Agent acting on the instructions of any Lender; or

(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default.

 

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(i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as defined in such Swap Contract) under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall take any corporate, partnership or company action in furtherance of the foregoing; or

(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any property of such Person if such property is a material part of the property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or levy; or

(h) Judgments. There is entered against the Borrower or any Subsidiary (i) a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 20 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or (i) ERISA.

 

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(i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or

(k) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

(a) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans to be terminated, whereupon such commitments shall be terminated;

(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration, or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; and

(c) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law;

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans shall automatically terminate and the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such; Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

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Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and other Obligations, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

ARTICLE IX

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

9.01 Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints Wells Fargo to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

9.02 Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

9.03 Exculpatory Provisions. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

 

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(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing; (b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

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9.05 Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Facility provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

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9.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arranger or agents, if any, listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender hereunder.

9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

9.10 Guaranty Matters. The Lenders irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent to release and discharge any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty (a) if, at the Administrative Agent’s option and in its discretion, such Person (i) ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder, (ii) ceases to be a guarantor of all other Indebtedness of the Borrower or (iii) is released and discharged as otherwise agreed by the Required Lenders

 

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or all Lenders, as the case may be or (b) upon delivery by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent of a certificate stating that, after giving effect to the release of the Guarantor, the outstanding principal amount of Priority Debt shall not exceed, the greater of (x) $500,000,000 and (y) 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets (and the delivery of such certificate is deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrower under this Agreement of the statements made therein).

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.10.

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, the 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 Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans or the Commitments or this Agreement;

(ii) the prohibited 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 so as to exempt from the prohibitions of Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, 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 Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, 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 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.

 

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(b) In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, the 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, the Arranger and their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).

9.12 Erroneous Payments.

(a) Each Lender and any other party hereto hereby severally agrees that if (i) the Administrative Agent notifies (which such notice shall be conclusive absent manifest error) such Lender or any other Person that has received funds from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates, either for its own account or on behalf of a Lender (each such recipient, a “Payment Recipient”) that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Payment Recipient were erroneously transmitted to, or otherwise erroneously or mistakenly received by, such Payment Recipient (whether or not known to such Payment Recipient) or (ii) any Payment Recipient receives any payment from the 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, prepayment or repayment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment, as applicable, (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment, as applicable, or (z) that such Payment Recipient otherwise becomes aware was transmitted or received in error or by mistake (in whole or in part) then, in each case, an error in payment shall be presumed to have been made (any such amounts specified in clauses (i) or (ii) of this Section 9.12(a), whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise, individually and collectively, an “Erroneous Payment”), then, in each case, such Payment Recipient is deemed to have knowledge of such error at the time of its receipt of such Erroneous Payment; provided that nothing in this Section 9.12 shall require the Administrative Agent to provide any of the notices specified in clauses (i) or (ii) above. Each Payment Recipient agrees that it shall not assert any right or claim to any Erroneous Payment, and hereby waives any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Erroneous Payments, including without limitation waiver of any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine.

 

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(b) Without limiting the immediately preceding clause (a), each Payment Recipient agrees that, in the case of clause (a)(ii) above, it shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent in writing of such occurrence.

(c) In the case of either clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, such Erroneous Payment shall at all times remain the property of the Administrative Agent and shall be segregated by the Payment Recipient and held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, and upon demand from the Administrative Agent such Payment Recipient shall (or, shall cause any Person who received any portion of an Erroneous Payment on its behalf to), promptly, but in all events no later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds and in the currency so received, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Payment Recipient to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.

(d) Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) in the event an Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) is not recovered from any Payment Recipient that has received such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent (1) shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Payment Recipient with respect to such amount and (2) is authorized to set off, net and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Payment Recipient under any Loan Document, or otherwise payable or distributable by the Administrative Agent to such Payment Recipient from any source, against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this Section 9.12 or under the indemnification provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the receipt of an Erroneous Payment by a Payment Recipient shall not for the purpose of this Agreement be treated as a payment, prepayment, repayment, discharge or other satisfaction of any Obligations owed by the 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 the Borrower or any other Loan Party for the purpose of making a payment on the Obligations and (iii) to the extent that an Erroneous Payment was in any way or at any time credited as payment or satisfaction of any of the Obligations, the Obligations or any part thereof that were so credited, and all rights of the Payment Recipient, as the case may be, shall be reinstated and continue in full force and effect as if such payment or satisfaction had never been received.

(e) Each party’s obligations, agreements, and waivers 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, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations (or any portion thereof) under any Loan Document.

 

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(f) Nothing in this Section 9.12 will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of the Administrative Agent hereunder arising from any Payment Recipient’s receipt of an Erroneous Payment.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

10.01 Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 without the written consent of each Lender;

(b) extend or increase any Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;

(c) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

(d) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01 and to the proviso in this clause (d)), or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01 and to the proviso in this clause (d)) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;

(e) change Section 2.04, Section 2.05, Section 2.13 or Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;

(f) change any provision of this Section 10.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; or (g) release all or substantially all of the Guarantors from the Guaranty (other than as permitted by the Loan Documents) without the written consent of each Lender;

 

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and, provided, further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (ii) Section 10.06(g) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; (iii) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto; and (iv) the Administrative Agent may, without the consent of any Lender, enter into amendments or modifications to this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or enter into additional Loan Documents as the Administrative Agent reasonably deems appropriate in order to implement any Benchmark Replacement or otherwise effectuate the terms of Section 3.03(c) in accordance with the terms of Section 3.03(c). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitments of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each Lender hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent on its behalf, and without further consent (but with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent), to enter into amendments or modifications to this Agreement (including, without limitation, amendments to this Section 10.01) or any of the other Loan Documents or to enter into additional Loan Documents as the Administrative Agent reasonably deems appropriate in order to (A) amend and restate this Agreement if, upon giving effect to such amendment and restatement, such Lender shall no longer be a party to this Agreement (as so amended and restated), the Commitments of such Lender shall have terminated, such Lender shall have no other commitment or other obligation hereunder and shall have been paid in full all principal, interest and other amounts owing to it or accrued for its account under this Agreement so long as such amendment or modification does not result in any increase in the amount of any Lender’s Commitment or any increase in any Lender’s Applicable Percentage, in each case, without the written consent of such affected Lender, or (B) cure any obvious error or any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency of a technical nature, so long as (1) such amendment does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender or (2) the Lenders shall have received at least five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five (5) Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment.

 

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10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.

(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in Section 10.02(b)), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i) if to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent (including the Lender serving as the Administrative Agent), to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications, to the extent provided in Section 10.02(b), shall be effective as provided therein.

(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

(c) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

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(d) Reliance by Administrative Agent and Lenders. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder 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.

10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a) Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (provided that the Borrower shall only be required to pay the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of a single outside counsel to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, taken as a whole (which as of the Closing Date is Bracewell LLP)), in connection with the syndication of the term loan facility provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), and (ii) all out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made hereunder, including all such out of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to pay out of pocket expenses incurred by a Defaulting Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for such Defaulting Lender), if such expenses are attributable to such Lender being a Defaulting Lender.

 

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(b) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) 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 losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses of the Indemnitees, to the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of a single firm serving as counsel (and, if necessary, a single firm serving as local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction) for all such Indemnitees, taken as a whole (and in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional firm for the affected Indemnitees similarly situated and taken as a whole (and if necessary, a single firm serving as local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction for the affected Indemnitees similarly situated and taken as a whole))), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the syndication of the term loan facility provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, in all cases, whether or not caused by or arising, in whole or in part, out of the comparative, contributory or sole negligence of the Indemnitee; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from (A) the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, (B) a breach in bad faith of an obligation under a Loan Document in any material respect by such Indemnitee, or (C) a proceeding solely between or among Indemnitees that does not involve any action or omission by the Borrower, any other Loan Party, or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing other than claims against any of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing in fulfilling its role as the Administrative Agent, an arranger, an agent or any similar role under this Agreement. This Section 10.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, but without limiting the Borrower’s payment obligations with respect thereto, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

 

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(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no party hereto shall assert, and each party hereto hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee or any Loan Party, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this clause (d) shall limit the obligations of the Loan Parties set forth in Section 10.04(b) to the extent such indirect, consequential or punitive damages are included in any claim in connection with which an Indemnitee is otherwise entitled to indemnification hereunder. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten (10) Business Days after demand therefor.

(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

10.05 Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

10.06 Successors and Assigns.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an Eligible Assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (e) of this Section, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).

 

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Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it hereunder or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitments (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the applicable Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an assignee group and concurrent assignments from members of an assignee group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its assignee group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met;

(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned; (iii) Required Consents.

 

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No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments to any Person that is not a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to a Lender;

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. (A) The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment and (B) the assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire;

(v) No Assignment to Borrower or Defaulting Lender. No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Affiliates or Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B); and

(vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural person.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the Eligible Assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office 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 amounts of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).

 

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The entries in the Register shall be presumed correct, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. In addition, the Administrative Agent will maintain on the Register information regarding the designation by the Administrative Agent of, and revocation of any such designation, any Lender known to the Administrative Agent as being a Defaulting Lender. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender (but only to the extent of entries in the Register that are applicable to such Lender) at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. In addition, at any time that a request for a consent for a material or substantive change to the Loan Documents is pending, any Lender wishing to consult with other Lenders in connection therewith may request and receive from the Administrative Agent a copy of the Register. Upon its receipt of an Assignment and Assumption executed in conformity with the provisions of this Section 10.06, and payment to it of all fees due and payable with respect thereto, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record it in the Register. The Borrower hereby agrees that the Administrative Agent acting as its non-fiduciary agent solely for the purpose set forth above in this clause (c), shall not subject the Administrative Agent to any fiduciary or other implied duties, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.

(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person, or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans 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, and the 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 Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 3.01(g) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(g) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 3.06(b) as if it were an assignee under clause (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. 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 3.06(b) with respect to any Participant.

 

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To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant in such Lender’s Loans and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in such 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, 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, 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. The Borrower hereby agrees that each Lender acting as its non-fiduciary agent solely for the purpose set forth above in this clause (d), shall not subject such Lender to any fiduciary or other implied duties, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.

(e) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(f) Electronic Execution of Assignments. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

(g) Special Purpose Funding Vehicles. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof or, if it fails to do so, to make such payment to the Administrative Agent as is required under Section 2.12(b)(ii).

 

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Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 3.04), (ii) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (iii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the applicable Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

(a) Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (i) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (ii) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (iii) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (iv) to any other party hereto, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (A) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (B) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (vii) with the consent of the Borrower or (viii) to the extent such Information (X) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (Y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.

 

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For purposes of this Section 10.07(a), “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

(b) The Borrower agrees that the Fee Letter and any commitment letter executed in connection herewith are confidential, and agrees not to disclose any information contained in any such letter except upon the terms therein set forth.

10.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or its Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or its Affiliates shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or such Affiliate different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.16 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and each Loan Party as herein provided, and (y) such Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

10.09 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

 

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To the extent that the interest rate laws of the State of Texas are applicable to the Loans for purposes of determining the “maximum rate” or the “maximum amount,” then those terms mean the “weekly ceiling” from time to time in effect under Texas Finance Code § 303.001, as limited by Texas Finance Code § 303.009, and, to the extent that this Agreement is deemed an open end account as such term is defined in Texas Finance Code Section 301.002(a)(14), the Lenders retain the right to modify the interest rate in accordance with applicable law.

10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.

(a) Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Subject to Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

(b) Electronic Execution. The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery” and words of like import in or related to this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any document, amendment, approval, consent, waiver, modification, information, notice, certificate, report, statement, disclosure, or authorization to be signed or delivered in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures or execution in the form of an Electronic Record, and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable Law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act. Each party hereto agrees that any Electronic Signature or execution in the form of an Electronic Record shall be valid and binding on itself and each of the other parties hereto to the same extent as a manual, original signature. For the avoidance of doubt, the authorization under this paragraph may include, without limitation, use or acceptance by the parties of a manually signed paper which has been converted into electronic form (such as scanned into PDF format), or an electronically signed paper converted into another format, for transmission, delivery and/or retention. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to accept an Electronic Signature in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that without limiting the foregoing, (i) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept such Electronic Signature from any party hereto, the Administrative Agent and the other parties hereto shall be entitled to rely on any such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of the executing party without further verification and (ii) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by an original manually executed counterpart thereof.

 

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Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby (A) 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 and any of the Loan Parties, electronic images of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (in each case, including with respect to any signature pages thereto) shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as any paper original, and (B) waives any argument, defense or right to contest the validity or enforceability of the Loan Documents based solely on the lack of paper original copies of any Loan Documents, including with respect to any signature pages thereto.

10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Loan, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.

10.12 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

10.13 Defaulting Lenders.

(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, then (y) the Borrower may, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, and (z) in the case of a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent may, upon notice to such Lender and the Borrower, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(i) other than an assignment required by the Administrative Agent, and unless paid by the assignee or waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.06(b); (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05 and subject to Section 2.16) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

 

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(iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and

(iv) such assignment does not violate applicable Laws.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply. If the Borrower and the Administrative Agent 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, that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of the Total Outstandings of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Commitments, 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 any Loan Party 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.

(b) If a Lender is a Defaulting Lender and upon the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the other Lenders (in each case which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), then the Borrower shall have the right to remove such Defaulting Lender as a party to this Agreement, and the Borrower may, upon notice to such Defaulting Lender and the Administrative Agent and so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, remove such Defaulting Lender by terminating such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment. The Borrower shall (i) pay in full all principal, interest, fees and other amounts owing to such Defaulting Lender through the date of termination, subject to Section 2.16, and (ii) release such Defaulting Lender from its obligations under the Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall distribute an amended Schedule 2.01, which shall be deemed incorporated into this Agreement, to reflect the removal of the Defaulting Lender and termination of its respective Commitment. The removal of a Defaulting Lender and the termination of such Lender’s Commitment shall not increase or decrease any other Lender’s Commitment which shall continue in effect notwithstanding such removal of the Defaulting Lender.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the Commitments and Loans 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 or waiver pursuant to Section 10.01 hereof), provided that any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender which affects such Defaulting Lender shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

10.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; PROVIDED THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER SHALL RETAIN ALL RIGHTS ARISING UNDER APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAW.

(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

 

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(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

10.15 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

10.16 USA PATRIOT Act Notice. Each Lender that is subject to the Patriot Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “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 or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.

10.17 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

 

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10.18 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

(a) In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that (i) the facilities provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders, on the other hand, and the Borrower is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof), (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, each of the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person, (iii) none of the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or the Lenders has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Borrower with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether any Arranger or Lender has advised or is currently advising the Borrower or any of its Affiliates on other matters), and none of the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or the Lenders has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the financing transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, (iv) the Arranger and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from, and may conflict with, those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and none of the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or the Lenders has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship and (v) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and the Loan Parties have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they have deemed appropriate.

(b) Each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that each Lender, the Arranger and any Affiliate thereof may lend money to, invest in, and generally engage in any kind of business with, any of the Borrower, any Affiliate thereof or any other person or entity that may do business with or own securities of any of the foregoing, all as if such Lender, Arranger or Affiliate thereof were not a Lender or Arranger or an Affiliate thereof (or an agent or any other person with any similar role under the credit facilities provided for herein) and without any duty to account therefor to any other Lender, the Arranger, the Borrower or any Affiliate of the foregoing. Each Lender, the Arranger and any Affiliate thereof may accept fees and other consideration from the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof for services in connection with this Agreement, the credit facilities provided for herein or otherwise without having to account for the same to any other Lender, the Arranger, the Borrower or any Affiliate of the foregoing.

10.19 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:

 

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(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.

10.20 Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Swap Contracts or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support” and, each such QFC, a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):

(a) In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights 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.

 

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(b) As used in this Section 10.20, the following terms have the following meanings:

“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.

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

“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.

“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).

[Signature pages follow.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized effective as of the Closing Date.

 

BORROWER:
PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.
By:   /s/ C. Andrew Smith

Name: C. Andrew Smith

Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement

(Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.)


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT/LENDER:
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as the Administrative Agent and a Lender
By:   /s/ Michael Janak
Name:   Michael Janak
Title:   Managing Director

 

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement

(Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.)


BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, HOUSTON BRANCH,
as a Lender
By:   /s/ Joe Lattanzi
Name:   Joe Lattanzi
Title:   Managing Director

 

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement

(Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.)


LENDER:

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender

By:   /s/ Luke S. Fernie
Name:   Luke S. Fernie
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement

(Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.)


LENDER:
GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA,
as a Lender
By:   /s/ Thomas Manning
Name: Thomas Manning
Title: Authorized Signatory

 

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement

(Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.)


LENDER:
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:   /s/ Alberto Caudillo
Name:   Alberto Caudillo
Title:   Sr. Relationship Manager Officer
  Officer ID: 23427

 

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement

(Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.)


SCHEDULE 2.01

COMMITMENTS

AND APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES

 

Lender

   Commitment      Initial Applicable
Percentage
 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 87,000,000.00        29.000000000

The Bank of Nova Scotia, Houston Branch

   $ 74,000,000.00        24.666666667

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 74,000,000.00        24.666666667

Goldman Sachs Bank USA

   $ 38,000,000.00        12.666666666

HSBC Bank USA, National Association

   $ 27,000,000.00        9.000000000
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 300,000,000.00        100.000000000
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Schedule 2.01


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF LOAN NOTICE

Date: ___________, _____

To: Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement;” the capitalized terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

The undersigned hereby requests (select one):

☐ a Borrowing    ☐ a conversion of Loans    ☐ a continuation of SOFR Loans

1. On _______________________________ (a Business Day).1

2. In the amount of $_________________.2

3. Comprised of ____________________.[Type of Loan requested]

4. For SOFR Loans: with an Interest Period of [one][three][six] month[s].

 

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.,
a Delaware corporation, as the Borrower
By:    
Name:    
Title:    

 

Notice to be received by the Administrative Agent by 10:00 a.m. Central time (i) on the date that is three U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans or of any conversion of SOFR Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans.

2

Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof.

 

Exhibit A


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF NOTE

_______________, 2023

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the “Borrower”) hereby promises to pay to _____________________ or its permitted and registered assigns (the “Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of ______________ U.S. DOLLARS AND __________ CENTS ($________) (the “Term Loan”) owing to the Lender by the Borrower pursuant to that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement;” the capitalized terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among the Borrower, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Term Loan from the date of such Term Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Credit Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lender in Dollars in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Credit Agreement.

This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. This Note is also entitled to the benefits of the Guaranty, if any. Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Credit Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Credit Agreement. The Term Loan owing to the Lender by the Borrower and the maturity thereof, and all payments made on account thereof, shall be recorded by the Lender and, prior to any transfer hereof, endorsed on the schedule attached hereto, which is part of this Note.

The Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, notice of intent to accelerate, and notice of acceleration, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Note.

The terms of Section 10.09 of the Credit Agreement are incorporated herein as fully as if set forth herein.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; PROVIDED THAT EACH OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDER SHALL RETAIN ALL RIGHTS ARISING UNDER APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAW.

 

Exhibit B


THIS NOTE AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

 

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.,
a Delaware corporation, as Borrower
By:    
Name:    
Title:    

 

Exhibit B


Loans and Payments with respect thereto

 

Date

  

Type of

Loan Made

  

Amount of

Loan Made

  

End of

Interest

Period

  

Amount of
Principal or
Interest

Paid This

Date

  

Outstanding
Principal

Balance

This Date

  

Notation

Made By

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

Exhibit B


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Financial Statement Date: __________________

To: Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement;” the capitalized terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

The undersigned Responsible Officer of the Borrower hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the                                  of the Borrower, and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this certificate (this “Compliance Certificate”) to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Borrower, in such capacity and not in his/her individual capacity, and that:

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]

1. [Attached hereto are] or [The Borrower has submitted or is submitting on this date pursuant to Section 6.01(a) of the Credit Agreement the following:] the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) of the Credit Agreement for the fiscal year of the Borrower ended as of the above date and the report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant required by such section.

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]

1. [Attached hereto are] or [The Borrower has submitted or is submitting on this date pursuant to Section 6.01(b) of the Credit Agreement the following:] the unaudited financial statements required by Section 6.01(b) of the Credit Agreement for the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended as of the above date. [Such financial statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.] 3

2. The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Credit Agreement and has made, or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower during the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements.

 

To be included only if no certification of a Responsible Officer is made in conjunction with a Form 10-Q as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 as in effect on the Closing Date (or as subsequently amended if such law as amended requires a certification that is more comprehensive than, or substantially similar to, this certification).

 

Exhibit C


3. A review of the activities of the Borrower during such fiscal period has been made under the supervision of the undersigned with a view to determining whether during such fiscal period the Borrower performed and observed all its Obligations under the Loan Documents, and

[select one:]

[to the best knowledge of the undersigned during such fiscal period, the Borrower performed and observed each covenant and condition of the Loan Documents applicable to it.]

--or—

[the following covenants or conditions have not been performed or observed and the following is a list of each such Default and its nature and status:]

4. The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V (other than the representation and warranty made in Section 5.05(b)) of the Credit Agreement, and any representations and warranties of any Loan Party that are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection with the Loan Documents, are true and correct on and as of the date hereof, except to the extent that any such representation and warranty specifically refers to an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty is true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Compliance Certificate, the representations and warranties contained in Section 5.05(a) of the Credit Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Section 6.01 of the Credit Agreement, including the statements in connection with which this Compliance Certificate is delivered, [except as follows: _______________].

5. The financial covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedule 1 attached hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Compliance Certificate.

 

Exhibit C


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Compliance Certificate as of _____________________.

 

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.,

a Delaware corporation, as Borrower

By:    
Name:  
Title:  

 

Exhibit C


For the Quarter/Year ended ___________________(“Statement Date”)

SCHEDULE 1

to the Compliance Certificate

($ in 000’s)

 

I. Section 7.10 –Debt to Capitalization Ratio.

  

A. Consolidated Funded Indebtedness:

  

1. Obligations for borrowed money:

   $                

2. Reimbursement obligations in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, and similar instruments:

   $                

3. Obligations to pay deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable to a Person (i) in the United States or Canada, in the ordinary course of business and, in each case, not past due for more than 60 days, or (ii) in any other country in the ordinary course of business, if not past due for more than 120 days):

   $                

4. Indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse:

   $                

5. Capital leases:

   $    

6. Obligations in respect of any forward sale of production for which payment is received in advance, other than on ordinary trade terms:

   $                

7. Obligations to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest, on a date certain and not subject to any contingencies, or at the option of the holder of such Equity Interest:

   $                

8. Guaranty obligations in respect of the foregoing:

   $                

9. Consolidated Funded Indebtedness (the sum of I.A.1 through I.A.8):

   $                

B. Total Capital

  

1. Consolidated Funded Indebtedness (I.A.9):

   $                

2. Consolidated Net Worth:

   $                

3. Total Capital (I.B.1 + I.B.2):

   $                

C. Debt to Capitalization Ratio ((I.A.9 ÷ I.B.3) x 100):

                  

Maximum allowed:

     50

 

Exhibit C


EXHIBIT D

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Term Loan Agreement identified below (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including, without limitation, any guarantees included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as, the “Assigned Interest”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

1.

Assignor: ______________________________

 

2.

Assignee: ______________________________ [and is an [Affiliate/Approved Fund] of [identify Lender]]

 

3.

Borrower(s):                     Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation

 

4.

Administrative Agent:         Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as the

administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 

5.

Credit Agreement:        Term Loan Agreement, dated as of

August 29, 2023, among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., the

Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo

Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

 

Exhibit D


6.

Assigned Interest:

 

Aggregate
Amount of
Commitment

for all Lenders

   Amount of
Commitment
Assigned4
     Percentage
Assigned of
Commitment5
    CUSIPNumber  

$            

   $                                    

 

[7.

Trade         Date:__________________]6

Effective Date: __________________, 20__ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[Consented to and]7 Accepted:
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment of all Lenders thereunder.

To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

Exhibit D


[Consented to:]8
PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC., as Borrower
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

 

To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

Exhibit D


ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

  1.

Representations and Warranties.

1.1 Assignor. The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2 Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all requirements of an Eligible Assignee under the Credit Agreement (subject to receipt of such consents as may be required under the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

 

Annex 1 to Assignment and Assumption


3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

Annex 1 to Assignment and Assumption


EXHIBIT E

[RESERVED]

 

Exhibit E


EXHIBIT F

[RESERVED]

 

Exhibit F


EXHIBIT G

[RESERVED]

 

Exhibit G


EXHIBIT H

FORM OF PREPAYMENT NOTICE

Date: ___________, _____

To: Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement;” the capitalized terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

The undersigned hereby gives notice of prepayment on the following Type of Loan (select one):

☐ Base Rate Loans  ☐ SOFR Loans

1. On _________________________ (a Business Day).9

2. In the amount of $_____________.10

The giving of this notice and the amount of the prepayment of the Loans indicated herein comply with Section 2.04 of the Credit Agreement.

 

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.,

a Delaware corporation, as Borrower

By:    
Name:    
Title:    

 

Notice to be received by the Administrative Agent by 10:00 a.m. Central time (i) on the date that is three U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of SOFR Loans, and (ii) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans.

10 

Any prepayment of SOFR Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof.

 

Exhibit H


EXHIBIT I-1

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is made to that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Date: ________ __, 20[ ]

 

 

 

Exhibit I


EXHIBIT I-2

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is made to that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Date: ________ __, 20[ ]

 

Exhibit I


EXHIBIT I-3

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is made to that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “bank” extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:    
 

Name:

 

Title:

Date: ________ __, 20[ ]

 

Exhibit I


EXHIBIT I-4

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is made to that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “bank” extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Date: ________ __, 20[ ]

 

Exhibit I

EX-10.2 6 d463540dex102.htm EX-10.2 EX-10.2

Exhibit 10.2

Execution Version

AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

This AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of August 29, 2023 (“Effective Date”), is by and among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Borrower”), the Lenders (as defined below) party hereto, the L/C Issuers (as defined below) party hereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”) for the Lenders, as an L/C Issuer, and as the swing line lender under the Credit Agreement referred to below (in such capacity, the “Swing Line Lender”).

RECITALS

A. Reference is hereby made to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2018, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the issuers of letters of credit party thereto from time to time (the “L/C Issuers”), the Swing Line Lender and the financial institutions party thereto from time to time as lenders (the “Lenders”), as amended by that certain Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of March 26, 2019, that certain Amendment No. 2 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of March 27, 2020 and that certain Amendment No. 3 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2022 (as so amended and as may be further amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”).

B. Pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of July 3, 2023, among the Borrower, PJ Merger Sub Inc., PJ Second Merger Sub LLC, BEP Diamond Holdings Corp. (“Ulterra”), and BEP Diamond Topco L.P., the Borrower has acquired all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in Ulterra through a series of mergers. Ulterra is the obligor and account party with respect to certain letters of credit issued by Wells Fargo Bank, National Association prior to Ulterra becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Borrower (as such letters of credit are more fully described in Schedule 1.01B attached hereto (the “Ulterra LCs”). The Borrower has requested that the parties to the Credit Agreement deem the Ulterra LCs to be issued and outstanding under the Credit Agreement, in each case, to the extent and subject to the terms set forth herein.

C. Additionally, U.S. Bank National Association (“US Bank”) and HSBC Bank USA, National Association (collectively, the “Extending Lenders” and each individually, an “Extending Lender”) have agreed to extend the Maturity Date applicable to all or a portion of their respective Commitments as more particularly set forth herein.

D. In connection with the above, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders and L/C Issuers make certain amendments to the Credit Agreement, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.


NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants, representations and warranties contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

Section 1. Defined Terms; Interpretation and Provisions. As used in this Agreement, each of the terms defined in the opening paragraph and the Recitals above shall have the meanings assigned to such terms therein. Each term defined in the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, and used herein without definition shall have the respective meaning assigned to such term in the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, unless expressly provided to the contrary. Article, Section, Schedule, and Exhibit references are to Articles and Sections of and Schedules and Exhibits to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. 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. The term “including” means “including, without limitation”. Paragraph headings have been inserted in this Agreement as a matter of convenience for reference only and it is agreed that such paragraph headings are not a part of this Agreement and shall not be used in the interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.

Section 2. Consent to Extension of Maturity Date.

(a) Upon the effectiveness of this Agreement pursuant to Section 5 below, the Maturity Date of all or a portion of the Commitments of the Extending Lenders is hereby extended to March 27, 2026, as set forth on Schedule 2.01 hereto, which shall constitute an amendment and restatement of Schedule 2.01 to the Credit Agreement. The Maturity Date with respect to the Commitments of each other Lender shall remain unchanged as set forth on such amended and restated Schedule 2.01 to the Credit Agreement. The extension of the Maturity Date by the Extending Lenders as set forth in this Section 2 shall be effective as of the Effective Date.

(b) Notwithstanding anything herein or in the Credit Agreement to the contrary, (i) the extension of the Maturity Date set forth in this Section 2 shall not constitute an exercise by the Borrower of its right to extend the Maturity Date pursuant to Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, and following the Effective Date, the Borrower shall continue to have the right to request two one-year extensions of the Maturity Date as described in Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, (ii) the Maturity Date applicable to the portion of US Bank’s Commitment that is not being extended to March 27, 2026 pursuant hereto shall continue to have the Present Maturity Date in effect prior to the Effective Date unless amended after the Effective Date pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, and (iii) each Extending Lender agrees that, on each Present Maturity Date to occur prior to its extended Maturity Date, such Extending Lender shall automatically be deemed to have purchased participations in each Letter of Credit, the related L/C Obligations, and each Swing Line Loan equal to such Extending Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof after giving effect to the elimination of the Commitments expiring on such Present Maturity Date.

Section 3. Amendments to Credit Agreement.

(a) The Credit Agreement (other than the Exhibits and Schedules thereto unless otherwise expressly set forth in this Section 3) is hereby amended as follows:

(1) Section 1.01 (Defined Terms) is hereby amended to add the following as new defined terms in alphabetical order therein:

“Amendment No. 4 Effective Date” means August 29, 2023.

 

2


“Term Loan Credit Document” means the “Loan Documents” as described and defined in that certain Term Loan Agreement, dated as of August 29, 2023, among the Borrower, as borrower, Wells Fargo, as administrative agent and a lender, and the other lenders party thereto, as amended, restated, amended and restated, or otherwise modified from time to time.

“Ulterra Letters of Credit” means those certain Letters of Credit that are outstanding on the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date and listed on Schedule 1.01B.

(2) Section 1.01 (Defined Terms) is hereby amended to amend and restate the following defined terms in their entirety:

“Fee Letters” means (a) the letter agreement, dated February 27, 2018, among the Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, (b) the letter agreement, dated February 27, 2018, between the Borrower and The Bank of Nova Scotia, (c) the letter agreement, dated February 27, 2018 between the Borrower and U.S. Bank National Association, (d) the letter agreement, dated October 17, 2022, among the Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, and (e) the letter agreement, dated August 29, 2023 between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

“Guaranty” means any Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of itself and the Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit E but including a waiver by the Guarantors party thereto substantially consistent with Section 10.04(d), and such additional guaranty agreements Guaranteeing the Obligations as may hereafter be executed.

“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued or deemed issued hereunder and shall include the Existing Letters of Credit and the Ulterra Letters of Credit. A Letter of Credit may be a standby letter of credit or a commercial letter of credit.

“Maturity Date” means the earlier of (a) with respect to each Lender, the maturity date as indicated on Schedule 2.01, as amended from time to time as provided herein, and (b) the earlier termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06(a) or Section 8.02.

(3) Section 2.03(a) (The Letter of Credit Commitment) is hereby amended by replacing each reference to “…for the account of the Borrower…” with a reference to “…for the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary….”

 

3


(4) Section 2.03(a) (The Letter of Credit Commitment) is hereby further amended to add the following sentence to the end of clause (i):

All Ulterra Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto on the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date, and from and after the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

(5) Section 2.03(b) (Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit) is hereby amended to revise the parenthetical in clause (ii) that reads “(including, for the avoidance of doubt, the deemed issuance of any Existing Letter of Credit”) so that it reads “(including, for the avoidance of doubt, the deemed issuance of any Existing Letter of Credit and any Ulterra Letter of Credit)”.

(6) Section 2.03(n) (Letter of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

(n) Letter of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued, deemed issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance or deemed issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Subsidiaries (and in the case of the Ulterra Letters of Credit, including the account party thereto that subsequently became a Subsidiary) inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

(7) Section 2.17 (Extension of Maturity Date) is hereby amended to add the following new clause (f) to the end thereof:

(f) Upon the occurrence of each Present Maturity Date, the Administrative Agent shall distribute an amended Schedule 2.01, which shall be deemed incorporated into this Agreement, to reflect the termination of any Non-Consenting Lender’s Commitment on such Present Maturity Date.

(8) The last paragraph of Section 4.02 (Conditions to all Credit Extensions) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of SOFR Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) - (c) and Section 4.02(e) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

 

4


(9) Section 7.01(h) (Liens) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

(h) (i) Liens securing purchase money obligations of the Borrower or Subsidiaries of the Borrower, for fixed or capital assets acquired after the Closing Date, or capital lease obligations or Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities of the Borrower or Subsidiaries of the Borrower, provided that, with respect to Liens securing such purchase money, Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities or capital lease obligations, (A) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed or leased by such Indebtedness, (B) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost or fair market value, whichever is lower, of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition and (C) such Liens attach to such property concurrently with or within 90 days after the acquisition thereof, and (ii) Liens securing any refinancing of such Indebtedness, provided that such Liens do not extend to additional property and the amount of the Indebtedness is not increased; and provided further that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness described in this clause (h) shall not exceed $50,000,000 at any time;

(10) Section 7.03 (Indebtedness of Subsidiaries) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

7.03 Indebtedness of Subsidiaries. The Borrower shall not permit any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) (i) subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 7.01(b), Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Section 7.01(b), (ii) subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 7.01(h), purchase money Indebtedness, Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities or capital lease obligations secured by Liens permitted by Section 7.01(h) and (iii) to the extent constituting Indebtedness and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Sections 7.01(e), (f) or (l), as applicable, such Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Sections 7.01(e), (f) or (l), as applicable;

(b) unsecured Indebtedness owed by any Subsidiary to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary;

(c) (i) subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 7.01(k), Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Section 7.01(k), and (ii) unsecured Indebtedness existing at the time of acquisition or purchase, including by way of merger, by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any business entity, so long as such Indebtedness was not incurred, extended or renewed in contemplation of such acquisition or purchase; provided that at the time of the assumption of such Indebtedness or the acquisition or purchase of such business entity and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist; and

 

5


(d) Indebtedness not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.03 and incurred and outstanding under this clause (d) after giving effect thereto; provided, that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Priority Debt shall not exceed, at the time of incurrence, assumption or creation of such Indebtedness under this clause (d), the greater of (x) $500,000,000 and (y) 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

(11) Section 7.08 (Burdensome Agreements) is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

7.08 Burdensome Agreements. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any Term Loan Credit Document) that limits the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or make other payments or distributions to the Borrower or any Guarantor or to otherwise transfer property to the Borrower or any Guarantor, except restrictions that could not reasonably be expected to impair the Borrower’s ability to repay the Obligations as and when due.

(12) Section 10.04(a) (Costs and Expenses) is hereby amended to replace the proviso in the parenthetical in clause (i) to read as follows: “(provided that the Borrower shall only be required to pay the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of a single outside counsel to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, taken as a whole (which as of the Closing Date is Bracewell LLP))”.

(13) Section 10.04(b) (Indemnification by the Borrower) is hereby amended to replace the language that reads “(including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee)” with the following: “(but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses of the Indemnitees, to the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of a single firm serving as counsel (and, if necessary, a single firm serving as local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction) for all such Indemnitees, taken as a whole (and in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional firm for the affected Indemnitees similarly situated and taken as a whole (and, if necessary, a single firm serving as local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction for the affected Indemnitees similarly situated and taken as a whole)))”.

(14) Section 10.04(b) (Indemnification by the Borrower) is hereby further amended to add a comma between “negotiation” and “execution” in clause (i) of such Section.

(15) Section 10.04(d) (Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.) is hereby amended to replace the language that reads “To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no party hereto shall assert, and each party hereto hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability,” with the following: “To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no party hereto shall assert, and each party hereto hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee or any Loan Party, on any theory of liability,”.

 

6


(16) Section 10.06(c) (Register) is hereby amended to replace the language that reads “The Register shall be available for inspection by each of the Borrower and the L/C Issuers at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.” with the following: “The Register shall be available for inspection by each of the Borrower, the L/C Issuers, and each Lender (but only to the extent of entries in the Register that are applicable to such Lender) at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.”.

(b) The Credit Agreement is hereby amended to add Schedule 1.01B attached hereto as a new Schedule thereto.

(c) Schedule 2.01 (Commitments and Applicable Percentages) of the Credit Agreement is hereby replaced in its entirety with Schedule 2.01 attached hereto.

Section 4. Borrower’s Representations and Warranties. The Borrower acknowledges, represents, warrants and agrees that: (a) after giving effect to this Agreement, the representations and warranties contained in the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, and the representations and warranties contained in the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Effective Date and on the date hereof as if made on as and as of such date except to the extent that any such representation or warranty expressly relates solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty is true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date (except that any such representation and warranty that is qualified by materiality is true and correct in all respects as of the applicable date), and except that for purposes herein, the representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.05(a) and (b) of the Credit Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Section 6.01 of the Credit Agreement; (b) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within the corporate power and authority of the Borrower and have been duly authorized by appropriate corporate action and proceedings; (c) this Agreement constitutes the legal, valid, and binding obligation of the Borrower enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and general principles of equity, and no portion of the Obligations are subject to avoidance, subordination, recharacterization, recovery, attack, offset, counterclaim, or defense of any kind; (d) there are no governmental or other third party consents, licenses and approvals required to be made or obtained by it in connection with its execution, delivery, performance, validity and enforceability of this Agreement; (e) no Defaults or Events of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and (f) since the date of the financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) of the Credit Agreement, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

7


Section 5. Conditions to Effectiveness. This Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date and enforceable against the parties hereto upon the occurrence of the following conditions precedent on or before the Effective Date:

(a) the receipt by the Administrative Agent of original counterparts of this Agreement executed and delivered by duly authorized officers of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and Lenders constituting Required Lenders, which shall include all Extending Lenders;

(b) the receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate of the Borrower signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that (i) the extension of the Maturity Date set forth in Section 2 is within the Borrower’s corporate authority and has been duly authorized by appropriate governing action and proceedings and (ii) before and after giving effect to such extension, (A) the representations and warranties contained in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Effective Date and on the date hereof as if made on and as of such date (except to the extent that such representation and warranty is qualified by materiality, in which case they shall have been true and correct in all respects), except to the extent that such representations and warranties expressly relate solely to an earlier date, in which case they shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes herein, the representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.05(a) and (b) of the Credit Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Section 6.01 of the Credit Agreement, and (B) no Defaults or Events of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) the receipt by the Administrative Agent of the fee letter dated as of August 29, 2023 between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (the “Amendment No. 4 Fee Letter”), and the payment in full of all fees required to be paid by the Amendment No. 4 Fee Letter as of or on the Effective Date;

(d) evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent of the payment in full by the Borrower of all the fees and expenses required to be paid as of or on the Effective Date by Section 10.04 of the Credit Agreement or any other provision of a Loan Document to the extent invoiced prior to the Effective Date; and

(e) a customary opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, counsel to the Borrower, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, as to the enforceability of this Agreement and the other matters reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

Section 6. Acknowledgments and Agreements.

(a) The Borrower acknowledges that on the date hereof and after giving effect to this Agreement, all outstanding Obligations are payable in accordance with their terms and the Borrower waives any defense, offset, counterclaim or recoupment with respect thereto. The Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and the Lenders hereby expressly reserve all of their rights, remedies, and claims under the Loan Documents. Nothing in this Agreement shall constitute a waiver or relinquishment of (i) any Default or Event of Default under any of the Loan Documents, (ii) any of the agreements, terms or conditions contained in any of the Loan Documents, (iii) any rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer or any Lender with respect to the Loan Documents, or (iv) the rights of the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any Lender to collect the full amounts owing to them under the Loan Documents.

 

8


(b) The Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and each Lender does hereby adopt, ratify, and confirm the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, and acknowledges and agrees that the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, is and remains in full force and effect, and the Borrower acknowledges and agree that its liabilities and obligations under the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby are not impaired in any respect by this Agreement.

(c) From and after the Effective Date, all references to the Credit Agreement and the Loan Documents shall mean the Credit Agreement and such Loan Documents as amended by this Agreement.

(d) This Agreement is a Loan Document for the purposes of the provisions of the other Loan Documents.

Section 7. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which, taken together, constitute a single instrument. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile signature or other electronic imaging means, and all such signatures shall be effective as originals.

Section 8. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted pursuant to the Credit Agreement.

Section 9. Severability. In case one or more provisions of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, (a) the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or therein shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 10. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York; provided that, the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and each Lender shall retain all rights arising under applicable federal law.

Section 11. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.

THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

[Signature pages follow.]

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized effective as of the Effective Date.

 

BORROWER:
PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.
By:   /s/ C. Andrew Smith
  Name: C. Andrew Smith
  Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT/LENDER/L/C ISSUER/SWING LINE LENDER:
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,

as the Administrative Agent, a Lender, an L/C Issuer

and Swing Line Lender

By:   /s/ Michael Janak
Name:   Michael Janak
Title:   Managing Director

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, HOUSTON

BRANCH, as a Lender and an L/C Issuer

By:   /s/ Joe Lattanzi
Name:   Joe Lattanzi
Title:   Managing Director

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender and an L/C Issuer

By:   /s/ Luke S. Fernie
Name:   Luke S. Fernie
Title:   Vice President

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,

as a Lender

By:   /s/ Michael Sharp
Name:   Michael Sharp
Title:   Authorized Signatory

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender
By:    
Name:    
Title:    

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA,

as a Lender

By:   /s/ Neal Osborn
Name:   Neal Osborn
Title:   Authorized Signatory

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


BOKF, NA DBA BANK OF TEXAS,

as a Lender

By:    
Name:    
Title:    

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


COMERICA BANK,

as a Lender

By:   /s/ Kenneth Foster
Name:   Kenneth Foster
Title:   V.P. Middle Market

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:   /s/ Alberto Caudillo
Name:   Alberto Caudillo
Title:   Sr. Relationship Manager
  Officer ID: 23427

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


ZIONS BANCORPORATION, N.A. dba AMEGY BANK,

as a Lender

By:    
Name:    
Title:    

Signature Page to Amendment No. 4 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


SCHEDULE 2.01

COMMITMENTS

AND APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES

 

Lender

   Commitment     

Initial Applicable

Percentage

  

Maturity Date

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 98,333,333.34      16.388888890%    March 27, 2026

The Bank of Nova Scotia, Houston Branch

   $ 98,333,333.33      16.388888888%    March 27, 2026

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 50,000,000.00      8.333333333%    March 27, 2026

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 48,333,333.33      8.055555555%    March 27, 2025

Royal Bank of Canada

   $ 75,000,000.00      12.500000000%    March 27, 2026

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 50,000,000.00      8.333333333%    March 27, 2024

Goldman Sachs Bank USA

   $ 50,000,000.00      8.333333333%    March 27, 2026

BOKF, NA dba Bank of Texas

   $ 35,000,000.00      5.833333333%    March 27, 2026

Comerica Bank

   $ 35,000,000.00      5.833333333%    March 27, 2026

HSBC Bank USA, National Association

   $ 35,000,000.00      5.833333333%    March 27, 2026

Zions Bancorporation, N.A. dba Amegy Bank

   $ 25,000,000.00      4.166666667%    March 27, 2026

Total

   $ 600,000,000.00      100.000000000%    —  
EX-10.3 7 d463540dex103.htm EX-10.3 EX-10.3

Exhibit 10.3

NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. Equity and Incentive Award Plan

(As amended and restated September 1, 2023)

The purpose of the NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. Equity and Incentive Award Plan (the “Plan”) is to promote the success and enhance the value of the Company by linking the personal interests of the members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants to those of the Company’s stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to the Company’s stockholders. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operations is largely dependent.

The Plan was originally adopted by Keane Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Keane”), by resolution of its Board of Directors on January 3, 2017. The Plan became effective upon its approval by Keane’s stockholders on January 20, 2017 (the “Effective Date”). The Plan was subsequently amended on December 7, 2020 and February 23, 2021, and further amended and restated on each of April 6, 2021, April 19, 2021, April 29, 2021 and April 18, 2023, in each case subject to shareholder approval. On September 1, 2023, in connection with the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among the Company, Pecos Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, Pecos Second Merger Sub LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and NexTier, dated as of June 14, 2023, as amended (the “Patterson-UTI Merger”), the Company assumed the Plan and the Awards outstanding hereunder and amended and restated the Plan in connection therewith.

Article I.

DEFINITIONS

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

 

1.1.

“Applicable Exchange” shall mean The Nasdaq Global Select Market or other securities exchange or national market system as may at the applicable time be the principal market for the Common Stock.

 

1.2.

“Award” shall mean an Option, a Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a Performance Award, a Deferred Stock Award, a Stock Payment Award or a Stock Appreciation Right, in each case, which may be awarded or granted under the Plan.

 

1.3.

“Award Agreement” shall mean any written notice, agreement, terms and conditions, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium, which shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to an Award as the Committee shall determine consistent with the Plan.

 

1.4.

“Award Limit” shall mean the maximum Award amounts set forth in Section 2.3.

 

1.5.

“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

1.6.

“Change in Control” shall mean, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, the occurrence of any of the following transactions or events occurring on or after the Effective Date:

 

  (a)

the acquisition by any Person of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 51% or more of either (x) the then outstanding shares of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Shares”) or (y) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (a), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (1) any acquisition directly from the Company; (2) any acquisition by the Company; (3) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company; or (4) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of subsection (c) below;

 

1


  (b)

individuals who, as of September 1, 2023, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

 

  (c)

consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or the acquisition of assets of another entity (each, a “Corporate Transaction”), in each case, unless, following such Corporate Transaction, (i) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Shares and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation or other entity resulting from such Corporate Transaction (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction of the Outstanding Company Shares and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan or related trust of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction or the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Corporate Transaction and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation (or other governing board of a non-corporate entity) resulting from such Corporate Transaction were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Corporate Transaction; or

 

  (d)

approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

For purposes of subsection (a) above, the calculation of voting power shall be made as if the date on which the ownership of such person or group is measured were a record date for a vote of the Company’s stockholders, and for purposes of subsection (c) above, the calculation of voting power shall be made as if the date of the consummation of the transaction were a record date for a vote of the Company’s stockholders. For all purposes of this Plan, any calculation of the number of securities outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding voting securities of which any person is the beneficial owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. For purposes of this definition of “Change in Control, “Person” means any individual, entity or group within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act. For purposes of the Plan, the Registration Date shall not be considered a Change in Control.

The Patterson-UTI Merger was a Change in Control for purposes of this Plan.

 

1.7.

“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. Any reference to any section of the Code shall also be a reference to any successor provision and any Treasury Regulation promulgated thereunder.

 

2


1.8.

“Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, or another committee or subcommittee of the Board, appointed as provided in Section 10.1, consisting solely of two or more Directors. Solely to the extent required by applicable law or applicable stock exchange rule, each Director serving on the Committee shall be a Non-Employee Director who is intended to qualify as a “non-employee director” as defined by Rule 16b-3 and as an “independent director” as defined under the applicable stock exchange rule. If for any reason the appointed Committee does not meet the requirements of Rule 16b-3, such noncompliance shall not affect the validity of Awards, grants, interpretations or other actions of the Committee.

 

1.9.

“Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

 

1.10.

“Company” shall mean Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

1.11.

“Consultant” shall mean any consultant or adviser of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries if: (a) the consultant or adviser is a natural person, (b) the consultant or adviser renders bona fide services to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (c) the services rendered by the consultant or adviser are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities.

 

1.12.

“Covered Employee” shall mean any Employee who is, or could be, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

1.13.

“Deferred Stock” shall mean a right to receive Common Stock awarded under Section 8.4 of the Plan.

 

1.14.

“Director” shall mean a member of the Board.

 

1.15.

“DRO” shall mean any judgment, decree or order which relates to marital property rights of a spouse or former spouse and is made pursuant to applicable domestic relations law (including community property law).

 

1.16.

“Effective Date” shall mean January 20, 2017, the date the Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders.

 

1.17.

“Employee” shall mean any officer or other employee (as defined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company or of its Subsidiaries.

 

1.18.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

1.19.

“Fair Market Value” shall mean, as of any date, the value of a share of Common Stock determined as follows:

 

  (a)

If the Common Stock is listed on an Applicable Exchange, the value of a share of Common Stock shall be the closing sales price for a share of Common Stock as quoted on such Applicable Exchange for such date, or if there is no closing sales price for a share of Common Stock on the date in question, the closing sales price for a share of Common Stock on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable;

 

  (b)

If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but closing sales prices are not reported, the value of a share of Common Stock shall be the mean of the high bid and low asked prices for such date or, if there are no high bid and low asked prices for a share of Common Stock on the date in question, the high bid and low asked prices for a share of Common Stock on the last preceding date for which such information exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable; or

 

3


  (c)

If the Common Stock is neither listed on an Applicable Exchange nor regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, the value of a share of Common Stock shall be established by the Committee in good faith in whatever manner it considers appropriate taking into account the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or Section 409A of the Code, as applicable.

 

1.20.

“Fiscal Year” shall mean the fiscal year of the Company.

 

1.21.

“Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an option which conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code and which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option by the Committee.

 

1.22.

“NexTier” shall mean NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation and successor corporation to Keane.

 

1.23.

“Non-Employee Director” shall mean a Director who is not an Employee.

 

1.24.

“Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option which is not designated as an Incentive Stock Option by the Committee.

 

1.25.

“Option” shall mean a stock option granted under Article IV of the Plan.

 

1.26.

“Participant” shall mean an Employee, Non-Employee Director or Consultant who has been granted an Award.

 

1.27.

“Performance Award” shall mean a cash bonus, stock bonus or other performance or incentive award that is paid in cash, Common Stock or a combination of both, awarded under Section 8.2 of the Plan.

 

1.28.

“Performance Criteria” shall mean the criteria (and adjustments) that the Committee selects for an Award for purposes of establishing a Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Performance Period. The Performance Criteria for any Award intended to qualify as a Performance Award shall be determined as follows:

 

  (a)

The Performance Criteria that shall be used to establish Performance Goals are limited to the following: (i) net earnings (either before or after (A) interest, (B) taxes, (C) depreciation and (D) amortization), (ii) gross or net sales or revenue, (iii) net income (either before or after taxes), (iv) operating profit, (v) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), (vi) return on assets, (vii) return on capital, (viii) return on stockholders’ equity, (ix) return on sales, (x) gross or net profit or operating margin, (xi) costs, (xii) funds from operations, (xiii) expenses, (xiv) working capital, (xv) earnings per share, (xvi) price per share of Common Stock, (xvii) market share, (xviii) market capitalization, (xix) net debt, (xx) achieved incident rate, (xxi) lost time incident rate, and (xxii) serious injury frequency rate, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group.

 

  (b)

The Committee in its discretion may, at the time of grant, specify in the Award that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Performance Goals. Such adjustments may include one or more of the following: (i) items related to a change in accounting principle; (ii) items relating to financing activities; (iii) expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; (iv) other non-operating items; (v) items related to acquisitions; (vi) items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the Performance Period; (vii) items related to the disposal of a business or a material portion of a business; or (viii) items related to discontinued operations of a business under United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).

 

4


1.29.

“Performance Goals” shall mean, for a Performance Period, one or more goals established in writing by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon one or more Performance Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of a division, business unit, or an individual. The achievement of each Performance Goal shall be determined in accordance with GAAP to the extent applicable.

 

1.30.

“Performance Period” shall mean one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured.

 

1.31.

“Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, incorporated organization, governmental or regulatory or other entity.

 

1.32.

“Plan” shall mean the NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. Equity and Incentive Award Plan, as amended from time to time. Prior to October 31, 2019, the Plan was named the “Keane Group, Inc. Equity and Incentive Award Plan.”

 

1.33.

“Restricted Stock” shall mean Common Stock awarded under Article VII of the Plan that is subject to repurchase or forfeiture.

 

1.34.

“Restricted Stock Units” shall mean rights to receive Common Stock awarded under Section 8.5.

 

1.35.

“Rule 16b-3” shall mean Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time.

 

1.36.

“Section 409A Covered Award” shall mean an Award granted under the Plan that constitutes “non-qualified deferred compensation” pursuant to Section 409A of the Code.

 

1.37.

“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

 

1.38.

“Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean a stock appreciation right granted under Article IX of the Plan.

 

1.39.

“Stock Payment” shall mean: (a) a payment in the form of shares of Common Stock, or (b) an option or other right to purchase shares of Common Stock, as part of a deferred compensation arrangement, made in lieu of all or any portion of the compensation, including without limitation, salary, bonuses, commissions and directors’ fees, that would otherwise become payable to an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director in cash, awarded under Article VIII of the Plan.

 

1.40.

“Subsidiary” shall mean with respect to any Person, any entity (other than such Person), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with such Person if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

 

1.41.

“Subsidiary Corporation” shall mean any corporation in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain then owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

 

1.42.

“Ten Percent Stockholder” shall mean an individual owning stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, any Subsidiary Corporation or any parent corporation (as defined under Section 424(e) of the Code).

 

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1.43.

“Termination” shall mean a Termination of Consultancy, Termination of Directorship or Termination of Employment, as applicable.

 

1.44.

“Termination of Consultancy” shall mean the time when the engagement of a Participant as a Consultant to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is terminated for any reason, with or without cause, including, without limitation, by resignation, discharge, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where there is a simultaneous commencement of employment with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or service as a Non-Employee Director. For purposes of the Plan, the engagement of a Participant as a Consultant to a Subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed to be terminated in the event that the Subsidiary engaging such Participant ceases to remain a Subsidiary of the Company for any reason.

 

1.45.

“Termination of Directorship” shall mean the time when a Participant who is a Non-Employee Director ceases to be a Director for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, failure to be elected, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where there is a simultaneous commencement of employment or service as a Consultant with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

1.46.

“Termination of Employment” shall mean the time when the employee-employer relationship between a Participant and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is terminated for any reason, with or without cause, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge, death, disability or retirement; but excluding a termination where there is a simultaneous (a) reemployment or continuing employment of the Participant by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) establishment of a consulting relationship by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with the Participant, or (c) commencement of service by the Participant as a Non-Employee Director. For purposes of the Plan, a Participant’s employment relationship shall be deemed to be terminated in the event that the Subsidiary of the Company employing such Participant ceases to remain a Subsidiary of the Company for any reason.

Article II.

SHARES SUBJECT TO PLAN

 

2.1.

Shares Subject to Plan.

 

  (a)

Subject to Section 11.3 and Section 2.1(b), the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan from and after September 1, 2023 shall be equal to 7,296,656 shares (the “Authorized Shares”).

 

  (b)

In the event of any termination, expiration, lapse or forfeiture of an Award, any shares of Common Stock subject to such Award shall, to the extent of such termination, expiration, lapse or forfeiture, again be available for future grants of Awards under the Plan. Any shares repurchased by the Company under Section 7.5 at the same price paid by the Participant so that such shares are returned to the Company will again be available for Awards.

 

2.2.

Stock Distributed. Any Common Stock distributed pursuant to an Award shall consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Stock, shares of Common Stock held in treasury or shares of Common Stock purchased on the open market, or any combination of the foregoing.

 

2.3.

Limitation on Number of Shares Subject to Awards. The maximum target number of shares of Common Stock subject to all Awards granted to any one Employee or Consultant in any calendar year, as adjusted pursuant to Section 11.3, is 10% of the Authorized Shares. The maximum target number of shares of Common Stock subject to all Awards granted to any one Non-Employee Director in any calendar year, as adjusted pursuant to Section 11.3, is 150,000. The maximum number of shares that may be issuable pursuant to a Performance Award shall not exceed 200% of the target number of Common Shares subject to the Performance Award. The maximum amount of any Performance Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 8.2(b) that is payable solely in cash is $5,000,000 in any calendar year.    No new Awards may be granted under the Plan from and after September 1, 2023.

 

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Article III.

GRANTING OF AWARDS

 

3.1.

Award Agreement. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

 

3.2.

Provisions Applicable to Performance Awards. With respect to Performance Awards, the Committee shall establish the Performance Criteria and the applicable vesting percentage of the Award applicable to each Participant or class of Participants in writing prior to the beginning of the applicable Performance Period or at such later date as otherwise determined by the Committee and while the outcome of the Performance Goals are substantially uncertain as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Committee shall certify in writing whether the applicable Performance Goals have been achieved for such Performance Period. In determining the amount earned by a Covered Employee under a Performance Award, the Committee shall have the right to reduce (but not to increase) the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Committee may deem relevant to the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the Performance Period.

 

3.3.

Minimum Vesting. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, any Award granted or awarded under the Plan must provide for a minimum vesting and/or Performance Period of at least one year from the date of grant; provided, however that the Committee may grant up to 5% of the aggregate number of Authorized Shares for issuance under this Plan (as described in Section 2.1) as Awards without a minimum vesting and/or Performance Period.

 

3.4.

Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan, any Award granted or awarded to any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

 

3.5.

At-Will Employment. Nothing in the Plan or in any Award Agreement hereunder shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or as a Consultant for, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or as a Director, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge any Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Participant and the Company and any of its Subsidiaries.

Article IV.

GRANTING OF OPTIONS TO EMPLOYEES,

CONSULTANTS AND NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

 

4.1.

Eligibility. An Option may be granted to any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director selected by the Committee subject to such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee shall impose.

 

4.2.

Qualification of Incentive Stock Options. No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any individual who is not an Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary Corporation.

 

4.3.

Granting of Options.

 

  (a)

The Committee shall from time to time, in its discretion, and, subject to applicable limitations of the Plan:

 

  (i)

Determine the number of shares to be subject to such Options granted to the selected Employees, Consultants or Non-Employee Directors;

 

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  (ii)

Subject to Section 4.2, determine whether such Options are to be Incentive Stock Options or Non-Qualified Stock Options; and

 

  (iii)

Determine the terms and conditions of such Options, consistent with the Plan.

 

  (b)

Any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan may be modified by the Committee to disqualify such Option from treatment as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code.

Article V.

TERMS OF OPTIONS

 

5.1.

Option Price. The price per share of Common Stock subject to each Option granted to Employees, Non-Employee Directors and Consultants shall be set by the Committee; provided, however, that:

 

  (a)

In the case of Incentive Stock Options, such price shall not be less than 100% (or, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, 110%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the Option is granted (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code); and

 

  (b)

In the case of Non-Qualified Stock Options, such price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the Option is granted.

 

5.2.

Option Term. The term of an Option granted to an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director shall be set by the Committee in its discretion; provided, however, that the term shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted, or five (5) years from the date the Option is granted if the Option is an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder. Except as limited by requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code, the Committee may extend the term of any outstanding Option in connection with any Termination of the Participant, but in no event to more than ten (10) years from the date the Option was granted, or amend any other term or condition of such Option relating to such a Termination.

 

5.3.

Option Vesting.

 

  (a)

The period during which a Participant has the right to exercise an Option, in whole or in part, shall be set by the Committee and the Committee may determine that an Option may not be exercised in whole or in part for a specified period after it is granted. At any time after grant of an Option, the Committee may, in its discretion and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, accelerate the period during which an Option vests.

 

  (b)

No portion of an Option granted to an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director which is unexercisable at Termination shall thereafter become exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided by the Committee either in the Award Agreement or by action of the Committee following the grant of the Option.

 

  (c)

To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options (determined as of the time of grant) are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year under the Plan, and all other plans of the Company and any Subsidiary Corporation or parent corporation (as defined under Section 424(e) of the Code) exceeds $100,000, the Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options to the extent required by Section 422 of the Code. The rule set forth in the preceding sentence shall be applied by taking Options and other Incentive Stock Options into account in the order in which they were granted. In addition, if a Participant does not remain in service with the Company or any Subsidiary Corporation at all times from the time an Incentive Stock Option is granted until three (3) months prior to the date of exercise thereof (or such other period as required by applicable law), such Option shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

 

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Article VI.

EXERCISE OF OPTIONS

 

6.1.

Partial Exercise. An exercisable Option may be exercised in whole or in part during the Option term. However, an Option shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional shares and the Committee may require that, by the terms of the Option, a partial exercise be with respect to a minimum number of shares.

 

6.2.

Manner of Exercise. All or a portion of an exercisable Option shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Company, or such other individual or entity designated by the Committee, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

 

  (a)

A written notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Committee stating that the Option, or a portion thereof, is exercised. Such rules may provide that for administrative convenience an Option may not be exercised during such period (not exceeding 10 days) as is specified in advance by the Committee. The notice shall be signed by the Participant or other Person then entitled to exercise the Option or such portion of the Option;

 

  (b)

Such representations and documents as the Committee, in its discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with all applicable provisions of the Securities Act and any other federal, state or foreign securities laws or regulations. The Committee may, in its discretion, also take whatever additional actions it deems appropriate to effect such compliance including, without limitation, placing legends on share certificates and issuing stop-transfer notices to agents and registrars;

 

  (c)

In the event that the Option shall be exercised pursuant to Section 11.1 by any Person or Persons other than the Participant, appropriate proof of the right of such Person or Persons to exercise the Option; and

 

  (d)

Full cash payment to the Secretary of the Company for the shares with respect to which the Option, or portion thereof, is exercised. However, the Committee may, in its discretion, (i) allow payment, in whole or in part, through the delivery of shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant, duly endorsed for transfer to the Company with a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Option or exercised portion thereof; (ii) allow payment, in whole or in part, through the surrender of shares of Common Stock then issuable upon exercise of the Option having a Fair Market Value on the date of Option exercise equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Option or exercised portion thereof; (iii) allow payment, in whole or in part, through the delivery of property of any kind which constitutes good and valuable consideration; (iv) allow payment, in whole or in part, through the delivery of a notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to shares of Common Stock then issuable upon exercise of the Option, and the broker timely pays a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the Option exercise price; or (v) allow payment through any combination of the consideration provided in the foregoing subparagraphs (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv); provided, however, that the payment in the manner prescribed in the preceding paragraphs shall not be permitted to the extent that the Committee determines that payment in such manner shall result in an extension or maintenance of credit, an arrangement for the extension of credit, or a renewal or an extension of credit in the form of a personal loan to or for any Director or executive officer of the Company that is prohibited by Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act or other applicable law.

 

6.3.

Conditions to Issuance of Stock Certificates. The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for shares of stock purchased upon the exercise of any Option or portion thereof prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions:

 

  (a)

The admission of such shares to listing on all stock exchanges on which such class of stock is then listed;

 

9


  (b)

The completion of any registration or other qualification of such shares under any federal, state or foreign law, or under the rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory body which the Committee shall, in its discretion, deem necessary or advisable;

 

  (c)

The obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any federal, state or foreign governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable;

 

  (d)

The lapse of such reasonable period of time following the exercise of the Option as the Committee may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience; and

 

  (e)

The receipt by the Company of full payment for such shares, including payment of any applicable withholding tax, which in the discretion of the Committee may be in the form of consideration used by the Participant to pay for such shares under Section 6.2(d).

 

6.4.

Ownership and Transfer Restrictions. The Committee, in its discretion, may impose such restrictions on the ownership and transferability of the shares purchasable upon the exercise of an Option as it deems appropriate. Any such restriction shall be set forth in the respective Award Agreement and may be referred to on the certificates evidencing such shares. The Participant shall give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option within (a) two years from the date of granting (including the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) such Option to such Participant, or (b) one year after the transfer of such shares to such Participant.

 

6.5.

Additional Limitations on Exercise of Options. Participants may be required to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement or exercise of an Option, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the discretion of the Committee.

Article VII.

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK

 

7.1.

Eligibility. Restricted Stock may be awarded to any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director who the Committee determines should receive such an Award in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

7.2.

Award of Restricted Stock.

 

  (a)

The Committee may from time to time, in its discretion, determine the purchase price, if any, the form of payment for Restricted Stock and other terms and conditions applicable to such Restricted Stock, consistent with the Plan; provided, however, that any such purchase price shall be no less than the par value of the Common Stock to be purchased, unless otherwise permitted by applicable state law.

 

  (b)

Upon the selection of an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director to be awarded Restricted Stock, the Committee shall instruct the Secretary of the Company to issue such Restricted Stock and may impose such conditions on the issuance of such Restricted Stock as it deems appropriate, unless the Committee elects to use another system, such as book entries, as evidencing ownership of Restricted Stock.

 

7.3.

Rights as Stockholders. Subject to Section 7.4, the Participant shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Committee, all the rights of a stockholder with respect to said shares, subject to the restrictions in his or her Award Agreement, including the right to vote such shares and the right to receive all dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect to the shares; provided, however, that, unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of grant, any distributions with respect to the Common Stock shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 7.4.

 

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7.4.

Restriction. All shares of Restricted Stock issued under the Plan (including any shares received by Participants thereof with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of stock dividends, stock splits or any other form of recapitalization) shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee shall provide in the terms of the Award Agreement, which restrictions may include, without limitation, restrictions concerning voting rights and transferability and restrictions based on duration of employment, directorship or consultancy with the Company, Company performance and individual performance; provided, however, by action taken after the Restricted Stock is issued, the Committee may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, remove any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of the Award Agreement. Restricted Stock may not be sold or encumbered until all restrictions are terminated or expire. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, if no consideration was paid by the Participant upon issuance, a Participant’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock shall lapse, and such Restricted Stock shall be surrendered to the Company without consideration, upon Termination.

 

7.5.

Repurchase of Restricted Stock. The Committee shall provide in the terms of each individual Award Agreement that the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Participant the Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions under the Award Agreement immediately upon a Termination at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Participant for such Restricted Stock; provided, however, that the Committee in its discretion may provide that such rights shall not lapse in the event of a Termination following a Change in Control or because of the Participant’s retirement, death or disability or termination without cause, or otherwise.

 

7.6.

Legend. In order to enforce the restrictions imposed upon shares of Restricted Stock hereunder, the Committee shall cause a legend or legends to be placed on certificates representing all shares of Restricted Stock that are still subject to restrictions under Award Agreements, which legend or legends shall make appropriate reference to the conditions imposed thereby.

 

7.7.

Section 83(b) Election. If a Participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or dates upon which the Participant would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, the Participant shall deliver a copy of such election to the Company immediately after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service.

Article VIII.

PERFORMANCE AWARDS, DEFERRED STOCK, STOCK PAYMENTS, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

 

8.1.

Eligibility. One or more Performance Awards, Stock Payment Awards, Deferred Stock Awards and/or Restricted Stock Unit Awards may be granted to any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director whom the Committee determines should receive such an Award.

 

8.2.

Performance Awards.

 

  (a)

Any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director selected by the Committee may be granted one or more Performance Awards. The value of such Performance Awards may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee.

 

  (b)

Without limiting Section 8.2(a), the Committee may grant Performance Awards to any Covered Employee in the form of a cash bonus payable upon the attainment of objective Performance Goals which are established by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. Any such bonuses paid to Covered Employees shall be based upon objectively determinable bonus formulas established in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.2. Unless otherwise specified by the Committee at the time of grant, the Performance Criteria with respect to a Performance Award payable to a Covered Employee shall be determined on the basis of GAAP.

 

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8.3.

Stock Payments. Any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director selected by the Committee may receive Stock Payments in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee. The number of shares shall be determined by the Committee and may be based upon the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, determined on the date such Stock Payment is made or on any date thereafter.

 

8.4.

Deferred Stock. Any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director selected by the Committee may be granted an award of Deferred Stock in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee. The number of shares of Deferred Stock shall be determined by the Committee and may be linked to the satisfaction of one or more Performance Goals or other specific performance goals as the Committee determines to be appropriate at the time of grant, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. Common Stock underlying a Deferred Stock Award will not be issued until the Deferred Stock Award has vested, pursuant to a vesting schedule or the achievement of the applicable Performance Goals or other specific performance goals set by the Committee. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, a Participant of Deferred Stock shall have no rights as a Company stockholder with respect to such Deferred Stock until such time as the Award has vested and the Common Stock underlying the Award has been issued.

 

8.5.

Restricted Stock Units. Any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director selected by the Committee may be granted an award of Restricted Stock Units in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee. The Committee is authorized to make awards of Restricted Stock Units in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee at grant. The Committee shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate, and may specify that such Restricted Stock Units become fully vested and nonforfeitable pursuant to the satisfaction of one or more Performance Goals or other specific performance goals as the Committee determines to be appropriate at the time of the grant, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. The Committee shall specify the distribution dates applicable to each award of Restricted Stock Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting dates and may be determined at the election of the Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director, subject to compliance with Section 409A of the Code. On the distribution dates, the Company shall issue to the Participant one unrestricted, fully transferable share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit distributed, or, in the discretion of the Committee, an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such share of Common Stock on the distribution date, or a combination of both.

 

8.6.

Term. The term of a Performance Award, Deferred Stock Award, Stock Payment Award and/or Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be set by the Committee in its discretion.

 

8.7.

Exercise or Purchase Price. The Committee may establish the exercise or purchase price of a Performance Award, shares of Deferred Stock, shares distributed as a Stock Payment Award or shares distributed pursuant to a Restricted Stock Unit Award; provided, however, that such price shall not be less than the par value of a share of Common Stock, unless otherwise permitted by applicable state law.

 

8.8.

Exercise upon Termination. A Performance Award, Deferred Stock Award, Stock Payment Award and/or Restricted Stock Unit Award is exercisable or distributable only prior to a Participant’s Termination; provided, however, that the Committee in its discretion may provide that the Performance Award, Deferred Stock Award, Stock Payment Award and/or Restricted Stock Unit Award may be exercised or distributed subsequent to a Termination following a Change in Control, or because of the Participant’s retirement, death or disability or termination without cause, or otherwise.

 

8.9.

Form of Payment. Payment of the amount determined under Section 8.2 above shall be in cash, in Common Stock or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee at grant. To the extent any payment under this Article VIII is effected in Common Stock, it shall be made subject to satisfaction of all provisions of Section 6.3.

 

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Article IX.

STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

9.1.

Eligibility. A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted to any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director selected by the Committee subject to such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee shall impose.

 

9.2.

Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

  (a)

A Stock Appreciation Right shall have a term set by the Committee in its discretion; provided, however, that the term shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date the Stock Appreciation Right is granted. A Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable in such installments as the Committee may determine. A Stock Appreciation Right shall cover such number of shares of Common Stock as the Committee may determine. The exercise price per share of Common Stock subject to each Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Committee; provided, that such exercise price per share shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the Stock Appreciation Right is granted. A Stock Appreciation Right is exercisable only prior to the Participant’s Termination; provided, that the Committee may provide that Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised following a Termination or following a Change in Control, or because of the Participant’s retirement, death or disability or termination without cause, or otherwise.

 

  (b)

A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or other Person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion of the Stock Appreciation Right (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying (i) the difference obtained by subtracting the exercise price per share of the Stock Appreciation Right from the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right by (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Committee may impose.

 

9.3.

Payment and Limitations on Exercise.

 

  (a)

Payment of the amounts determined under Section 9.2(b) above shall be in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on its Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised), or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee at grant. The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for shares of stock issuable upon the exercise of any Stock Appreciation Right prior to fulfillment of the conditions set forth in Section 6.3 above.

 

  (b)

Participants of Stock Appreciation Rights may be required to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement or exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the discretion of the Committee.

Article X.

ADMINISTRATION

 

10.1.

Committee. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by, and shall serve on the Committee at the pleasure of, the Board. Appointment of Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment. Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the Board. Vacancies in the Committee may be filled by the Board.

 

10.2.

Duties and Powers of Committee. It shall be the duty of the Committee to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions. The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan and the Award Agreements, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith, to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules, to delegate authority in accordance with Section 10.5 and to amend any Award Agreement provided that the rights or obligations of

 

13


  the Participant of the Award that is the subject of any such Award Agreement are not affected adversely. Any such grant or award under the Plan need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Any such interpretations and rules with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. In its discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 are required to be determined in the discretion of the Committee. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, adopt special guidelines and provisions for persons who are residing in or employed in, or subject to, the taxes of, any domestic or foreign jurisdictions to comply with applicable tax and securities laws of such domestic or foreign jurisdictions.

 

10.3.

Majority Rule; Unanimous Written Consent. The Committee shall act by a majority of its members in attendance at a meeting at which a quorum is present or by a memorandum or other written instrument signed by all members of the Committee.

 

10.4.

Compensation; Professional Assistance; Good Faith Actions. Members of the Committee shall receive such compensation, if any, for their services as members as may be determined by the Board. All expenses and liabilities which members of the Committee incur in connection with the administration of the Plan shall be borne by the Company. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, appraisers, brokers or other persons as it may deem desirable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee, the Company and the Company’s officers and Directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any such persons. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee or the Board in good faith shall be final and binding upon all Participants, the Company and all other interested persons. No members of the Committee or Board shall be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or Awards, and all members of the Committee and the Board shall be fully protected by the Company in respect of any such action, determination or interpretation.

 

10.5.

Delegation of Authority. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, designate employees of the Company and professional advisors to assist the Committee in the administration of the Plan, including with respect to the execution of Award Agreements or other documents, and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, delegate from time to time some or all of its authority to grant Awards under the Plan to a committee or committees consisting of one or more members of the Board and/or one or more officers of the Company. The authority to grant awards, however, may not be delegated to: (a) individuals who are subject to the reporting rules under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, (b) individuals who are Covered Employees, and (c) individuals who are officers of the Company who are delegated authority by the Committee hereunder to grant Awards to himself or herself. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Committee specifies at the time of such delegation of authority and may be rescinded at any time by the Committee. At all times, any committee appointed under this Section 10.5 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Committee.

Article XI.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

11.1.

Transferability of Awards.

 

  (a)

Except as otherwise provided in Section 11.1(b):

 

  (i)

No Award under the Plan may be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Committee, pursuant to a DRO, unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such shares have lapsed;

 

  (ii)

No Award or interest or right therein shall be liable for the debts, contracts or engagements of the Participant or his successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other

 

14


  means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempted disposition thereof shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by the preceding sentence; and

 

  (iii)

During the lifetime of the Participant, only the Participant may exercise an Option or other Award (or any portion thereof) granted to him under the Plan, unless it has been disposed of pursuant to a DRO; after the death of the Participant, any exercisable portion of an Option or other Award may, prior to the time when such portion becomes unexercisable under the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement, be exercised by his personal representative or by any Person empowered to do so under the deceased Participant’s will or under the then applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

  (b)

Notwithstanding Section 11.1(a), the Committee, in its discretion, may determine to permit a Participant to transfer a Non-Qualified Stock Option to any one or more Permitted Transferees (as defined below), subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) a Non-Qualified Stock Option transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall not be assignable or transferable by the Permitted Transferee other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (ii) any Non-Qualified Stock Option which is transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions of the Non-Qualified Stock Option as applicable to the original Participant (other than the ability to further transfer the Non-Qualified Stock Option); (iii) any transfer of a Non-Qualified Stock Option to a Permitted Transferee shall be without consideration; and (iv) the Participant and the Permitted Transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Committee, including, without limitation documents to (A) confirm the status of the transferee as a Permitted Transferee, (B) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under applicable federal, state and foreign securities laws and (C) evidence the transfer. For purposes of this Section 11.1(b), “Permitted Transferee” shall mean, with respect to a Participant, any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, any individual sharing the Participant’s household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which these individuals (or the Participant) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these individuals (or the Participant) own more than 50% of the voting interests, or any other transferee specifically approved by the Committee after taking into account any federal, state, local and foreign tax and securities laws applicable to transferable Non-Qualified Stock Options.

 

15


11.2.

Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan and Awards. The Plan may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Board or the Committee, retroactively or otherwise. However, neither the Board or the Committee may not take any action under this Section 11.2 without stockholder approval that, except as otherwise provided in the Plan, would require stockholder approval in accordance with applicable law or applicable stock exchange rule. The Board or the Committee may amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively, however, except as otherwise provided in the Plan, no such amendment shall, without the consent of the Participant, alter or impair any rights of the Participant under such Award without the consent of the Participant unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or required by law, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Participant, alter or impair any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted or awarded, unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides. No Awards may be granted or awarded during any period of suspension or after termination of the Plan, and in no event may any Award be granted under the Plan after September 1, 2023, but Awards granted prior to such date may extend beyond that date.

 

11.3.

Changes in Common Stock or Assets of the Company, Acquisition or Liquidation of the Company, Change in Control and Other Corporate Events.

 

  (a)

Subject to Section 11.3(d), in the event of any dividend or other extraordinary distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, liquidation, dissolution, or sale, transfer, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event that affects the Common Stock (including for these purposes, any Change in Control), then the Committee shall equitably adjust any or all of the following in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to an Award:

 

  (i)

The number and kind of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted or awarded (including, without limitation, adjustments of the limitations in Section 2.1 on the maximum number and kind of shares which may be issued under the Plan and adjustments of the Award Limit);

 

  (ii)

The number and kind of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; or

 

  (iii)

The grant or exercise price with respect to any Award.

 

  (b)

Subject to Section 11.3(e), unless provided otherwise in an Award Agreement or other agreement, upon a Change in Control of the Company:

 

  (i)

Each outstanding Option, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit and Stock Appreciation Right shall vest as of or immediately prior to the Change in Control if such Award is not assumed or continued or replaced with an Award that constitutes a Replacement Award. “Replacement Award” means an award (A) of the same type (e.g., Option, Restricted Stock Unit, etc.) as the Award, (B) that has a value at least equal to the value of the Award, (C) that relates to publicly traded equity securities of the Company or its successor in the Change in Control or another entity that is affiliated with the Company or its successor following the Change in Control or is payable solely in cash, and (D) the other terms and conditions of which are not less favorable to the Participant than the terms and conditions of the Award (including the provisions that would apply in the event of a subsequent Change in Control). A Replacement Award may be granted only to the extent it does not result in the Award or Replacement Award failing to comply with or be exempt from Code section 409A. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Replacement Award may take the form of a continuation of the Award if the requirements of the two preceding sentences are satisfied.

 

16


  (ii)

If the Participant receives a Replacement Award in connection with a Change in Control, and the Participant is terminated by the Company without Cause within one year following the consummation of a Change in Control, (A) outstanding Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units and Stock Appreciation Rights held by such Participant shall vest on the Participant’s Termination date and (B) outstanding Performance Awards, Stock Payments, Deferred Stock and other awards subject to Performance Criteria will be deemed achieved at the greater of (X) 100% target performance and (Y) actual performance through the Participant’s Termination date extrapolated through the end of the Performance Period on the assumption that performance will continue at the same rate through the end of the Performance Period, and all other terms and conditions will be deemed met as of the Participant’s Termination date.

 

  (iii)

With respect to each outstanding Performance Award, Stock Payment, Deferred Stock or other Award, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide that any such full or prorated Award will be paid under the provisions of this Section 11.3 prior to when any or all such Performance Criteria are certified (or without regard to whether they are certified) or may make necessary and appropriate adjustments in the Performance Criteria

 

  (c)

Subject to Section 11.3(e), in the event of any transaction or event described in Sections 11.3(a) or (b) or any other unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or the financial statements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, the Committee, in its discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event and either automatically or upon the Participant’s request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Committee determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles:

 

  (i)

To provide for the purchase of any such Award for an amount of cash equal to the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable or fully vested, or for the cancellation of such Award if no amount could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable or fully vested;

 

  (ii)

To provide for the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee in its discretion having an aggregate value not exceeding the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable or fully vested;

 

  (iii)

To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event;

 

  (iv)

To provide that such Award shall be exercisable as to all shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 5.3 or the provisions of such Award;

 

  (v)

To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;

 

17


  (vi)

To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding Awards, and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant, exercise or purchase price), and the criteria included in, outstanding options, rights and awards and options, rights and awards which may be granted in the future; and

 

  (vii)

To provide that, for a specified period of time prior to such event, the restrictions imposed under an Award Agreement upon some or all shares of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock may be terminated, and, in the case of Restricted Stock, some or all shares of such Restricted Stock may cease to be subject to repurchase under Section 7.5 or forfeiture under Section 7.4 after such event.

 

  (d)

Subject to Sections 11.3(e) and 3.2, the Committee may, in its discretion, include such further provisions and limitations in any Award, agreement or certificate, as it may deem equitable and in the best interests of the Company.

 

  (e)

No adjustment or action described in this Section 11.3 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment or action would cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code. Furthermore, no such adjustment or action shall be authorized to the extent such adjustment or action would result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 unless the Committee determines that the Award is not to comply with such exemptive conditions. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to any Award shall always be rounded down to the next whole number.

 

  (f)

The existence of the Plan, the Award Agreement and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Common Stock or the rights thereof or which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or the dissolution or liquidation of the company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

 

  (g)

In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 11.3(a) and 11.3(b):

 

  (i)

The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, shall be equitably adjusted; and/or

 

  (ii)

The Committee shall make such equitable adjustments, if any, as the Committee in its discretion may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 2.1 on the maximum number and kind of shares which may be issued under the Plan and adjustments of the Award Limit). The adjustments provided under this Section 11.3(f) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company.

For purposes of this Section 11.3(f), “Equity Restructuring” shall mean a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of shares of Common Stock (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities) and causes a material change in the per share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.

 

18


11.4.

Tax Withholding. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising as a result of this Plan. The Committee may in its discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement allow a Participant to elect to have the Company withhold shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the return of shares of Common Stock) having a Fair Market Value equal to the sums required to be withheld. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of shares of Common Stock which may be withheld with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of any Award (or which may be repurchased from the Participant of such Award) in order to satisfy the Participant’s federal, state, local and foreign income and payroll tax liabilities with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of the Award shall be limited to the number of shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or repurchase equal to the aggregate amount of such tax liabilities based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income.

 

11.5.

Prohibition on Repricing. Subject to Section 11.3, the Committee shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, authorize the amendment of any outstanding Award to reduce its price per share. Furthermore, no Award shall be canceled and replaced with the grant of an Award having a lesser price per share without the further approval of stockholders of the Company. Subject to Section 11.2, the Committee shall have the authority, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, to amend any outstanding award to increase the price per share or to cancel and replace an Award with the grant of an Award having a price per share that is greater than or equal to the price per share of the original Award. Furthermore, for purposes of this Section 11.6, except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of shares), the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price per share of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or cancel outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price per share that is less than the exercise price per share of the original Options or Stock Appreciation Rights without the approval of the stockholders of the Company.

 

11.6.

Forfeiture and Claw-Back Provisions. Pursuant to its general authority to determine the terms and conditions applicable to Awards under the Plan, the Committee shall have the right to provide, in an Award Agreement or otherwise, or to require a Participant to agree by separate written or electronic instrument, that:

 

  (a)

(i) Any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Participant upon any receipt or exercise of the Award, or upon the receipt or resale of any shares underlying the Award, must be paid to the Company, and (ii) the Award shall terminate and any unexercised portion of the Award (whether or not vested) shall be forfeited, if (x) a Termination occurs prior to a specified date, or within a specified time period following receipt or exercise of the Award, or (y) the Participant at any time, or during a specified time period, engages in any activity in competition with the Company, or which is inimical, contrary or harmful to the interests of the Company, as further defined by the Committee or (z) the Participant incurs a Termination for “cause” (as such term is defined in the sole discretion of the Committee, or as set forth in a written agreement relating to such Award between the Company and the Participant); and

 

  (b)

All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any shares underlying the Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

19


11.7.

Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, Directors or Consultants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.

 

11.8.

Compliance with Laws. The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan and the issuance and delivery of shares of Common Stock and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations (including but not limited to federal, state and foreign securities law and margin requirements) and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such restrictions, and the Person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all applicable legal requirements. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

 

11.9.

Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of the Plan.

 

11.10.

Governing Law. The Plan and any agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflicts of laws thereof.

 

11.11.

Section 409A. To the extent an Award is a Section 409A Covered Award, the Award is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code and, to the extent applicable, the Plan and Award Agreements shall be limited, construed and interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalties that may be imposed on a Participant by Section 409A of the Code or any damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code or this Section 11.12. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in an Award to the contrary, the following provisions shall apply to Section 409A Covered Awards:

 

  (a)

A Termination shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of a Section 409A Covered Award providing for payment upon or following a Participant’s Termination unless such Termination is also a “Separation from Service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A and, for purposes of any such provision of Section 409A Covered Award, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean Separation from Service. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan or the Award, if the Participant is deemed on the date of the Participant’s Termination to be a “specified employee” within the meaning of that term under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B) and using the identification methodology selected by the Company from time to time, or if none, the default methodology set forth in Code Section 409A, then with regard to any such payment under a Section 409A Covered Award, to the extent required to be delayed in compliance with Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B), such payment shall not be made prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service, and (ii) the date of the Participant’s death. All payments delayed pursuant to this Section 11.12 (a) shall be paid to the Participant on the first day of the seventh month following the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service or, if earlier, on the date of the Participant’s death.

 

  (b)

Whenever a payment under a Section 409A Covered Award specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days, the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company.

 

20


  (c)

If under the Section 409A Covered Award an amount is to be paid in two or more installments, for purposes of Code Section 409A, each installment shall be treated as a separate payment.

 

  (d)

With respect to any settlement or payment made on a Change in Control pursuant to a Section 409A Covered Award, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur unless such event constitutes a “change in control event” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and outstanding Award Agreements or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Committee determines are necessary or appropriate to (x) exempt an Award from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (y) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

11.12.

Paperless Administration. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.

 

11.13.

No Rights to Awards. No Participant or other Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Committee is obligated to treat Participants or any other Persons uniformly.

 

11.14.

Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any program or Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

11.15.

Relationship to other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

 

11.16.

Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company.

 

11.17.

Severability of Provisions. If any provision of the Plan shall be held invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions hereof, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if such provisions had not been included.

 

21

EX-10.4 8 d463540dex104.htm EX-10.4 EX-10.4

Exhibit 10.4

NEXTIER OILFIELD SOLUTIONS INC. (FORMER C&J ENERGY)

MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN

(As amended and restated September 1, 2023)

 

1.

Purpose.

The purpose of the Plan is to assist the Company to attract, retain, incentivize and motivate officers and employees of, consultants to, and non-employee directors providing services to, the Company or its Subsidiaries and to promote the success of the Company’s business by providing such participating individuals with a proprietary interest in the performance of the Company. The Company believes that this incentive program will cause participating officers, employees, consultants and non-employee directors to increase their interest in the welfare of the Company or its Subsidiaries and to align those interests with those of the shareholders of the Company, its Subsidiaries and Affiliates.

The Plan was originally adopted by C&J Energy Services, Inc. on January 6, 2017, and was subsequently amended effective January 31, 2017. In connection with the transactions effected pursuant to the C&J Merger Agreement, the Plan and Awards outstanding immediately following the closing of such transactions were assigned to, and assumed by, NexTier pursuant to the C&J Merger Agreement, effective as of the consummation of the C&J Merger. In connection with the transactions effected pursuant to the Patterson-UTI Merger Agreement, the Plan and Awards outstanding immediately following the closing of such transactions (the “Rollover Awards”) were assigned to the Company pursuant to the Patterson-UTI Merger Agreement, effective as of the consummation of the Patterson-UTI Merger. The Plan is now amended and restated, effective September 1, 2023, to reflect such assignment to, and assumption of, the Plan by the Company.

 

2.

Definitions. For purposes of the Plan:

2.1 “Affiliate” shall mean, any entity that the Company, either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, is in common control with, is controlled by or controls, each within the meaning of the Securities Act.

2.2 “Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant of an Option, Restricted Share, a Restricted Share Unit, a Share Appreciation Right, a Performance Award, a Dividend Equivalent Right, a Share Award, an Other Share-Based Award, a Cash Award, a Substitute Award or any combination of the foregoing.

2.3 “Award Agreement” means a written or electronic agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the grant of an Award and setting forth the terms and conditions thereof.

2.4 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.5 “Cause” means, with respect to the Termination of a Participant by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company that employs such individual or to which the Participant performs services (or by the Company on behalf of any such Subsidiary), such Participant’s (i) refusal or neglect to perform substantially his or her employment-related duties or services, (ii)


personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful misconduct or breach of fiduciary duty, (iii) indictment for, conviction of or entering a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a crime constituting a felony or his or her willful violation of any applicable law (other than a traffic violation or other offense or violation outside of the course of employment or services to the Company or its Subsidiaries which does not adversely affect the Company and its Subsidiaries or its reputation or the ability of the Participant to perform his or her employment-related duties or services or to represent the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company that employs such Participant or to which the Participant performs services), (iv) failure to reasonably cooperate, following a request to do so by the Company, in any internal or governmental investigation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (v) material breach of any written covenant or agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries not to disclose any information pertaining to the Company or such Subsidiary or not to compete or interfere with the Company or such Subsidiary; provided that, in the case of any Participant who, as of the date of determination, is party to an effective services, severance or employment agreement with the Company or any Subsidiary, “Cause” shall have the meaning, if any, specified in such agreement

2.6 “Cash Awards” means Cash Awards granted to an Eligible Individual under Section 10.2.

2.7 “Change in Capitalization” means any increase or reduction in the number of Shares, any change (including, but not limited to, in the case of a spin-off, extraordinary dividend (whether in cash or property) or other distribution in respect of Shares, a change in value) in the Shares or any exchange of Shares for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company or another corporation, by reason of a reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, spin-off, split-up, issuance of warrants, rights or debentures, share dividend, share split or reverse share split, cash dividend, property dividend, combination or exchange of shares, repurchase of shares, change in corporate structure or any similar corporate event or transaction.

2.8 “Change in Control” shall mean, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, the occurrence of any of the following after the Effective Date:

(a) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, other than a Permitted Holder, acquires “beneficial ownership” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; provided, however, that if the Company engages in a merger or consolidation in which the Company or surviving entity in such merger or consolidation becomes a subsidiary of another entity, then references to the Company’s then outstanding securities shall be deemed to refer to the outstanding securities of such parent entity;

(b) a change in the composition of the Board such that the “Continuing Directors” cease for any reason to constitute at least seventy percent (70%) of the Board. The “Continuing Directors” shall mean those members of the Board who either: (x) were directors on the Effective Date; or (y) were elected by, or on the nomination or recommendation of, at least a three-quarters (3/4) majority (consisting of at least four (4) directors) of the Board who were or become Continuing Directors; (c) the consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any corporation, including without limitation, a reverse or forward triangular merger, and the Company’s shareholders prior to such transaction own less than a majority of the voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation or entity after the transaction; or

 

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(d) the consummation of a tender offer or exchange offer by a person or group of persons (other than the Company or a Permitted Holder) for the ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the Company’s voting securities; or

(e) the sale or disposition (other than a pledge or similar encumbrance) by the Company of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, other than to a Permitted Holder or Permitted Holders;

provided, however, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any deferred compensation that is subject to Section 409A, a transaction or event described in paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) shall constitute a Change in Control only if such transaction or event constitutes a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section l .409A-3(i)(5).

The Patterson-UTI Merger was a Change in Control for purposes of this Plan.

2.9 “C&J Merger” means the merger of King Merger Sub Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Keane Group, Inc., with and into C&J Energy Services, Inc. with C&J Energy Services Inc. surviving (the “Initial Merger”) and immediately following the effectiveness of the Initial Merger, C&J Energy Services, Inc. merges with and into King Merger Sub II LLC (the “LLC Sub”), with the LLC Sub surviving the LLC sub merger as a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Keane Group, Inc. (the “LLC Merger”) effective as of October 31, 2019, in accordance with the C&J Merger Agreement.

2.10 “C&J Merger Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated June 16, 2019, by and among C&J Energy Services, Inc., Keane Group, Inc. and King Merger Sub Corp.

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

2.12 “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board which administers the Plan as provided in Section 3.

2.13 “Company” means (i) effective as of the closing of the Patterson-UTI Merger, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., or any successor thereto, (ii) effective as of the closing of the C&J Merger and until the Patterson-UTI Merger, NexTier, and (iii) prior to the closing of the C&J Merger, C&J Energy Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

2.14 “Consultant” means any consultant or advisor who is a natural person and who renders services to the Company or a Subsidiary that (a) are not in connection with the offer and sale of the Company’s securities in a capital raising transaction and (b) do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities, but who is not an Employee or Director.

 

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2.15 “Corporate Transaction” means (a) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar change in the Company’s common shares or (b) a liquidation or dissolution of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, a Corporate Transaction may be a transaction that is also a Change in Control.

2.16 “Director” means a member of the Board.

2.17 “Disability” means permanent and total disability as defined in Code Section 22(e)(3). A determination of Disability may be made by a physician selected or approved by the Committee and, in this respect, the Participant shall submit to any reasonable examination(s) required by such physician upon request. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.17, in the event any Award is considered to be “deferred compensation” as that term is defined under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, then, in lieu of the foregoing definition and to the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, the definition of “Disability” for purposes of such Award shall be the definition of “disability” provided for under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules.

2.18 “Division” means any of the operating units or divisions of the Company designated as a Division by the Committee.

2.19 “Dividend Equivalent Right” means a right to receive cash, Shares, other Awards or other property based on the value of dividends that are paid with respect to Shares.

2.20 “Effective Date” means the date of the Plan’s approval by the Compensation Committee of the Board.

2.21 “Eligible Individual” means any Employee, Director or Consultant.

2.22 “Employee” means any individual performing services for the Company or a Subsidiary and designated as an employee of the Company or the Subsidiary on its payroll records. An Employee shall not include any individual during any period he or she is classified or treated by the Company or Subsidiary as an independent contractor, a consultant or an employee of an employment, consulting or temporary agency or any other entity other than the Company or Subsidiary, without regard to whether such individual is subsequently determined to have been, or is subsequently retroactively reclassified, as a common-law employee of the Company or Subsidiary during such period. An individual shall not cease to be an Employee in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Company or (ii) transfers between locations of the Company or any Subsidiary, or between the Company and any Subsidiaries.

2.23 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

2.24 “Fair Market Value” on any date means:

(a) if the Shares are listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the closing price at the close of the primary trading session of the Shares on such date on the New York Stock Exchange, or if there has been no such closing price of the Shares on such date, on the next preceding date on which there was such a closing price; (b) if the Shares are not listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, but are listed on another national securities exchange, the closing price at the close of the primary trading session of the Shares on such date on such exchange, or if there has been no such closing price of the Shares on such date, on the next preceding date on which there was such a closing price;

 

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(c) if the Shares are not listed on the New York Stock Exchange or on another national securities exchange, the last sale price at the end of normal market hours of the Shares on such date as quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) or, if no such price shall have been quoted for such date, on the next preceding date for which such price was so quoted; or

(d) if the Shares are not listed for trading on a national securities exchange or are not authorized for quotation on NASDAQ, the fair market value of the Shares as determined in good faith by the Committee taking into account any factors the Committee deems appropriate (including without limitation the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules),, and in the case of Incentive Stock Options, in accordance with Section 422 of the Code.

2.25 “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option satisfying the requirements of Section 422 of the Code and designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

2.26 “NexTier” means NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation and successor corporation to Keane Group Inc., which assumed the Plan following the C&J Merger.

2.27 “Nonemployee Director” means a Director of the Board who is a “nonemployee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

2.28 “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules” means the limitations or requirements of Section 409A and/or 457A of the Code, as amended from time to time, including the guidance and regulations promulgated thereunder and successor provisions, guidance and regulations thereto.

2.29 “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option which is not an Incentive Stock Option.

2.30 “Option” means a Nonqualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option.

2.31 “Option Price” means the price at which a Share may be purchased pursuant to an Option.

2.32 “Other Share-Based Awards” means Other Share-Based Awards granted to an Eligible Individual under Section 10.2.

 

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2.33 “Parent” means any corporation which is a “parent corporation” (within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code) with respect to the Company.

2.34 “Participant” means an Eligible Individual to whom an Award has been granted under the Plan.

2.35 “Patterson-UTI Merger” means (a) the merger of Pecos Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company with and into NexTier, with NexTier continuing as the surviving entity (the “Surviving Company,” and such merger, the “First Company Merger”) and (b) immediately following the First Company Merger, the Surviving Company merged with and into Pecos Second Merger Sub LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub LLC”), with Merger Sub LLC continuing as the surviving entity and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company effective as of September 1, 2023, in accordance with the Patterson-UTI Merger Agreement.

2.36 “Patterson-UTI Merger Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated June 14, 2023 and amended as of July 27, 2023, by and among Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., Pecos Merger Sub Inc., Merger Sub LLC, and NexTier.

2.37 “Performance Awards” means Performance Share Units, Performance Units, Performance-Based Restricted Shares or any combination of the foregoing.

2.38 “Performance-Based Restricted Shares” means Shares issued or transferred to an Eligible Individual under Section 9.2.

2.39 “Performance Cycle” means the time period specified by the Committee at the time a Performance Award is granted during which the performance of the Company, a Subsidiary or a Division will be measured.

2.40 “Performance Objectives” means the objectives set forth in Section 9.3 for the purpose of determining, either alone or together with other conditions, the degree of payout and/or vesting of Performance Awards.

2.41 “Performance Share Units” means Performance Share Units granted to an Eligible Individual under Section 9.1(b).

2.42 “Performance Units” means Performance Units granted to an Eligible Individual under Section 9.1(a).

2.43 “Permitted Holder” shall mean (i) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities of the Company under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its affiliates, (ii) any subsidiary of the Company that is at least 80% owned by the Company and (iii) any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of securities of the Company.

2.44 “Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

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2.45 “Plan” means this NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. (Former C&J Energy) Management Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

2.46 “Plan Termination Date” means the date that is ten (10) years after the Effective Date, unless the Plan is earlier terminated by the Board pursuant to Section 15 hereof.

2.47 “Restricted Shares” means Shares issued or transferred to an Eligible Individual pursuant to Section 8.1.

2.48 “Restricted Share Units” means rights granted to an Eligible Individual under Section 8.2 representing a number of hypothetical Shares.

2.49 “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

2.50 “Share Award” means an Award of Shares granted pursuant to Section 10.1.

2.51 “Shares” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company and any other securities into which such shares are changed or for which such shares are exchanged.

2.52 “Share Appreciation Right” means a right to receive all or some portion of the increase, if any, in the value of the Shares as provided in Section 6 hereof.

2.53 “Subsidiary” means any corporation which is a subsidiary corporation within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code with respect to the Company.

2.54 “Substitute Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 10.3 of the Plan.

2.55 “Ten-Percent Shareholder” means an Eligible Individual who, at the time an Incentive Stock Option is to be granted to him or her, owns (within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code) share possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company, a Parent or a Subsidiary.

2.56 “Termination”, “Terminated” or “Terminates” shall mean (a) with respect to a Participant who is an Employee, the date such Participant ceases to be employed by the Company and its Subsidiaries, (b) with respect to a Participant who is a Consultant, the date such Participant ceases to provide services to the Company and its Subsidiaries or (c) with respect to a Participant who is a Director, the date such Participant ceases to be a Director, in each case, for any reason whatsoever (including by reason of death, Disability or adjudicated incompetency). Unless otherwise set forth in an Award Agreement, (a) if a Participant is both an Employee and a Director and terminates as an Employee but remains as a Director, the Participant will be deemed to have continued in employment without interruption and shall be deemed to have Terminated upon ceasing to be a Director and (b) if a Participant who is an Employee or a Director ceases to provide services in such capacity and becomes a Consultant, the Participant will thereupon be deemed to have been Terminated.

 

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3.

Administration.

3.1 Committee; Procedure. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Committee may adopt such rules, regulations and guidelines as it deems are necessary or appropriate for the administration of the Plan. The Committee shall consist of at least two (2) Directors of the Board and may consist of the entire Board; provided, however, that if the Committee consists of less than the entire Board, then, with respect to any Award granted to an Eligible Individual who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Committee shall consist of at least two Directors of the Board, each of whom shall be a Nonemployee Director. For purposes of the preceding sentence, if one or more members of the Committee is not a Nonemployee Director but recuses himself or herself or abstains from voting with respect to a particular action taken by the Committee, then the Committee, with respect to that action, shall be deemed to consist only of the members of the Committee who have not recused themselves or abstained from voting.

3.2 Board Reservation and Delegation.

(a) The Board may, in its discretion, reserve to itself or exercise any or all of the authority and responsibility of the Committee hereunder. To the extent the Board has reserved to itself or exercises the authority and responsibility of the Committee, all references to the Committee in the Plan shall be to the Board.

(b) Subject to applicable law, the Board may delegate, in whole or in part, any of the authority of the Committee hereunder (subject to such limits as may be determined by the Board) to any individual or committee of individuals (who need not be Directors), including without limitation the authority to make Awards to Eligible Individuals who are not officers or directors of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and who are not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act. To the extent that the Board delegates any such authority to make Awards as provided by this Section 3.2(b), all references in the Plan to the Committee’s authority to make Awards and determinations with respect thereto shall be deemed to include the Board’s delegate.

3.3 Committee Powers. Subject to the express terms and conditions set forth herein and applicable law, the Committee shall have the power from time to time to:

(a) select those Eligible Individuals to whom Options shall be granted under the Plan and the number of such Options to be granted and prescribe the terms and conditions (which need not be identical) of each such Option, including the exercise price per Share, the vesting schedule and the duration of each Option, and make any amendment or modification to any Award Agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan;

(b) select those Eligible Individuals to whom other Awards shall be granted under the Plan, determine the type of Award, the number of Shares or amount of cash in respect of which each Award is granted and the terms and conditions (which need not be identical) of each such Award, including the vesting schedule and duration of such award, if applicable, and make any amendment or modification to any Award Agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan; (c) construe and interpret the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder, establish sub-plans, and establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan, including, but not limited to, correcting any defect, supplying any omission or reconciling any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award Agreement in the manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or advisable, including so that the Plan and the operation of the Plan comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, the Code to the extent applicable and other applicable law, and otherwise make the Plan fully effective;

 

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(d) determine the duration and purposes for leaves of absence which may be granted to a Participant on an individual basis without constituting a Termination for purposes of the Plan;

(e) cancel, with the consent of the Participant, outstanding Awards or as otherwise permitted under the term of the Plan;

(f) exercise its discretion with respect to the powers and rights granted to it as set forth in the Plan; and

(g) generally, exercise such powers and perform such acts as are deemed necessary or advisable to promote the best interests of the Company with respect to the Plan.

The Committee’s determinations under the Plan need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among Persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards (whether or not such Persons are similarly situated). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall be entitled, among other things, to make non-uniform and selective determinations, and to enter into non-uniform and selective Award Agreements, as to the Eligible Individuals to receive Awards under the Plan and the terms and provision of Awards under the Plan. All decisions and determinations by the Committee in the exercise of the above powers shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company, its Subsidiaries, the Participants and all other persons having any interest therein.

3.4 Indemnification. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action, failure to act, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any transaction hereunder. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify each member of the Committee for all costs and expenses and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any liability incurred in connection with defending against, responding to, negotiating for the settlement of or otherwise dealing with any claim, cause of action or dispute of any kind arising in connection with any actions in administering the Plan or in authorizing or denying authorization to any transaction hereunder.

3.5 No Repricing of Options or Share Appreciation Rights. The Committee shall have no authority to make any adjustment (other than in connection with a Change in Capitalization, a Corporate Transaction or other transaction where an adjustment is permitted or required under the terms of the Plan) or amendment, and no such adjustment or amendment shall be made, that reduces or would have the effect of reducing the exercise price of an Option or Share Appreciation Right previously granted under the Plan, whether through amendment, cancellation or replacement grants or other means, unless the Company’s shareholders shall have approved such adjustment or amendment.

 

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3.6 Participants in Non-U.S. Jurisdictions. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, to comply with applicable laws in countries other than the United States in which the Company operates or has Employees, Directors or Consultants from time to time, or to ensure that the Company complies with any applicable requirements of foreign securities exchanges, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (i) determine which of its Subsidiaries shall be covered by the Plan; (ii) determine which Eligible Individuals outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (iii) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Eligible Individuals outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws or listing requirements of any foreign exchange; (iv) establish sub-plans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable (any such sub-plans and/or modifications shall be attached to the Plan as appendices), provided, however, that no such sub-plans and/or modifications shall increase the share limitations contained in Section 4.1; and (v) take any action, before or after an Award is granted, that it deems advisable to comply with any applicable governmental regulatory exemptions or approval or listing requirements of any such foreign securities exchange. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate any applicable law. For purposes of the Plan, all references to foreign laws, rules, regulations or taxes shall be references to the laws, rules, regulations and taxes of any applicable jurisdiction other than the United States or a political subdivision thereof.

 

4.

Shares Subject to the Plan; Grant Limitations.

4.1 Aggregate Number of Shares Authorized for Issuance. Subject to any adjustment as provided in the Plan, the Shares to be issued under the Plan may be, in whole or in part, authorized but unissued Shares or issued Shares which shall have been reacquired by the Company and held by it as treasury shares. The aggregate number of Shares that may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan from and after September 1, 2023 shall be equal to 793,523 Shares (the “Share Reserve”). No new Awards may be granted under the Plan from and after September 1, 2023.

4.2 Individual Participant Limit. The aggregate number of Shares that may be the subject of an Award (other than Awards designated to be paid only in cash or the settlement of which is not based on a number of Shares) granted to an Eligible Individual in any calendar year may not exceed 10% of the Share Reserve. The Fair Market Value of an Award, as determined on the date of grant, designated to be paid only in cash, or the settlement of which is not based on a number of Shares, granted to an Eligible Individual in any calendar year may not exceed $10,000,000. The Fair Market Value of an Award, as determined on the date of grant, granted to a non-employee director in any calendar year may not exceed $750,000.

4.3 Calculating Shares Available. The Committee shall determine the appropriate method for determining the number of Shares available for grant under the Plan, subject to the following:

(a) Except as provided in Section 4.3(b), in connection with the granting of an Option, a Share Appreciation Right (other than a Share Appreciation Right related to an Option) or a Share Award, and Other Share-Based Award or a Substitute Award, or the granting of an Award of Restricted Share Units, Restricted Shares, Performance-Based Restricted Shares or Performance Share Units, the number of Shares available under this Section 4 for the granting of further Awards shall be reduced by the number of Shares in respect of which the Award is granted or denominated.

 

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(b) In the event that an Award is granted that, pursuant to the terms of the Award Agreement, cannot be settled in Shares, the aggregate number of Shares that may be made the subject of Awards under the Plan shall not be reduced. Any Shares related to an Award granted under the Plan that (i) terminates by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise without the issuance of the Shares, (ii) is settled in cash in lieu of Shares, or (iii) is exchanged with the Committee’s permission, prior to the issuance of Shares, for an Award pursuant to which no Shares may be issued, shall again be available for Awards under the Plan.

(c) Any Shares tendered or repurchased (i) to pay the Option Price of an Option granted under the Plan or (ii) to satisfy tax withholding obligations associated with an Award granted under the Plan, shall not become available again for grant under the Plan.

 

5.

Share Options.

5.1 Authority of Committee. The Committee may grant Options to Eligible Individuals in accordance with the Plan, the terms and conditions of the grant of which shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Eligible Individuals who are employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on the date the Incentive Stock Option is granted.

5.2 Option Price. The Option Price or the manner in which the exercise price is to be determined for Shares under each Option shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement; provided, however, that the exercise price per Share under each Option shall not be less than the greater of (i) the par value of a Share and (ii) 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (110% in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten-Percent Shareholder).

5.3 Maximum Duration. Options granted hereunder shall be for such term as the Committee shall determine; provided that an Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date it is granted (five (5) years in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten-Percent Shareholder) and a Nonqualified Stock Option shall not be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date it is granted; provided, further, however, that unless the Committee provides otherwise, an Option (other than an Incentive Stock Option) may, upon the death of the Participant prior to the expiration of the Option, be exercised for up to one (1) year following the date of the Participant’s death, even if such period extends beyond ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted. The Committee may, subsequent to the granting of any Option, extend the period within which the Option may be exercised (including following a Participant’s Termination), but in no event shall the period be extended to a date that is later than the earlier of the latest date on which the Option could have been exercised and the 10th anniversary of the date of grant of the Option.

5.4 Vesting. The Committee shall determine and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement the time or times at which an Option shall become vested and exercisable. To the extent not exercised, vested installments shall accumulate and be exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time after becoming exercisable, but not later than the date the Option expires. The Committee may accelerate the exercisability of any Option or portion thereof at any time.

 

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5.5 Limitations on Incentive Stock Options. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of the grant) of Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan and “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) granted under all other plans of the Company or its Subsidiaries (in either case determined without regard to this Section 5.5) are exercisable by a Participant for the first time during any calendar year exceeds $100,000, such Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options. In applying the limitation in the preceding sentence in the case of multiple Option grants, unless otherwise required by applicable law, Options which were intended to be Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options according to the order in which they were granted such that the most recently granted Options are first treated as Nonqualified Stock Options.

5.6 Method of Exercise. The exercise of an Option shall be made only by giving notice in the form and to the Person designated by the Company, specifying the number of Shares to be exercised and, to the extent applicable, accompanied by payment therefor and otherwise in accordance with the Award Agreement pursuant to which the Option was granted. The Option Price for any Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option shall be paid in any or any combination of the following forms: (a) cash or its equivalent (e.g., a check) or (b) if permitted by the Committee, the transfer, either actually or by attestation, to the Company of Shares held by the Participant, such transfer to be upon such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee or (c) in the form of other property as determined by the Committee. Any Shares transferred to the Company as payment of the exercise price under an Option shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the last business day preceding the date of exercise of such Option. In addition, (a) the Committee may provide for the payment of the Option Price through Share repurchase, as a result of which a number of Shares issued upon exercise of an Option having a Fair Market Value equal to the Option Price would be repurchased, and (b) Options may be exercised through a registered broker-dealer pursuant to such cashless exercise procedures that are, from time to time, deemed acceptable by the Committee. If requested by the Committee, the Participant shall deliver the Award Agreement evidencing the Option to the Company, which shall endorse thereon a notation of such exercise and return such Award Agreement to the Participant. No fractional Shares (or cash in lieu thereof) shall be issued upon exercise of an Option and the number of Shares that may be purchased upon exercise shall be rounded to the nearest number of whole Shares.

5.7 Rights of Participants. No Participant shall be deemed for any purpose to be the owner of any Shares subject to any Option unless and until (a) the Option shall have been exercised pursuant to the terms thereof, (b) the Company shall have issued and delivered Shares (whether or not certificated) to the Participant, a securities broker acting on behalf of the Participant or such other nominee of the Participant and (c) the Participant’s name, or the name of his or her broker or other nominee, shall have been entered as a shareholder of record on the books of the Company. Thereupon, the Participant shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect to such Shares, subject to such terms and conditions as may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

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6.

Share Appreciation Rights.

6.1 Grant. The Committee may grant Share Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals in accordance with the Plan, the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. A Share Appreciation Right may be granted (a) at any time if unrelated to an Option or (b) if related to an Option, either at the time of grant or at any time thereafter during the term of the Option.

6.2 Terms; Duration. Share Appreciation Rights shall contain such terms and conditions as to exercisability, vesting and duration as the Committee shall determine, but in no event shall they have a term of greater than ten (10) years; provided, however, that unless the Committee provides otherwise, a Share Appreciation Right may, upon the death of the Participant prior to the expiration of the Award, be exercised for up to one (1) year following the date of the Participant’s death even if such period extends beyond ten (10) years from the date the Share Appreciation Right is granted. The Committee may, subsequent to the granting of any Share Appreciation Right, extend the period within which the Share Appreciation Right may be exercised (including following a Participant’s Termination), but in no event shall the period be extended to a date that is later than the earlier of the latest date on which the Share Appreciation Right could have been exercised and the 10th anniversary of the date of grant of the Share Appreciation Right.

6.3 Amount Payable. Upon exercise of a Share Appreciation Right, the Participant shall be entitled to receive an amount determined by multiplying (i) the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the last business day preceding the date of exercise of such Share Appreciation Right over (a) with respect to a Share Appreciation Right unrelated to an Option, the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Share Appreciation Right was granted or (b) with respect to a Share Appreciation Right related to an Option, the Option Price specified in the related Option (in each case, the “Base Price”) by (ii) the number of Shares as to which the Share Appreciation Right is being exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may limit in any manner the amount payable with respect to any Share Appreciation Right by including such a limit in the Award Agreement evidencing the Share Appreciation Right at the time it is granted.

6.4 Method of Exercise. Share Appreciation Rights shall be exercised by a Participant only by giving notice in the form and to the Person designated by the Company, specifying the number of Shares with respect to which the Share Appreciation Right is being exercised. If requested by the Committee, the Participant shall deliver the Award Agreement evidencing the Share Appreciation Right being exercised, which shall endorse thereon a notation of such exercise and return such Award Agreement to the Participant.

6.5 Form of Payment. Payment of the amount payable upon exercise of a Share Appreciation Right may be made in the discretion of the Committee solely in whole Shares in a number determined at their Fair Market Value on the last business day preceding the date of exercise of the Share Appreciation Right, solely in cash or in a combination of cash and Shares. If the Committee decides to make full payment in Shares and the amount payable results in a fractional Share, payment for the fractional Share will be made in cash.

 

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7.

Dividend Equivalent Rights.

The Committee may grant Dividend Equivalent Rights, either in tandem with an Award or as a separate Award, to Eligible Individuals in accordance with the Plan. The terms and conditions applicable to each Dividend Equivalent Right shall be specified in the Award Agreement evidencing the Award. Amounts payable in respect of Dividend Equivalent Rights may be payable currently or, if applicable, deferred until the lapsing of restrictions on such Dividend Equivalent Rights or until the vesting, exercise, payment, settlement or other lapse of restrictions on the Award to which the Dividend Equivalent Rights relate. In the event that the amount payable in respect of Dividend Equivalent Rights is to be deferred, the Committee shall determine whether such amounts are to be held in cash or reinvested in Shares or deemed (notionally) to be reinvested in Shares. Dividend Equivalent Rights may be settled in cash, Shares, other Awards, other property or a combination of the foregoing, in a single installment or multiple installments, as determined by the Committee. The terms and conditions of any grants of Dividend Equivalent Rights as set forth in an Award Agreement shall comply with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules.

 

8.

Restricted Shares; Restricted Share Units.

8.1 Restricted Shares. The Committee may grant Restricted Shares to Eligible Individuals in accordance with the Plan, the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Each Award Agreement shall contain such restrictions, terms and conditions as the Committee may, in its discretion, determine and (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) such Award Agreements may require that an appropriate legend be placed on Share certificates. Shares in a book entry account in Participant’s name may have appropriate stop transfer instructions to the account custodian, administrator or the Company’s corporate secretary as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Restricted Shares shall be subject to the terms and provisions set forth below in this Section 8.1.

(a) Rights of Participant. Restricted Shares granted pursuant to an Award hereunder shall be issued in the name of the Participant as soon as reasonably practicable after the Award is granted provided that the Participant has executed an Award Agreement evidencing the Award and any other documents which the Committee may require as a condition to the issuance of such Shares. At the discretion of the Committee, Shares issued in connection with an Award of Restricted Shares may be held in escrow by an agent (which may be the Company) designated by the Committee. Unless the Committee determines otherwise and as set forth in the Award Agreement, upon the issuance of the Shares, the Participant shall have all of the rights of a shareholder with respect to such Shares, including the right to vote the Shares and to receive all dividends or other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares.

(b) Terms and Conditions. Each Award Agreement shall specify the number of Shares subject to the Restricted Share Award, the conditions which must be satisfied in order for the Restricted Shares to vest and the circumstances under which the Award will be forfeited.

(c) Delivery of Shares. Upon the lapse of the restrictions on Restricted Shares, the Committee shall take any action it determines is necessary to evidence such lapse of restrictions which may include causing a share certificate or evidence of book entry Shares to be delivered to the Participant with respect to such Restricted Shares, free of all restrictions hereunder.

 

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(d) Treatment of Dividends. At the time Restricted Shares are granted, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine that the payment to the Participant of dividends, or a specified portion thereof, declared or paid on such Shares by the Company shall be (i) deferred until the lapsing of the restrictions imposed upon such Shares and (ii) held by the Company for the account of the Participant until such time. In the event that dividends are to be deferred, the Committee shall determine whether such dividends are to be reinvested in Shares (which shall be held as additional Restricted Shares) or held in cash. Payment of deferred dividends in respect of Restricted Shares (whether held in cash or as additional Restricted Shares), shall be made upon the lapsing of restrictions imposed on the Shares in respect of which the deferred dividends were paid, and any dividends deferred in respect of any Restricted Shares shall be forfeited upon the forfeiture of such Shares.

8.2 Restricted Share Unit Awards. The Committee may grant Awards of Restricted Share Units to Eligible Individuals in accordance with the Plan, the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Each such Award Agreement shall contain such restrictions, terms and conditions as the Committee may, in its discretion, determine. Awards of Restricted Share Units shall be subject to the terms and provisions set forth below in this Section 8.2.

(a) Payment of Awards. Each Restricted Share Unit shall represent the right of the Participant to receive a payment upon vesting of the Restricted Share Unit or on any later date specified by the Committee of an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the date the Restricted Share Unit becomes vested or such other date as determined by the Committee at the time the Restricted Share Unit is granted. The Committee may, at the time a Restricted Share Unit is granted, provide a limitation on the amount payable in respect of each Restricted Share Unit. The Committee may provide for the settlement of Restricted Share Units in cash or with Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount to which the Participant has become entitled or a combination thereof.

 

9.

Performance Awards.

9.1 Performance Units and Performance Share Units. The Committee may grant Awards of Performance Units and/or Performance Share Units to Eligible Individuals in accordance with the Plan, the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Award Agreement.

(a) Performance Units. Performance Units shall be denominated in a specified dollar amount and, contingent upon the attainment of specified Performance Objectives within the Performance Cycle and such other vesting conditions as may be determined by the Committee (including without limitation, a continued employment requirement following the end of the applicable Performance Cycle), represent the right to receive payment as provided in Sections 9.1(c) and (d) of the specified dollar amount or a percentage of the specified dollar amount depending on the level of Performance Objective attained; provided, however, that the Committee may at the time a Performance Unit is granted specify a maximum amount payable in respect of a vested Performance Unit.

(b) Performance Share Units.

 

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Performance Share Units shall be denominated in Shares and, contingent upon the attainment of specified Performance Objectives within the Performance Cycle and such other vesting conditions as may be determined by the Committee, (including without limitation, a continued employment requirement following the end of the applicable Performance Cycle), represent the right to receive payment as provided in Sections 9.1(c) and (d) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Performance Share Unit was granted, the date the Performance Share Unit became vested or any other date specified by the Committee or a percentage of such amount depending on the level of Performance Objective attained; provided, however, that the Committee may at the time a Performance Share Unit is granted specify a maximum amount payable in respect of a vested Performance Share Unit.

(c) Terms and Conditions; Vesting and Forfeiture. Each Award Agreement shall specify the number of Performance Units or Performance Share Units to which it relates, the Performance Objectives and other conditions which must be satisfied in order for the Performance Units or Performance Share Units to vest and the Performance Cycle within which such Performance Objectives must be satisfied and the circumstances under which the Award will be forfeited; provided, however, that no Performance Cycle for Performance Units or Performance Share Units shall be less than one (1) year.

(d) Payment of Awards. Subject to Section 9.3(c), payment to Participants in respect of vested Performance Share Units and Performance Units shall be made as soon as practicable after the last day of the Performance Cycle to which such Award relates or at such other time or times as the Committee may determine that the Award has become vested. Such payments may be made entirely in Shares valued at their Fair Market Value, entirely in cash, other Awards, other property or in any combination of the foregoing as the Committee in its discretion shall determine at any time prior to such payment; provided, however, that if the Committee in its discretion determines to make such payment entirely or partially in Restricted Shares, the Committee must determine the extent to which such payment will be in Restricted Shares and the terms of such Restricted Shares at the time the Award is granted.

9.2 Performance-Based Restricted Shares. The Committee may grant Performance-Based Restricted Shares to Eligible Individuals in accordance with the Plan, the terms and conditions of which shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Each Award Agreement may require that an appropriate legend be placed on Share certificates. Shares in a book entry account in Participant’s name may have appropriate stop transfer instructions to the account custodian, administrator or the Company’s corporate secretary as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Performance-Based Restricted Shares shall be subject to the following terms and provisions:

(a) Rights of Participant. Performance-Based Restricted Shares shall be issued in the name of the Participant as soon as reasonably practicable after the Award is granted or at such other time or times as the Committee may determine; provided, however, that no Performance-Based Restricted Shares shall be issued until the Participant has executed an Award Agreement evidencing the Award, and any other documents which the Committee may require as a condition to the issuance of such Performance-Based Restricted Shares. At the discretion of the Committee, Shares issued in connection with an Award of Performance-Based Restricted Shares may be held in escrow by an agent (which may be the Company) designated by the Committee. Unless the Committee determines otherwise and as set forth in the Award Agreement, upon issuance of the Shares, the Participant shall have all of the rights of a shareholder with respect to such Shares, including the right to vote the Shares and to receive all dividends or other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares.

 

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(b) Terms and Conditions. Each Award Agreement shall specify the number of Shares subject to the Performance-Based Restricted Share Award, the Performance Objectives and other conditions which must be satisfied in order for the Performance-Based Restricted Shares to vest, the Performance Cycle within which such Performance Objectives must be satisfied and the circumstances under which the Award will be forfeited; provided, however, that no Performance Cycle for Performance-Based Restricted Shares shall be less than one (1) year.

(c) Treatment of Dividends. At the time the Performance-Based Restricted Shares are granted, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine that the payment to the Participant of dividends, or a specified portion thereof, declared or paid on Shares represented by such Award which have been issued by the Company to the Participant shall be (i) deferred until the lapsing of the restrictions imposed upon such Performance-Based Restricted Shares and (ii) held by the Company for the account of the Participant until such time. In the event that dividends are to be deferred, the Committee shall determine whether such dividends are to be reinvested in Shares (which shall be held as additional Performance-Based Restricted Shares) or held in cash. If deferred dividends are to be held in cash, there may be credited interest on the amount of the account at such times and at a rate per annum as the Committee, in its discretion, may determine. Payment of deferred dividends in respect of Performance-Based Restricted Shares (whether held in cash or in additional Performance-Based Restricted Shares), together with interest accrued thereon, if any, shall be made upon the lapsing of restrictions imposed on the Performance-Based Restricted Shares in respect of which the deferred dividends were paid, and any dividends deferred (together with any interest accrued thereon) in respect of any Performance-Based Restricted Shares shall be forfeited upon the forfeiture of such Performance-Based Restricted Shares.

(d) Delivery of Shares. Upon the lapse of the restrictions on Performance-Based Restricted Shares awarded hereunder, the Committee shall take any action it determines is necessary to evidence such lapse of restrictions which may include causing a share certificate or evidence of book entry Shares to be delivered to the Participant with respect to such Performance-Based Restricted Shares, free of all restrictions hereunder.

9.3 Performance Objectives.

(a) Establishment. Performance Objectives for Performance Awards may be expressed in terms of (i) earnings per share (diluted or basic), (ii) operating income, (iii) return on equity or assets, (iv) cash flow, (v) net cash flow, (vi) cash flow from operations; (vii) EBITDA, (viii) revenues, (ix) revenue ratios; (x) cost reductions; (xi) cost ratios; (xii) overall revenue or sales growth, (xiii) expense reduction or management, (xiv) market position or share, (xv) total shareholder return, (xvi) return on investment, (xvii) earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), (xviii) net income, (xix) return on net assets, (xx) economic value added, (xxi) shareholder value added, (xxii) cash flow return on investment, (xxiii) net operating profit, (xxiv) net operating profit after tax, (xxv) return on capital, (xxvi) return on invested capital or (xxvii) any combination of the foregoing. Performance Objectives may be based on any of the foregoing or any other performance criteria as may be established by the Committee. Performance Objectives may be in respect of the performance of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any of its Divisions or any combination thereof. Performance Objectives may be absolute or relative (to prior performance of the Company or to the performance of one or more other entities or external indices) and may be expressed in terms of a progression within a specified range.

 

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(b) Effect of Certain Events. The Committee may, at the time the Performance Objectives in respect of a Performance Award are established, provide for the manner in which performance will be measured against the Performance Objectives to reflect the impact of specified events, including any one or more of the following with respect to the Performance Cycle (i) the gain, loss, income or expense resulting from changes in accounting principles or tax laws that become effective during the Performance Cycle; (ii) the gain, loss, income or expense reported publicly by the Company with respect to the Performance Cycle that are extraordinary or unusual in nature or infrequent in occurrence; (iii) the gains or losses resulting from and the direct expenses incurred in connection with, the disposition of a business, or the sale of investments or non-core assets; (iv) the gain or loss from all or certain claims and/or litigation and all or certain insurance recoveries relating to claims or litigation; or (v) the impact of investments or acquisitions made during the year or, to the extent provided by the Committee, any prior year. The events may relate to the Company as a whole or to any part of the Company’s business or operations, as determined by the Committee at the time the Performance Objectives are established. Any adjustments based on the effect of certain events are to be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and standards, unless another objective method of measurement is designated by the Committee.

(c) Determination of Performance. Prior to the vesting, payment, settlement or lapsing of any restrictions with respect to any Performance Award, the Committee shall certify in writing that the applicable Performance Objectives have been satisfied. In respect of a Performance Award, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, reduce the amount of cash paid or number of Shares to be issued or that have been issued and that become vested or on which restrictions lapse.

 

10.

Share Awards, Other Share-Based Awards, Cash Awards and Substitute Awards.

10.1 Share Awards. The Committee may grant a Share Award to any Eligible Individual on such terms and conditions as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion. Share Awards may be made as additional compensation for services rendered by the Eligible Individual or may be in lieu of cash or other compensation to which the Eligible Individual is entitled from the Company.

10.2 Other Share-Based Awards. The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Eligible Individuals such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of this Plan, including without limitation convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, purchase rights for Shares, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee, and Awards valued by reference to the book value of Shares or the value of securities of, or the performance of, specified Subsidiaries of the Company. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Other Share-Based Awards. Shares delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 10.2 shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, as the Committee shall determine. Cash awards (“Cash Awards”), as an element of or supplement to any other Award under this Plan, may also be granted pursuant to this Section 10.2.

 

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10.3 Substitute Awards. Awards may be granted under the Plan in substitution for similar awards held by individuals who become Employees, Directors or Consultants as a result of a merger, consolidation, acquisition or other transaction by the Company or an Affiliate of another entity or the assets of another entity. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan to the contrary, Substitute Awards that are Options or Share Appreciation Rights may have exercise prices less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of the substitution if such substitution complies with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules and other applicable laws and exchange rules.

 

11.

Effect of Termination of Employment; Transferability.

11.1 Termination. The Award Agreement evidencing the grant of each Award shall set forth the terms and conditions applicable to such Award upon Termination, which shall be as the Committee may, in its discretion, determine at the time the Award is granted or at any time thereafter, and which terms and conditions may include provisions regarding the treatment of an Award in the event of a Termination by reason of a divestiture of any Subsidiary or Division or other assets of the Company or any Subsidiary.

11.2 Transferability of Awards and Shares.

(a) Non-Transferability of Awards. Except as set forth in Section 11.2(c) or (d) or as otherwise permitted by the Committee and as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, either at the time of grant or at any time thereafter, no Award shall be (i) sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, (ii) pledged or otherwise hypothecated or (iii) subject to attachment, execution or levy of any kind; and any purported transfer, pledge, hypothecation, attachment, execution or levy in violation of this Section 11.2 shall be null and void.

(b) Restrictions on Shares. The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired by a Participant under the Plan as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, minimum holding period requirements, restrictions under applicable federal securities laws, restrictions under the requirements of any share exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed or traded and restrictions under any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares.

(c) Transfers By Will or by Laws of Descent or Distribution. Any Award may be transferred by will or by the laws of descent or distribution; provided, however, that (i) any transferred Award will be subject to all of the same terms and conditions as provided in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement; and (ii) the Participant’s estate or beneficiary appointed in accordance with this Section 11.2(c) will remain liable for any withholding tax that may be imposed by any federal, state or local tax authority.

(d) Beneficiary Designation. Each Participant may, from time to time, name one or more individuals (each, a “Beneficiary”) to whom any benefit under the Plan is to be paid or who may exercise any rights of the Participant under any Award granted under the Plan in the event of the Participant’s death before he or she receives any or all of such benefit or exercises such Award.

 

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Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Company, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company during the Participant’s lifetime. In the absence of any such designation, benefits under Awards remaining unpaid at the Participant’s death and rights to be exercised following the Participant’s death shall be paid to or exercised by the Participant’s estate. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 11, an Incentive Stock Option shall not be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

(e) Qualified Domestic Relations Orders. An Award may be transferred pursuant to a domestic relations order entered or approved by a court of competent jurisdiction upon delivery to the Company of written notice of such transfer and a certified copy of such order.

 

12.

Adjustment upon Changes in Capitalization.

12.1 In the event of a Change in Capitalization, the Committee shall conclusively determine the appropriate adjustments, if any, to the Plan and/or any Award to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights granted to, or available for, Participants under the Plan, including with respect to the following: (a) the maximum number and class of Shares or other shares or securities with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan, (b) the maximum number and class of Shares or other shares or securities that may be issued upon exercise of Incentive Share Options, (c) the maximum number and class of Shares or other shares or securities with respect to which Awards may be granted to any Eligible Individual in any calendar year, (d) the number and class of Shares or other shares or securities, cash or other property which are subject to outstanding Awards granted under the Plan and the exercise price therefore, if applicable, and (e) the Performance Objectives.

12.2 Any such adjustment in the Shares or other share or securities (a) subject to outstanding Incentive Stock Options (including any adjustments in the exercise price) shall be made in such manner as not to constitute a modification as defined by Section 424(h)(3) of the Code and only to the extent otherwise permitted by Sections 422 and 424 of the Code, and (b) with respect to any Award that is not subject to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, in a manner that would not subject the Award to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules and, with respect to any Award that is subject to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, in a manner that complies with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules.

12.3 If, by reason of a Change in Capitalization, pursuant to an Award, a Participant shall be entitled to, or shall be entitled to exercise an Option with respect to, new, additional or different shares or securities of the Company or any other corporation, such new, additional or different shares shall thereupon be subject to all of the conditions, restrictions and performance criteria which were applicable to the Shares subject to the Award, prior to such Change in Capitalization.

 

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13.

Effect of a Corporate Transaction.

13.1 Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, take any one or more of the following actions with respect to any outstanding Award, which need not be uniform with respect to all Participants and/or Awards:

(a) continuation or assumption of such Award by the Company (if it is the surviving corporation) or by the successor or surviving corporation or its parent;

(b) substitution or replacement of such Award by the successor or surviving corporation or its parent with cash, securities, rights or other property to be paid or issued, as the case may be, by the successor or surviving corporation (or a parent or subsidiary thereof), with substantially the same terms and conditions (including vesting) and value as such Award, except that the Committee may deem any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto to be satisfied as of immediately prior to the Corporate Transaction or measure the performance targets or criteria as of the Corporate Transaction;

(c) acceleration of the vesting of such Award and the lapse of any restrictions thereon and, in the case of an Option or Share Appreciation Right, acceleration of the right to exercise such Award during a specified period (and the termination of such Option or Share Appreciation Right without payment of any consideration therefor to the extent such Award is not timely exercised), in each case, upon (A) the Participant’s involuntary Termination (including upon a termination of the Participant’s employment by the Company (or a successor corporation or its parent) without Cause (as defined herein or under an employment agreement), or to the extent applicable by the Participant for “good reason”, as such term may be defined in the applicable Award Agreement and/or the Participant’s employment agreement, offer letter, or other similar documents) on or within a specified period (but not less 24 months) following such Corporate Transaction or (B) in the event the successor or surviving corporation (or its parent) does not continue or assume such Award;

(d) in the case of a Performance Award, determination of the level of attainment of the applicable performance condition(s); and

(e) cancellation of such Award in consideration of a payment, with the form, amount and timing of such payment determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, subject to the following: (A) such payment shall be made in cash, securities, rights and/or other property; (B) the amount of such payment shall equal the value of such Award, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that, in the case of an Option or Share Appreciation Right, if such value equals the Intrinsic Value of such Award, such value shall be deemed to be valid; provided further that, if the Intrinsic Value of an Option or Share Appreciation Right is equal to or less than zero, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for the cancellation of such Award without payment of any consideration therefor (for the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, terminate any Option or Share Appreciation Right for which the exercise or hurdle price is equal to or exceeds the per Share value of the consideration to be paid in the Change in Control transaction without payment of consideration therefor); and (C) such payment shall be made promptly following such Change in Control or on a specified date or dates following such Change in Control.

 

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14.

Interpretation.

14.1 Section 16 Compliance. The Plan is intended to comply with Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and the Committee shall interpret and administer the provisions of the Plan or any Award Agreement in a manner consistent therewith. Any provisions inconsistent with such Rule shall be inoperative and shall not affect the validity of the Plan.

14.2 Compliance with Section 409A and Section 457A. All Awards granted under the Plan are intended to be exempt from the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules or, if subject to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, to be administered, operated and construed in compliance with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. Notwithstanding this or any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Committee may amend the Plan or any Award granted hereunder in any manner or take any other action that it determines, in its sole discretion, is necessary, appropriate or advisable (including replacing any Award) to cause the Plan or any Award granted hereunder to comply with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules or to not be subject to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. Any such action, once taken, shall be deemed to be effective from the earliest date necessary to avoid a violation of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules and shall be final, binding and conclusive on all Eligible Individuals and other individuals having or claiming any right or interest under the Plan. Neither this Section 14.2 nor any other provision of the Plan is or contains a representation as to any Participant regarding the tax consequences of the grant, vesting or sale of any Award (or the Shares underlying such Award) granted hereunder, and should not be interpreted as such. Subject to any other restrictions or limitations contained herein, in the event that a “specified employee” (as defined under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules) becomes entitled to a payment under an Award that provides for a deferral of compensation under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules on account of a “separation from service” (as defined under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules), to the extent required by the Code, such payment shall not occur until the date that is six months plus one day from the date of such separation from service. Any amount that is otherwise payable within the six-month period described herein will be aggregated and paid in a lump sum without interest.

 

15.

Term; Plan Termination and Amendment of the Plan; Modification of Awards.

15.1 Term. No Award shall be granted under the Plan on or after September 1, 2023. The Plan shall terminate on the Plan Termination Date. The applicable terms of the Plan and any terms and conditions applicable to Awards granted prior to the Plan Termination Date shall survive the termination of the Plan and continue to apply to such Awards.

15.2 Plan Amendment or Plan Termination. Prior to the Plan Termination Date, the Board may earlier terminate the Plan and the Board may at any time and from time to time amend, modify or suspend the Plan; provided, however, that:

(a) no such amendment, modification, suspension or termination shall impair or adversely alter any Awards theretofore granted under the Plan, except with the consent of the Participant, nor shall any amendment, modification, suspension or termination deprive any Participant of any Shares which he or she may have acquired through or as a result of the Plan; and (b) to the extent necessary under any applicable law, regulation or exchange requirement, no other amendment shall be effective unless approved by the shareholders of the Company in accordance with applicable law, regulation or exchange requirement.

 

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For purposes of clarity, any adjustments made to Awards pursuant to Section 12 or 13 shall be deemed not to impair or adversely alter Awards or deprive any Participant of Shares and therefore may be made without the consent of affected Participants.

15.3 Modification of Awards. No modification of an Award shall adversely alter or impair any rights or obligations under the Award without the consent of the Participant.

 

16.

Non-Exclusivity of the Plan.

The adoption of the Plan by the Board shall not be construed as amending, modifying or rescinding any previously approved incentive arrangement or as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of options otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

 

17.

Limitation of Liability.

As illustrative of the limitations of liability of the Company, but not intended to be exhaustive thereof, nothing in the Plan shall be construed to:

(a) give any person any right to be granted an Award other than at the sole discretion of the Committee;

(b) limit in any way the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to terminate the employment of or the provision of services by any person at any time;

(c) be evidence of any agreement or understanding, express or implied, that the Company will pay any person at any particular rate of compensation or for any particular period of time; or

(d) be evidence of any agreement or understanding, express or implied, that the Company will employ any person at any particular rate of compensation or for any particular period of time.

 

18.

Regulations and Other Approvals; Governing Law.

18.1 Governing Law. Except as to matters of United States federal law, the Plan and the rights of all persons claiming hereunder shall be construed and determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to conflicts of laws principles thereof.

18.2 Compliance with Law.

(a) The obligation of the Company to sell or deliver Shares with respect to Awards granted under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including all applicable federal and state securities laws, and the obtaining of all such approvals by governmental agencies as may be deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.

 

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(b) The Board may make such changes to the Plan as may be necessary or appropriate to comply with the rules and regulations of any government authority or to obtain for Eligible Individuals granted Incentive Stock Options the tax benefits under the applicable provisions of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(c) Each grant of an Award and issuance of Shares or other settlement of an Award is subject to compliance with all applicable federal, state and foreign law. Further, if at any time the Committee determines, in its discretion, that the listing, registration or qualification of Shares issuable pursuant to the Plan is required by any securities exchange or under any federal, state or foreign law, or that the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the grant of an Award or the issuance of Shares, no Awards shall be or shall be deemed to be granted or payment made or Shares issued, in whole or in part, unless listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval has been effected or obtained free of any conditions that are not acceptable to the Committee. Any person exercising an Option or receiving Shares in connection with any other Award shall make such representations and agreements and furnish such information as the Board or Committee may request to assure compliance with the foregoing or any other applicable legal requirements.

18.3 Transfers of Plan Acquired Shares. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the disposition of Shares acquired pursuant to the Plan is not covered by a then current registration statement under the Securities Act and is not otherwise exempt from such registration, such Shares shall be restricted against transfer to the extent required by the Securities Act and Rule 144 or other regulations promulgated thereunder. The Committee may require any individual receiving Shares pursuant to an Award granted under the Plan, as a condition precedent to receipt of such Shares, to represent and warrant to the Company in writing that the Shares acquired by such individual are acquired without a view to any distribution thereof and will not be sold or transferred other than pursuant to an effective registration thereof under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption applicable under the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The certificates evidencing any of such Shares shall be appropriately amended or have an appropriate legend placed thereon to reflect their status as restricted securities as aforesaid.

 

19.

Miscellaneous.

19.1 Forfeiture Events and Clawback. The Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events or as required by law, in addition to any otherwise applicable forfeiture provisions that apply to the Award In addition, the Plan is subject to any written clawback policies the Company, with the approval of the Board, may adopt. Any such policy may subject a Participant’s Awards and amounts paid or realized with respect to Awards under the Plan to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment if certain specified events or wrongful conduct occur, including but not limited to an accounting restatement due to the Company’s material noncompliance with financial reporting regulations or other events or wrongful conduct specified in any such clawback policy adopted to conform to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and rules promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission and that the Company determines should apply to the Plan.

 

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19.2 Multiple Agreements. The terms of each Award may differ from other Awards granted under the Plan at the same time or at some other time. The Committee may also grant more than one Award to a given Eligible Individual during the term of the Plan, either in addition to or, subject to Section 3.5, in substitution for one or more Awards previously granted to that Eligible Individual.

19.3 Withholding of Taxes.

(a) The Company and any of its Affiliates are authorized to withhold from any Award granted, or any payment relating to an Award, including from a distribution of Shares, taxes due or potentially payable in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company, its Affiliates and Participants to satisfy the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award in such amounts as may be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, the form of payment acceptable for such tax withholding obligations, including the delivery of cash or cash equivalents, Shares (including previously owned Shares, net settlement, a broker-assisted sale, or other cashless withholding or reduction of the amount of Shares otherwise issuable or delivered pursuant to the Award), other property, or any other legal consideration the Committee deems appropriate. Any determination made by the Committee to allow a Participant who is subject to Rule 16b-3 to pay taxes with Shares through net settlement or previously owned Shares shall be approved by either a committee made up of solely two or more Nonemployee Directors or the full Board. If such tax withholding amounts are satisfied through net settlement or previously owned Shares, the maximum number of Shares that may be so withheld or surrendered shall be the number of Shares that have an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or surrender equal to the aggregate amount of such tax liabilities determined based on the greatest withholding rates for federal, state, foreign and/or local tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that may be utilized without creating adverse accounting treatment for the Company with respect to such Award, as determined by the Committee.

(b) If a Participant makes a disposition, within the meaning of Section 424(c) of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder, of any Share or Shares issued to such Participant pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option within the two-year period commencing on the day after the date of the grant or within the one-year period commencing on the day after the date of transfer of such Share or Shares to the Participant pursuant to such exercise, the Participant shall, within ten (10) days of such disposition, notify the Company thereof, by delivery of written notice to the Company at its principal executive office.

19.4 Plan Unfunded. The Plan shall be unfunded. Except for reserving a sufficient number of authorized Shares to the extent required by law to meet the requirements of the Plan, the Company shall not be required to establish any special or separate fund or to make any other segregation of assets to assure payment of any Award granted under the Plan.

 

25


19.5 Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

19.6 Impact of Merger. For the avoidance of doubt, the terms of the Plan in effect immediately prior to the Patterson-UTI Merger shall apply to each Rollover Award, as each such Award has been amended pursuant to the terms of the Patterson-UTI Merger Agreement; provided, however, that effective immediately after the Patterson-UTI Merger, references to the term “Company,” “NexTier Oilfield Solutions, Inc.” or “C&J Energy Services, Inc.” (or words of similar meaning) in any Award Agreement relating to such Rollover Award shall mean “Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.”

 

26

EX-10.5 9 d463540dex105.htm EX-10.5 EX-10.5

Exhibit 10.5

AMENDMENT TO THE

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.

2021 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

(AS AMENDED EFFECTIVE AS OF JUNE 8, 2023)

WHEREAS, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) maintains the Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. 2021 Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”);

WHEREAS, on September 1, 2023, the Company acquired NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. (“NexTier”) on the terms set forth in that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of June 14, 2023 (as amended, the “Merger Agreement”) between the Company, Pecos Merger Sub Inc., Pecos Second Merger Sub LLC and NexTier (the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the “Merger”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 3.1(c) of the Plan and in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(3), in the event that a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company or any subsidiary of the Company combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by shareholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, to account for such acquisition or combination) may be used for awards under the Plan, subject to the terms and condition set forth in Section 3.1(c);

WHEREAS, in connection with the closing of the Merger and pursuant to Section 3.1(c) of the Plan and Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(3), the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to assume the shares remaining available for grant under the NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. Equity and Incentive Award Plan as adjusted by the Exchange Ratio (as defined the Merger Agreement); and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 11.1 of the Plan, the Board may amend the Plan at any time in accordance with the terms thereof.

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to its authority under Section 11.1 of the Plan, the Board hereby amends the Plan as follows, effective as of September 1, 2023 upon the closing of the Merger:

 

1.

Section 3.1(a) of the Plan is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11.2 and this Section 3.1, the total number of Shares authorized for grant under the Plan shall be the sum of (i) 14,045,000 Shares, plus (ii) the total number of Shares remaining available for grant under the Prior Plans as of the Effective Date, plus (iii) 10,050,932 Shares (such Shares under prong (iii), the “NexTier Shares”). Any Shares that are subject to Awards of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be counted against this limit as one Share for every one Share granted. Any Shares that are subject to Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be counted against this limit as two Shares for every one Share awarded.


No further awards will be granted under any Prior Plans. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the NexTier Shares (i) may only be subject to Awards granted on or prior to January 3, 2027 and (ii) may only be subject to Awards granted to Employees and Directors who were not employees, directors, consultants or advisors of the Company or any of its subsidiaries as of immediately prior to September 1, 2023.

This Amendment shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to principles of conflict of laws, and applicable federal law. All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Plan. Except as expressly amended hereby, the Plan shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

EX-10.6 10 d463540dex106.htm EX-10.6 EX-10.6

Exhibit 10.6

SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS

This Separation Agreement and General Release of Claims (this “Agreement”) is entered into between NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. f/k/a Keane Group, Inc. (“Employer”) and Robert Drummond (“Employee,” together with Employer, the “Parties”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not otherwise defined have the meanings assigned to them in the Employment Agreement (as defined below).

WHEREAS, Employee and Employer entered into that certain Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2019 (the “Employment Agreement”);

WHEREAS, Employee’s employment with Employer terminated effective as of September 1, 2023 (the “Termination Date”); and

WHEREAS, the Parties wish for Employee to receive certain separation payments and benefits, which payments and benefits are conditioned upon Employee’s entry into this Agreement and non-revocation of such entry in the time provided to do so and Employee’s compliance with certain continuing obligations under the Employment Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, promises, and obligations set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the Parties, the Parties agree as follows:

 

1.

Termination Date. The Parties acknowledge and agree that Employee’s employment with Employer and any other Releasee ended as of the Termination Date. The Parties further acknowledge and agree that, as of the Termination Date, Employee resigned (a) as an officer of each affiliate of Employer, as applicable and (b) from the board of directors (or similar governing body) of each of Employer’s affiliates (as applicable) other than the board of directors of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (“Patterson-UTI”), and from the board of directors (or similar governing body) of any corporation, limited liability company or other entity in which Employer holds an equity interest and with respect to which board (or similar governing body) Employee serves as the designee or other representative of Employer or any of its affiliates (as applicable).

 

2.

Consideration. In consideration of Employee’s promises and obligations hereunder and provided that Employee executes and returns a copy of this Agreement (and does not revoke such acceptance pursuant to the terms set forth in Paragraph 17(h) of this Agreement) and Employee abides by his continuing obligations hereunder (including those obligations described in Paragraph 5 below), Employer will provide the consideration set forth in Section 5.2(a)(A), (B), (D) and (E) of the Employment Agreement pursuant to the terms of Section 5.2 of the Employment Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) in accordance with Section 5.2(a)(A) of the Employment Agreement, Employer shall pay Employee $7,425,000, which shall be paid over a period of three years in equal monthly installments as set forth in Exhibit A, less applicable tax withholdings, beginning on the 60th day following the Termination Date, and (ii) in accordance with Sections 5.2(a)(B), (D) and (E) of the Employment Agreement, Employer shall pay Employee a lump-sum cash payment equal to $1,464,266, less applicable tax withholdings, on the 60th day following the Termination Date.


Employee agrees Employer has not made any representations to Employee regarding the tax consequences of any sums received pursuant to this Agreement.

 

3.

Equity and Incentive Awards. As a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Patterson-UTI, Pecos Merger Sub Inc., Pecos Second Merger Sub LLC and Employer, dated June 14, 2023 (the “Transaction”), and in consideration of Employee’s promises and obligations hereunder and provided that Employee executes and returns a copy of this Agreement (and does not revoke such acceptance pursuant to the terms set forth in Paragraph 17(h) of this Agreement) and Employee abides by his continuing obligations hereunder (including those obligations described in Paragraph 5 below), as of the Termination Date, Employee will become 100% vested in all restricted stock unit awards held by Employee and fully vested in 200% of the target level of performance-based restricted stock unit awards and performance unit awards held by Employee, in each case, and settled in accordance with the terms of the underlying award agreements, as set forth in Exhibit B.

 

4.

Financial Planning. Pursuant to Section 6 of the agreement between Employer and Goldman Sachs Ayco Personal Financial Management (“Ayco”), Employer will pay Ayco the equivalent of the Service Fee (as defined in such agreement) for Employee through December 31, 2024.

 

5.

No Consideration Unless This Agreement is Executed; Affirmations of Continuing Duties. Employee understands and agrees that Employee has no legal or contractual right to receive the consideration specified in Paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Agreement unless and until Employee: (a) timely signs and returns this Agreement as instructed in Paragraphs 17 and 20 of this Agreement; and (b) has not exercised Employee’s revocation right described in Paragraph 17(h) of this Agreement and in Appendix A. Further, in connection with Employee’s employment with Employer, Employee has been provided with Confidential Information. Employee hereby (i) expressly reaffirms the covenants set forth in Section 6 of the Employment Agreement, expressly acknowledges their validity and continuing, binding effect, and agrees to abide by them in their entirety and (ii) agrees and acknowledges that Executive’s obligations set forth in Sections 6.1, 6.2 and 6.6 of the Employment Agreement shall also apply to any parent entities or other affiliates of the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries). Employee further acknowledges that abiding by the terms of Section 6 of the Employment Agreement is a condition to his entitlement to the payments and benefits set forth in Paragraphs 2 and 3 above.

 

6.

Exclusive Consideration. Employee agrees that there are no amounts due and owing to Employee arising out of or in any way related to Employee’s employment and that Employee has received all leaves (paid and unpaid) and all wages, bonuses, and other compensation owed to Employee by any Releasee (other than the consideration referenced in Paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Agreement and, to the extent not already paid as of the date Employee signs this Agreement, the Accrued Benefits (as defined in the Employment Agreement)). Employee agrees that the consideration provided for in Paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Agreement is separate and apart from any wages, earnings, bonuses, or other compensation and is provided solely and exclusively under the terms of the Employment Agreement, Employer’s Equity and Incentive Award Plan (the “EIAP”), Employee’s award agreements under the EIAP and this Agreement.

 

2


7.

General Release of Claims. Employee knowingly and voluntarily releases and forever discharges Employer, its parent company(ies) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Patterson-UTI), affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, predecessor companies, successors and assigns, and each of the foregoing entities’ respective current and former employees, attorneys, shareholders, members, managers, partners, officers, directors and agents, representatives, insurers, administrators, and other affiliated persons (collectively referred to throughout the remainder of this Agreement as “Releasees”), of and from any and all claims, liabilities, costs, expenses, judgments, attorneys’ fees, actions, known and unknown, of every kind and nature whatsoever in law or equity, that Employee (and/or Employee’s heirs, executors, or estate administrators or anyone purporting to claim on behalf of or through Employee) has or may have against Releasees relating in any way to Employee’s employment with Employer or the termination thereof prior to and including the date that Employee signs this Agreement. This waiver and release includes, but is not limited to, liability by the Releasees based on (all, as amended) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; 42 U.S.C. § 1981; the Americans with Disabilities Act; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; the Occupational Safety and Health Act; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; the Equal Pay Act; the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Act of 1994; the National Labor Relations Act; the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; claims arising under the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act; Texas Payday Act; Chapters 21 and 451 of the Texas Labor Code; any federal, state or local statute, law, ordinance or regulation; any and all oral or written contract rights; any and all actions based on fraud, misrepresentation or breach of duty; any and all causes of action under the common law, including but not limited to, breach of contract, tort, or personal injury of any sort, whether in equity or at common law, including claims for negligence on the part of any of the Releasees and any other claims, including without limitation those related to or arising out of his employment or the separation of his employment with Employer, in each case, prior to and including the date of execution of this Agreement. This release is not intended to indicate that any such claims exist or that, if they do exist, they are meritorious. Rather, Employee is simply agreeing that, in exchange for the consideration received by Employee pursuant to this Agreement, any and all potential claims of this nature that may have against the Releasees, regardless of whether they actually exist, are expressly settled, compromised and waived. THIS RELEASE INCLUDES MATTERS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE SOLE OR PARTIAL NEGLIGENCE (WHETHER GROSS OR SIMPLE) OR OTHER FAULT, INCLUDING STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OF THE RELEASEES.

This release is intended to be a general release, and excludes only those claims that Employee cannot release as a matter of law under any statute or common law. In no event shall the released claims include (i) any claim that arises after the date that Employee signs this Agreement; (ii) any claim to vested benefits under an employee benefit plan that is subject to ERISA, Employer’s EIAP, or the applicable award agreements under the EIAP; (iii) any claim for breach of, or otherwise arising out of, this Agreement; (iv) any claim for indemnification, advancement of expenses or directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage under any indemnification agreement with Employer (including the Indemnification Agreement between Employee and Employer, dated as of August 6, 2018) or Employer’s governing documents under applicable state law; or (v) any claims that arise by virtue of Employee’s service on the board of directors of Patterson-UTI (including those with regard to director compensation or indemnification, advancement and D&O insurance).

 

3


Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, Employee and Employer further agree that nothing in this Agreement (i) limits Employee’s ability to file a charge or complaint with the EEOC, the NLRB, OSHA, the SEC or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (each a “Government Agency” and collectively “Government Agencies”); however, Employee understands and agrees that Employee is waiving any and all rights to recover any monetary or personal relief from a Releasee as a result of such EEOC or comparable federal, state or local agency proceeding or subsequent actions; (ii) limits Employee’s ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information and reporting possible violations of law or regulation or other disclosures protected under the whistleblower provisions of applicable law or regulation, without notice to Employer; or (iii) limits Employee’s right to receive an award for information provided to any Government Agencies. Nothing herein shall prevent Employee from discussing or disclosing information regarding unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment, discrimination or any other conduct that Employee has reason to believe is unlawful.

 

8.

Representations About Claims. By signing below, Employee affirms that Employee has not filed, nor has Employee caused to be filed, nor is Employee presently a party to any claim, complaint, or action against Releasees in any forum. By way of further affirmation, Employee is not aware of any facts that would support the filing of a claim, charge or other proceeding against any of the Releasees.

 

9.

Non-Admission. Employee agrees that this Agreement is not an admission of wrongdoing by Employer or the Releasees, and the act of offering this Agreement will not be used as evidence of any liability or unlawful conduct of any kind.

 

10.

Governing Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Texas, without regard to any choice of law provisions thereof. The parties acknowledge and agree that any claims, disputes or controversies between the parties relating to or arising out of this Agreement will be resolved in accordance with Section 8.8(b) of the Employment Agreement, which is incorporated into this Agreement by reference.

 

11.

Amendment. This Agreement may not be modified, altered or changed except in writing, specifically titled or referred to as a modification of this Agreement, and signed by the Parties.

 

12.

Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including provisions of the Employment Agreement incorporated herein by reference, and the equity and incentive award agreements underlying the outstanding equity and incentive awards as set forth on Exhibit B, constitutes the entire understanding between the Parties, and except as set forth herein, supersedes any and all prior agreements or understandings between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

13.

Assignment. Employee understands and agrees that only Employer has the right to assign this Agreement. This Agreement inures to the benefit of the successors and assigns of Employer, which are intended third party beneficiaries of this Agreement. Each Releasee that is not a signatory hereto is an intended third-party beneficiary of Employee’s representations, covenants and release herein.

 

4


14.

Severability. If any term, provision, or paragraph of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, that determination is to be limited to the narrowest possible scope to preserve the enforceability of the remaining portions of the term, provision, or paragraph, and that determination does not affect all remaining terms, provisions, and paragraphs of the Agreement, which are to continue to be given full force and effect.

 

15.

Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original but all of which will constitute one and the same instrument. Facsimile transmission of signatures on this Agreement will be deemed to be original signatures and will be acceptable to the Parties for all purposes. In addition, transmission by electronic mail of a PDF document created from the originally signed document will be acceptable to the Parties for all purposes.

 

16.

Return of Employer Property. Employee represents that Employee has complied with, and will continue to comply with, Employee’s obligations in Section 6.5 of the Employment Agreement and, without limiting the foregoing, agrees to return all property belonging to Employer including, but not limited to, electronic devices, computer hardware or software, files, papers, memoranda, correspondence, notebooks, reports, computer programs, customer lists, financial data, business plans, tape recordings and pictures. Employee further agrees that Employee is not retaining any information that Employer may deem confidential, such as information concerning Employer’s trade secrets, products, services, pricing, margins, suppliers, methods, processes, techniques, finances, administration, operations, salary and other confidential employee information, key customer contacts and their profiles and customer financial information.

 

17.

Older Workers’ Benefit Protection Act; Advice of Counsel; Revocation Period. THIS AGREEMENT SPECIFICALLY WAIVES ALL OF EMPLOYEE’S RIGHTS AND CLAIMS ARISING UNDER THE AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT OF 1967 (29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq.), AS AMENDED BY THE OLDER WORKERS’ BENEFIT PROTECTION ACT. In connection with this waiver, Employee understands and agrees that:

 

  a.

Employee is, through this Agreement, releasing Releasees from any and all claims Employee may have against Releasees, relating to Employee’s employment and separation, including claims arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C. § 621, et. seq.) and the Older Workers’ Benefit Protection Act, in exchange for consideration that is in addition to anything of value to which Employee is already entitled.

 

  b.

Employee has had ample opportunity to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Agreement. Employer hereby advises Employee and encourages Employee to consult with an attorney prior to signing this Agreement.

 

  c.

Employee has carefully read and fully understands all of the provisions and effects of this Agreement and Employee knowingly and voluntarily (of Employee’s own free will) entered into all of the terms set forth in this Agreement.

 

  d.

Employee knowingly and voluntarily intends to be legally bound by all of the terms set forth in this Agreement.

 

5


  e.

Employee relied solely and completely upon Employee’s own judgment or the advice of an attorney in entering into this Agreement.

 

  f.

Employee further understands that Employee has been given at least forty-five days to consider the terms of this Agreement before signing it.

 

  g.

If Employee signs this Agreement prior to the end of the forty-five day time period referenced in this Agreement and in Appendix A, Employee certifies that, in accordance with 29 CFR §1625.22(e)(6), Employee knowingly and voluntarily decided to sign the Agreement after considering it less than forty-five days and the decision to do so was not induced by Releasees through fraud, misrepresentation, or a threat to withdraw or alter the offer prior to the expiration of the forty-five day time period. Employee has not been asked by Releasees to shorten the time-period for consideration of whether to sign this Agreement. If Employee decides to sign this Agreement prior to the end of the forty-five day time period, Releasees will not provide different terms to Employee as a result of this decision. Employee understands that if Employee waives some portion of the forty-five day time period, Releasees may expedite the processing of benefits provided to Employee in exchange for signing this Agreement.

 

  h.

Employee understands that Employee may change Employee’s mind and revoke this Agreement at any time within seven (7) days after Employee signs it and returns it to Employer. In order to revoke this Agreement, Employee must timely send the following statement addressed to Office of the General Counsel, 10713 W. Sam Houston Parkway North, Suite 800, Houston, Texas 77064: “I hereby revoke my acceptance of the Separation Agreement and General Release of Claims.” Employee understands that this Agreement shall not become effective or enforceable until after the seven-day revocation period has expired without Employee exercising Employee’s revocation right.

 

  i.

Employee understands that following the seven-day revocation period, this Agreement will be final and binding. Employee promises that Employee will not pursue any claim that has been released in this Agreement. If Employee breaks this promise, Employee agrees to pay all of Releasees’ costs and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) related to the defense of any claims.

 

18.

Withholdings; Deductions. The Company may withhold and deduct from any payments or benefits made or to be made pursuant to this Agreement (a) all federal, state, local and other taxes as may be required pursuant to any law or governmental regulation or ruling and (b) any other deductions consented to or lawfully directed in writing by Employee.

 

19.

Section 409A. This Agreement and the benefits provided hereunder are intended be exempt from, or compliant with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, “Section 409A”) and shall be construed and administered in accordance with such intent. Each installment payment under this Agreement shall be deemed and treated as a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. Any obligations under this Agreement that arise in connection with Employee’s “termination of employment,” “termination” or other similar references shall only be triggered if the termination of employment or termination qualifies as a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(h). For the avoidance of doubt,

 

6


  despite Employee’s continued service as a non-employee director of Patterson-UTI following the Termination Date, the Parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 409A services provided as a director are not taken into account in determining whether a service provider who provides services as both an employee and a non-employee director experiences a separation from service and therefore Employee experienced a separation from service for purposes of Section 409A as of the Termination Date. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if, at the time of the termination of Employee’s employment, Employee is a “specified employee,” as defined in Section 409A, and any payments upon such termination under this Agreement will result in additional tax or interest to Employee under Section 409A, he will not be entitled to receive such payments until the date which is the earlier of (i) six months and one day after such separation from service and (ii) the date of Employee’s death (the “Delay Period”). Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Paragraph 19 (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) will be paid or provided to Employee in a lump sum and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein (or in the Employment Agreement to the extent provided for thereunder). In addition, if any provision of this Agreement would subject Employee to any additional tax or interest under Section 409A, then Employer shall, after consulting with and receiving the approval of Employee, reform such provision in a manner intended to avoid the incurrence by Employee of any such additional tax or interest; provided that Employer shall maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent of the applicable provision without subjecting Employee to such additional tax or interest.

 

20.

Effective Date and Return of Signed Agreement. Employee must return the signed and dated Agreement within the required timeframe to:

Diana Dotolo

Senior Vice President – Human Resources

Patterson-UTI Management Services, LLC

10713 W. Sam Houston Parkway North, Suite 800

Houston, Texas 77064

The Effective Date of this Agreement shall be the eighth (8th) day after the date Employee signs this Agreement, provided Employee does not revoke Employee’s acceptance within the seven (7) day revocation period.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

7


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Employee and Employer each have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the dates set forth opposite their names below and effective for all purposes as provided above.

 

EMPLOYEE: ROBERT DRUMMOND    
/s/ Robert Drummond    

 

    Date: September 1, 2023
Robert Drummond    
Printed Name    
EMPLOYER: NEXTIER OILFIELD SOLUTIONS INC.    
/s/ Andrew Smith     Date: September 1, 2023
By: C. Andrew Smith    
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer    

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO

SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS

EX-10.7 11 d463540dex107.htm EX-10.7 EX-10.7

Exhibit 10.7

August 30, 2023

James “Mike” Holcomb

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

10713 W. Sam Houston Parkway North, Suite 800

Houston, Texas 77064

Dear Mike,

In connection with the anticipated closing of the acquisition of NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. by Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (the “Company”) on September 1, 2023 (the “Closing Date” and such acquisition the “Business Combination”), this letter agreement (this “Agreement”) outlines the terms and conditions of the transition of your role within the Company and certain compensation opportunities you will be afforded in connection with the Business Combination. Should the Business Combination fail to close this Agreement shall be void and of no force or effect.

 

1)

Prior Agreement: You and the Company previously entered into that certain Employment Agreement dated January 1, 2023 (the “Employment Agreement”). From and after the Closing Date, the Employment Agreement will continue to remain in force and effect (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the restrictive covenants contained in Section 9 thereof), except as amended by this Agreement.

 

2)

Position, Duties & Responsibilities: On the Closing Date, you will transition out of your role as Chief Operating Officer of the Company into a new Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer role with such title as you and the Company mutually agree (the “Transition”). In such capacity, you will continue to report to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Your initial responsibilities will include oversight of the corporate functions of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE), Human Resources and Marketing along with the management of the various businesses assigned to you, which management responsibilities remain unchanged, except for the exclusion of the Company’s completions business. You will also perform such additional duties and services appropriate to such position which you and the Company mutually may agree upon from time to time.

 

3)

Good Reason: Section 5(b) of the Employment Agreement is hereby amended to provide that, at any time during the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the first anniversary thereof, you may elect to terminate your employment with the Company for “Good Reason” as a result of the Transition and any resulting changes to your authority, duties, or responsibilities. In the event of such a termination of your employment, you will be eligible to receive the severance payments and benefits set forth in Section 7 of the Employment Agreement (as revised by the following paragraph), subject to your execution and non-revocation of a release (the “Release”), substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A to the Employment Agreement, within 50 days following such termination date that is not revoked by you during any applicable revocation period provided in such release.


Notwithstanding Section 7(a)(v) and (vi) of the Employment Agreement, if you elect to terminate your employment pursuant to the above paragraph, any equity awards granted to you following the Closing Date (the “Post-Transition Date Equity Awards”) will vest on a pro-rata basis based on the number of months you were employed during the vesting period for the applicable award and actual performance over the full performance period for any performance-based awards. For the avoidance of doubt, such accelerated vesting shall be subject to execution and non-revocation of the Release. Any Post-Transition Date Equity Awards subject to solely time-based vesting will be settled within 60 days of the date of your termination of employment and settlement of any Post-Transition Date Equity Awards subject to performance-based vesting will not be accelerated but will occur in the ordinary course following completion of the applicable performance period.

For the avoidance of doubt, (a) if at any time following the Closing Date any condition other than those described in this Agreement occurs or exists that you assert constitutes “Good Reason” (as defined in the Employment Agreement), the terms of Section 5(b)(2) of the Employment Agreement shall apply in connection with such assertion, and (b) following the first anniversary of the Closing Date, you hereby waive “Good Reason” as defined (i) in the Employment Agreement, (ii) in any equity or equity-based award agreement between you and the Company or (iii) in any other agreement between you and the Company or any of its affiliates that provides you with a right to resign your employment for “good reason” or any term of similar import, in each case, as a result of the Transition or any changes to your authority, duties, or responsibilities in connection therewith.

 

4)

Compensation: As of immediately following the Closing Date, your current annual base salary and annual target bonus opportunity will remain the same. The Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors intends to review your compensation and may make adjustments at that time.

 

5)

Retention Bonus: In consideration of the foregoing and in recognition of your contributions to the Company, we are also pleased to offer you a $2,000,000 retention bonus (the “Retention Bonus”), which will be paid to you, less applicable taxes and withholdings, in eight equal quarterly installments following the Closing Date (i.e., $250,000 payable on or about each of December 1, 2023, March 1, 2024, June 1, 2024, September 1, 2024, December 1, 2024, March 1, 2025, June 1, 2025, and September 1, 2025), subject to your continued employment in good standing with the Company or one of its subsidiaries through each applicable payment date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that following the Closing Date your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or you resign for Good Reason (each as defined in the Employment Agreement, but subject to Section 3 above), any unpaid portion of the Retention Bonus will be deemed earned and will be paid to you within 60 days following your date of termination, subject to your execution and non-revocation of the Release. However, if you elect to terminate your employment with the Company for “Good Reason” as a result of the Transition and any resulting changes to your authority, duties, or responsibilities during the six-month period following the Closing Date, (a) the aggregate amount of any previously paid installments of the Retention Bonus will be deducted on a dollar-for-dollar basis from your lump sum severance payment payable under Section 7(a)(ii) of the Employment Agreement, and (b) any unpaid portion of the Retention Bonus will be forfeited.

 

2


6)

Miscellaneous: This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by a written agreement, signed by the Company and by you. This Agreement shall be governed and construed under and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas without giving effect to the doctrine of conflict of laws. With respect to any claim or dispute related to or arising under this Agreement, you and the Company consent to the exclusive jurisdiction, forum and venue of the state and federal courts located in or sitting for Houston, Texas. No failure by either party hereto at any time to give notice of any breach by the other party of, or to require compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement will be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time. If a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable, then the invalidity or unenforceability of that provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, and all other provisions shall remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

[Remainder of page is intentionally blank.]

 

3


To confirm your acceptance of the terms of this Agreement, please return a signed copy of this document to me by no later than September 1, 2023.

 

Sincerely,

   
PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.    
By:   /s/ William A. Hendricks      

Date: August 31, 2023

Name:   William A. Hendricks      
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      
Acknowledged and Agreed:      

/s/ James Holcomb

     
James (Mike) Holcomb      

Date: August 31, 2023

 

Signature Page to Holcomb Letter Agreement

EX-99.1 12 d463540dex991.htm EX-99.1 EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Patterson-UTI Energy and NexTier Oilfield Solutions Complete Merger

HOUSTON – September 1, 2023 – Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTEN) (“Patterson-UTI”) today announced the completion of its previously announced all-stock merger with NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. (“NexTier”), creating a leading provider of drilling and completions services in the United States. The combined company will retain the name Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., continue trading under the ticker symbol PTEN and maintain its headquarters in Houston, Texas.

Patterson-UTI prides itself on its best-in-class operational and technology portfolio bolstered by what we believe to be the most comprehensive set of drilling and completions operational data in the United States. The Company’s U.S. Contract Drilling business has 172 super-spec drilling rigs and its U.S. Well Completions business, which will operate under the NexTier Completions brand, has 3.3 million hydraulic fracturing horsepower.

Andy Hendricks, President and Chief Executive Officer of Patterson-UTI, said, “We are excited to complete the merger of Patterson-UTI and NexTier, establishing us as a leading, technology-driven drilling and well completions business. The Company is well positioned to deliver value through our comprehensive portfolio, innovative offerings, significant free cash flow generation and strong financial position. With an outstanding combined team and collective track record of integrations, we are confident we will hit the ground running and successfully bring the businesses together. We look forward to welcoming our NexTier colleagues and starting this new chapter together.”

Our strategic positioning sets the stage for enhanced shareholder value. The transaction is expected be accretive to both earnings per share and free cash flow in 2024. The Company expects to realize annual cost savings and operational synergies of approximately $200 million within 18 months following the merger closing. Patterson-UTI intends to target high free cash flow conversion, remain good stewards of capital and continue its practice of targeting a return of 50% of free cash flow to shareholders.

Leadership Team

The combined company’s proven management team reflects the strengths and capabilities of both organizations and includes:

 

   

Andy Hendricks, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

   

Andy Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

   

Mike Holcomb, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer

 

   

Matt Gillard, President of NexTier Completion Solutions

 

   

Ken Berns, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer

 

   

Seth Wexler, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

   

Kenny Pucheu, Chief Integration Officer


Board of Directors

Patterson-UTI’s Board includes the following 11 members, six of whom are from the Patterson-UTI Board and five of whom are from the NexTier Board:

 

   

Curtis Huff, Chairman

 

   

Robert Drummond, Vice Chairman

 

   

Andy Hendricks

 

   

Leslie A. Beyer

 

   

Tiffany (TJ) Thom Cepak

 

   

Gary M. Halverson

 

   

Cesar Jaime

 

   

Janeen S. Judah

 

   

Amy H. Nelson

 

   

Julie J. Robertson

 

   

James C. Stewart

About Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

Patterson-UTI is a leading provider of drilling and completion services to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States and other select countries, including contract drilling services, integrated well completion services and directional drilling services in the United States, and specialized bit solutions in the United States, Middle East and many other regions around the world. For more information, visit www.patenergy.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are protected as forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are not limited to historical facts, but reflect Patterson-UTI’s current beliefs, expectations or intentions regarding future events. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “budgeted,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “project,” “pursue,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” or “will,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding Patterson-UTI’s future expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, financial conditions, assumptions or future events or performance that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Patterson-UTI’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. The statements include, without limitation, projections as to the anticipated benefits of the transaction, the impact of the transaction on Patterson-UTI’s business and future financial and operating results, the amount and timing of synergies from the transaction, the combined company’s projected revenues, adjusted EBITDA and cash flow, accretion, business and employee opportunities and capital return policy, , which are based on management’s estimates, assumptions and projections, and are subject to significant uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Patterson-UTI’s control.


These factors and risks include, but are not limited to: adverse oil and natural gas industry conditions; global economic conditions, including inflationary pressures and risks of economic downturns or recessions in the United States and elsewhere; volatility in customer spending and in oil and natural gas prices that could adversely affect demand for Patterson-UTI’s services and their associated effect on rates; excess availability of land drilling rigs, pressure pumping and directional drilling equipment, including as a result of reactivation, improvement or construction; competition and demand for Patterson-UTI’s services; the impact of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine; strength and financial resources of competitors; utilization, margins and planned capital expenditures; liabilities from operational risks for which Patterson-UTI does not have and receive full indemnification or insurance; operating hazards attendant to the oil and natural gas business; failure by customers to pay or satisfy their contractual obligations (particularly with respect to fixed-term contracts); the ability to realize backlog; specialization of methods, equipment and services and new technologies, including the ability to develop and obtain satisfactory returns from new technology; the ability to retain management and field personnel; loss of key customers; shortages, delays in delivery, and interruptions in supply, of equipment and materials; cybersecurity events; synergies, costs and financial and operating impacts of acquisitions; difficulty in building and deploying new equipment; governmental regulation; climate legislation, regulation and other related risks; environmental, social and governance practices, including the perception thereof; environmental risks and ability to satisfy future environmental costs; technology-related disputes; legal proceedings and actions by governmental or other regulatory agencies; the ability to effectively identify and enter new markets; public health crises, pandemics and epidemics; weather; operating costs; expansion and development trends of the oil and natural gas industry; ability to obtain insurance coverage on commercially reasonable terms; financial flexibility; interest rate volatility; adverse credit and equity market conditions; availability of capital and the ability to repay indebtedness when due; our return of capital to stockholders; stock price volatility; and compliance with covenants under Patterson-UTI’s debt agreements. In addition, material risks that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements include: the inherent uncertainty associated with financial or other projections; the prompt and effective integration of Patterson-UTI’s and NexTier’s businesses and the ability to achieve the anticipated synergies and value-creation contemplated by the transaction; unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to the transaction, the response of business partners and retention as a result of the transaction; and the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues.

Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in Patterson-UTI’s SEC filings. Patterson-UTI’s filings may be obtained by contacting Patterson-UTI or the SEC or through Patterson-UTI’s website at http://www.patenergy.com or through the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering and Analysis Retrieval System (EDGAR) at http://www.sec.gov. Patterson-UTI undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement.

Contact:

Mike Drickamer

Patterson-UTI Vice President, Investor Relations

(281) 765-7170