Limitation on Designations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries Level 3 shall not designate (1) the Borrower or Level 3 LLC as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or (2) any other Subsidiary (other than a newly created Subsidiary in which no Investment has previously been made) as an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” under this Agreement (a “Designation”) unless in the case of this clause (2):
(a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or after giving effect to such Designation;
(b) immediately after giving effect to such Designation, Level 3 would be able to Incur $1.00 of Indebtedness under paragraph (a) of Section 6.01; and
(c) Level 3 would not be prohibited under any provision of this Agreement from making an Investment at the time of Designation (assuming the effectiveness of such Designation) in an amount (the “Designation Amount”) equal to the portion (proportionate to Level 3’s equity interest in such Restricted Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Restricted Subsidiary on such date. In the event of any such Designation, Level 3 shall be deemed to have made an Investment constituting a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 6.03 for all purposes of this Agreement in the Designation Amount; provided, however, that, upon a Revocation of any such Designation of a Subsidiary, Level 3 shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary of an amount (if positive) equal to (i) Level 3’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such Revocation less (ii) the portion (proportionate to Level 3’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such Revocation. At the time of any Designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such Subsidiary shall not own any Capital Stock of Level 3 or any Restricted Subsidiary. In addition, neither Level 3 nor any Restricted Subsidiary shall at any time (x) provide credit support for, or a Guarantee of, any Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness); provided, however, that Level 3 or a Restricted Subsidiary may pledge Capital Stock or Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary on a nonrecourse basis such that the pledgee has no claim whatsoever against Level 3 other than to obtain such pledged Capital Stock or Indebtedness, (y) be directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or (z) be directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness which provides that the holder thereof may (upon notice, lapse of time or both) declare a default thereon or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its final scheduled maturity upon the occurrence of a default with respect to any Indebtedness, Lien or other obligation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (including any right to take enforcement action against such Unrestricted Subsidiary), except in the case of clause (x) or (y) to the extent permitted under Sections 6.03 and 6.09. Unless Designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, any Person that becomes a Subsidiary of Level 3 will be classified as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Subsidiary shall not be designated as a Restricted Subsidiary and shall be automatically classified as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if either of the requirements set forth in clauses (a) and (b) of the immediately following paragraph will not be satisfied immediately following such classification. Except as provided in the first sentence of this Section 6.10, no Restricted Subsidiary may be redesignated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary. A Designation may be revoked (a “Revocation”) by a Board Resolution of Level 3 delivered to the Administrative Agent, provided that Level 3 will not make any Revocation unless:
(a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of and after giving effect to such Revocation; and
(b) all Liens and Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary outstanding immediately following such Revocation would, if Incurred at such time, have been permitted to be Incurred at such time for all purposes of this Agreement. All Designations and Revocations must be evidenced by Board Resolutions of Level 3 delivered to the Administrative Agent (i) certifying compliance with the foregoing provisions and (ii) giving the effective date of such Designation or Revocation. Upon Designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in compliance with this Section 6.10, such Restricted Subsidiary shall, by delivery of documentation providing for such release in form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, be released from any Guarantee (in the case of a Guarantor) and its obligations under the Collateral Agreement (in the case of a Grantor) previously made by such Subsidiary.
Formation or Acquisition of Subsidiaries Notwithstanding and without limiting the negative covenants contained in Sections 7.3 and 7.7 hereof, at the time that Borrower or any Guarantor forms any direct or indirect Subsidiary or acquires any direct or indirect Subsidiary after the Effective Date, Borrower and such Guarantor shall (a) cause such new Subsidiary to provide to Bank a joinder to this Agreement to become a co-borrower hereunder or a Guaranty to become a Guarantor hereunder, together with such appropriate financing statements and/or Control Agreements, all in form and substance satisfactory to Bank (including being sufficient to grant Bank a first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Liens) in and to the assets of such newly formed or acquired Subsidiary), (b) provide to Bank appropriate certificates and powers and financing statements, pledging all of the direct or beneficial ownership interest in such new Subsidiary, in form and substance satisfactory to Bank; and (c) provide to Bank all other documentation in form and substance satisfactory to Bank, including one or more opinions of counsel satisfactory to Bank, which in its opinion is appropriate with respect to the execution and delivery of the applicable documentation referred to above. Any document, agreement, or instrument executed or issued pursuant to this Section 6.13 shall be a Loan Document.
Limitation on Restricted Actions The Credit Parties will not, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any such Person to (a) pay dividends or make any other distributions to any Credit Party on its Equity Interest or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, (b) pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to any Credit Party, (c) make loans or advances to any Credit Party, (d) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to any Credit Party, or (e) act as a Guarantor and pledge its assets pursuant to the Credit Documents or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof, except (in respect of any of the matters referred to in clauses (a)-(d) above) for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, (ii) applicable law, (iii) any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.1(c); provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets constructed or acquired in connection therewith, or (iv) any Permitted Lien or any document or instrument governing any Permitted Lien; provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets subject to such Permitted Lien.
Limitation on Restricted Payments (a) The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
(I) declare or pay any dividend or make any payment or distribution on account of the Borrower’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests, including any dividend or distribution payable in connection with any merger or consolidation, other than:
(A) dividends or distributions by the Borrower payable solely in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Borrower; or
(B) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or in respect of any class or series of securities issued by a Restricted Subsidiary other than a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution in accordance with its Equity Interests in such class or series of securities;
(II) purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of the Borrower, or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, including any purchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or retirement, in connection with any merger or consolidation;
(III) make any principal payment on, or redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, in each case prior to any scheduled repayment, sinking fund payment or maturity, any Subordinated Indebtedness, other than:
(a) Indebtedness permitted under clauses (7) and (8) of Section 7.03(b) hereof; or
(b) the purchase, repurchase or other acquisition of such Subordinated Indebtedness purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase or acquisition; or
(IV) make any Restricted Investment (all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses (I) through (IV) above (other than any exceptions thereof) being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), unless, at the time of such Restricted Payment:
(1) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof;
(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis, the Borrower could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the provisions of Section 7.03(a) hereof; and
(3) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date (including Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (1), (2) (with respect to the payment of dividends on Refunding Capital Stock pursuant to clause (b) thereof only), (6)(c), (7), (9) and (14) (to the extent not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income) of Section 7.06(b) hereof, but excluding all other Restricted Payments permitted by Section 7.06(b) hereof), is less than the sum of (without duplication):
(a) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for the period (taken as one accounting period) beginning on January 1, 2011 to the end of the Borrower’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment, or, in the case such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, minus 100% of such deficit; plus
(b) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds and the fair market value of marketable securities or other property received by the Borrower since the Issue Date (other than net cash proceeds to the extent such net cash proceeds have been used to incur Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock pursuant to clause (12)(a) of Section 7.03(b) hereof) from the issue or sale of:
(i) (A) Equity Interests of the Borrower, including Treasury Capital Stock, but excluding cash proceeds and the fair market value of marketable securities or other property received from the sale of:
Limitation on Asset Sales (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, consummate any Asset Sale, unless:
(i) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a result of such Asset Sale;
(ii) the consideration received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the assets sold or disposed of;
(iii) at least 75% of the consideration received consists of cash, Temporary Cash Investments or Replacement Assets; provided that, in the case of an Asset Sale in which the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary receives Replacement Assets involving aggregate consideration in excess of US$35.0 million (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof), the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an opinion as to the fairness to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary of such Asset Sale from a financial point of view issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of recognized international standing. For purposes of this provision, each of the following will be deemed to be cash:
(A) any liabilities, as shown on the Company’s most recent consolidated balance sheet, of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes, any Subsidiary Guarantee or any JV Subsidiary Guarantee) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets pursuant to a customary assumption, assignment, novation or similar agreement that releases the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from further liability; and
(B) any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are promptly, but in any event within 30 days of closing, converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash, to the extent of the cash received in that conversion.
(b) Within 360 days after the receipt of any Net Cash Proceeds from an Asset Sale, the Company (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) may apply such Net Cash Proceeds to:
(i) permanently repay Senior Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (and, if such Senior Indebtedness repaid is revolving credit Indebtedness, to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto) in each case owing to a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; or
(ii) acquire properties and assets that replace the properties and assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale or in properties or assets that will be used in the Permitted Business (including any shares of Capital Stock in a Person holding such properties or assets that is primarily engaged in a Permitted Business) (“Replacement Assets”).
(c) Any Net Cash Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as provided in clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 4.14(b) will constitute “Excess Proceeds”. Excess Proceeds of less than US$10.0 million (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof) will be carried forward and accumulated. When accumulated Excess Proceeds equals to or exceeds US$10.0 million (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof), within 10 days thereof, the Company must make an Offer to Purchase Notes having a principal amount equal to:
(i) accumulated Excess Proceeds, multiplied by;
(ii) a fraction (x) the numerator of which is equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and (y) the denominator of which is equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and all pari passu Indebtedness similarly required to be repaid, redeemed or tendered for in connection with the Asset Sale, rounded down to the nearest US$1. The offer price in any Offer to Purchase will be equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of purchase, and will be payable in cash.
(d) If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Offer to Purchase, the Company may use such Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and any other pari passu Indebtedness tendered into (or required to be prepaid or redeemed in connection with) such Offer to Purchase exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness will be purchased on a pro rata basis based on the principal amount of Notes and any other pari passu Indebtedness tendered (or required to be prepaid or redeemed). Upon completion of each Offer to Purchase, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero.