DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES
As used below in this Description of the Notes section, the Issuer means William Lyon Homes, Inc., a California
corporation, and its successors, but not any of its subsidiaries, and the Parent means William Lyon Homes, a Delaware corporation, and its successors, but not any of its subsidiaries. The Issuer issued $350,000,000 in aggregate principal
amount of 6.00% Senior Notes due 2023 on March 9, 2018, which we refer to as the outstanding notes, under an indenture, dated as of March 9, 2018 (as amended and supplemented, the Indenture), among the Issuer, the
Guarantors, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the Trustee).
The Issuer will issue in exchange for the
outstanding notes up to $350,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.00% Senior Notes due 2023 that have been registered under the Securities Act, which we refer to as the exchange notes. Except as otherwise indicated below, the
following summary applies to both the exchange notes and the outstanding notes, unless otherwise indicated. The term Notes means the exchange notes and the outstanding notes, unless otherwise indicated. The terms of the Notes include
those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the TIA).
The form and terms of the exchange notes will be identical in all material respects to the form and terms of the outstanding notes, except
that the offer and sale of the exchange notes will be registered under the Securities Act and the exchange notes will have a different CUSIP number and will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional
payments upon a failure to fulfill certain of our obligations under the registration rights agreement.
The following is a summary of the
material terms and provisions of the Notes. The following summary does not purport to be a complete description of the Notes and is subject to the detailed provisions of, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the Indenture. We urge you to
read the Indenture because the Indenture, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of the Notes. You can find definitions of certain terms used in this description under the heading Certain Definitions. Certain
defined terms used in this description but not defined below under the heading Certain Definitions have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture. Requests for copies of the Indenture should be directed to Colin T. Severn, c/o
William Lyon Homes, 4695 MacArthur Court, 8th Floor, Newport Beach, California 92660, phone
(949) 833-3600.
The registered holder of a Note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes. Only registered holders will have rights under the
Indenture.
Brief Description of the Notes and the Note Guarantees
The Notes
The Notes:
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are senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer;
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are effectively subordinated to the Issuers obligations under any existing or future secured Indebtedness, including Indebtedness incurred under certain additional construction financing facilities with aggregate
borrowing capacity of $143.9 million as of March 31, 2018, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness;
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are
pari passu
in right of payment with all senior Indebtedness of the Issuer, including the Issuers $325.0 million Revolving Credit Facility, the Issuers $350.0 million in aggregate
principal amount of 7.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (the 2022 Notes) and the Issuers $450.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.875% Senior Notes due 2025 (with the 2022 Notes, the Existing Notes);
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are senior in right of payment to any future subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer; and
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are structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities (including trade payables) of the Issuers subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes.
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The Note Guarantees
The Note Guarantees:
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are a senior unsecured obligation of that Guarantor;
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are effectively subordinated to that Guarantors obligations under any existing or future secured Indebtedness, including Indebtedness incurred under certain additional construction financing facilities with
aggregate borrowing capacity of $143.9 million as of March 31, 2018, in each case, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness;
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are
pari passu
in right of payment with all senior Indebtedness of that Guarantor including the guarantees by the Guarantors under the Issuers $325.0 million Revolving Credit Facility and of the
Existing Notes;
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are senior in right of payment to any future subordinated Indebtedness of that Guarantor; and
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are structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities (including trade payables) of the Issuers subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes.
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Principal, Maturity and Interest
As of
the date of this prospectus, $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes are currently outstanding. The Notes are issued in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Notes will mature on
September 1, 2023. Subject to our compliance with the covenant described under the subheading Certain CovenantsLimitations on Additional Indebtedness, we will be permitted to issue additional Notes from time to time
under the Indenture (the Additional Notes). The Notes offered hereby and Additional Notes, if any, will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the Indenture, including waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase;
provided
,
however
, that a separate CUSIP will be issued for any Additional Notes unless the Notes and the Additional Notes are fungible for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Unless the context otherwise requires, for all
purposes of the Indenture and this Description of the Notes, references to the Notes include any Additional Notes actually issued.
Interest on the Notes will accrue at the rate of 6.00% per annum and will be payable semiannually in arrears on March 1 and
September 1 commencing on September 1, 2018. We will make each interest payment to the holders of record of the Notes on the immediately preceding February 15 and August 15. We will pay interest on overdue principal at 1% per
annum in excess of the above rate and will pay interest on overdue installments of interest at such higher rate to the extent lawful.
Interest on the Notes will accrue from the Issue Date. Interest will be computed on the basis of
a 360-day
year comprised of
twelve 30-day
months.
Additional interest may accrue on the Notes offered hereby in certain circumstances pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
Methods of Receiving Payments on the Notes
If a Holder has given wire transfer instructions to the Issuer at least ten Business Days prior to the applicable payment date, the Issuer will
make all payments on such Holders Notes in accordance with those instructions. Otherwise, payments on the Notes will be made at the office or agency of the paying agent (the Paying Agent) and registrar (the Registrar)
for the Notes within the City and State of New York unless the Issuer elects to make interest payments by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders. The Trustee will initially act as Paying Agent and
Registrar. The Issuer may change the Paying Agent or Registrar without prior notice to the Holders, and the Issuer may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.
Optional Redemption
Except as set forth
below, we will not be entitled to redeem the Notes at our option.
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On and after September 1, 2020, we will be entitled at our option to redeem all or a portion
of the Notes upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at the redemption prices (expressed in percentages of principal amount on the redemption date), plus accrued interest to the redemption date (subject to the right
of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during
the 12-month
period commencing on each of the dates set forth below:
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Period
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Redemption
Price
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September 1, 2020
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103.000
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%
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September 1, 2021
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101.500
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%
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September 1, 2022
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100.000
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%
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In addition, any time prior to September 1, 2020, we will be entitled at our option on one or more
occasions to redeem Notes (which includes Additional Notes, if any) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (which includes Additional Notes, if any) issued prior to such date at a
redemption price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) of 106% plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, with an amount equal to the net cash proceeds from one or more Equity Offerings;
provided
,
however
, that
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(1)
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at least 65% of such aggregate principal amount of Notes (which includes Additional Notes, if any) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of each such redemption (with Notes held, directly or indirectly,
by the Parent or its Affiliates being deemed to be not outstanding for purposes of such calculation); and
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(2)
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notice of such redemption shall have been given within 90 days after the date of the related Equity Offering.
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Prior to September 1, 2020, we will be entitled, at our option, to redeem all or a portion of the Notes at a redemption price equal
to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes plus the Applicable Premium (as defined below) as of, and accrued and unpaid interest to, the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on
the relevant interest payment date). Notice of such redemption must be mailed by first-class mail to each Holders registered address, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date.
Applicable Premium means with respect to a Note at any redemption date, the greater of (1) 1.00% of the principal amount of
such Note and (2) the excess of (A) the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such Note on September 1, 2020 (such redemption price being described in the second paragraph in this
Optional Redemption section exclusive of any accrued interest) plus (ii) all required remaining scheduled interest payments due on such Note through September 1, 2020 (but excluding accrued and unpaid interest to the
redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Adjusted Treasury Rate, over (B) the principal amount of such Note on such redemption date.
Adjusted Treasury Rate means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the yield, under the heading which represents the
average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated H.15(519) or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption Treasury Constant Maturities, for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no
maturity is within three months before or after September 1, 2020, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Adjusted Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or
extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month) or (2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate
per year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date, in each case calculated on the third
Business Day immediately preceding the redemption date, in each case, plus 0.50%.
Comparable Treasury Issue means the
United States Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes from the redemption date to September 1, 2020, that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance
with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of a maturity most nearly equal to September 1, 2020.
Comparable Treasury Price means, with respect to any redemption date, if clause (2) of the Adjusted Treasury Rate definition
is applicable, the average of three, or such lesser number as is obtained by the Issuer, Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date.
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Quotation Agent means the Reference Treasury Dealer selected by the Issuer.
Reference Treasury Dealer means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
and their respective successors.
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations means with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer
and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Issuer, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue, expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount, quoted in writing to the Issuer by such Reference
Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day immediately preceding such redemption date.
Selection and Notice of
Redemption
In the event that less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time pursuant to an optional redemption, selection
of the Notes for redemption will be made by the Trustee as follows:
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in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed; or
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if the Notes are not then listed on a national security exchange, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.
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No individual Note shall be redeemed in part. In addition, if a partial redemption is made, selection of the Notes or portions thereof for
redemption shall be made by the Trustee only on a pro rata basis or on as nearly a pro rata basis as is practicable (subject to the procedures of The Depository Trust Company), unless that method is otherwise prohibited.
Notice of redemption will be mailed by first-class mail at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the date of redemption to
each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address.
Any such redemption may, at Issuers discretion, be subject to one or
more conditions precedent, including completion of a sale of securities or a Change of Control.
If any Note is to be redeemed in part
only, the notice of redemption that relates to that Note will state the portion of the principal amount of the Note to be redeemed. A new Note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Note will be issued in the name of the Holder
of the Note upon cancellation of the original Note. On and after the date of redemption, interest will cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption so long as the Issuer has deposited with the Paying Agent (or, if the Issuer is
the Paying Agent, has segregated and holds in trust) funds in satisfaction of the redemption price (including accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed) pursuant to the Indenture.
Mandatory Redemption; Offers to Purchase; Open Market Purchases
We are not required to make any mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes. However, under certain
circumstances, we may be required to offer to purchase Notes as described under the captions Change of Control and Certain CovenantsLimitations on Asset Sales. We may at any time and from time to
time purchase Notes in the open market or otherwise.
Note Guarantees
All of the Parents Subsidiaries (including the entities acquired in connection with the RSI Acquisition, but excluding Duxford
Title Reinsurance Company, Cerro Plata Associates, LLC, Silver Creek Preserve, Nobar Water Company and Horsethief Canyon Partners), including the Issuer, are Restricted Subsidiaries. The Parent and all of the wholly owned Restricted
Subsidiaries (other than the Issuer) will be Guarantors. The Guarantors will jointly and severally guarantee, on a senior unsecured basis, our obligations under the Notes. The aggregate assets and revenues as of and for the three months ended
March 31, 2018 attributable to all subsidiaries of the Issuer that are not providing guarantees constituted less than 10% and 15%, respectively, of the Parents consolidated assets and revenues as of and for the period ended such date.
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Not all of our Subsidiaries guarantee the Notes. Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be
Guarantors. Under the circumstances described below under the subheading Certain CovenantsLimitations on Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries, the Parent is permitted to designate some of its other Subsidiaries (other
than the Issuer) as Unrestricted Subsidiaries. The effect of designating a Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary is:
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an Unrestricted Subsidiary will generally not be subject to the restrictive covenants in the Indenture;
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a Subsidiary that has previously been a Guarantor and that is Designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be released from its Note Guarantee; and
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the assets, income, cash flow and other financial results of an Unrestricted Subsidiary will not be consolidated with those of the Parent for purposes of calculating compliance with the restrictive covenants contained
in the Indenture.
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In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of any of these
non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries, these
non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries will pay the holders of their debts and their trade creditors before they will be able to distribute any of their
assets to us.
Each Subsidiary Guarantor that makes a payment under its Subsidiary Note Guarantee will be entitled upon payment in full of
all guaranteed obligations under the Indenture to a contribution from each other Subsidiary Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Subsidiary Guarantors pro rata portion of such payment based on the respective net assets of all the
Subsidiary Guarantors at the time of such payment determined in accordance with GAAP.
Each Subsidiary Note Guarantee will contain a
provision that will purport to limit the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Note Guarantee as necessary to prevent that Subsidiary Note Guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance under applicable law. See
Risk FactorsRisks Related to the Exchange NotesFraudulent transfer and other laws may permit a court to void the issuance of the exchange notes and the note guarantees, and if that occurs, you may not receive any payments on the
note guarantees. If a Subsidiary Note Guarantee were rendered voidable, it could be subordinated by a court to all other indebtedness (including guarantees and other contingent liabilities) of the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor, and,
depending on the amount of such indebtedness, a Subsidiary Guarantors liability on its Subsidiary Note Guarantee could be reduced to zero. See Risk FactorsRisks Related to the Exchange Notes.
Pursuant to the Indenture, a Subsidiary Guarantor may consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease, in one
transaction or a series of transactions, all or substantially all its assets to any other Person to the extent described below under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Mergers, Consolidations, Etc.;
provided
,
however
, that if such other Person is not the Parent, the Issuer or a Subsidiary Guarantor, such Subsidiary Guarantors obligations under its Subsidiary Note Guarantee must be expressly assumed by such other Person, except that such
assumption will not be required if such other Person is not a Subsidiary of the Parent and if in connection therewith the Parent provides an Officers Certificate to the Trustee to the effect that the Parent will comply with its obligations, if
any, under the covenant described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Asset Sales in respect of such transaction. Upon any transaction described in the proviso above, the obligor on the related Subsidiary Note Guarantee
will be released from its obligations thereunder.
The Subsidiary Note Guarantee of a Subsidiary Guarantor also will be released:
(1) upon the disposition of all or a portion of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor such that such Subsidiary
Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary, if the sale or other disposition does not violate the covenant described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Asset Sales;
(2) upon the designation of such Subsidiary Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(3) at such time as such Subsidiary Guarantor does not have any Guarantees outstanding that would have required such Subsidiary
Guarantor to enter into a Guarantee pursuant to the covenant described under Certain CovenantsAdditional Note Guarantees; or
(4) if we exercise our legal defeasance option or our covenant defeasance option as described under Legal
Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance or if our obligations under the Indenture are discharged in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.
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Ranking
The Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Issuer. The Notes rank senior in right of payment to all future obligations of the Issuer
that are, by their terms, expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, and
pari passu
in right of payment with all existing and future unsecured obligations of the Issuer that are not so subordinated. Each Note Guarantee will be a
general unsecured obligation of the Guarantor thereof and will rank senior in right of payment to all future obligations of such Guarantor that are, by their terms, expressly subordinated in right of payment to such Note Guarantee and pari passu in
right of payment with all existing and future unsecured obligations of such Guarantor that are not so subordinated.
The Notes and each
Note Guarantee will be effectively subordinated to secured Indebtedness of the Issuer and the applicable Guarantor to the extent of the value of the assets securing such Indebtedness, including its the Issuers project-level financing
facilities with aggregate borrowing capacity of $143.9 million for certain construction projects as of March 31, 2018. Although the Indenture contains limitations on the amount of additional Indebtedness, including secured Indebtedness,
that the Issuer, Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries may incur, under certain circumstances such Indebtedness may be substantial. As of March 31, 2018, the Issuer and the Guarantors had $1,217.3 million in outstanding Indebtedness,
$87.3 million of which was secured and none of which was subordinated to the Notes and the Guarantees. In addition, the Issuer was able to incur up to $74.0 million of additional Indebtedness under its previous $170.0 million
revolving credit facility (the Prior Revolving Credit Facility). On May 21, 2018, we replaced the Prior Revolving Credit Facility with the Issuers unsecured Revolving Credit Facility.
A portion of our operations is conducted through our Subsidiaries. As described above under Note Guarantees, Subsidiary
Guarantees may be released under certain circumstances. In addition, Duxford Title Reinsurance Company, Cerro Plata Associates, LLC, Silver Creek Preserve, Nobar Water Company and Horsethief Canyon Partners will not be Guarantors. Further,
certain of our future Subsidiaries may not be required to guarantee the Notes. Claims of creditors of such
non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries, including trade creditors and creditors holding indebtedness or guarantees
issued by such
non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries, and claims of preferred stockholders of such
non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries generally will have priority with respect to the
assets and earnings of such
non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries over the claims of our creditors, including Holders of the Notes. Accordingly, the Notes will be effectively subordinated to creditors (including trade
creditors) and preferred stockholders, if any, of such
non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries.
At
March 31, 2018, the total liabilities of our subsidiaries (other than the Subsidiary Guarantors) were approximately $191.4 million, including trade payables. Although the Indenture limits the incurrence of Indebtedness and preferred stock
by certain of our subsidiaries, such limitation is subject to a number of significant qualifications and does not apply at all to Unrestricted Subsidiaries. Moreover, the Indenture does not impose any limitation on the incurrence by such
subsidiaries of liabilities that are not considered Indebtedness under the Indenture. See Certain CovenantsLimitations on Additional Indebtedness.
Change of Control
Upon the occurrence of
any of the following events (each a Change of Control), each Holder shall have the right to require that the Issuer repurchase such Holders Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the
date of purchase plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date):
(1) any person (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), other than the
Permitted Holders, is or becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in
Rules 13d-3
and 13d-5
under the Exchange Act, except that for purposes of this
clause (1) such person shall be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all shares that any such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or
indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Parent (for the purposes of this clause (1), such other person shall be deemed to beneficially own any Voting Stock of a Person held by any other Person (the
parent entity), if such other person is the beneficial owner (as defined above in this clause (1)), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the voting power of the Voting Stock of such parent entity);
(2) the stockholders of the Parent adopt a plan of liquidation or dissolution of the Parent;
provided
that a liquidation
or dissolution of Parent which is part of a transaction that does not constitute a Change of Control pursuant to the proviso contained in clause (3) below shall not constitute a Change of Control;
(3) the merger or consolidation of the Parent with or into another Person or the merger of another Person with or into the
Parent, or the sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Parent and its Restricted Subsidiaries (determined on a consolidated basis) to another Person;
provided
that a transaction following which (A) in the case of a merger or
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consolidation transaction, one or more holders of securities that represented 100% of the Voting Stock of the Parent immediately prior to such transaction (or other securities into which
such securities are converted as part of such merger or consolidation transaction) own directly or indirectly at least a majority of the voting power of the Voting Stock of the surviving Person in such merger or consolidation transaction immediately
after such transaction or (B) in the case of a sale of assets transaction, each transferee is or becomes an obligor in respect of the Notes and a Subsidiary of the transferor of such assets shall not constitute a Change of Control; or
(4) the Parent ceases to own 100% of the Voting Stock of the Issuer.
Within 30 days following any Change of Control, we will mail a notice to each Holder with a copy to the Trustee (the Change of
Control Offer) stating:
(1) that a Change of Control has occurred and that such Holder has the right to require us
to purchase such Holders Notes at a purchase price (the Change of Control Purchase Price) in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of
purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest on the relevant interest payment date);
(2) the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such Change of Control (including information with respect to pro forma
historical income, cash flow and capitalization, in each case after giving effect to such Change of Control);
(3) the
purchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed); and
(4) the instructions, as determined by us, consistent with the covenant described hereunder, that a Holder must follow in order
to have its Notes purchased.
We will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control if a third party
makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by us and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn
under such Change of Control Offer or if notice of redemption has been given pursuant to Optional Redemption above.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditional upon
such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making of the Change of Control Offer.
We will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or
regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of the covenant described hereunder, we will comply with
the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached our obligations under the covenant described hereunder by virtue of our compliance with such securities laws or regulations.
The Change of Control purchase feature of the Notes may in certain circumstances make more difficult or discourage a sale or takeover of the
Parent and, thus, the removal of incumbent management. The Change of Control purchase feature was a result of negotiations between the Parent and the initial purchasers. We have no present intention to engage in a transaction involving a Change of
Control, although it is possible that we could decide to do so in the future. Subject to the limitations discussed below, we could, in the future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions, refinancings or other recapitalizations, that
would not constitute a Change of Control under the Indenture, but that could increase the amount of indebtedness outstanding at such time or otherwise affect our capital structure or credit ratings. Restrictions on our ability to Incur additional
Indebtedness are contained in the covenants described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Additional Indebtedness and Certain CovenantsLimitations on Liens. Such restrictions are subject to numerous
exceptions and can be waived with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding. Accordingly, the covenants set forth in the Indenture may not afford holders of the Notes protection in the event of a
highly leveraged transaction.
In the event a Change of Control occurs at a time when we are contractually prohibited from purchasing
Notes, we may seek the consent of our lenders to the purchase of Notes or may attempt to refinance the borrowings that contain such prohibition. If we do not obtain such a consent or repay such borrowings, we will remain prohibited from purchasing
Notes. In such case, our failure to offer to purchase Notes would constitute a Default under the Indenture, which would, in turn, constitute a default under our other Indebtedness, our Revolving Credit Facility and any credit agreements that we may
enter into in the future.
Our current credit agreements contain, and any future indebtedness that we obtain may contain, prohibitions on
the occurrence of certain events that would constitute a Change of Control or require the repayment or repurchase of such indebtedness upon a Change of Control. Moreover, the exercise by the Holders of their right to require us to repurchase their
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Notes could cause a default under such other indebtedness, even if the Change of Control itself does not, due to the financial effect of such repurchase on us. Finally, our ability to pay cash to
the Holders of Notes following the occurrence of a Change of Control may be limited by our then existing financial resources. There can be no assurance that sufficient funds will be available when necessary to make any required repurchases.
The definition of Change of Control includes the phrase all or substantially all the assets. Although there is a
limited body of case law interpreting the phrase substantially all, there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a
particular transaction would involve a disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent. As a result, it may be unclear as to whether a Change of Control has occurred and whether a holder of Notes may require the
Issuer to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as described above.
The provisions under the Indenture relative to our obligation to make
an offer to repurchase the Notes as a result of a Change of Control may be waived or modified with the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes.
Certain Covenants
Changes in Covenants when the Notes
are Rated Investment Grade
The first day (such date, a Suspension Date) on which:
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(a)
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the Notes have an Investment Grade Rating from both of the Rating Agencies; and
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(b)
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no Default has occurred and is continuing under the Indenture,
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the covenants listed below will be suspended
and the Parent, the Issuer and their Restricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to the provisions of the Indenture summarized under the headings below:
Limitations on Additional Indebtedness,
Limitations on Restricted Payments,
Limitations on Dividend and Other Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries,
Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates,
Limitations on Asset Sales,
Limitations on Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries,
clause (3) of the first paragraph of Limitations on Mergers, Consolidations, Etc., and
Additional Note Guarantees (but only with respect to any Person that is required to become a Guarantor on or
after the date of the commencement of the applicable Suspension Date)
(collectively, the Suspended Covenants). If at any time the Notes
credit rating is below an Investment Grade Rating by any Rating Agency, then the Suspended Covenants will thereafter be reinstated as if such covenants had never been suspended (the Reinstatement Date) and be applicable pursuant to the
terms of the Indenture (including in connection with performing any calculation or assessment to determine compliance with the terms of the Indenture), unless and until the Notes subsequently attain an Investment Grade Rating from both of the Rating
Agencies and no Default is in existence and continuing at such time (in which event the Suspended Covenants shall no longer be in effect for such time that the Notes maintain an Investment Grade Rating from both of the Rating Agencies);
provided
,
however
, that no Default or breach of any kind shall be deemed to exist under the Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees with respect to the Suspended Covenants based on, and none of the Parent, the Issuer nor any of
their Subsidiaries shall bear any liability for, any actions taken or events occurring during the Suspension Period (as defined below), regardless of whether such actions or events would have been permitted if the applicable Suspended Covenants had
remained in effect during such period. The period of time between the Suspension Date and the Reinstatement Date is referred to as the Suspension Period.
36
On the Reinstatement Date, all Indebtedness incurred during the Suspension Period will be
classified to have been incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of Limitations on Additional Indebtedness or one of the clauses set forth in the second paragraph of Limitations on Additional Indebtedness (in each
case to the extent such Indebtedness would be permitted to be incurred thereunder as of the Reinstatement Date and after giving effect to Indebtedness incurred prior to the Suspension Period and outstanding on the Reinstatement Date). To the extent
such Indebtedness would not be so permitted to be incurred pursuant to the first or second paragraph of Limitations on Additional Indebtedness, such Indebtedness will be deemed to have been outstanding on the Issue Date, so that it
is classified under clause (3) of the second paragraph of Limitations on Additional Indebtedness. Calculations made after the Reinstatement Date of the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under
Limitations on Restricted Payments will be made as though the covenant described under Limitations on Restricted Payments had been in effect since the Issue Date and throughout the Suspension Period. Accordingly,
Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period will reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under the first paragraph of Limitations on Restricted Payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no default or
Event of Default will be deemed to have occurred solely by reason of a Restricted Payment made during the Suspension Period.
During any
period when the Suspended Covenants are suspended, the Board of Directors of the Parent may not designate any of the Parents Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the Indenture.
Promptly following the occurrence of any Suspension Date or Reinstatement Date, the Parent will provide an Officers Certificate to the
Trustee regarding such occurrence. The Trustee shall have no obligation to independently determine or verify if a Suspension Date or Reinstatement Date has occurred or notify the Holders of any Suspension Date or Reinstatement Date. The Trustee may
provide a copy of such Officers Certificate to any Holder of the Notes upon written request. There can be no assurance that the Notes will ever achieve an Investment Grade Rating.
Limitations on Additional Indebtedness
The Parent will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, incur any Indebtedness;
provided
that the
Parent, the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor may incur additional Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) if no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or as a consequence of the incurrence of the Indebtedness and if,
after giving effect thereto, either (a) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would be at least 2.00 to 1.00 or (b) the ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated Tangible Net Worth would be less than 3.00
to 1.00 (either (a) or (b), the Ratio Exception).
Notwithstanding the above, so long as no Default shall have
occurred and be continuing at the time of or as a consequence of the incurrence of the following Indebtedness, each of the following shall be permitted (the Permitted Indebtedness):
(1) the incurrence by the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor (and the Guarantee thereof by the Parent, the Issuer or any such
Subsidiary Guarantor) of Indebtedness (including Refinancing Indebtedness) under Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding under this clause (1) (with letters of credit being deemed to have a principal
amount equal to the maximum potential liability of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries thereunder) not to exceed the greater of $200.0 million and 20% of Consolidated Tangible Assets;
(2) the Notes and the related Note Guarantees issued on the Issue Date and the Exchange Notes and related Note Guarantees
issued in exchange therefor;
(3) Indebtedness of the Parent, the Issuer and the Guarantors to the extent outstanding on
the Issue Date (other than Indebtedness referred to in clauses (1) and (2) above);
(4) Indebtedness of the
Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries under Hedging Obligations;
provided
that (a) such Hedging Obligations relate to payment obligations on Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred by this covenant, and (b) the notional
principal amount of such Hedging Obligations at the time incurred does not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness to which such Hedging Obligations relate;
(5) Indebtedness of the Parent owed to a Restricted Subsidiary and Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary owed to the Parent
or any other Restricted Subsidiary;
provided
,
however,
that (a) any Indebtedness of the Parent or the Issuer owed to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor is unsecured and subordinated, pursuant to a written
agreement, to the Parent or the Issuers obligations under the Indenture and the Notes and (b) upon any such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or such Indebtedness being owed to any Person other than the Parent or
a Restricted Subsidiary, such Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to have incurred Indebtedness not permitted by this clause (5);
37
(6) Indebtedness in respect of bid, performance or surety bonds issued for the
account of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business, including guarantees or obligations of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to letters of credit supporting such bid, performance or surety
obligations (in each case other than for an obligation for money borrowed);
(7) Purchase Money Indebtedness incurred by
the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding $25.0 million;
(8)
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred for
the acquisition, development and/or improvement of real property and secured by Liens only on such real property and Directly Related Assets;
(9) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument
inadvertently (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business;
provided
,
however
, that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of incurrence;
(10) Indebtedness arising in connection with endorsement of instruments for deposit in the ordinary course of business;
(11) Refinancing Indebtedness with respect to Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Ratio Exception, clause (2) or
(3) above or this clause (11);
(12) the guarantee by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness
(other than Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (8), (13), or (16) hereof or, in the case of the guarantee by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, pursuant to the Ratio Exception or clause (1) hereof) of a Restricted
Subsidiary, in the case of the Parent, or of the Parent, Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary, in either case, that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this covenant;
(13) Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary engaged primarily in the mortgage origination and lending business (a
Mortgage Subsidiary) under warehouse lines of credit and repurchase agreements, and Indebtedness secured by mortgage loans and related assets of such Restricted Subsidiary, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of such business;
provided
that the only legal recourse for collection of obligations owing on such Indebtedness is against such Restricted Subsidiary, any other Mortgage Subsidiary and their respective assets;
(14)(x) Indebtedness of the Parent, Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor incurred to finance an acquisition or merger or
(y) Acquired Indebtedness of the Parent, Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary;
provided, however,
that in either case, after giving effect to the transactions that result in the incurrence or issuance thereof, on a pro forma basis,
(a) the Parent would have been able to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Ratio Exception, (b) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Parent is greater than such ratio immediately prior to such
acquisition or merger, or (c) the ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated Tangible Net Worth of the Parent is less than such ratio immediately prior to such acquisition or merger;
(15) Indebtedness of the Parent, Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater
of $40.0 million and 4.0% of Consolidated Tangible Assets at any time outstanding; and
(16)(x) Guarantees
by Parent or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Indebtedness incurred by Joint Ventures, and (y) GP Indebtedness of Parent or its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Joint Ventures, in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding
under this clause (16) not to exceed the greater of $40.0 million and 4% of Consolidated Tangible Assets at the time of incurrence.
For purposes of determining compliance with this covenant, in the event that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of
the categories of Permitted Indebtedness described in clauses (1) through (16) above or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the Ratio Exception, the Parent shall, in its sole discretion, classify such item of Indebtedness and may divide
and classify such Indebtedness in more than one of the types of Indebtedness described.
Limitations on Restricted Payments
(a) The Parent will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, make any Restricted Payment unless:
(1) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or immediately after giving effect to
such Restricted Payment;
38
(2) immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, the Parent could
incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Ratio Exception; and
(3) the amount of such Restricted
Payment, when added to the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made after November 8, 2012 (other than Restricted Payments made pursuant to clause (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) of the next paragraph), does not
exceed the sum (the Restricted Payments Basket) of (without duplication):
(a) 50% of Consolidated Net Income
for the period (taken as one accounting period) from October 1, 2012 to and including the last day of the fiscal quarter ended immediately prior to the date of such calculation for which consolidated financial statements are available (or, if
such Consolidated Net Income shall be a deficit, minus 100% of such aggregate deficit), plus
(b) 100% of the
aggregate net cash proceeds or the Fair Market Value (as determined by the Board of Directors of Parent) of any assets to be used in a Permitted Business received by the Parent either (x) as contributions to the common equity of the Parent
after November 8, 2012 or (y) from the issuance and sale of Qualified Equity Interests after November 8, 2012, plus
(c) the aggregate amount by which Indebtedness of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary is reduced on the Parents
balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange (other than by a Subsidiary of the Parent) of Indebtedness issued subsequent to November 8, 2012 into Qualified Equity Interests (less the amount of any cash, or the fair value of assets,
distributed by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary upon such conversion or exchange), plus
(d) in the case of the
disposition or repayment of or return on any Investment that was treated as a Restricted Payment made after November 8, 2012, an amount (to the extent not included in the computation of Consolidated Net Income) equal to the lesser of
(i) the return of capital with respect to such Investment and (ii) the amount of such Investment that was treated as a Restricted Payment, in either case, less the cost of the disposition of such Investment and net of taxes, plus
(e) upon a Redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the lesser of (i) the Fair Market Value
of the Parents proportionate interest in such Subsidiary immediately following such Redesignation, and (ii) the aggregate amount of the Parents Investments in such Subsidiary to the extent such Investments reduced the amount
available for subsequent Restricted Payments under this clause (e) and were not previously repaid or otherwise reduced, plus
(f) 100% of the principal amount of, or, if issued at a discount, the accreted value of, any guarantee by the Parent or any
Restricted Subsidiary incurred after November 8, 2012 that is subsequently released (other than due to a payment on such guarantee), but only to the extent that such guarantee was treated as a Restricted Payment pursuant to this
paragraph (a) when made.
(b) The foregoing provisions will not prohibit:
(1) the payment by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary of any dividend or similar distribution within 60 days
after the date of declaration thereof, if on the date of declaration the payment would have complied with the provisions of the Indenture;
(2) the making of any Restricted Payment in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent issuance and
sale of, Qualified Equity Interests (other than to the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries);
(3) the repurchase, redemption,
defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Indebtedness of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent incurrence of, Refinancing Indebtedness permitted
to be incurred under the Limitations on Additional Indebtedness covenant and the other terms of the Indenture;
(4) the repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of the Parent held
by officers, directors or employees or former officers, directors or employees (or their transferees, estates or beneficiaries under their estates), upon their bankruptcy or petition for bankruptcy, death, disability, retirement, severance or
termination of employment or service or any other repurchase event set forth in a written agreement between Parent and such individual evidencing such Equity Interest as of the Issue Date;
provided
that the aggregate cash consideration paid
for all such redemptions shall not exceed $4.0 million during any calendar year;
(5) repurchases of Equity Interests
deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options or stock appreciation rights if the Equity Interests represents a portion of the exercise price thereof;
39
(6) the repurchase of Equity Interests upon vesting of restricted stock,
restricted stock units, performance share units or similar equity incentives to satisfy tax withholding or similar tax obligations with respect thereto; or
(7) Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount, when taken together with all Restricted Payments made pursuant to this
clause (7) and then outstanding, does not exceed $20.0 million;
provided
that no issuance and sale of Qualified Equity Interests
pursuant to clause (2) or (3) above shall increase the Restricted Payments Basket, except to the extent the proceeds thereof exceed the amounts used to effect the transactions described therein.
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be the Fair Market Value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or
securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Parent, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment.
Limitations on Dividend and Other Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries
The Parent will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or
become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Issuer) to:
(a) pay dividends or make any other distributions on or in respect of its Equity Interests;
(b) make loans or advances or pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to the Parent or any other Restricted Subsidiary;
or
(c) transfer any of its assets to the Parent or any other Restricted Subsidiary; except for:
(1) encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of applicable law;
(2) encumbrances or restrictions existing under the Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees;
(3)
non-assignment
provisions of any contract or any lease entered into in the ordinary
course of business;
(4) encumbrances or restrictions existing under agreements existing on the Issue Date as in effect on
the Issue Date and encumbrances or restrictions applicable to Restricted Subsidiaries existing under any Credit Facility pursuant to which Indebtedness has been incurred under clause (1) of the covenant described under Limitations
on Additional Indebtedness;
(5) restrictions on the transfer of assets subject to any Lien permitted under the
Indenture imposed by the holder of such Lien;
(6) restrictions on the transfer of assets imposed under any agreement to
sell such assets permitted under the Indenture to any Person pending the closing of such sale;
(7) any instrument
governing Acquired Indebtedness, which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the assets of any Person, other than the Person or the assets so acquired;
(8) encumbrances or restrictions arising in connection with Refinancing Indebtedness;
provided
,
however
, that any
such encumbrances and restrictions are not materially more restrictive than those contained in the agreements creating or evidencing the Indebtedness being refinanced;
(9) customary provisions in leases, licenses, partnership agreements, limited liability company organizational governance
documents, joint venture agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business that restrict the transfer of leasehold interests or ownership interests in such partnership, limited liability company, joint venture
or similar Person;
(10) Purchase Money Indebtedness incurred in compliance with the covenant described under
Limitations on Additional Indebtedness to the extent they impose restrictions of the nature described in clause (c) above on the assets acquired;
(11)
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness incurred in compliance with the covenant described under
Limitations on Additional Indebtedness to the extent they impose restrictions of the nature described in clause (c) above on the assets secured by such
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness or on
the Equity Interests in the Person holding such assets;
40
(12) customary restrictions in other Indebtedness incurred in compliance with the
covenant described under Limitations on Additional Indebtedness;
provided
that such restrictions, taken as a whole, are, in the good faith judgment of the Parents board of directors, no more materially restrictive with
respect to such encumbrances and restrictions than those contained in the existing agreements referenced in clause (4) above;
(13) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary
course of business; and
(14) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any amendments or refinancings of the contracts,
instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (1) through (13) above;
provided
that such amendments or refinancings are, in the good faith judgment of the Parents board of directors, no more materially restrictive with
respect to such encumbrances and restrictions than those prior to such amendment or refinancing.
Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates
The Parent will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its assets to, or purchase any assets from, or enter into any contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate (an
Affiliate Transaction), unless:
(1) such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the
Parent or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that could be obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an
arms-length
basis by the Parent or that Restricted Subsidiary from a Person
that is not an Affiliate of the Parent or that Restricted Subsidiary; and
(2) the Parent delivers to the Trustee:
(a) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction involving aggregate value expended or received by the Parent or any Restricted
Subsidiary in excess of $7.5 million, an Officers Certificate of the Parent certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with clause (1) above and a Secretarys Certificate which sets forth and authenticates a resolution
that has been adopted by the Independent Directors approving such Affiliate Transaction; and
(b) with respect to any
Affiliate Transaction involving aggregate value expended or received by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary of $25.0 million or more, the certificates described in the preceding clause (a) and (x) a written opinion as to the
fairness of such Affiliate Transaction to the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or (y) a written appraisal supporting the value of such Affiliate Transaction, in either case, issued by an Independent Financial
Advisor.
The foregoing restrictions shall not apply to:
(1) transactions exclusively between or among (a) the Parent and one or more Restricted Subsidiaries or
(b) Restricted Subsidiaries;
provided
, in each case, that no Affiliate of the Parent (other than another Restricted Subsidiary) owns Equity Interests of any such Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) reasonable director, officer, employee and consultant compensation (including bonuses) and other benefits (including
retirement, health, stock and other benefit plans) and indemnification and insurance arrangements;
(3) the allocation of
employee services among the Parent, its Subsidiaries and the Joint Ventures on a fair and equitable basis in the ordinary course of business;
provided
that, in the case of any such Subsidiary or Joint Venture, no officer, director or
stockholder of the Parent beneficially owns any Equity Interests in such Subsidiary or Joint Venture (other than indirectly through ownership of Equity Interests in the Parent);
(4) any Permitted Investment (other than any Permitted Investment made in accordance with clause (1)(b), clause (14)
or clause (15) the definition of Permitted Investments to the extent that such Permitted Investment under clause (14) or clause (15) is in a Joint Venture or Unrestricted Subsidiary of which any officer, director or
stockholder of the Parent beneficially owns any Equity Interests (other than indirectly through ownership of Equity Interests in the Parent));
(5) any agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date or any extension, amendment or modification thereto (so long as any such
extension, amendment or modification satisfies the requirements set forth in clause (1) of the first paragraph of this covenant) or any transaction contemplated thereby;
(6) Restricted Payments which are made in accordance with paragraph (a) or clauses (b)(1), (4)-(7) of the
covenant described under Limitations on Restricted Payments;
41
(7) licensing of trademarks to, and allocation of overhead, sales and marketing,
travel and like expenses among, the Parent, its Subsidiaries and the Joint Ventures on a fair and equitable basis in the ordinary course of business;
provided
that, in the case of any such Subsidiary or Joint Venture, no officer, director or
stockholder of the Parent beneficially owns any Equity Interests in such Subsidiary or Joint Venture (other than indirectly through ownership of Equity Interests in the Parent); or
(8) issuances, sales or other dispositions of Qualified Equity Interests for cash by the Parent to an Affiliate.
Limitations on Liens
The Parent shall
not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or permit or suffer to exist any Lien (a Triggering Lien) of any nature whatsoever against any assets now owned or hereafter acquired
by the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary (including Equity Interests of a Restricted Subsidiary), or any proceeds, income or profits therefrom securing any Indebtedness, except Permitted Liens, unless all payments due under the indenture and the
Notes (or under a Note Guarantee in the case of Liens of a Guarantor) are secured on an equal and ratable basis (or on a superior basis, in the event the other Indebtedness is Subordinated Indebtedness) with the obligations so secured until such
time as such obligations are no longer secured by a Triggering Lien.
Limitations on Asset Sales
The Parent will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, consummate any Asset Sale unless:
(1) the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value of
the assets included in such Asset Sale; and
(2) at least 70% of the total consideration received in such Asset Sale or series of
related Asset Sales consists of cash or Cash Equivalents.
For purposes of clause (2), the following shall be deemed to be cash:
(a) the amount (without duplication) of any Indebtedness (other than Subordinated Indebtedness) of the Parent or such
Restricted Subsidiary that is expressly assumed by the transferee in such Asset Sale and with respect to which the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is unconditionally released by the holder of such Indebtedness,
(b) the amount of any obligations received from such transferee that are within 90 days converted by the Parent or
such Restricted Subsidiary to cash (to the extent of the cash actually so received), and
(c) the Fair Market Value of any
assets (other than securities, unless such securities represent Equity Interests in an entity engaged solely in a Permitted Business, such entity becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and the Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary acquires voting and
management control of such entity) received by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary to be used by it in the Permitted Business.
If at
any time any
non-cash
consideration received by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in connection with any Asset Sale is repaid or converted into or sold or otherwise disposed of for
cash (other than interest received with respect to any such
non-cash
consideration), then the date of such repayment, conversion or disposition shall be deemed to constitute the date of an Asset Sale hereunder
and the Net Available Proceeds thereof shall be applied in accordance with this covenant.
If the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary
engages in an Asset Sale, the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary shall, no later than 360 days following the receipt of the Net Available Proceeds, apply all or any of the Net Available Proceeds therefrom:
(1) to permanently repay, prepay, redeem or repurchase:
(x) Obligations under Indebtedness secured by Permitted Liens pursuant to clauses (13), (14), (16), and (17) of the
definition of Permitted Liens (whose commitments shall be correspondingly reduced permanently upon such repayment or prepayment);
(y) Obligations under the Notes or any other Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
provided
that if the Parent or any such Restricted Subsidiary shall so repay or prepay any such other Pari Passu Indebtedness, the Parent will reduce Obligations under the Notes on a pro rata basis (based on the amount so applied to such
repayments or prepayments) by, at their option, (A) redeeming Notes as described under Optional Redemption, (B) making an offer (in accordance with the procedures set forth
42
below for an Asset Sale Offer) to all Holders to purchase their Notes at least 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus the amount of accrued but unpaid interest, if any, thereon up to the
principal amount of Notes to be repurchased or (C) purchasing Notes through privately negotiated transactions or open market purchases, in a manner that complies with the Indenture and applicable securities law, at a price not less
than 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus the amount of accrued but unpaid interest, if any, thereon; or
(z)
Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not a Guarantor, other than Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(2) to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of, or any Capital Stock of, another Permitted Business, if, after giving
effect to any such acquisition of Capital Stock, the Permitted Business is or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(3) to make a capital expenditure;
(4) to acquire Additional Assets or improve or develop existing assets to be used in a Permitted Business; or
(5) to make any combination of the foregoing payments, redemptions, repurchases or investments.
Pending the final application of any Net Available Proceeds, the Issuer may temporarily reduce revolving credit borrowings or otherwise invest
the Net Available Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by the Indenture.
Any Net Available Proceeds from Asset Sales that are
not applied or invested as provided in the second paragraph of this covenant will constitute Excess Proceeds. When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $15.0 million, the Parent will, or will cause the Issuer to, make an
Asset Sale Offer to all Holders of Notes and if the Issuer elects (or is required by the terms of such other Pari Passu Indebtedness), all holders of other Pari Passu Indebtedness (an Asset Sale Offer) to purchase the maximum aggregate
principal amount of Notes and such Pari Passu Indebtedness, in denominations of $2,000 initial principal amount and multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, that may be purchased with an amount equal to the Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in
an amount not less than 100% of the principal amount thereof, or, in the case of Pari Passu Indebtedness represented by securities sold at a discount, not less than the amount of the accreted value thereof at such time, plus accrued and unpaid
interest to the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture. In the event that the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer prepays any Pari Passu Indebtedness that is outstanding
under a revolving credit or other committed loan facility pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer, the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary shall cause the related loan commitment to be reduced in an amount equal to the principal amount so prepaid. After
the completion of an Asset Sale, the Parent and its Restricted Subsidiaries may make an Asset Sale Offer prior to the time they are required to do so by the first sentence of this paragraph. If the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary completes such
an Asset Sale Offer with respect to any Net Available Proceeds, the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be deemed to have complied with this covenant with respect to the application of such Net Available Proceeds, and any such Net Available
Proceeds remaining after completion of such Asset Sale Offer may be used by the Parent and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any purpose not prohibited by the Indenture. If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale Offer, the
Parent and its Restricted Subsidiaries may use those Excess Proceeds for any purpose not prohibited by the Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and other Pari Passu Indebtedness tendered into such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount
of Excess Proceeds, the trustee will select the Notes and such other Pari Passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a
pro rata
basis based on the aggregate principal amount of the Notes and the other Pari Passu Indebtedness to be purchased
validly tendered and not withdrawn. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero.
The
Parent will comply with the requirements of
Rule 14e-1
under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection
with each repurchase of Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Asset Sale provisions of the Indenture, the Parent will comply with the applicable securities
laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached their obligations under the Asset Sale provisions of the indenture by virtue of such compliance.
Future credit agreements and other agreements relating to Indebtedness to which the Parent (or one of its Affiliates) become a party may
prohibit or limit, the Parent from purchasing any Notes pursuant to this Asset Sales covenant. In the event the Parent and its Subsidiaries are contractually prohibited from purchasing the Notes, the Parent could seek the consent of its lenders to
the purchase of the Notes or could attempt to refinance the borrowings that contain such prohibition. If the Parent does not obtain such consent or repay such borrowings, it will remain contractually prohibited from purchasing the Notes. In such
case, the Parents failure to purchase tendered Notes would constitute a Default under the Indenture.
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Limitations on Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries
The Parent may designate any Subsidiary of the Parent (other than the Issuer) as an Unrestricted Subsidiary under the Indenture (a
Designation) only if:
(1) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or after giving
effect to such Designation; and
(2) the Parent would be permitted to make, at the time of such Designation, (a) a
Permitted Investment or (b) an Investment pursuant to the Limitations on Restricted Payments covenant above, in either case, in an amount (the Designation Amount) equal to the Fair Market Value of the Parents
proportionate interest in such Subsidiary on such date.
No Subsidiary shall be Designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary
unless:
(1) neither the Company nor any of its other Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries) (x) provides
any direct or indirect credit support for any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness) or (y) is directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary
other than, in each case, such Investments as are permitted pursuant to the covenant entitled Limitations on Restricted Payments;
(2) such Subsidiary is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Parent or any Restricted
Subsidiary unless the terms of the agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding (x) are no less favorable to the Parent or the Restricted Subsidiary than those that would be reasonably expected to be obtained at the time from Persons who
are not Affiliates of the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary or (y) would be permitted as (a) an Affiliate Transaction under and in compliance with Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates, (b) an Asset Sale
under and in compliance with Limitations on Asset Sales, (c) a Permitted Investment or (d) an Investment under and in compliance with Limitations on Restricted Payments;
(3) such Subsidiary is a Person with respect to which neither the Parent nor any Restricted Subsidiary has any direct or
indirect obligation (x) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (y) to maintain or preserve the Persons financial condition or to cause the Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and
(4) such Subsidiary has not guaranteed or otherwise directly or indirectly provided credit support for any Indebtedness of the
Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, except for any guarantee given solely to support the pledge by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Equity Interest of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, which guarantee is not recourse to the Parent or any
Restricted Subsidiary, and except to the extent the amount thereof constitutes a Restricted Payment permitted pursuant to the covenant described under Limitations on Restricted Payments.
If, at any time after the Designation, any Unrestricted Subsidiary fails to meet the requirements set forth in the preceding paragraph, it
shall thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the Indenture and any Indebtedness of the Subsidiary and any Liens on assets of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary as of the date and, if
the Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred under the covenant described under Limitations on Additional Indebtedness or the Lien is not permitted under the covenant described under Limitations on Liens, the
Parent shall be in default of the applicable covenant.
The Parent may not Designate the Issuer as an Unrestricted Subsidiary. As of the
Issue Date, the following subsidiaries of Parent were deemed to be Unrestricted Subsidiaries of Parent: Duxford Title Reinsurance Company, Cerro Plata Associates, LLC, Silver Creek Preserve, Nobar Water Company and Horsethief Canyon Partners.
The Parent may redesignate an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary (a Redesignation) only if:
(1) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of and after giving effect to such Redesignation; and
(2) all Liens, Indebtedness and Investments of such Unrestricted Subsidiary outstanding immediately following such
Redesignation would, if incurred or made at such time, have been permitted to be incurred or made for all purposes of the Indenture.
All
Designations and Redesignations must be evidenced by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Parent delivered to the Trustee and certifying compliance with the foregoing provisions.
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Limitations on Mergers, Consolidations, Etc.
Neither the Parent nor the Issuer will, directly or indirectly, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions,
(a) consolidate or merge with or into any Person (other than a merger that satisfies the requirements of clause (1) below with a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary solely for the purpose of changing the Parents or the Issuers
jurisdiction of incorporation, as the case may be, to another State of the United States), or sell, lease, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of or assign all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent or the Parent and the Restricted
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) or the Issuer or the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries that are Subsidiaries of the Issuer (taken as a whole), as the case may be, to any Person or (b) adopt a Plan of Liquidation unless, in either case:
(1) either:
(a) the Parent or the Issuer, as the case may be, will be the surviving or continuing Person; or
(b) the Person formed by or surviving such consolidation or merger or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other
disposition shall be made (or, in the case of a Plan of Liquidation, any Person to which assets are transferred) (collectively, the Successor) is a corporation or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of any
State of the United States of America or the District of Columbia, and the Successor expressly assumes, by supplemental indenture in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Issuer or the Parent, as the case may
be, under the Notes or the Parents Note Guarantee, as applicable, and the Indenture;
provided
that, in the case of the Issuer, at any time the Successor is a limited liability company, there shall be a
co-issuer
of the Notes that is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of any State of the United States of America or the District of Columbia;
(2) immediately prior to and immediately after giving effect to such transaction and the assumption of the obligations as set
forth in clause (1)(b) above and the incurrence of any Indebtedness to be incurred in connection therewith, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and
(3) immediately after and giving effect to such transaction and the assumption of the obligations set forth in
clause (1)(b) above and the incurrence of any Indebtedness to be incurred in connection therewith, and the use of any net proceeds therefrom on a pro forma basis, (a) the Parent or the Successor, as the case may be, could incur
$1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Ratio Exception (b) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Parent or the Successor is greater than such ratio for Parent immediately prior to such transaction, or (c) the ratio
of Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated Tangible Net Worth of the Parent or the Successor is less than such ratio for Parent immediately prior to such transaction.
For purposes of this covenant, any Indebtedness of the Successor which was not Indebtedness of the Parent or the Issuer, as the case may be,
immediately prior to the transaction shall be deemed to have been incurred in connection with such transaction.
Except as provided under
the caption Note Guarantees, no Subsidiary Guarantor may consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving Person) another Person, whether or not affiliated with such Subsidiary
Guarantor, unless:
(1) either:
(a) such Subsidiary Guarantor will be the surviving or continuing Person; or
(b) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger assumes, by supplemental indenture in form and substance
satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the Note Guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor and the Indenture; and
(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Issuer) may merge into the Parent or another Restricted
Subsidiary and (b) the requirements of the immediately preceding paragraph will not apply to any transaction pursuant to which such Guarantor is permitted to be released from its Note Guarantee in accordance with the provisions described under
the section entitled Note Guarantees.
For purposes of the foregoing, the transfer (by lease, assignment, sale or otherwise,
in a single transaction or series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of one or more Restricted Subsidiaries, the Equity Interests of which constitute all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent or the Issuer, will be
deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent or the Issuer, as the case may be.
Upon any
consolidation, combination or merger of the Issuer or a Guarantor, or any transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent or the Issuer in accordance with the foregoing, in which the Issuer or such Guarantor is not the continuing
obligor under the Notes or its Note Guarantee, the surviving entity formed by such consolidation or into which the Issuer or such Guarantor is merged or to which the conveyance, lease or transfer is made will succeed to, and be substituted
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for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Issuer or such Guarantor under the Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees with the same effect as if such surviving entity had been named
therein as the Issuer or such Guarantor and, except in the case of a conveyance, transfer or lease, the Issuer or such Guarantor, as the case may be, will be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes or in
respect of its Note Guarantee, as the case may be, and all of the Issuers or such Guarantors other obligations and covenants under the Notes, the Indenture and its Note Guarantee, if applicable.
The description above includes a phrase relating to the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Parent and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase substantially all, there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law.
Additional Note Guarantees
If, after the
Issue Date, (a) the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary shall acquire or create another Wholly Owned Subsidiary (other than (i) a Subsidiary that has been designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, and (ii) any Subsidiary that is a
project-financed special purpose entity) or (b) any Unrestricted Subsidiary is redesignated a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary, then, in each such case, to the extent such Wholly Owned Subsidiary has Guaranteed any Indebtedness of Parent,
Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor and such Guarantee is then outstanding, the Parent shall cause such Restricted Subsidiary to:
(1) execute and deliver to the Trustee (a) a supplemental indenture in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee
pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee all of the Issuers obligations under the Notes and the Indenture and (b) a notation of guarantee in respect of its Note Guarantee; and
(2) deliver to the Trustee one or more opinions of counsel that such supplemental indenture (a) has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by such Restricted Subsidiary and (b) constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of such Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with its terms.
Conduct of Business
The Parent will not,
and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, engage in any business other than the Permitted Business and businesses necessary, reasonably related or ancillary thereto.
Payments for Consent
The Parent will
not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, to any Holder of Notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of the
Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid or agreed to be paid to all Holders of the Notes that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or
agreement.
Reports
Whether or not
required by the SEC, the Parent will furnish to the Holders of Notes, from and after the Issue Date and within the time periods specified in the SECs rules and regulations (including any grace periods or extensions permitted by the SEC):
(1) all quarterly and annual financial information that would be required to be contained in a filing with the SEC on
Forms 10-Q
and 10-K
if the Parent were required to file these Forms, including a Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of Operations and, with respect to the annual information only, an audit report on the annual financial statements by the Parents certified independent accountants; and
(2) all current reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on
Form 8-K
if the Parent were required to file these reports.
In addition, whether or not
required by the SEC, the Parent will file a copy of all of the information and reports referred to in clauses (1) and (2) above with the SEC for public availability within the time periods specified in the SECs rules and regulations
(unless the SEC will not accept the filing) and make the information available to securities analysts and prospective investors upon request.
At any time that there shall be one or more Unrestricted Subsidiaries that, in the aggregate, hold more than 15.0% of Consolidated
Tangible Assets, the quarterly and annual financial information required by the preceding paragraph shall include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto of the financial
condition and results of operations of the Parent and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
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In addition, the Parent agrees that, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding, if at any time
it is not required to file with the SEC the reports required by the preceding paragraphs, it will furnish to the Holders of the Notes and prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
In addition, Parent will:
(1) hold a quarterly conference call to discuss the information contained in the reports not later than ten business days from
the time Parent furnishes the reports to the trustee; and
(2) no fewer than three business days prior to the date of the
conference call required to be held in accordance with clause (1) above, issue a press release to the appropriate U.S. wire services announcing the time and date of such conference call and directing the holders or beneficial owners of,
and prospective investors in, the Notes and securities analysts and market makers to contact an individual at the Parent (for whom contact information shall be provided in such press release) to obtain the reports and information on how to access
such conference call.
The Issuer will also deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, an
Officers Certificate stating that, to the signing Officers knowledge, no Default has occurred under the Indenture, or, if a Default has occurred, what action the Issuer and/or Guarantors are taking or propose to take with respect
thereto.
Except with respect to the covenants relating to payment of the Notes or furnishing reports to Holders, the Trustee shall have
no duty to inquire as to the performance of the covenants set forth in the Indenture and described herein.
Events of Default
Each of the following is an Event of Default:
(1) failure by the Issuer to pay interest on any of the Notes when it becomes due and payable and the continuance of any such
failure for 30 days;
(2) failure by the Issuer to pay the principal on any of the Notes when it becomes due and
payable, whether at stated maturity, upon redemption, upon purchase, upon acceleration or otherwise;
(3) failure by the
Parent or the Issuer to comply with any of its agreements or covenants described above under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Mergers, Consolidations, Etc.;
(4) failure by the Parent or the Issuer to comply with any other agreement or covenant in the Indenture and continuance of this
failure for 60 days after written notice of the failure has been given to the Issuer by the Trustee or by the Holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding;
(5) default under any mortgage, indenture or other instrument or agreement under which there may be issued or by which there
may be secured or evidenced Indebtedness (other than
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness) of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, whether such Indebtedness now exists or is incurred after the Issue Date, which
default:
(a) is caused by a failure to pay when due principal on such Indebtedness within the applicable express grace
period, or
(b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express final maturity, and in each case, the
principal amount of such Indebtedness, together with any other Indebtedness with respect to which an event described in clause (a) or (b) has occurred and is continuing, aggregates $20.0 million or more;
provided
,
however
, that if any such default is cured or waived or any acceleration rescinded or such Indebtedness is repaid within a period of ten (10) days from the continuation of such default beyond any applicable grace period or the occurrence of
such acceleration, as the case may be, such Event of Default under the Indenture and any consequential acceleration of the Notes shall automatically be rescinded so long as such rescission does not conflict with any judgment or decree;
(6) one or more judgments or orders that exceed $20.0 million in the aggregate (net of amounts covered by insurance or
bonded) for the payment of money have been entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction against the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary and such judgment or judgments have not been satisfied, stayed, annulled or rescinded
within 60 days of being entered;
(7) the Parent, the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or within
the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(a) commences a voluntary case,
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(b) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary
case,
(c) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its assets, or
(d) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;
(8) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(a) is for relief against the Parent, the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary as debtor in an involuntary case,
(b) appoints a Custodian of the Parent, the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary or a Custodian for all or substantially all of
the assets of the Parent, the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary, or
(c) orders the liquidation of the Parent, the
Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or
(9)
the Note Guarantee of the Parent or any Note Guarantee of any Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of such Note Guarantee and the Indenture) or is declared null and void and
unenforceable or found to be invalid or any Guarantor denies its liability under its Note Guarantee (other than by reason of release of a Guarantor from its Note Guarantee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Note Guarantee).
If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (7) or (8) above with respect to the Issuer), shall have
occurred and be continuing under the Indenture, the Trustee, by written notice to the Issuer, or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by written notice to the Issuer and the Trustee, may
declare all amounts owing under the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Upon such declaration of acceleration, the aggregate principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the outstanding Notes shall immediately become due and payable;
provided, however,
that after such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such outstanding Notes may rescind and annul such acceleration. If an Event of
Default specified in clause (7) or (8) with respect to the Issuer occurs, all outstanding Notes shall become due and payable without any further action or notice.
The Trustee shall, within 90 days after becoming aware of the occurrence of any Default with respect to the Notes, give the Holders
notice of all uncured Defaults thereunder known to it;
provided
,
however
, that, except in the case of an Event of Default in payment with respect to the Notes or a Default in complying with Certain
CovenantsLimitations on Mergers, Consolidations, Etc., the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a committee of its trust officers in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the
interest of the Holders.
No Holder will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy
thereunder, unless the Trustee:
(1) has failed to act for a period of 60 days after receiving written notice of
a continuing Event of Default by such Holder and a request to act by Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding;
(2) has been offered indemnity satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment; and
(3) has not received from the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction
inconsistent with such request.
However, such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a Holder of any Note for enforcement of
payment of the principal of or interest on such Note on or after the due date therefor (after giving effect to the grace period specified in clause (1) of the first paragraph of this Events of Default section).
The Issuer is required to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Indenture and, upon any Officer of the
Issuer becoming aware of any Default, a statement specifying such Default and what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
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Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
The Issuer may, at its option and at any time, elect to have its obligations and the obligations of the Guarantors discharged with respect to
the outstanding Notes (Legal Defeasance). Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer and the Guarantors shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the Notes and the Note Guarantees, and the Indenture
shall cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding Notes and Note Guarantees, except as to
(1) rights of Holders to
receive payments in respect of the principal of and interest on the Notes when such payments are due from the trust funds referred to below,
(2) the Issuers obligations with respect to the Notes concerning issuing temporary Notes, registration of Notes,
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes, and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust,
(3) the rights, powers, trust, duties, and immunities of the Trustee, and the Issuers obligation in connection therewith,
and
(4) the Legal Defeasance provisions of the Indenture.
In addition, the Issuer may, at its option and at any time, elect to have its obligations and the obligations of the Guarantors released with
respect to most of the covenants under the Indenture, except as described otherwise in the Indenture (Covenant Defeasance), and thereafter any omission to comply with such obligations shall not constitute a Default. In the event Covenant
Defeasance occurs, certain Events of Default (not including nonpayment and, solely for a period of 91 days following the deposit referred to in clause (1) of the next paragraph, bankruptcy, receivership, rehabilitation and insolvency
events) will no longer apply. Covenant Defeasance will not be effective until such bankruptcy, receivership, rehabilitation and insolvency events no longer apply. The Issuer may exercise its Legal Defeasance option regardless of whether it
previously exercised Covenant Defeasance.
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:
(1) the Issuer must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, U.S. legal tender,
U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient (without reinvestment) in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants selected by the Issuer, to pay the principal of
and interest on the Notes on the stated date for payment or on the redemption date of the principal or installment of principal of or interest on the Notes, and the Trustee must have a valid, perfected, exclusive security interest in such trust,
(2) in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of counsel in the United
States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that:
(a) the Issuer has received from, or there has been published
by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, a ruling upon which the Issuer may rely, or
(b) since the date of the Indenture,
there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon this opinion of counsel shall confirm that, the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal
income tax purposes as a result of the Legal Defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred,
(3) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of counsel in the United
States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on
the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the Covenant Defeasance had not occurred,
(4) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default resulting from the
borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the grant of any Lien securing such borrowing),
(5) the Legal
Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is bound (other than a default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the grant of any Lien securing such borrowing),
49
(6) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate
stating that the deposit was not made by it with the intent of preferring the Holders over any other of its creditors or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other of its creditors or others, and
(7) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that
the conditions provided for in, in the case of the Officers Certificate, clauses (1) through (6) and, in the case of the opinion of counsel, clauses (1) (with respect to the validity and perfection of the security interest),
(2) and/or (3) and (5) of this paragraph have been complied with.
If the funds deposited with the Trustee to effect
Covenant Defeasance are insufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes when due, then the obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors under the Indenture will be revived and no such defeasance will be deemed to have occurred.
Satisfaction and Discharge
The Indenture
will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect (except as to rights of registration of transfer or exchange of Notes which shall survive until all Notes have been canceled) as to all outstanding Notes when either
(1) all the Notes that have been authenticated and delivered (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes which have been replaced
or paid and Notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from this trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or
(2) (a) all Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation otherwise have become due and payable by reason of the
mailing of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year and the Issuer has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee trust funds in trust in an amount of money sufficient to pay and
discharge the entire Indebtedness (including all principal and accrued interest) on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation,
(b) the Issuer has paid all sums payable by it under the Indenture,
(c) the Issuer has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the
Notes at maturity or on the date of redemption, as the case may be, and
(d) the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders,
has a valid, perfected, exclusive security interest in this trust.
In addition, the Issuer must deliver an Officers Certificate and
an opinion of counsel (as to legal matters) stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been complied with.
Transfer and
Exchange
A Holder will be able to register the transfer of or exchange Notes only in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.
The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. Without the prior consent of the Issuer, the Registrar is
not required (1) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption, (2) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or (3) to
register the transfer or exchange of a Note between a record date and the next succeeding interest payment date.
The Notes are issued in
registered form and the registered Holder will be treated as the owner of such Note for all purposes.
Amendment, Supplement and Waiver
Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture or the Notes may be amended with the consent (which may include consents obtained in connection
with a tender offer or exchange offer for Notes) of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, and any existing Default under, or compliance with any provision of, the Indenture may be waived (other than
any continuing Default in the payment of the principal or interest on the Notes) with the consent (which may include consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for Notes) of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of
the Notes then outstanding;
provided
that without the consent of each Holder affected, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee may not:
(1) change the maturity of any Note;
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(2) reduce the amount, extend the due date or otherwise affect the terms of any
scheduled payment of interest on or principal of the Notes;
(3) reduce any premium payable upon optional redemption of the
Notes, change the date on which any Notes are subject to redemption or otherwise alter the provisions with respect to the redemption of the Notes (other than provisions specifying the notice periods for effecting a redemption);
(4) make any Note payable in money or currency other than that stated in the Notes;
(5) modify or change any provision of the Indenture or the related definitions to subordinate the Notes or any Note Guarantee
in right of payment to other Indebtedness in a manner that adversely affects the Holders;
(6) reduce the percentage of
Holders necessary to consent to an amendment or waiver to the Indenture or the Notes;
(7) impair the rights of Holders to
receive payments of principal of or interest on the Notes;
(8) release the Parent from any of its obligations under its
Note Guarantee or the Indenture, except as permitted by the Indenture; or
(9) make any change in these amendment and
waiver provisions.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend the Indenture, the Note Guarantees
or the Notes, without the consent of any Holder:
(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency,
(2) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes,
(3) to provide for the assumption of the Issuers or any Guarantors obligations to the Holders in the case of a
merger or acquisition,
(4) to release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Note Guarantee or the Indenture
(to the extent permitted by the Indenture),
(5) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits
(including the addition of collateral) to the holders of Notes or that does not adversely affect in any material respect the legal rights under the indenture of any such holder,
(6) to comply with SEC rules and regulations or changes to applicable law,
(7) to conform the text of the Indenture, the Note Guarantees or the Notes to any provision of the Description of the
Notes section of the confidential offering memorandum distributed in connection with the private placement offering of the outstanding notes;
(8) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the Indenture as of the
Issue Date;
(9) to allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture or a Note Guarantee with respect to the Notes;
or
(10) to comply with the rules of any applicable securities depository.
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders
No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary will have any liability for any
obligations of the Issuer under the Notes or the Indenture or of any Guarantor under its Note Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and
releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes and the Note Guarantees. The Securities and Exchange Commission takes the position that this waiver will not be effective to waive
liabilities under the federal securities laws.
Concerning the Trustee
U.S. Bank National Association is the Trustee under the Indenture and has been appointed by the Issuer as Registrar and Paying Agent with
regard to the Notes. The Indenture contains certain limitations on the rights of the Trustee, should it become a creditor of the Issuer, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain assets received in respect of any such
claim as security or otherwise. The Trustee will be permitted to engage in other transactions; however, if it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the Indenture), it must eliminate such conflict or resign.
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The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes will have the right
to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee, subject to certain exceptions. The Indenture provides that, in case an Event of Default occurs and is not cured, the Trustee will
be required, in the exercise of its power, to use the degree of care of a prudent person in similar circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to such provisions, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its
rights or powers under the Indenture at the request of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee.
Governing Law
The Indenture, the Notes
and the Note Guarantees are governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Certain Definitions
Set forth below is a summary of certain of the defined terms used in the Indenture. Reference is made to the Indenture for the full definition
of all such terms.
Acquired Indebtedness means (1) with respect to any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after
the Issue Date, Indebtedness of such Person and its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary that was not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and
(2) with respect to the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, any Indebtedness of a Person (other than the Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary) existing at the time such Person is merged with or into the Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary, or
Indebtedness expressly assumed by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the acquisition of an asset or assets from another Person, which Indebtedness was not, in any case, incurred by such other Person in connection with, or in
contemplation of, such merger or acquisition.
Affiliate of any Person means any other Person which directly or indirectly
controls or is controlled by, or is under direct or indirect common control with, the referent Person. For purposes of the covenants described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Restricted Payments, Certain
Covenants Limitations on Asset Sales, and Certain Covenants Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates, Affiliates shall be deemed to include, with respect to any Person, any other Person (1) which
beneficially owns or holds, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of the Voting Stock of the referent Person, (2) of which 10% or more of the Voting Stock is beneficially owned or held, directly or indirectly, by the referent
Person or (3) with respect to an individual, any immediate family member of such Person. For purposes of this definition, control of a Person shall mean the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or
indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
Asset Acquisition means
(1) an Investment by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary in any other Person if, as a result of such Investment, such
Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary or shall be merged with or into the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, or
(2) the acquisition by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary of all or substantially all of the assets of any other Person or
any division or line of business of any other Person.
Asset Sale means any sale, issuance, conveyance, transfer, lease,
assignment or other disposition by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Person other than the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary (including by means of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction or a merger or consolidation) (collectively, for
purposes of this definition, a transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of any assets (including Equity Interests) of the Parent or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries other than in the ordinary course of
business. For purposes of this definition, the term Asset Sale shall not include:
(1) transfers of cash or
Cash Equivalents;
(2) transfers of assets (including Equity Interests) that are governed by, and made in accordance with,
the covenant described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Mergers, Consolidations, Etc.;
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(3) Permitted Investments and Restricted Payments permitted under the covenant
described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Restricted Payments;
(4) the creation or
realization of any Permitted Lien;
(5) transactions in the ordinary course of business, including dedications and other
donations to governmental authorities, sales (directly or indirectly), leases, sales and leasebacks and other dispositions of (A) homes, improved land and unimproved land, whether in single or multiple lots, (B) real estate (including
related amenities and improvements), whether in single or multiple lots and (C) Equity Interests of a Subsidiary, the assets of which consist entirely of amenities and improvements related to real estate, such as golf courses, and real estate
underlying such amenities and improvements;
(6) dispositions of mortgage loans and related assets and mortgage-backed
securities in the ordinary course of a mortgage lending business;
(7) any transfer or series of related transfers that,
but for this clause, would be Asset Sales, if after giving effect to such transfers, the aggregate Fair Market Value of the assets transferred in such transaction or any such series of related transactions does not exceed $5.0 million;
(8) the surrender or waiver of contractual rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of
any kind;
(9) the disposition of assets or property that are obsolete or that are no longer useful in the conduct of the
business of the Issuer and/or any Restricted Subsidiaries; and
(10) an issuance of Equity Interests by a Restricted
Subsidiary to the Issuer, Parent or to a Restricted Subsidiary.
Attributable Indebtedness, when used with respect to any Sale
and Leaseback Transaction, means, as at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at a rate equivalent to the Issuers then-current weighted average cost of funds for borrowed money as at the time of determination, compounded on
a semi-annual basis) of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of any Capitalized Lease included in any such Sale and Leaseback Transaction.
Bankruptcy Law means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of
debtors.
Business Day means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in New York are
authorized or required by law to close.
Capitalized Lease means a lease required to be capitalized for financial reporting
purposes in accordance with GAAP.
Capitalized Lease Obligations of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay
rent or other amounts under a Capitalized Lease, and the amount of such obligation shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
Cash Equivalents means:
(1) marketable obligations with a maturity of one year or less issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United
States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof;
(2) demand and time deposits and certificates of deposit or
acceptances with a maturity of one year or less of any financial institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System having combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500 million and is assigned at least a
B rating by Thomson Financial BankWatch;
(3) commercial paper maturing no more than 180 days from
the date of creation thereof issued by a corporation that is not the Parent or an Affiliate of the Parent, and is organized under the laws of any State of the United States of America or the District of Columbia and rated at least
A-1
by Standard & Poors or at least
P-1
by Moodys;
(4) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than ten days for underlying securities of the types described in
clause (1) above entered into with any commercial bank meeting the specifications of clause (2) above; and
(5)
investments in money market or other mutual funds substantially all of whose assets comprise securities of the types described in clauses (1) through (4) above.
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Consolidated Amortization Expense for any period means the amortization expense of
the Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges for any period means, without duplication, the sum of the amounts for such
period of:
(1) Consolidated Net Income, plus
(2) in each case only to the extent (and in the same proportion) deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income and with
respect to the portion of Consolidated Net Income attributable to any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Issuer) only if a corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of determination to be distributed to the Parent by such Restricted
Subsidiary without prior approval (that has not been obtained), pursuant to the terms of its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to such Restricted Subsidiary
or its stockholders,
(a) Consolidated Income Tax Expense,
(b) Consolidated Amortization Expense (but only to the extent not included in Consolidated Interest Expense),
(c) Consolidated Depreciation Expense,
(d) Consolidated Interest Expense and interest and other charges amortized to cost of sales homes or
cost of saleslots, land and other,
(e) all other
non-cash
items
reducing the Consolidated Net Income (excluding any
non-cash
charge that results in an accrual of a reserve for cash charges in any future period) for such period,
(f) any expenses or charges related to any equity offering of Parent,
non-ordinary
course Permitted Investments, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by this Indenture (including the issuance of the Notes), including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful)
or the early extinguishment of such Indebtedness and any amendment or modification to the terms of any such transactions,
(g) any charges resulting from the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805 Business
Combinations, Accounting Standards Codification Topic 350 IntangiblesGoodwill and Other, Accounting Standards Codification Topic
360-10-35-15
Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets (other than with respect to impairments or write-offs of
inventory), Accounting Standards Codification Topic
480-10-25-4
Distinguishing Liabilities from
EquityOverallRecognition or Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820 Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,
(h) any unrealized net gain or loss resulting in such period from Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments;
(i) any
non-cash
impairment charge or asset
write-off
(other than with respect to inventory), in each case pursuant to GAAP; and
(j) any
(a) non-cash
compensation charges,
(b) non-cash
costs or expenses resulting from stock option plans, employee benefit plans, compensation charges or post-employment benefit plans, or grants or awards of stock, stock appreciation or similar
rights, stock options, restricted stock, preferred stock or other rights and (c) write-offs or write-downs of goodwill, in each case determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, minus
(3) the aggregate amount of all
non-cash
items, determined on a consolidated basis, to
the extent such items increased Consolidated Net Income for such period.
Consolidated Depreciation Expense for any period
means the depreciation expense of the Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio means the ratio of Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges during the most
recent four consecutive full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available (the Four-Quarter Period) ending on or prior to the date of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio (the Transaction Date) to Consolidated Interest Incurred for the Four-Quarter Period. For purposes
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of this definition, Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges and Consolidated Interest Incurred shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis for the period of such
calculation to:
(1) the incurrence of any Indebtedness, the inclusion of any Indebtedness on the balance sheet or the
issuance of any preferred stock, in each case of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary (and the application of the proceeds thereof) and any repayment, repurchase, defeasance or other discharge or the assumption by another Person that is not an
Affiliate (collectively, repayment) of other Indebtedness or redemption of other preferred stock (other than the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes pursuant to any
revolving credit arrangement) occurring during the Four-Quarter Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of the Four-Quarter Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date, as if such incurrence, repayment, issuance or redemption, as the
case may be (and the application of the proceeds thereof), occurred on the first day of the Four-Quarter Period;
(2) any
Asset Sale or Asset Acquisition (including any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make such calculation as a result of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary (including any Person who becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such
Asset Acquisition) incurring Acquired Indebtedness and also including any Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges (including any pro forma expense and cost reductions calculated on a basis consistent with
Regulation S-X
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) associated with any such Asset Acquisition) occurring during the Four-Quarter Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of
the Four-Quarter Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date, as if such Asset Sale or Asset Acquisition or other disposition (including the incurrence of, or assumption or liability for, any such Indebtedness or Acquired Indebtedness) occurred
on the first day of the Four-Quarter Period;
(3) any Person that is a Restricted Subsidiary on the Transaction Date will
be deemed to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at all times during such Four-Quarter Period;
(4) any Person that is not a
Restricted Subsidiary on the Transaction Date will be deemed not to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at any time during such Four-Quarter Period; and
(5) the Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges and the Consolidated Interest Expense attributable to discontinued
operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP shall be excluded.
If the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary directly or indirectly
guarantees Indebtedness of a third Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary, in the case of the Parent, or the Parent or another Restricted Subsidiary, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary), the preceding sentence shall give effect to the
incurrence of such guaranteed Indebtedness as if the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary had directly incurred or otherwise assumed such guaranteed Indebtedness.
In calculating Consolidated Interest Incurred for purposes of determining the denominator (but not the numerator) of this Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio:
(1) interest on outstanding Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis as of the Transaction
Date and which will continue to be so determined thereafter shall be deemed to have accrued at a fixed rate per annum equal to the rate of interest on this Indebtedness in effect on the Transaction Date;
(2) if interest on any Indebtedness actually incurred on the Transaction Date may optionally be determined at an interest rate
based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a Eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rates, then the interest rate in effect on the Transaction Date will be deemed to have been in effect during the Four-Quarter Period; and
(3) notwithstanding clause (1) or (2) above, interest on Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis, to the
extent such interest is covered by agreements with a term of at least one year after the Transaction Date relating to Hedging Obligations, shall be deemed to accrue at the rate per annum resulting after giving effect to the operation of these
agreements.
Consolidated Income Tax Expense for any period means the provision for taxes of the Parent and the Restricted
Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Indebtedness means, as of any date,
the total Indebtedness of the Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date, determined on a consolidated basis.
Consolidated Interest Expense for any period means the sum, without duplication, of the total interest expense (other than
interest and other charges amortized to cost of saleshomes or cost of saleslots, land and other) of the Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with
GAAP and including, without duplication.
(1) imputed interest on Capitalized Lease Obligations and Attributable
Indebtedness,
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(2) commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to
letters of credit securing financial obligations, bankers acceptance financing and receivables financings,
(3) the
net costs associated with Hedging Obligations,
(4) amortization of debt issuance costs, debt discount or premium and other
financing fees and expenses,
(5) the interest portion of any deferred payment obligations,
(6) all other
non-cash
interest expense;
provided
,
however
, that any
non-cash
interest expense or income attributable to the movement in the
mark-to-market
valuation of Hedging Obligations or other
derivative instrument pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded from the calculation of Consolidated Interest Expense,
(7) the
product of (a) all dividend payments on any series of Disqualified Equity Interests of the Parent or any preferred stock of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any such Disqualified Equity Interests or any preferred stock held by the Parent
or a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary), multiplied by (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current combined federal, state and local statutory tax rate of the Parent and the
Restricted Subsidiaries, expressed as a decimal,
(8) all interest payable with respect to discontinued operations, and
(9) all interest on any Indebtedness of any other Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary, in the case of the Parent,
or the Parent or another Restricted Subsidiary, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary) guaranteed by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary.
Consolidated Interest Incurred for any period means the sum, without duplication, of (1) Consolidated Interest Expense and
(2) interest capitalized for such period (including interest capitalized with respect to discontinued operations but not including interest or other charges amortized to cost of saleshomes or cost of saleslots,
land and other).
Consolidated Net Income for any period means the net income (or loss) of the Parent and the Restricted
Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;
provided
that there shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent otherwise included therein), without duplication:
(1) the net income (or loss) of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary) in which any Person other than the Parent or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that cash in an amount equal to any such income has actually been received by the Parent or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period;
(2) except to the extent includible in the consolidated net income of the Parent pursuant to the foregoing clause (1), the
net income (or loss) of any Person that accrued prior to the date that (a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary or (b) the assets of such Person are
acquired by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) the net income of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the
Issuer) during such period to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary of that income is not permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument,
judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Subsidiary during such period;
(4)
that portion of the net income of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Issuer) that is not a Guarantor and is not a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary attributable to the portion of the Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary that is not
owned by the Parent or the Restricted Subsidiaries;
(5) for the purposes of calculating the Restricted Payments Basket
only, in the case of a successor to the Parent or the Issuer by consolidation, merger or transfer of its assets, any income (or loss) of the successor prior to such merger, consolidation or transfer of assets;
(6) any gain (or loss), together with any related provisions for taxes on any such gain (or the tax effect of any such loss),
realized during such period by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary upon (a) the acquisition of any securities, or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness, of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary or (b) any Asset Sale by the Parent or
any Restricted Subsidiary; and
(7) any extraordinary gain (or extraordinary loss), together with any related provision for
taxes on any such extraordinary gain (or the tax effect of any such extraordinary loss), realized by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period.
In addition, any return of capital with respect to an Investment that increased the Restricted Payments Basket pursuant to clause (3)(d)
of the first paragraph under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Restricted Payments or decreased the amount of Investments outstanding pursuant to clause (14) of the definition of Permitted Investments shall be
excluded from Consolidated Net Income for purposes of calculating the Restricted Payments Basket.
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Consolidated Net Worth means, with respect to any Person as of any date, the
consolidated stockholders equity of such Person, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, less (without duplication) (1) any amounts thereof attributable to Disqualified Equity Interests of such Person or its
Subsidiaries or any amount attributable to Unrestricted Subsidiaries (other than Cerro Plata Associates, LLC) and (2) all
write-ups
(other than
write-ups
resulting
from foreign currency translations and
write-ups
of tangible assets of a going concern business made within twelve months after the acquisition of such business) subsequent to the Issue Date in the book value
of any asset owned by such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person.
Consolidated Tangible Assets means, as of any date, the
total amount of assets of the Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date, as determined in accordance with GAAP, less (1) Intangible Assets and (2) any
assets securing
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness.
Consolidated Tangible Net Worth means,
with respect to any Person as of any date, the Consolidated Net Worth of such Person as of such date less (without duplication) all Intangible Assets of such Person as of such date.
Custodian means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
Credit Facilities means one or more debt facilities, indentures or commercial paper facilities, in each case, with banks or other
lenders or investors or credit providers or a trustee providing for the revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such
lenders against such receivables), bankers acceptances, letters of credit or issuances of debt securities, including any related notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments, documents and agreements executed in connection therewith and in
each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, extended, supplemented, restructured, refunded, replaced in any manner (whether upon or after termination or otherwise) or in part from time to time, in one or more instances and including any
amendment increasing the amount of Indebtedness incurred or available to be borrowed thereunder, extending the maturity of any Indebtedness incurred thereunder or contemplated thereby or deleting, adding or substituting one or more parties thereto
(whether or not such added or substituted parties are banks or other institutional lenders), including one or more separate instruments or facilities, in each case, whether any such amendment, restatement, modification, renewal, extension,
supplement, restructuring, refunding, replacement or refinancing occurs simultaneously or not with the termination or repayment of a prior Credit Facility.
Default means (1) any Event of Default or (2) any event, act or condition that, after notice or the passage of time or
both, would be an Event of Default.
Designation has the meaning given to this term in the covenant described under
Certain CovenantsLimitations on Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries; and Designate and Designated shall have correlative meanings.
Designation Amount has the meaning given to this term in the covenant described under Certain
CovenantsLimitations on Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
Directly Related Assets means, with respect to
any particular property, assets directly related thereto or derived therefrom, such as proceeds (including insurance proceeds), products, rents, and profits thereof and improvements and accessions thereto.
Disqualified Equity Interests of any Person means any class of Equity Interests of such Person that, by their terms, or by the
terms of any related agreement or of any security into which they are convertible, puttable or exchangeable, are, or upon the happening of any event or the passage of time would be, required to be redeemed by such Person, whether or not at the
option of the holder thereof, or mature or are mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date which is 91 days after the final maturity date of the Notes;
provided
,
however
, that any class of Equity Interests of such Person that, by its terms, authorizes such Person to satisfy in full its obligations with respect to the payment of dividends or upon maturity, redemption (pursuant to a
sinking fund or otherwise) or repurchase thereof or otherwise by the delivery of Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests, and that are not convertible, puttable or exchangeable for Disqualified Equity Interests or Indebtedness,
will not be deemed to be Disqualified Equity Interests so long as such Person satisfies its obligations with respect thereto solely by the delivery of Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests;
provided further
,
however
, that any Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests but for provisions thereof giving holders thereof (or the holders of any security into or for which such Equity
57
Interests are convertible, exchangeable or exercisable) the right to require the Issuer to redeem such Equity Interests upon the occurrence of a change in control occurring prior to the final
maturity date of the Notes shall not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests if the change in control provisions applicable to such Equity Interests are no more favorable to such holders than the provisions described under the caption Change
of Control and such Equity Interests specifically provide that the Issuer will not redeem any such Equity Interests pursuant to such provisions prior to the Issuers purchase of the Notes as required pursuant to the provisions described
under the caption Change of Control.
Equity Interests of any Person means (1) any and all shares or other
equity interests (including common stock, preferred stock, limited liability company interests and partnership interests) in such Person and (2) all rights to purchase, warrants or options (whether or not currently exercisable), participations
or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) such shares or other interests in such Person but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Equity Interests.
Equity Offering means public or private equity offering or sale after the Issue Date of Qualified Equity Interests.
Fair Market Value means, with respect to any asset, the price (after taking into account any liabilities relating to such assets)
that would reasonably expected to be negotiated in an
arms-length
transaction for cash between a willing seller and a willing and able buyer, neither of which is under any compulsion to complete the
transaction, as such price is determined in good faith by the board of directors of the Parent or a duly authorized committee thereof, as evidenced by a resolution of such board or committee.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles
Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as may be approved by a significant segment of the
accounting profession of the United States, as in effect from time to time.
GP Indebtedness means as of any date the amount
of the liability of Parent or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in its capacity as a general partner for the Indebtedness of a partnership or Joint Venture after subtracting the Fair Market Value as of such date of the assets of such partnership or
Joint Venture that secure such Indebtedness.
guarantee means a direct or indirect guarantee by any Person of any Indebtedness
of any other Person and includes any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person: (1) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising
by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services (unless such purchase arrangements are on
arms-length
terms and are entered into in
the ordinary course of business), to
take-or-pay,
or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or (2) entered into for purposes of assuring in any
other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part). guarantee, when used as a verb, and guaranteed have correlative meanings.
Guarantors means the Parent and each Restricted Subsidiary of the Parent (other than the Issuer), and each other Person that
is required to become a Guarantor by the terms of the Indenture, in each case, until such Person is released from its Note Guarantee.
Hedging Obligations of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to (1) any interest rate swap agreement,
interest rate collar agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates, (2) agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in foreign
currency exchange rates in the conduct of its operations, or (3) any forward contract, commodity swap agreement, commodity option agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in
commodity prices, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business for bona fide hedging purposes and not for the purpose of speculation.
Holder means any registered holder, from time to time, of the Notes.
incur means, with respect to any Indebtedness or obligation, incur, create, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly
or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to such Indebtedness or obligation;
provided
that (1) the Indebtedness of a Person existing at the time such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time such Person
merged with or into the Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to have been incurred at such time and (2) neither the accrual of interest nor the accretion of original issue discount shall be deemed to be an incurrence of
Indebtedness.
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Indebtedness of any Person at any date means, without duplication:
(1) all liabilities, contingent or otherwise, of such Person for borrowed money (whether or not the recourse of the lender is
to the whole of the assets of such Person or only to a portion thereof);
(2) all obligations of such Person evidenced by
bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;
(3) all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit
or other similar instruments (or reimbursement obligations with respect thereto);
(4) all obligations of such Person to
pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property or services, except trade payables and accrued expenses incurred by such Person in the ordinary course of business in connection with obtaining goods, materials or services;
(5) the maximum fixed redemption or repurchase price of all Disqualified Equity Interests of such Person;
(6) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person;
(7) all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by
such Person;
(8) all Indebtedness of others guaranteed by such Person to the extent of such guarantee;
provided
that (i) Indebtedness of the Parent or its Subsidiaries that is guaranteed by the Parent or the Parents Subsidiaries shall be counted only once in the calculation of the amount of Indebtedness of the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis and (ii) only the liabilities relating to any such guarantee that are recorded as liabilities, or required (in accordance with GAAP) to be recorded as liabilities, on the balance sheet of such Person shall be considered
Indebtedness of such Person (it being understood that any increase in liabilities recorded or required to be recorded on such Persons balance sheet shall be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by such Person at the time of
such increase);
(9) all Attributable Indebtedness;
(10) to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, Hedging Obligations of such Person;
(11) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to assets purchased by
such Person; and
(12) the liquidation value of preferred stock of a Subsidiary of such Person issued and outstanding and
held by any Person other than such Person (or one of its Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
following shall not be considered Indebtedness:
(a) earn-outs or similar profit sharing or participation arrangements provided for in
acquisition agreements which are determined on the basis of future operating earnings or other similar performance criteria (which are not determinable at the time of acquisition) of the acquired assets or entities,
(b) accrued expenses, trade payables, customer deposits or deferred income taxes arising in the ordinary course of business,
(c) completion guarantees entered into in the ordinary course of business,
(d) obligations in respect of district improvement bonds pertaining to roads, sewers and other infrastructure, and
(e) Indebtedness that has been discharged or defeased in accordance with its governing documents.
The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date shall be the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as
described above, the maximum liability of such Person for any such contingent obligations at such date and, in the case of clause (7), the lesser of (a) the Fair Market Value of any asset subject to a Lien securing the Indebtedness of
others on the date that the Lien attaches and (b) the amount of the Indebtedness secured;
provided, however
, that the amount outstanding at any time of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount shall be deemed to be the face
amount of such Indebtedness less the remaining unamortized portion of the original issue discount of such Indebtedness at such time, as determined in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of clause (5), the maximum fixed redemption or
repurchase price of any Disqualified Equity Interests that do not have a fixed redemption or repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Equity Interests as if such Disqualified Equity Interests were
redeemed on any date on which an amount of Indebtedness outstanding shall be required to be determined pursuant to the Indenture.
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Independent Director means a director of the Parent who
(1) is independent with respect to the transaction at issue;
(2) does not have any material financial interest in the Parent or any of its Affiliates (other than as a result of holding
securities of the Parent); and
(3) has not and whose Affiliates or affiliated firm has not, at any time during the twelve
months prior to the taking of any action hereunder, directly or indirectly, received, or entered into any understanding or agreement to receive, compensation, payment or other benefit, of any type or form, from the Parent or any of its Affiliates,
other than customary directors fees and indemnity and insurance arrangements for serving on the board of directors of the Parent or any Affiliate and reimbursement of
out-of-pocket
expenses for attendance at the Parents or Affiliates board and board committee meetings.
Independent Financial Advisor means an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing that is,
in the reasonable judgment of the Parents board of directors, qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged and disinterested and independent with respect to the Parent and its Affiliates;
provided
,
however
, that
the prior rendering of service to the Parent or an Affiliate of the Parent shall not, by itself, disqualify the advisor.
Intangible
Assets means, with respect to any Person, all unamortized debt discount and expense, unamortized deferred charges, goodwill, patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights,
write-ups
of
assets over their carrying value (other than
write-ups
which occurred prior to the Issue Date and other than, in connection with the acquisition of an asset, the
write-up
of the value of such asset to its Fair Market Value in accordance with GAAP on the date of acquisition) and all other items which would be treated as intangibles on the consolidated balance sheet of
such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.
interest means, with respect to the Notes, interest on the Notes.
Investment Grade Rating means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moodys Investors Service, Inc.
and BBB(or the equivalent) by Standard & Poors Ratings Group, Inc., or any other equivalent investment grade rating by any Rating Agency.
Investments of any Person means, without duplication:
(1) all direct or indirect investments by such Person in any other Person in the form of loans, advances or capital
contributions or other credit extensions constituting Indebtedness of such other Person, and any guarantee of Indebtedness of any other Person;
(2) all purchases (or other acquisitions for consideration) by such Person of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other
securities of any other Person;
(3) all other items that would be classified as investments on a balance sheet of such
Person prepared in accordance with GAAP; and
(4) the Designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Except as otherwise expressly specified in this definition, the amount of any Investment (other than an Investment made in cash) shall be the
Fair Market Value thereof on the date such Investment is made. The amount of any Investment pursuant to clause (4) shall be the Designation Amount determined in accordance with the covenant described under Certain
CovenantsLimitations on Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries. If the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary such that, after giving
effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary, the Parent shall be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or other disposition equal to the Fair Market Value of the Equity Interests
of and all other Investments in such Restricted Subsidiary not sold or disposed of, which amount shall be determined by the board of directors of the Parent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, redemptions of Equity Interests of the Parent shall be
deemed not to be Investments.
Issue Date means March 9, 2018, the date on which the outstanding notes were originally
issued.
Joint Venture means a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity engaged in a Permitted
Business (other than an entity constituting a Subsidiary of the Parent) in which the Parent or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries owns, directly or indirectly, at least 20% of the Equity Interests.
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Lien means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien (statutory
or other), pledge, lease, easement, restriction, covenant, charge, security interest or other encumbrance of any kind or nature in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any
conditional sale or other title retention agreement, and any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell, and any filing of, or agreement to give, any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent
statutes) of any jurisdiction (other than cautionary filings in respect of operating leases).
Net Available Proceeds means,
with respect to any Asset Sale, the proceeds thereof in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents, net of
(1) brokerage
commissions and other fees and expenses (including fees and expenses of legal counsel, accountants and investment banks) of such Asset Sale;
(2) provisions for taxes payable as a result of such Asset Sale (after taking into account any available tax credits or
deductions and any tax sharing arrangements);
(3) amounts required to be paid to any Person (other than the Parent or any
Restricted Subsidiary) owning a beneficial interest in the assets subject to the Asset Sale or having a Lien thereon;
(4)
payments of unassumed liabilities (not constituting Indebtedness) relating to the assets sold at the time of, or within 30 days after the date of, such Asset Sale; and
(5) appropriate amounts to be provided by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, as a reserve required in
accordance with GAAP against any liabilities associated with such Asset Sale and retained by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, after such Asset Sale, including pensions and other postemployment benefit liabilities,
liabilities related to environmental matters and liabilities under any indemnification obligations associated with such Asset Sale;
provided
,
however
, that any amounts remaining after adjustments, revaluations or liquidations of such
reserves shall constitute Net Available Proceeds.
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness with
respect to any Person means Indebtedness of such Person for which (1) the sole legal recourse for collection of principal and interest on such Indebtedness is against the specific property identified in the instruments evidencing or securing
such Indebtedness and such property was acquired with the proceeds of such Indebtedness or such Indebtedness was incurred within 365 days after the acquisition of such property and (2) no other assets of such Person may be realized
upon in collection of principal or interest on such Indebtedness. Indebtedness that is otherwise
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness will not lose its character as
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness because there is recourse for (a) environmental warranties or indemnities, (b) indemnities for and liabilities arising from fraud, misrepresentation, misapplication or
non-payment
of
rents, profits, insurance and condemnation proceeds and other sums actually received by the obligor from secured assets to be paid to the lender, waste and mechanics liens or (c) similar customary
bad-boy
guarantees.
Note Documents means the Indenture, the Notes and the
Note Guarantees.
Officer of any Person means any of the following of such Person: the Chairman of the board of directors, the
Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary.
Officers Certificate of any Person means a certificate signed by two Officers of such Person.
Parent means William Lyon Homes, a Delaware corporation, and its successors.
Pari Passu Indebtedness means any Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor that ranks pari passu as to payment with the Notes
or the Note Guarantee of such Guarantor, as applicable.
Permitted Business means the businesses engaged in by the Parent and
its Subsidiaries on the Issue Date and businesses that are reasonably related thereto or reasonable extensions thereof.
Permitted
Business Investments means Investments and expenditures made in the ordinary course of a Permitted Business as a means of acquiring or developing land or constructing residential communities through agreements, transactions, interests or
arrangements that, among other things, permit a Person to share (or have the effect of sharing) risks or costs, to participate in (or have the effect of participating in) the economics of residential development projects or to comply with any
regulatory agreements or requirements Investments in the form of or pursuant to joint development agreements, partnership agreements, limited liability company agreements, trust agreements, joint venture agreements or other similar agreements with
third parties.
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Permitted Holders means (i) Luxor Capital Group, LP and Paulson & Co.
and their respective Affiliates and all investment funds managed by any of the foregoing (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, their respective portfolio companies or other operating companies affiliated with Luxor Capital Group LP and
Paulson & Co.), (ii) General William Lyon, his spouse and lineal descendants (including adopted children and their lineal descendants) or any Person controlled, directly or indirectly, by, or trust or similar estate planning vehicle
established exclusively for the benefit of, any of such Persons, (iii) any Person or any of the Persons who were a group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision)
whose ownership of assets or Voting Stock has triggered a Change of Control in respect of which a Change of Control Offer has been made and all Notes that were tendered therein have been accepted and paid, (iv) any group (within the meaning of
Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act or any successor provision) of which any of the foregoing beneficially own, without giving effect to the existence of such group or any other group, more than 50.0% of the total
voting power of the aggregate Voting Stock of the Parent held directly or indirectly by such group and (v) any members of a group described in clause (iv) for so long as such Person is a member of such group.
Permitted Investment means:
(1) Investments by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary in (a) the Issuer or any Guarantor or (b) in any Person
that is or will become immediately after such Investment a Restricted Subsidiary or that will merge or consolidate into the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) Investments in the Parent by any Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) loans and advances to directors, employees and officers of the Parent and the Restricted Subsidiaries for bona fide
business purposes and to purchase Equity Interests of the Parent not in excess of $2.0 million at any one time outstanding;
(4) Hedging Obligations incurred pursuant to clause (4) of the second paragraph under the covenant described under
Certain CovenantsLimitations on Additional Indebtedness;
(5) Cash Equivalents;
(6) receivables owing to the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary if created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and
payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms;
provided
,
however
, that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Parent or any such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the
circumstances;
(7) Investments received pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement, including
foreclosure, perfection or enforcement of any Lien, upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such trade creditors or customers;
(8) Investments made by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of consideration received in connection with an
Asset Sale made in compliance with the covenant described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Asset Sales;
(9) lease, utility and other similar deposits in the ordinary course of business;
(10) Investments made by the Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary for consideration consisting only of Qualified Equity Interests;
(11) stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts created in the ordinary course of business and owing
to the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary or in satisfaction of judgments;
(12) Investments in existence on the Issue
Date and any extension, modification or renewal of such Investments or any Investments made with the proceeds of any disposition of any such Investments, but only to the extent not involving additional advances, contributions or other Investments of
cash or other assets or other increases thereof (other than as a result of the appreciation, accrual or accretion of interest or original issue discount or the issuance of
pay-in-kind
securities, in each case, pursuant to the terms of such Investment as in effect on the Issue Date);
(13) completion guarantees entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(14) the Designation of a Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the fourth paragraph of the covenant
described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries; and
(15)
Permitted Business Investments so long as immediately after giving effect to such Investment, the Parent could incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Ratio Exception.
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Permitted Liens means the following types of Liens:
(1)(a) statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen, repairmen and other
Liens imposed by law incurred in the ordinary course of business and (b) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental or quasi-governmental charges or claims, in either case, for sums not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith, if such
reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;
(2)
Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and
appeal bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and
return-of-money
bonds, development obligations, progress payments, utility services, developers
or other obligations to make
on-site
or
off-site
improvements and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money);
(3) Liens upon specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Persons obligations in
respect of bankers acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;
(4) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to commercial letters of credit which encumber documents, goods
covered thereby and other assets relating to such letters of credit and products and proceeds thereof;
(5) Liens
encumbering deposits made to secure obligations arising from statutory, regulatory, contractual or warranty requirements of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, including rights of offset and setoff;
(6) bankers Liens, rights of setoff and other similar Liens existing solely with respect to cash and Cash Equivalents on
deposit in one or more accounts maintained by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case granted in the ordinary course of business in favor of the bank or banks with which such accounts are maintained, securing amounts owing to such bank
with respect to cash management and operating account arrangements, including those involving pooled accounts and netting arrangements;
provided
that in no case shall any such Liens secure (either directly or indirectly) the repayment of any
Indebtedness;
(7) leases or subleases, licenses or sublicenses, (or any Liens related thereto) granted to others that do
not materially interfere with the ordinary course of business of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(8) Liens
arising from filing Uniform Commercial Code financing statements regarding leases;
(9) Liens securing all of the
Notes and Liens securing any Note Guarantee;
(10) Liens in favor of the Trustee under and as permitted by the Indenture;
(11) Liens existing on the Issue Date securing Indebtedness outstanding on the Issue Date;
(12) Liens in favor of the Issuer or a Guarantor;
(13) Liens securing Permitted Indebtedness incurred pursuant to and outstanding under clause (1) of Certain
CovenantsLimitations on Additional Indebtedness;
(14) Liens securing Indebtedness in an amount not to exceed
the greater of (x) $15.0 million and (y) 1.5% of Consolidated Tangible Assets of the time of incurrence;
(15) Liens securing
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness of the Parent or any Restricted
Subsidiary permitted to be incurred under the Indenture;
provided
, that such Liens apply only to (a) the property financed out of the net proceeds of such
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness
within 365 days after the incurrence of such
Non-Recourse
Indebtedness and (b) Directly Related Assets;
(16) Liens securing Purchase Money Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Indenture;
provided
that such Liens
apply only to (a) the property acquired, constructed or improved with the proceeds of such Purchase Money Indebtedness within 365 days after the incurrence of such Purchase Money Indebtedness and (b) Directly Related Assets;
(17) Liens securing Acquired Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Indenture;
provided
that the Liens do not
extend to assets not subject to such Lien at the time of acquisition (other than Directed Related Assets) and are no more favorable to the lienholders than those securing such Acquired Indebtedness prior to the incurrence of such Acquired
Indebtedness by the Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(18) Liens on assets of a Person existing at the time such Person
is acquired or merged with or into or consolidated with the Parent or any such Restricted Subsidiary (and not created in anticipation or contemplation thereof);
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(19) Liens to secure Attributable Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the
Indenture;
provided
that any such Lien shall not extend to or cover any assets of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary other than (a) the assets which are the subject of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction in which the Attributable
Indebtedness is incurred and (b) Directly Related Assets;
(20) Liens securing Indebtedness of Parent or its
Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Indebtedness of a Joint Venture permitted to be incurred under the Indenture;
provided
that, with respect to such Indebtedness, such Liens do not extend to assets of Parent or its Restricted Subsidiaries
other than (x) assets of the Joint Venture or (y) the Equity Interests held by Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary in such Joint Venture to the extent that such Liens secure Indebtedness in respect of such Joint Venture owing to lenders who
have also been granted Liens on assets of such Joint Venture to secure Indebtedness of such Joint Venture;
(21) Liens to
secure Refinancing Indebtedness which is incurred to refinance any Indebtedness which has been secured by a Lien permitted under the Indenture and which has been incurred in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture;
provided
that in
each case such Liens do not extend to any additional assets (other than Directly Related Assets);
(22) attachment or
judgment Liens not giving rise to a Default and which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;
(23)
easements,
rights-of-way,
dedications, covenants, conditions, restrictions, reservations, assessment district and other similar charges or encumbrances not materially
interfering with the ordinary course of business of the Parent and its Subsidiaries;
(24) zoning restrictions, licenses,
restrictions on the use of real property or minor irregularities in title thereto, which do not materially impair the use of such real property in the ordinary course of business of the Parent and its Subsidiaries or the value of such real property
for the purpose of such business;
(25) Liens on Equity Interests in an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent that such
Liens secure Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary owing to lenders who have also been granted Liens on assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary to secure such Indebtedness;
(26) any right of first refusal, right of first offer, option, contract or other agreement to sell an asset;
provided
such sale is not otherwise prohibited under the Indenture;
(27) Liens for homeowner and property owner association
developments and assessments;
(28) Licenses of intellectual property granted in the ordinary course of business and not
interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of business of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(29)
pledges, deposits and other Liens existing under, or required to be made in connection with, (i) earnest money obligations, escrows or similar purpose undertakings or indemnifications in connection with any purchase and sale agreement,
(ii) development agreements or other contracts entered into with governmental authorities (or an entity sponsored by a governmental authority), in connection with the entitlement of real property or (iii) agreements for the funding of
infrastructure, including in respect of the issuance of community facility district bonds, metro district bonds, mello-roos bonds and subdivision improvement bonds, and similar bonding requirements arising in the ordinary course of business of a
homebuilder;
(30) Liens, encumbrances or other restrictions not securing Indebtedness contained in any joint venture
agreement entered into by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to the equity interests issued by the relevant joint venture or the assets of such joint venture;
(31) assignments of insurance or condemnation proceeds provided to landlords (or their mortgagees) pursuant to the terms of any
lease of property leased by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case with respect to the property so leased, and customary Liens and rights reserved in any lease for rent or for compliance with the terms of such lease; and
(32) Liens on cash pledged to secure deductibles, retentions and other obligations to insurance providers in the ordinary
course of business.
Permitted Unrestricted Subsidiary Debt means Indebtedness of an Unrestricted Subsidiary:
(1) as to which neither the Parent nor any Restricted Subsidiary (a) provides credit support of any kind (including any
undertaking, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness), (b) is directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or otherwise, or (c) constitutes the lender, other than, in the case of clause (a) or (b), obligations of
the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary arising as a result of being the general partner of such Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent such obligations do not constitute Indebtedness of the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the
definition of Indebtedness; and
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(2) as to which the lenders have been notified in writing that they will not have
any recourse to the Equity Interests or assets of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary.
Person means any individual,
corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or other agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity of
any kind.
Plan of Liquidation with respect to any Person, means a plan that provides for, contemplates or the effectuation of
which is preceded or accompanied by (whether or not substantially contemporaneously, in phases or otherwise): (1) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Person otherwise than as an
entirety or substantially as an entirety; and (2) the distribution of all or substantially all of the proceeds of such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the remaining assets of such Person to creditors
and holders of Equity Interests of such Person.
principal means, with respect to the Notes, the principal of, and premium, if
any, on the Notes.
Purchase Money Indebtedness means Indebtedness, including Capitalized Lease Obligations, of the Parent or
any Restricted Subsidiary incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price of property, plant or equipment used in the business of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary or the cost of installation, construction or
improvement thereof;
provided
,
however
, that (1) the amount of such Indebtedness shall not exceed such purchase price or cost (including financing costs), (2) such Indebtedness shall not be secured by any asset other than the
specified asset being financed or, in the case of real property or fixtures, including additions and improvements, the real property to which such asset is attached and Directly Related Assets and (3) such Indebtedness shall be incurred
within 365 days after such acquisition of such asset by the Parent or such Restricted Subsidiary or such installation, construction or improvement.
Qualified Equity Interests means Equity Interests of the Parent other than Disqualified Equity Interests.
Rating Agency means each of Standard & Poors Ratings Group, Inc. and Moodys Investors Service, Inc. or, if
Standard & Poors Ratings Group, Inc. or Moodys Investors Service, Inc. or both shall cease to rate the Notes, a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Company (as
certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors) which shall be substituted for Standard & Poors Ratings Group, Inc. or Moodys Investors Service, Inc. or both, as the case may be.
Ratio Exception has the meaning set forth in the proviso in the first paragraph of the covenant described under
Certain CovenantsLimitations on Additional Indebtedness.
redeem means to redeem, repurchase,
purchase, defease, retire, discharge or otherwise acquire or retire for value; and redemption shall have a correlative meaning.
Redesignation has the meaning given to such term in the covenant described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on
Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
Refinancing Indebtedness means Indebtedness of the Parent or a Restricted
Subsidiary issued in exchange for, or the proceeds from the issuance and sale or disbursement of which are used substantially concurrently to redeem or refinance in whole or in part, or constituting an amendment of, any Indebtedness of the Parent or
any Restricted Subsidiary (the Refinanced Indebtedness) in a principal amount not in excess of the principal amount of the Refinanced Indebtedness so repaid or amended (plus the amount of any premium paid, accrued and unpaid interest and
the amount of all fees and expenses incurred by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection therewith) (or, if such Refinancing Indebtedness refinances Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility or other agreement providing a
commitment for subsequent borrowings, with a maximum commitment not to exceed the maximum commitment under such revolving credit facility or other agreement);
provided
that:
(1) if the Refinanced Indebtedness was subordinated to or pari passu with the Notes or the Note Guarantees, as the case may be,
then such Refinancing Indebtedness, by its terms, is expressly pari passu with (in the case of Refinanced Indebtedness that was pari passu with) or subordinated in right of payment to (in the case of Refinanced Indebtedness that was subordinated to)
the Notes or the Note Guarantees, as the case may be, at least to the same extent as the Refinanced Indebtedness;
65
(2) the Refinancing Indebtedness is scheduled to mature either (a) no
earlier than the Refinanced Indebtedness being repaid or amended or (b) after the maturity date of the Notes;
(3) the
portion, if any, of the Refinancing Indebtedness that is scheduled to mature on or prior to the maturity date of the Notes has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is incurred that is equal to or greater than
the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the portion of the Refinanced Indebtedness being repaid that is scheduled to mature on or prior to the maturity date of the Notes; and
(4) the Refinancing Indebtedness is secured only to the extent, if at all, and by the assets, that the Refinanced Indebtedness
being repaid, extended or amended is secured.
Restricted Payment means any of the following:
(1) the declaration or payment of any dividend or any other distribution on Equity Interests of the Parent or any Restricted
Subsidiary or any payment made to the direct or indirect holders (in their capacities as such) of Equity Interests of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, including any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Parent
or the Issuer, but excluding (a) dividends or distributions payable solely in Qualified Equity Interests and (b) in the case of Restricted Subsidiaries, dividends or distributions payable to the Parent or to a Restricted Subsidiary and pro
rata dividends or distributions payable to minority stockholders of any Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) the redemption of any
Equity Interests of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary, including any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Parent or the Issuer, but excluding any such Equity Interests held by the Parent or any Restricted
Subsidiary;
(3) any Investment other than a Permitted Investment; or
(4) any payment on or with respect to, or redemption of, any Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Subsidiary
Guarantor (excluding any intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Parent and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), except (i) a payment of interest or principal at the Stated Maturity thereof or (ii) the redemption of any such
Subordinated Indebtedness purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or payment at final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase or other acquisition.
Restricted Payments Basket has the meaning given to such term in the first paragraph of the covenant described under
Certain CovenantsLimitations on Restricted Payments.
Restricted Subsidiary means any Subsidiary of
the Parent other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Sale and Leaseback Transaction means, with respect to any Person, an
arrangement with any bank, insurance company or other lender or investor or to which such lender or investor is a party, providing for the leasing by such Person of any asset of such Person which has been or is being sold or transferred by such
Person to such lender or investor or to any Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such lender or investor on the security of such asset.
Secretarys Certificate means a certificate signed by the Secretary of the Parent.
Significant Subsidiary means (1) any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Issuer) that would be a significant
subsidiary as defined in
Regulation S-X
promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act as such Regulation is in effect on the Issue Date and (2) any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Issuer)
that, when aggregated with all other Restricted Subsidiaries (other than the Issuer) that are not otherwise Significant Subsidiaries and as to which any event described in clause (7) or (8) under Events of Default has
occurred and is continuing, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary under clause (1) of this definition.
Subordinated
Indebtedness means Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor that is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Note Guarantees, respectively.
Subsidiary means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other
business entity that is or is required to be consolidated in the consolidated financial statements of such Person in accordance with GAAP. Unless otherwise specified, Subsidiary refers to a Subsidiary of the Parent.
Subsidiary Guarantor means any Guarantor other than the Parent.
Subsidiary Note Guarantee means the guarantee of the Notes executed by each Subsidiary Guarantor. Trust Indenture Act
means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
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Unit means a residence, whether single or part of a multifamily building, whether
completed or under construction, held by the Parent, any Restricted Subsidiary or any Joint Venture for sale in the ordinary course of business.
Unrestricted Subsidiary means (1) any Subsidiary that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted
Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of the Parent in accordance with the covenant described under Certain CovenantsLimitations on Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries and (2) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted
Subsidiary.
U.S. Government Obligations means direct
non-callable
obligations
of, or obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America for the payment of which guarantee or obligations the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged.
Voting Stock with respect to any Person, means securities of any class of Equity Interests of such Person entitling the holders
thereof (whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock or other relevant equity interest has voting power by reason of any contingency) to vote in the election of members of the board of directors of such Person.
Weighted Average Life to Maturity when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, means the number of years obtained by dividing
(1) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payment of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof by
(b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest
one-twelfth)
that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (2) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary means a Restricted Subsidiary of which 100% of the Equity Interests (except for
directors qualifying shares or certain minority interests owned by other Persons solely due to local law requirements that there be more than one stockholder, but which interest is not in excess of what is required for such purpose) are owned
directly by the Parent or through one or more Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries.
Wholly Owned Subsidiary means a
Subsidiary of which 100% of the Equity Interests (except for directors qualifying shares or certain minority interests owned by other Persons solely due to local law requirements that there be more than one stockholder, but which interest
is not in excess of what is required for such purpose) are owned directly by the Parent or through one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.
Book-Entry,
Delivery and Form
Except as set forth below, exchange notes will be issued in registered, global form (the Global Notes)
in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.
Except as set forth below, the Global Notes may
be transferred, in whole and not in part, only to another nominee of DTC or to a successor of DTC or its nominee. Beneficial interests in the Global Notes may not be exchanged for definitive Notes in registered certificated
form (Certificated Notes) except in the limited circumstances described below. See Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes. Except in the limited circumstances described below, owners of beneficial
interests in the Global Notes will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Notes in certificated form.
In addition, transfers of
beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be subject to the applicable rules and procedures of DTC and its direct or indirect participants (including, if applicable, those of Euroclear and Clearstream), which may change from time to time.
Depository Procedures
The following
description of the operations and procedures of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream are provided solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of the respective settlement systems and are subject to
changes by them. The Issuer and trustee take no responsibility for these operations and procedures and urge investors to contact the system or their participants directly to discuss these matters.
DTC has advised the Issuer that DTC is a limited-purpose trust company created to hold securities for its participating organizations
(collectively, the Participants) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions in those securities between the Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its Participants. The Participants include
securities brokers and dealers (including the initial purchasers), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Access to DTCs system is also available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and
trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or indirectly (collectively, the Indirect Participants). Persons who are not Participants may beneficially own securities held by
or on behalf of DTC only through the Participants or the Indirect Participants. The ownership interests in, and transfers of ownership interests in, each security held by or on behalf of DTC are recorded on the records of the Participants and
Indirect Participants.
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DTC has also advised the Issuer that, pursuant to procedures established by it:
(1) upon deposit of the Global Notes, DTC will credit the accounts of the Participants designated by the initial purchasers
with portions of the principal amount of the Global Notes; and
(2) ownership of these interests in the Global Notes will
be shown on, and the transfer of ownership of these interests will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to the Participants) or by the Participants and the Indirect Participants (with respect to other owners of
beneficial interest in the Global Notes).
Investors in the Global Notes who are Participants may hold their interests therein directly
through DTC. Investors in the Global Notes who are not Participants may hold their interests therein indirectly through organizations (including Euroclear and Clearstream) which are Participants in such system. Euroclear and Clearstream will hold
interests in the Global Notes on behalf of their participants through customers securities accounts in their respective names on the books of their respective depositories, which are Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of Euroclear, and
Citibank, N.A., as operator of Clearstream. All interests in a Global Note, including those held through Euroclear or Clearstream, may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC. Those interests held through Euroclear or Clearstream may
also be subject to the procedures and requirements of such systems. The laws of some states require that certain Persons take physical delivery in definitive form of securities that they own. Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial
interests in a Global Note to such Persons will be limited to that extent. Because DTC can act only on behalf of the Participants, which in turn act on behalf of the Indirect Participants, the ability of a Person having beneficial interests in a
Global Note to pledge such interests to Persons that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of such interests, may be affected by the lack of a physical certificate evidencing such interests.
Except as described below, owners of interests in the Global Notes will not have Notes registered in their names, will not receive physical
delivery of Notes in certificated form and will not be considered the registered owners or holders thereof under the indenture for any purpose.
Payments in respect of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, a Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee will
be payable to DTC in its capacity as the registered holder under the indenture. Under the terms of the indenture, the Issuer and the trustee will treat the Persons in whose names the Notes, including the Global Notes, are registered as the owners of
the Notes for the purpose of receiving payments and for all other purposes. Consequently, neither the Issuer, the trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or the trustee has or will have any responsibility or liability for:
(1) any aspect of DTCs records or any Participants or Indirect Participants records relating to or payments
made on account of beneficial ownership interest in the Global Notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of DTCs records or any Participants or Indirect Participants records relating to the beneficial ownership
interests in the Global Notes; or
(2) any other matter relating to the actions and practices of DTC or any of its
Participants or Indirect Participants.
DTC has advised the Issuer that its current practice, upon receipt of any payment in respect of
securities such as the Notes (including principal and interest), is to credit the accounts of the relevant Participants with the payment on the payment date unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment on such payment date. Each
relevant Participant is credited with an amount proportionate to its beneficial ownership of an interest in the principal amount of the relevant security as shown on the records of DTC. Payments by the Participants and the Indirect Participants to
the beneficial owners of Notes will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices and will be the responsibility of the Participants or the Indirect Participants and will not be the responsibility of DTC, the trustee or the Issuer.
Neither the Issuer nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC or any of the Participants or the Indirect Participants in identifying the beneficial owners of the Notes, and the Issuer and the trustee may conclusively rely on and will be
protected in relying on instructions from DTC or its nominee for all purposes.
Transfers between the Participants will be effected in
accordance with DTCs procedures, and will be settled in
same-day
funds, and transfers between participants in Euroclear and Clearstream will be effected in accordance with their respective rules and
operating procedures.
Cross-market transfers between the Participants, on the one hand, and Euroclear or Clearstream participants, on the
other hand, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTCs rules on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by their respective depositaries; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions
to
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Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by the counterparty in such system in accordance with the rules and procedures and within the established deadlines (Brussels time) of such system.
Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its respective depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving interests
in the relevant Global Note in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for
same-day
funds settlement applicable to DTC. Euroclear participants and Clearstream participants may
not deliver instructions directly to the depositories for Euroclear or Clearstream.
DTC has advised the Issuer that it will take any
action permitted to be taken by a holder of Notes only at the direction of one or more Participants to whose account DTC has credited the interests in the Global Notes and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the
Notes as to which such Participant or Participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an Event of Default under the Notes, DTC reserves the right to exchange the Global Notes for legended Notes in certificated form, and to
distribute such Notes to its Participants.
Although DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream have agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate
transfers of interests in the Global Notes among participants in DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, they are under no obligation to perform or to continue to perform such procedures, and may discontinue such procedures at any time. None of the Issuer,
the trustee and any of their respective agents will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or their respective participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures
governing their operations.
Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes
A Global Note is exchangeable for Certificated Notes if:
(1) DTC (a) notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global Notes or
(b) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, the Issuer fails to appoint a successor depositary;
(2) the Issuer, at its option, notifies the trustee in writing that it elects to cause the issuance of the Certificated Notes;
or
(3) there has occurred and is continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Notes.
In addition, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be exchanged for Certificated Notes upon prior written notice given to the trustee by
or on behalf of DTC in accordance with the indenture. In all cases, Certificated Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests in Global Notes will be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations,
requested by or on behalf of the depositary (in accordance with its customary procedures).
Exchange of Certificated Notes for Global Notes
Certificated Notes may not be exchanged for beneficial interests in any Global Note unless the transferor first delivers to the trustee a
written certificate (in the form provided in the indenture).
Same Day Settlement and Payment
The Issuer will make payments in respect of the Notes represented by the Global Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by DTC or its nominee. The Issuer will make all payments of principal, interest and premium, if any, with respect to Certificated Notes by wire transfer of immediately available
funds to the accounts specified by the holders of the Certificated Notes or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each such holders registered address. The Notes represented by the Global Notes are expected to be eligible to
trade in DTCs
Same-Day
Funds Settlement System, and any permitted secondary market trading activity in such Notes will, therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. The
Issuer expects that secondary trading in any Certificated Notes will also be settled in immediately available funds.
Because of time zone
differences, the securities account of a Euroclear or Clearstream participant purchasing an interest in a Global Note from a Participant will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream participant,
during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear and Clearstream) immediately following the settlement date of DTC. DTC has advised the Issuer that cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of
sales of interests in a Global Note by or through a Euroclear or Clearstream participant to a Participant will be received with value on the settlement date of DTC but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream cash account only as
of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream following DTCs settlement date.
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