UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||
(State or other jurisdiction |
| (Commission File Number) |
| (IRS Employer |
of incorporation) |
|
|
| Identification No.) |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |||
(Address of principal executive offices) |
|
| (Zip Code) |
(
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Former name or former address, if changed since last report: N/A
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of exchange on which registered | ||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Explanatory Note
As previously disclosed, on September 28, 2023 (the “Petition Date”), Capstone Green Energy Corporation (“Old Capstone”) and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Capstone Turbine International, Inc. (“Capstone Turbine International”) and Capstone Turbine Financial Services, LLC (“Capstone Financial Services” and, together with Capstone Turbine International and Old Capstone, the “Debtors”), filed voluntary petitions (the “Chapter 11 Cases”) for relief under chapter 11 of title 11 (“Chapter 11”) of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”). The Chapter 11 Cases were jointly administered only for procedural purposes under the caption In re Capstone Green Energy Corporation, Case No. 23-11634 (LSS) (Bankr. D. Del.).
On the Petition Date, the Debtors (i) entered into a Transaction Support Agreement (the “TSA”) with Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P., in its capacity as collateral agent (the “Collateral Agent”) under that certain Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2020 (as amended, the “Note Purchase Agreement”), and Broad Street Credit Holdings LLC, an affiliate of the Collateral Agent, in its capacity as purchaser (“Purchaser” and, together with the Collateral Agent, the “Pre-Petition Secured Parties”) under the Note Purchase Agreement and (ii) filed with the Bankruptcy Court a joint prepackaged chapter 11 plan of reorganization (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Plan”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Current Report on Form 8-K, shall have the respective meanings given to them in the Plan or the TSA, as applicable.
On October 24, 2023, in accordance with the TSA and the Plan, the Debtors filed a supplement to the Plan (the “Plan Supplement”) with the Bankruptcy Court. On November 9, 2023, the Debtors filed certain additional exhibits to the Plan Supplement.
On November 14, 2023, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order (the “Confirmation Order”) confirming the Plan, including the Plan Supplement and all exhibits and schedules thereto, and all other documents filed in connection with the Plan.
On December 7, 2023 (the “Effective Date”), the Plan, including the Plan Supplement and all exhibits and schedules thereto, became effective in accordance with its terms and the Debtors emerged from the Chapter 11 Cases without any need for further action or order of the Bankruptcy Court.
In connection with the Plan, on December 7, 2023, Old Capstone completed the series of transactions described below pursuant to which, among other things, Capstone Turbine International was re-named Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. and became the successor to Old Capstone.
Pursuant to the TSA and the Plan, the Debtors effectuated certain transactions (collectively, the “Restructuring”), pursuant to which, among other things, Old Capstone was re-named “Capstone Distributor Support Services Corporation” and become a private company (“Reorganized PrivateCo”) that continues to own assets consisting of (i) all of Old Capstone’s right, title, and interest in and to certain trademarks of Old Capstone and (ii) assets owned by Old Capstone relating to distributor support services ((i) and (ii) together, the “Retained Assets”), and Capstone Turbine International was re-named Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. (“New Capstone”) and is a successor to Old Capstone for purposes of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) reporting following emergence. New Capstone also expects that certain income tax attributes will remain with Reorganized PrivateCo. The TSA and the Plan also provided that (a) all liabilities and assets other than those directly related to the Retained Assets and otherwise described in the Plan were transferred to a newly formed subsidiary of Old Capstone, which has been named Capstone Green Energy LLC (“New Subsidiary”) and is now the primary operating entity, (b) Old Capstone contributed Common Units (as defined in the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of New Subsidiary (the “New Subsidiary LLC Agreement”)) of New Subsidiary with an aggregate value representing 62.5% equity ownership in New Subsidiary to New Capstone, while Old Capstone retained Preferred Units (as defined in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement) of New Subsidiary with an aggregate value representing non-dilutable 37.5% equity ownership in New Subsidiary on an as-converted basis, (c) Old Capstone’s stockholders received their pro rata share of one hundred percent (100%) of the equity in New Capstone, subject to dilution from any stock issued as equity incentive compensation pursuant to equity incentive plans, and (d) all other existing equity interests of Old Capstone, including warrants, options, restricted stock units and preferred stock units, were cancelled.
The Preferred Units rank senior in certain respects to the Common Units and subordinate to New Subsidiary’s existing and future indebtedness, and the Preferred Units are entitled to vote with the Common Units on an as-converted basis. The holders of the Preferred Units also (i) have certain distribution rights, preemptive rights, registration rights, redemption rights, conversion rights (equal to 37.5% of the Common Units deemed outstanding, on a non-dilutable basis) and a liquidation preference and (ii) subject New Subsidiary to certain affirmative and negative covenants.
A diagram of the above described transactions is set forth below:
This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed by New Capstone as the initial report of New Capstone to the Commission and as notice that New Capstone is the successor issuer to Old Capstone under Rule 12g-3(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). As a result, shares of New Capstone’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), are deemed to be registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act. New Capstone is thereby deemed subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and in accordance therewith will file reports and other information with the Commission. New Capstone will file periodic reports relating to the financial statements of Old Capstone including, without limitation, (i) restated financial statements for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2022, and March 31, 2021, and, as applicable, fiscal quarters within such fiscal years and within the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, and (ii) financial statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, and the first two fiscal quarters of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024.The first periodic report to be filed by New Capstone with the Commission containing financial statements of New Capstone for any period following the Effective Date will be New Capstone’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ending December 31, 2023.
Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement |
Exit Facility Agreement
In connection with the emergence form the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, New Subsidiary entered into an Exit Note Purchase Agreement (the “Exit Note Purchase Agreement”), by and among New Subsidiary, as the issuer, New Capstone and Capstone Financial Services, as the guarantors (the “Guarantors”), Purchaser and the Collateral Agent. The Exit Note Purchase Agreement provides for:
(i)a roll up of the $12.6 million DIP New Money Notes (plus any accrued unpaid interest);
(ii)a roll up of $8.0 million of DIP Roll Up Notes (plus any accrued unpaid interest) (collectively with the roll up of the $12.6 million DIP New Money Notes, the “Exit Roll Up Notes”); and
(iii) an additional $7.0 million new money committed delayed draw term loan facility (the “Exit New Money Notes” and, together with the Exit Roll Up Notes, the “Notes”), of which $3.0 million was drawn at closing.
The Exit Note Purchase Agreement also provides for a $10.0 million uncommitted incremental facility. The proceeds of the $7.0 million of Exit New Money Notes will be used to fund restructuring expenses and for working capital, for general corporate purposes and to pay interest, premiums, fees and expenses payable under the other Note Documents (as defined in the Exit Note Purchase Agreement). The Notes bear interest at a rate equal to the Adjusted Term SOFR (as defined in the Exit Note Purchase Agreement) plus 7.00% per annum. The Exit Roll Up Notes mature on December 7, 2026, and the Exit New Money Notes mature on December 7, 2025.
The Notes issued pursuant to the Exit Note Purchase Agreement are secured by a lien on substantially all of the present and future property and assets of New Subsidiary and each Guarantor, subject to customary exceptions and exclusions. The Exit Note Purchase Agreement also includes conditions precedent, representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants, events of default, and other customary provisions, including financial covenants with respect to minimum consolidated liquidity and minimum consolidated adjusted EBITDA.
The minimum liquidity covenant will be tested at all times from and after June 30, 2024, and will require New Capstone and its subsidiaries to maintain a minimum average Consolidated Liquidity (as defined in the Exit Note Purchase Agreement) during any seven consecutive day period of no less than:
(i)from June 30, 2024 to March 30, 2025, $2,000,000;
(ii)from March 31, 2025 to June 29, 2025, $2,500,000;
(iii)from June 30, 2025 to September 29, 2025, $3,000,000;
(iv)from September 30, 2025 to March 30, 2026, $3,500,000; and
(v)from March 31 2026 to December 7, 2026, $4,000,000.
The minimum consolidated adjusted EBITDA covenant will be tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter, commencing with March 31, 2024, and will require New Capstone and its subsidiaries to maintain a minimum Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the Exit Note Purchase Agreement) as at the end of any fiscal quarter (i) from January 1, 2024 until September 30, 2024, for the period of the fiscal quarters then ended in such calendar year and (ii) from October 1, 2024, for the four fiscal quarter period then ended, of no less than the correlative amount indicated below (with corresponding calendar quarters also included as reference):
Fiscal Quarter Ending | Consolidated |
---|---|
March 31, 2024 | $1,000,000 |
June 30, 2024 | $1,500,000 |
Fiscal Quarter Ending | Consolidated |
---|---|
September 30, 2024 | $2,500,000 |
December 31, 2024 | $4,000,000 |
March 31, 2025 | $5,000,000 |
June 30, 2025 | $5,500,000 |
September 30, 2025 | $6,000,000 |
December 31, 2025 | $6,500,000 |
March 31, 2026 | $8,000,000 |
June 30, 2026 | $8,000,000 |
September 30, 2026 | $8,000,000 |
New Subsidiary LLC Agreement
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, New Subsidiary, Reorganized PrivateCo and New Capstone entered into the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement. Pursuant to the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, New Capstone owns Common Units with an aggregate value representing 62.5% equity ownership in New Subsidiary and Reorganized PrivateCo owns Preferred Units with an aggregate value representing non-dilutable 37.5% equity ownership in New Subsidiary on an as-converted basis. The Preferred Units rank senior in certain respects to the Common Units and subordinate to New Subsidiary’s existing and future indebtedness, and the Preferred Units will be entitled to vote with the Common Units on an as-converted basis. Additionally, pursuant to the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, New Subsidiary may not undertake certain actions without the prior written approval of Reorganized PrivateCo. Subject to certain exceptions, New Subsidiary may not, among other things: (1) alter or change the rights, preferences or privileges of the Preferred Units or amend any of New Subsidiary’s governing documents; (2) make any change in corporate form, including conversion to a corporation; (3) increase the authorized number of Preferred Units; (4) issue any Common Units or equivalents to any person or group of persons (other than New Capstone), or approve the sale by New Capstone of Common Units or equivalents to any person or group of persons, such that after the issuance or sale, as applicable, such person or group of persons would own an aggregate number of Common Units in excess of 25% of the actually outstanding Common Units on the date of the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement; (5) create any new class of units with preference over, or parity with, the Preferred Units; (6) authorize, issue or reclassify any securities issued by New Subsidiary, its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates (the “Restricted Entities”), other than issuances of Common Units to New Capstone; (7) sell, issue, sponsor, create or distribute any digital tokens, cryptocurrency or other blockchain-based assets; (8) incur new third party indebtedness exceeding $5.0 million, other than (A) debt contemplated by the TSA, (B) lease or other obligations relating to the rental of equipment to customers or otherwise for energy-as-a-service (EaaS) business activity and (C) debt permitted under the DIP NPA (as defined below); (9) declare or pay distributions other than (A) for tax purposes and (B) distributions from New Subsidiary’s subsidiaries or controlled affiliate to New Subsidiary or its wholly owned subsidiaries; (10) effectuate any liquidation event; (11) acquire any business, ownership of any equity securities in any person other than a wholly owned subsidiary, or enter into a joint venture arrangement; (12) conduct any public offering or direct listing on a national securities exchange; (13) enter into any merger or other transaction resulting in New Subsidiary’s equity interests being listed or quoted for trading on an exchange or otherwise subject to registration; (14) commence, settle, defend or make any material decisions with respect to any material settlement or litigation; (15) make any material change to the nature of New Subsidiary’s Existing Business (as defined in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement); or (16) enter into any affiliated party transaction except for (A) payments to holders of Common Units (including New Capstone) in accordance with the terms of the New Capstone Services Agreement (described below) and (B) compensation arrangements.
Pursuant to the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, New Capstone, its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates (other than the Restricted Entities) (the “Unrestricted Entities”) may not, without the consent of the holders of a majority of the Preferred Units held by the Preferred Members (the “Preferred Requisite Members” which, on the effective date of the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement is solely Reorganized PrivateCo), engage in any business opportunities, make any investments or enter into any transactions, including any of the foregoing which are or would reasonably be expected to be within the scope of, or would reasonably be deemed to be beneficial to, the Existing Business of New Subsidiary; provided that such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, including in circumstances in which any Unrestricted Entity proposes to engage in any such business opportunities, make any such investments or enter into any such transactions and (i) where the business opportunity, investment or transaction (the “New Opportunity”) would constitute a change in the Existing Business if the Restricted Entities were to engage in such New Opportunity, make such investments or enter into such transactions and the Preferred Requisite Members do not consent to such change following New Subsidiary’s request reasonably in advance of such New Opportunity for the Preferred Requisite Members to be able to reasonably consider such request, or (ii) the New Opportunity is not within the scope of the Existing Business and either (A) the New Opportunity is first presented to New Subsidiary, New Subsidiary proposes such New Opportunity to the Preferred Requisite Members reasonably in advance of such New Opportunity for the Preferred Requisite Members to be able to reasonably consider such proposal, and the Preferred Members (as defined in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement) do not agree to fund their proportionate share of the cost thereof, or (B) the New Opportunity is funded entirely with the proceeds of financing transactions by, or through the issuance of securities of, any Unrestricted Entity.
Pursuant to the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, at any time during the six-month period following the sixth anniversary of the effective date of the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, the Preferred Requisite Members may elect to have all, but not less than all, of the then outstanding Preferred Units redeemed (a “Redemption Request”). In such event, New Subsidiary will redeem all, but not less than all, of the Preferred Units, except New Subsidiary may not make such payment if (a) such payment is prohibited by Section 18-607 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, Title 6, Chapter 18, §§ 18-101, et seq. or (b) New Subsidiary is, or by such payment would be, insolvent (together, the “Redemption Exceptions”). The aggregate price for Preferred Units will be an amount equal to the greater of (i) the $10,449,863, plus declared but unpaid distributions, or (ii) the fair market value of the Preferred Units on an as-converted to Common Units basis at the time of such redemption (the “Redemption Price”). If a Redemption Exception prevents New Subsidiary from redeeming all Preferred Units, New Subsidiary will redeem the maximum possible number of Preferred Units from the Preferred Members without triggering any Redemption Exceptions. At any time thereafter when the Redemption Exceptions do not prevent New Subsidiary from redeeming Preferred Units that remain issued and outstanding, New Subsidiary will immediately use its funds to redeem the balance of the Preferred Units that New Subsidiary became obligated to redeem (but which it has not yet redeemed) at the then applicable Redemption Price. New Subsidiary may raise new capital to fund the Redemption Price.
Pursuant to the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, each Preferred Member has the right to all or any portion of such Preferred Member’s pro rata portion, at such Preferred Member’s sole discretion, of new securities that any Restricted Entity may from time to time propose to issue or sell to any party, subject to the terms and certain exceptions set forth in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement. Members may not transfer their Units (as defined in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement), provided that all, but not less than all, Preferred Units held by the Preferred Members may be transferred only if: (i) transferred to the same transferee (or its Affiliates) as part of the same transaction or series of related transactions, in which case (A) the Preferred Members must cause the recipient(s) of such Preferred Units to comply with the terms of the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, and (B) if such recipient(s) are competitors of New Capstone only if first converted into Common Units; or (ii) transferred to more than one unaffiliated transferees as part of the same transaction or series of related transactions, in which case (A) the Preferred Members will cause the recipients of such Preferred Units to comply with the terms of the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, (B) if such recipients are competitors of New Capstone only if first converted into Common Units, and (C) one transferee must continue to hold a sufficient number of Preferred Units so that such transferee qualifies as the Preferred Requisite Member. Each Preferred Member has a right of first refusal if any Common Member (the “Offering Member”) receives a bona fide offer that the Offering Member desires to accept to transfer all or any portion of such Offering Member’s Units (the “Offered Units”). Each time the Offering Member receives an offer for a transfer of all or any portion of such Offering Member’s Units, the Offering Member is required to first make an offering of the Offered Units to the Preferred Members, in accordance with the terms set forth in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement and subject certain exceptions set forth therein, prior to transferring such Offered Units. Additionally, subject to certain exceptions set forth in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, New Capstone has a right of first offer if the Preferred Members wish to transfer Preferred Units to a third
party. Each Preferred Member is permitted to participate in any proposed transfer by a Common Member of any Units to any Person, in accordance with the terms set forth in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement and subject to certain exceptions set forth therein.
Services Agreement between New Capstone and New Subsidiary
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, New Capstone entered into a Services Agreement (the “New Capstone Services Agreement”) by and among New Capstone and New Subsidiary. The New Capstone Services Agreement provides, among other things, that New Capstone will provide certain services to New Subsidiary, in its capacity as a majority equity holder of New Subsidiary, and in consideration for the services provided by the New Capstone, New Subsidiary will reimburse New Capstone for its reasonable audit, board and executive compensation expenses incurred in connection with being a publicly traded company (the “New Capstone Services Fee”). The New Capstone Services Fee for New Capstone’s fiscal year 2023 will not exceed $2,500,000, in the aggregate (the “Services Fee Cap”), which amount will be prorated based on the number of days in such fiscal year following execution of the New Capstone Services Agreement. Effective as of April 1 of each year, beginning with April 1, 2024, the Services Fee Cap will increase for each fiscal year by an amount equal to the greater of (a) 3.5000% and (b) the Consumer Price Index, as set by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and available on March 31 of each year; provided that such increase effective on April 1, 2024, shall be equal to 1.7500%.
Services Agreement between Reorganized PrivateCo and New Subsidiary
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, New Subsidiary entered into a Services Agreement (the “Reorganized PrivateCo Services Agreement”) by and among Reorganized PrivateCo and New Subsidiary. The Reorganized PrivateCo Services Agreement provides that, among other things, New Subsidiary will provide certain services to Reorganized PrivateCo, and Reorganized PrivateCo will provide to New Subsidiary’s distributors on a subcontracted basis and, where applicable, to New Subsidiary, certain ongoing services and transition services related to Reorganized PrivateCo’s distributor support services business. Reorganized PrivateCo will pay to New Subsidiary a service fee (the “Reorganized PrivateCo Services Fee”) of an amount in cash equal to 90% of Reorganized PrivateCo’s Income (as defined in the Reorganized PrivateCo Services Agreement) less itemized expenses incurred and actually paid in cash by Reorganized PrivateCo in direct support of New Subsidiary’s distributors and in Reorganized PrivateCo’s performance of the services (excluding the Reorganized PrivateCo Services Fees).
Trademark License Agreement
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, New Capstone entered into a Trademark License Agreement (the “Trademark License Agreement”) by and between Reorganized PrivateCo, as licensor, and New Capstone, as licensee. The Trademark License Agreement provides that, among other things, Reorganized PrivateCo grants New Capstone a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing, non-transferable, non-sublicensable (except to New Capstone’s affiliates), worldwide, perpetual (subject to the terms and conditions of the Trademark License Agreement), irrevocable (subject to the terms and conditions of the Trademark License Agreement), limited license, under all of its right, title and interest in and to the Capstone Trademarks (as defined in the Trademark License Agreement) to use the Capstone Trademarks solely in connection with the Business (as defined in the Trademark License Agreement). In consideration for the license, New Capstone pays to Reorganized PrivateCo an annual royalty of $100,000. Reorganized PrivateCo may not assign the Capstone Trademarks to any third party without New Capstone’s consent, not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned (subject to the terms and conditions of the Trademark License Agreement). If Reorganized PrivateCo does not use any of the Capstone Trademarks for six consecutive months, then the Capstone Trademarks will be assigned to New Capstone for no further consideration.
Registration Rights Agreement
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, New Subsidiary entered into a Registration Rights Agreement by and among Reorganized PrivateCo and New Subsidiary (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, at any time after the initial public offering or listing on a securities exchange of New Subsidiary’s Common Units, the holders of the majority of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) will have certain demand registration and piggyback registration rights.
The foregoing descriptions of the Exit Facility Agreement, the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, the New Capstone Services Agreement, the Reorganized PrivateCo Services agreement, the Trademark License Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full texts of the Exit Facility Agreement, the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement, the New Capstone Services Agreement, the Reorganized PrivateCo Services Agreement, the Trademark License Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement which are attached as Exhibits 4.1, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5 hereto, respectively and are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 1.02 | Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement |
Cancellation of Certain Prepetition Obligations
Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, on the Effective Date, the obligations of Old Capstone and the other Debtors under the following agreements were cancelled:
● | Notes issued pursuant to the Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2020 (as has been amended, restated, modified, supplemented or replaced from time to time prior to the Petition Date, the “Pre-Petition NPA”), by and among Old Capstone, as issuer, New Capstone (f/k/a Capstone Turbine International) and Capstone Financial Services, as guarantors, the Collateral Agent and Purchaser. |
● | New Money DIP Notes and Roll Up DIP Notes issued pursuant to the DIP Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 2, 2023 (as has been amended, restated, modified, supplemented or replaced from time to time, the “DIP NPA”), by and among Old Capstone, as issuer, New Capstone (f/k/a Capstone Turbine International) and Capstone Financial Services, as guarantors, the Collateral Agent and Purchaser. |
Material agreements of Old Capstone, other than the Rights Agreement dated as of May 6, 2019, as amended, by and between Old Capstone and Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. as rights agent, which was rejected pursuant to the Plan, have been assumed by New Subsidiary.
Cancellation of Prior Equity Securities
In accordance with the Plan, on the Effective Date, all equity securities in Old Capstone outstanding prior to the Effective Date, including the common stock, par value $0.001 per share of Old Capstone (the “Old Common Stock”), were canceled, released and extinguished, and are of no further force or effect without any need for a holder of Old Common Stock to take further action with respect thereto.
In addition, warrants to purchase up to 3,763,860 shares of Old Capstone at various exercise prices for each series were cancelled, as more fully set forth below:
Warrants | Exercise Price | Outstanding Warrants |
September 2019 HCW Series D Common Stock Warrants | $6.12 | 75,000 |
February 2019 Goldman Warrants | $2.61 | 463,067 |
October 2020 Goldman Warrants | $4.76 | 291,295 |
Lake Street Warrants | $2.75 | 2,934,498 |
Total Warrants Outstanding | 3,763,860 |
Furthermore, all other existing equity interests of Old Capstone, including options, restricted stock units and preferred stock units, were cancelled.
Item 2.03 | Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant |
The information set forth above under Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 3.02 | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities |
On the Effective Date, in connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, New Capstone issued 18,540,877 shares of Common Stock (the “New Common Stock”), pro rata to each holder of common stock of Old Capstone.
The issuance of the shares of Common Stock was made in reliance upon the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), provided by Section 1145 of the Bankruptcy Code, as an issuance of shares in exchange for an interest in the debtor represented by the common stock of Old Capstone. The issuance of the shares of the Common Stock will be automatically made to holders of common stock of Old Capstone pursuant to the procedures of The Depository Trust Company and New Capstone’s transfer agent.
Item 3.03 | Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders |
The information contained in the Explanatory Note, Item 1.02 above under the subheading “Cancellation of Prior Equity Securities” and Item 5.03 below is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.
Item 5.01 | Changes in Control of Registrant |
The information set forth in the Explanatory Note and Item 1.02 are incorporated by reference in this Item 5.01.
Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers |
Board of Directors
On the Effective Date, Robert C. Flexon, Yon Jorden, Robert F. Powelson, Ping Fu and Denise Wilson, current members of Old Capstone’s board of directors, continued serving as members of the board of directors of New Capstone (the “Board”). Ms. Wilson was named as Lead Independent Director.
Robert C. Flexon
Mr. Flexon, age 65, has been a director of Old Capstone since April 2018, and served as Chair since January 2021, as Executive Chairman since August 9, 2023 and as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since August 22, 2023. Mr. Flexon has served as a director of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG) since June 2020 and is currently the chair of the board. He has also served as a director for Charah Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: CHRA) from June 2018 to July 2023 and of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) since 2021. Mr. Flexon was President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Dynegy Inc. (NYSE: DYN), a power-generating company that owns and operates a number of natural gas-fueled and coal-fueled power stations in the U.S, from July 2011 to April 2018. Prior to joining Dynegy, Mr. Flexon served as the Chief Financial Officer of UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI), a distributor and marketer of energy products and related services from February 2011 to July 2011. Mr. Flexon was the Chief Executive Officer of Foster Wheeler AG (NASDAQ: FWLT) from June to October 2010 and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Foster Wheeler USA from November 2009 to May 2010. Prior to joining Foster Wheeler, Mr. Flexon was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) from February to November 2009. Mr. Flexon previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NRG Energy from March 2008 to February 2009 and as its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 2004 to 2008. Prior to joining NRG Energy, Mr. Flexon held executive positions with Hercules, Inc. and various key positions, including General Auditor, with Atlantic Richfield Company. In addition, Mr. Flexon was a CPA with the former Coopers & Lybrand from 1980 to 1987. Mr. Flexon served on the public board of directors of Foster Wheeler from 2006 until 2009 and from May to October 2010, of Westmoreland Coal Company from 2017 to 2019 and of TransAlta Corp. from 2019 to 2020. He served on the Board of Directors for Genesys Works-Houston, an organization that transforms the lives of disadvantaged high school students through meaningful work experience, from 2016 to 2021. He also served on the board of directors of Baker Ripley, a Texas non-profit organization that connects low-income people to opportunities, from 2014 to 2016. Mr. Flexon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Villanova University. He became a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) in the State of Pennsylvania.
Ping Fu
Ms. Fu, age 65, has been a director of Old Capstone since August 2021. She currently serves on the board of directors of Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV), the world’s largest live entertainment company, as well as the boards of Long Now Foundation and Burning Man Project.
In 1996, Ms. Fu co-founded Geomagic, a leader in 3D imaging and 3D printing technologies that has fundamentally changed the way products are designed and manufactured around the world, and she served as its CEO until 2013. Following the acquisition by 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) of Geomagic in 2013, Ms. Fu served as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Entrepreneur Officer at 3D Systems until 2016. She was also part of the team that created the NCSA Mosaic software and HTTP server software which were key in the early development of the Internet.
Ms. Fu has received numerous awards for her leadership, including the Outstanding American by Choice award from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year award. Ms. Fu’s book, Bend Not Break: A Life in Two Worlds, was on the New York Times bestseller list.
Yon Y. Jorden
Ms. Jorden, age 68, has been a director of Old Capstone since April 2017. Ms. Jorden has also served as director and audit committee member of Cohu, Inc. (NASDAQ: COHU) since May 2021, which is a global leader in back-end semiconductor equipment and services, delivering leading-edge solutions for the manufacturing of semiconductors. She has also served as director and audit committee member of Alignment Healthcare, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALHC), which is a tech-enabled Medicare Advantage plan company, since January 2022. Additionally, she serves as a director and finance committee member of Methodist Health System, a not-for-profit Texas-based hospital system since 2008. Prior to her current roles, Ms. Jorden served as director, chairperson of the compensation committee, a member of the audit committee and a member of the governance and nominating committee, the latter of which she previously served on as chairperson, for Maxwell Technologies (NASDAQ: MXWL), a leader in development and manufacturing of energy storage and power delivery solutions from 2008 to 2017. In addition, she also served as director and chairperson of the audit committee of Magnatek, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAG), a manufacturer of digital power control systems, U.S. Oncology, a privately-held oncology services company, and BioScrip, (NASDAQ: BIOS), a national provider of infusion and home care management solutions. During her business career, Ms. Jorden has served as chief financial officer of four publicly traded companies, including as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of AdvancePCS (NASDAQ: ADVP), a pharmacy benefits management company, from 2002 to 2004. Previously she was chief financial officer of Informix, a NASDAQ-listed technology company, Oxford Health Plans, a NASDAQ-listed provider of managed health care services, and WellPoint, Inc., a NYSE-listed managed care company. Ms. Jorden received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the California State University, Los Angeles. Earlier in her career, she was a senior auditor with Arthur Andersen & Co., where she became a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) in the State of California.
Robert F. Powelson
Mr. Powelson, age 54, has been a director of Old Capstone since June 2019. Mr. Powelson has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Water Companies (“NAWC”) since June 2018. Prior to joining NAWC, Mr. Powelson was nominated to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner (“FERC”) by President Donald J. Trump in May 2017, confirmed by the U.S. Senate in August 2017, and served as a member of FERC until August 2018. Prior to his appointment to FERC, Mr. Powelson served on the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (“PUC”) from June 2008 to August 2017, and served as the PUC’s chairman from February 2011 to May 2015. Mr. Powelson also served on Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission from March 2011 to July 2011. Prior to joining the PUC, Mr. Powelson served as president of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry from February 1994 to July 2008. Powelson served as Chairman of the NARUC Water Committee and was past President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. (“NARUC”). He has served on the board of directors of the Electric Power Research Institute and Drexel University. Mr. Powelson holds a Masters of Governmental Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts from St. Joseph’s University.
Denise Wilson
Ms. Wilson, age 64, has been a director of Old Capstone since November 2019 and as Lead Independent Director Since August 10, 2023. Ms. Wilson served as Executive Vice President and President, Alternative Energy Businesses for NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG), an independent power company with generation, energy retail business and cleantech ventures, from July 2011 through January 2016. Ms. Wilson served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of NRG from September 2008 through July 2011. Prior to September 2008, Ms. Wilson served as Executive Vice
President, Human Resources for Nash-Finch Company, a national food distributor, and other various senior roles at NRG from 2000 through 2007. Prior to joining NRG, Ms. Wilson held various key positions as Vice President Human Resources with Metris Companies Inc. and Director, Human Resources with General Electric ITS. Ms. Wilson holds a Masters in Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota.
Board members will serve until the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders of New Capstone and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified (subject to earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal).
The Board has (i) an Audit Committee, comprised of Ms. Jorden, as Chair and Ms. Fu, as committee member, (ii) a Compensation and Human Capital Committee (the “Compensation Committee”), comprised of Ms. Wilson, as Chair and Mr. Powelson and Ms. Jorden, as committee members and (iii) a Governance and Sustainability Committee, comprised of Mr. Powelson, as Chair, and Ms. Fu and Ms. Wilson, as committee members. The Board has determined that each of Ms. Wilson, Ms. Jorden, Ms. Fu and Mr. Powelson are “independent” under Nasdaq listing rules, that each of Ms. Wilson, Mr. Powelson and Ms. Jorden are “independent” in accordance with the additional independence tests applicable to compensation committee members, that each of Ms. Jorden and Ms. Fu are “financially literate” and that Ms. Jorden qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” in accordance with Commission rules.
Each non-executive director will receive an annual base retainer of $75,000, payable in cash on a quarterly basis. The Audit Committee chair will receive an additional annual retainer of $17,000 and each other Audit Committee member will receive an additional annual retainer of $8,000. The Compensation and Human Capital Committee chair will receive an annual retainer of $15,000 and each other Compensation and Human Capital Committee chair will receive an additional annual retainer of $6,000. The Governance and Sustainability Committee chair will receive an additional annual retainer of $10,000 and each other Governance and Sustainability Committee Chair will receive an additional annual retainer of $6,000. Non-executive directors will also receive an annual grant of $10,000 of restricted stock units, commencing with the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders.
Each director also holds 60,795 shares of Non-Voting Common Stock, which were issued prior to the Effective Date.
Appointment of Officers
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, the Board appointed Mr. Flexon to serve as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of New Capstone, John Juric, to serve as Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer) Treasurer and Secretary of New Capstone, and Celia Fanning to serve as Chief Accounting Officer and Controller (principal accounting officer) of New Capstone.
Mr. Juric, age 62, spent nearly two years providing management and financial consulting services to C-suite executives in multiple industries. Previously, Mr. Juric served as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of USALCO, LLC, a chemical manufacturing and distribution company, for six years, and as President Americas & Asia Industrial Division and Americas Region Chief Financial Officer of Fiberweb, PLC., a global nonwoven products manufacturer and distributor, for nearly five years. Additionally, Mr. Juric’s career includes multiple leadership, finance, and accounting roles with publicly traded and privately held organizations. He also previously served as the Director of Finance at Hercules, Inc., a global specialty chemical manufacturing company. Mr. Juric is a Certified Public Accountant, and holds an MBA and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from West Chester University.
Prior to joining Old Capstone, Ms. Fanning, age 55, served as the Vice President Finance and Accounting at Groundwork Coffee Holdings, LLC from April 2018 to February 2022. From September 2015 to October 2017, Ms. Fanning served as the Vice President Finance at Spencer N. Enterprises, Inc. From February 2011 to September 2015, Ms. Fanning served as the Vice President Finance and Controller for Sentry Control Systems, LLC. From February 2000 to February 2010, Ms. Fanning was employed by JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) as Senior Vice President, Finance and Corporate Controller. Ms. Fanning received a Master of Business Administration, emphasis in Marketing and Finance, from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the Loyola Marymount University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) licensed in California.
In connection with Mr. Flexon’s appointment as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, the Board approved a new compensation arrangement for Mr. Flexon consisting of an annual base salary of $600,000, which base salary will be pro-rated based on his total tenure as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. In connection with Mr. Juric’s appointment as Chief Financial Officer, the Board approved an annual base salary of $375,000. In connection with Ms.
Fanning’s appointment as Chief Accounting Officer, the Board approved an annual base salary of $200,000. Mr. Juric and Ms. Fanning hold 114,560 and 20,366 shares of Non-Voting Common Stock, respectively, which were issued prior to the Effective Date.
The Board has also establish an executive bonus program with respect to the remainder of New Capstone’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, pursuant to which New Capstone’s executive officers will be eligible to earn annual and long-term incentive bonuses. Mr. Juric is eligible for an annual incentive plan bonus of 60% of his base salary and Ms. Fanning is eligible for an annual incentive plan bonus of 20% of her base salary.
There are no arrangements or understandings between any of Mr. Flexon, Mr. Juric or Ms. Fanning and any other person pursuant to which such person was selected as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer, respectively and no family relationships between any of Mr. Flexon, Mr. Juric or Ms. Fanning and any other executive officer or director of New Capstone, and no related party transactions within the meaning of Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K between any of Mr. Flexon, Mr. Juric or Ms. Fanning and New Capstone.
Indemnification Agreements
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, the Board approved a form of indemnity agreement (the “Indemnity Agreement”) to be entered into by members of the Board and certain of New Capstone’s executive officers. The Indemnity Agreement provides for, among other things, the indemnification by the Company of its directors and executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws and the mandatory advancement and reimbursement of reasonable expenses (subject to limited exceptions) incurred by indemnitees in various legal proceedings in which they may be involved by reason of their service as directors or executive officers, as applicable, as permitted by Delaware law, the Charter (as defined below), and the Bylaws (as defined below). Each of New Capstone’s executive officers and directors has entered or will enter into an Indemnity Agreement.
The foregoing description of the Indemnity Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Indemnity Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.7 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
Severance Pay Plan
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, New Capstone adopted the Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. Severance Pay Plan (the “Severance Plan”). The Severance Plan provides that in the event that an executive officer’s employment is terminated by New Capstone without Cause (as defined in the Severance Plan), subject to the execution and non-revocation of a separation agreement containing a general release of claims: (i) the executive officer (other than the chief financial officer and the chief executive officer) will be entitled to receive 26 weeks of severance pay and reimbursement of COBRA premiums for a period of 6 months; (ii) the chief financial officer will be entitled to receive 52 weeks of severance pay and reimbursement of COBRA premiums for a period of 12 months; and (iii) the chief executive officer will be entitled to receive 18 months of severance pay and reimbursement of COBRA premiums for a period of 18 months. Each week of severance pay is equivalent to the weekly compensation regularly paid to the executive officer at the time his/her employment terminates, excluding any overtime pay, bonuses and imputed income.
The foregoing description of the material terms of the Severance Plan is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Severance Plan attached hereto as Exhibit 10.8.
Change in Control Agreement
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on the Effective Date, New Capstone entered into a Change in Control Agreement with each of Mr. Juric and Ms. Fanning (the “Change in Control Agreements”). The Change in Control Agreements provide for certain payments and benefits following a termination of such officer’s employment either (i) by New Capstone without Cause (as defined in the Change in Control Agreements), other than due to such officer’s death, such officer being Disabled (as defined in the Change in Control Agreements), or such officer becoming an employee of any direct or indirect successor to the business or assets of New Capstone, rather than continuing as an employee of New Capstone, or (ii) by such officer for Good Reason (as defined in the Change in Control Agreements), in either case within 6 months prior to or 24 months following a Change in Control (as defined in the Change in Control Agreements and such a termination, a “Qualifying Termination”). In the event of a Qualifying Termination, subject to
such officer’s execution and non-revocation of a separation agreement containing a general release of claims and a non-disparagement covenant (the “Separation Agreement”), compliance with such officer’s obligations under the Separation Agreement and compliance with any other continuing obligations to New Capstone or its successor, such officer will be eligible to receive: (a) a severance payment equal to 1.0 times the sum of such officer’s (i) annual base salary for the calendar year in which the Qualifying Termination occurs (or annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, if higher) and (ii) target annual incentive compensation for the calendar year in which the Qualifying Termination occurs, but pro-rated for the portion of such calendar year that falls prior to the Qualifying Termination; (b) a monthly cash payment in an amount equal to the monthly employer contribution that New Capstone would have made to provide health insurance to such officer if he or she had remained employed by New Capstone, for up to 18 months; and (c) acceleration of any unvested equity awards outstanding on the date of the Qualifying Termination, assuming achievement of performance criteria at target and without reduction for any shortened performance period in the case of performance-based equity awards. Payments under the Change in Control Agreements are in lieu of payments under the Severance Plan.
The foregoing description of the material terms of the Change in Control Agreements are not complete and is qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the form of Change in Control Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 10.9.
Incentive Plan
In connection with the emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, on November 30, 2023, the Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”) was approved and adopted by the Board. The Incentive Plan is intended to, among other things, (i) attract and retain the types of employees, consultants and directors who will contribute to New Capstone’s long-term success, (ii) provide incentives that align the interests of employees, consultants and directors with those of the stockholders of New Capstone, and (iii) promote the success of New Capstone’s business.
The Incentive Plan will be administered by the Compensation and Human Capital Committee or the Board. No more than 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock will be available for the grant of awards under the Incentive Plan (the “Total Share Reserve”). New Capstone intends to issue equity awards to incentivize employees whose unvested equity awards were terminated in accordance with the Plan.
The aggregate value of awards granted during a single fiscal year to any non-employee director, together with any cash fees paid or to be paid to such non-employee director during the fiscal year and the value of awards granted to such non-employee director under any other equity compensation plan of New Capstone during the fiscal year, will not exceed a total value of $300,000.
The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend or terminate the Incentive Plan. However, (i) in some situations, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the stockholders of New Capstone to the extent stockholder approval is necessary to satisfy any applicable laws, and (ii) rights under any award granted before an amendment shall not be impaired by any amendment without the grantee’s written consent.
The foregoing description of the Incentive Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Incentive Plan, which is filed as Exhibits 10.6 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year |
In connection with the Plan, New Capstone adopted and filed with the State of Delaware a Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Charter”) and Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), each of which became effective on December 7, 2023.
Authorized Capital
The Charter authorizes New Capstone to issue One Hundred Million (100,000,000) shares of Common Stock, Six Hundred Thousand (600,000) shares of non-voting common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Non-Voting Common Stock”) and One Million (1,000,000) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
Common Stock
Voting Rights
Subject to any voting rights granted to Preferred Stock that may be outstanding from time to time, each share of the Common Stock is entitled to one vote per share on each matter submitted to a vote of New Capstone’s stockholders. The holders of a majority of the shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, and present in person or represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. The holders of a plurality of the shares of Common Stock entitled to vote and present in person or represented by proxy at any meeting at which a quorum is present called for the purpose of electing directors will be entitled to elect the directors of New Capstone. The Charter and Bylaws do not provide for cumulative voting.
Dividend Rights
Subject to the preferences applicable to any Preferred Stock outstanding at any time, if any, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions in cash, property or shares of stock when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of New Capstone legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.
Preemptive Rights
No holder of Common Stock has any preemptive right to subscribe for any shares of New Capstone’s capital stock issuable in the future.
Liquidation Rights
Subject to applicable law and the rights, in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of New Capstone, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of New Capstone and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of Preferred Stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock as to distributions upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of all outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the remaining assets of New Capstone available for distribution ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by each such stockholder.
Non-Voting Common Stock
The Charter provides that the Non-Voting Common Stock does not have any voting rights on any matter on which stockholders of New Capstone are entitled to vote. However, the Non-Voting Common Stock has the right to vote, separately or together with the Common Stock, on any amendments to the Charter (including with respect to any changes to (i) the authorized number of shares of Common Stock or Non-Voting Common Stock or (ii) any preferences, rights or powers of the Non-Voting Common Stock). The number of authorized shares of Non-Voting Common Stock or Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of such shares of Non-Voting Common Stock or Common Stock then outstanding, as applicable) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Common Stock. All Common Stock and all Non-Voting Common Stock have the same rights and powers, rank equally (including upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company), share ratably in any dividends and distributions, and are identical in all respects as to all other matters, other than as to voting rights.
The Non-Voting Common Stock is subject to a 12-month lock-up period following the Effective Date (the “Lock-up Period”), during which holders of Non-Voting Common Stock may not transfer any shares of Non-Voting Common Stock, subject to certain exceptions. After the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, upon any sale, assignment or other transfer of any shares of the Non-Voting Common Stock by a holder thereof to any person or entity that is not part of such holder’s Family Group (as defined in the Charter), such shares of Non-Voting Common Stock shall automatically, upon such transfer, without further action by the transferor or transferee thereof, convert into shares of Common Stock of New Capstone on a one-to one-basis.
Preferred Stock
The Charter provides that the Board may, by resolution, establish one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock having the number of shares and voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional, special and other rights, if any, of each such series and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof as may be fixed by them without further stockholder approval. The holders of any such Preferred Stock may be entitled to preferences over holders of Common Stock with respect to dividends, or upon a liquidation, dissolution, or New
Capstone’s winding up, in such amounts as are established by the resolutions of the Board approving the issuance of such shares.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock
The Board may increase or decrease the authorized number of shares within each established series of Preferred Stock pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware; provided, however, that the Board may not decrease the number of shares within a series to less than the number of shares within such series that are then issued, and that the terms of a particular series of Preferred Stock may grant voting rights to the holders thereof regarding these matters.
Special Stockholder Meetings
The Charter provides that, except as otherwise required by applicable law, special meetings of the stockholders may only be called by the Chairperson of the board of directors or the Chief Executive Officer of New Capstone, and our stockholders may not call special stockholder meetings.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
The Charter provides that stockholder action must take place at the annual or a special meeting of New Capstone stockholders, and no action may be taken by stockholders by written consent.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals
The Bylaws also include advance notice procedures for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders, including the nomination of directors. Stockholders at an annual meeting may only consider the proposals specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board, or by a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has delivered a timely written notice.
Indemnification of Directors, Officers and Employees
The Charter and Bylaws requires New Capstone to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent of New Capstone who was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is otherwise involved in, any proceeding, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of New Capstone or is or was serving at the request of New Capstone as a director, officer, employee or agent of, or in any other capacity for, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, or other enterprise, to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, taxes, penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection with such proceeding.
New Capstone is authorized under its Bylaws to purchase and maintain insurance to protect New Capstone and any current or former director, officer, employee or agent of New Capstone or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not New Capstone would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under Delaware law. New Capstone has purchased and maintains such insurance.
Exclusive Forum
The Charter provides that, unless New Capstone consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of New Capstone, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the New Capstone or New Capstone’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against New Capstone, its directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or the Bylaws, (iv) any action asserting a claim against New Capstone, its directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine or (v) any action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of the Charter, except for, as to each of (i) through (iv) above, any claim as to which the Court of Chancery determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive
jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, or for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction. The Charter further provides that, unless New Capstone consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of New Capstone shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the exclusive forum provisions of the Charter. The exclusive forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
The foregoing descriptions of the Charter and Bylaws are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Charter and Bylaws, which are filed as Exhibits 3.1, and 3.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure |
On December 7, 2023, New Capstone issued a press release announcing its emergence from bankruptcy. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
The information contained in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as otherwise expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the statement regarding the anticipated benefits of the restructuring and the other statements regarding New Capstone’s expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions, and strategies. New Capstone has tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “should,” “estimate,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “plan,” “goal” and similar terms and phrases, but such words, terms and phrases are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Actual results, performance and achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, but not limited to, the following: New Capstone’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the financial restructuring; New Capstone’s ability to comply with the restrictions imposed by covenants contained in the Exit Note Purchase Agreement and in the New Subsidiary LLC Agreement; employee attrition and New Capstone’s ability to retain senior management and other key personnel following the restructuring; New Capstone’s ability to develop new products and enhance existing products; product quality issues, including the adequacy of reserves therefor and warranty cost exposure; intense competition; financial performance of the oil and natural gas industry and other general business, industry and economic conditions; the impact of litigation and regulatory proceedings; risks related to the restatement previously announced (including discovery of additional information relevant to the financial statements subject to restatement; changes in the effects of the restatement on Old Capstone’s financial statements or financial results and further delay in the filing of 10-K’s and 10-Q’s due to New Capstone’s efforts to complete the restatement; the time, costs and expenses associated with the restatement; inquiries from the SEC; the potential material adverse effect on the price of New Capstone’s common stock and stockholder lawsuits). For a detailed discussion of factors that could affect New Capstone’s future operating results, please see Old Capstone’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the disclosures under “Risk Factors” in those filings. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, New Capstone undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, changed circumstances or future events or for any other reason.
Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit |
| Description |
3.1 | Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. | |
3.2 | Amended and Restated Bylaws of Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. | |
4.1 | ||
10.1 | ||
10.2 | ||
10.3 | ||
10.4 | ||
10.5 | ||
10.6 | ||
10.7 | ||
10.8 | ||
10.9 | 2023 Equity Incentive Plan of Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. | |
99.1 | ||
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101). |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC. | ||
Date: December 11, 2023 | By: | /s/ Robert C. Flexon |
Name: Robert C. Flexon | ||
Title: Interim President and Chief Executive Officer |
EXHIBIT 3.1
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.
December 7, 2023
Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY AS FOLLOWS:
1. The name of the Corporation is “Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc.” The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name “Capstone Turbine International, Inc.” under the original certificate of incorporation of the Corporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 10, 2004 (the “Original Certificate”).
2. The Original Certificate was amended and restated on September 27, 2023 (the “First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”).
3. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (this “Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), which both restates and amends the provisions of the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”).
4. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall become effective on the date of filing with Secretary of State of Delaware.
5. The text of the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby restated and amended in its entirety to read as follows:
The name of the Corporation is Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc.
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL. In addition to the powers and privileges conferred upon the Corporation by law and those incidental thereto, the Corporation shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business or purposes of the Corporation.
The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, DE 19808 in the County of New Castle. The name of the registered
- 1 -
agent of the Corporation in the State of Delaware at the registered office is Corporation Service Company.
- 2 -
- 3 -
- 4 -
- 5 -
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board shall have the power and is expressly authorized to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board. The Bylaws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders of the Corporation; provided, however, that in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders of the Corporation to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws; and provided further, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.
- 6 -
any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected by a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be effected by written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation.
- 7 -
The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), and other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force that may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate and the DGCL; and, except as set forth in Article VIII, all rights, preferences and privileges of whatever nature herein conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons by and pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article X. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions set forth in Section 4.3 and Articles V, VI, VII, VIII, this Article IX and Article X (and any defined terms referenced therein and herein) may not be repealed or amended in any respect, and no other provision may be adopted, amended or repealed which would have the effect of modifying or permitting the circumvention of the provisions set forth therein unless such action is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 66-2/3% of the total voting power of all outstanding securities of the Corporation generally entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.
- 8 -
If any provision or provisions (or any part thereof) of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person, entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the
- 9 -
remaining provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and (ii) the provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.
- 10 -
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. has caused this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to be duly executed and acknowledged in its name and on its behalf by an authorized officer as of the date first set forth above.
Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. | |
By: /s/ John Juric | |
Name: John Juric | |
Title: Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer), Treasurer and Secretary |
EXHIBIT 3.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.
Article I
OFFICES
Section 1.1 Registered Office. The registered office of the Corporation within the State of Delaware shall be located at either (a) the principal place of business of the Corporation in the State of Delaware or (b) the office of the corporation or individual acting as the Corporation’s registered agent in Delaware.
Section 1.2 Additional Offices. The Corporation may, in addition to its registered office in the State of Delaware, have such other offices and places of business, both within and outside the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) may from time to time determine or as the business and affairs of the Corporation may require.
Article II
STOCKHOLDERS MEETINGS
Section 2.1 Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, and time and on such date as shall be determined by the Board and stated in the notice of the meeting, provided that the Board may in its sole discretion determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5(a). At each annual meeting, the stockholders entitled to vote on such matters shall elect those directors of the Corporation to fill any term of a directorship that expires on the date of such annual meeting and may transact any other business as may properly be brought before the meeting.
Section 2.2 Special Meetings. Subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of the preferred stock of the Corporation (“Preferred Stock”), and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called only by the chairperson of the Board (the “Chairperson of the Board”), by the Chief Executive Officer, or by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board. Special meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, and time and on such date as shall be determined by the Board and stated in the Corporation’s notice of the meeting; provided that the Board may in its sole discretion determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5(a).
Section 2.3 Notices. Notice of each stockholders meeting stating the place, if any, date, and time of the meeting, and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, shall be given in the manner permitted by Section 9.3 to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat by the Corporation not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting, unless otherwise required by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”). If said notice is for a stockholders meeting other than an annual meeting, it shall in addition state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, and the business transacted at such meeting shall be limited to the matters so stated in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto). Any meeting of stockholders as to which notice has been given may be postponed, and any special meeting of stockholders as to which notice has been given may be cancelled, by the Board upon public announcement (as defined in Section 2.7(c)) given before the date previously scheduled for such meeting.
Section 2.4 Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Corporation’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as the same may be further amended or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), or these Amended and Restated Bylaws, as the same may be further amended or restated from time to time (these “Bylaws”), the presence, in person or by proxy, at a stockholders meeting of the holders of shares of outstanding capital stock of the Corporation representing not less than thirty-three and a third percent (33 1/3%) of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting, except that when specified
1
business is to be voted on by a class or series of stock voting as a class, the holders of shares representing not less than thirty-three and a third percent (33 1/3%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum of such class or series for the transaction of such business. If a quorum shall not be present or represented by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, the chairperson of the meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.6 until a quorum shall attend. The stockholders present at a duly convened meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. Shares of its own stock belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation or any such other corporation to vote shares held by it in a fiduciary capacity.
Section 2.5 Voting of Shares.
(a) | Voting Lists. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare, at least 10 days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders of record entitled to vote at such meeting and showing the address and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Nothing contained in this Section 2.5(a) shall require the Corporation to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting; or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list required by this Section 2.5(a) or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders. |
(b) | Manner of Voting. At any stockholders meeting, every stockholder entitled to vote may vote in person or by proxy. If authorized by the Board, the voting by stockholders or proxy holders at any meeting conducted by remote communication may be effected by a ballot submitted by electronic transmission (as defined in Section 9.3), provided that any such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which the Corporation can determine that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder or proxy holder. The Board, in its discretion, or the chairperson of the meeting of stockholders, in such person’s discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot. |
(c) | Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. Proxies need not be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation until the meeting is called to order, but shall be filed with the Secretary before being voted. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, either of the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority. |
(i) | A stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy. Execution may be accomplished by the stockholder or such stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent signing such writing or causing such person’s signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means, including, but not limited to, by electronic signature. |
(ii) | A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of an electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization |
or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission; provided that any such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder. Any copy or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission authorizing another person or persons to act as proxy for a stockholder may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used; provided that such copy or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission. |
(d) | Required Vote. Subject to the rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors pursuant to the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock, the election of directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting, in which such matter is being voted upon at which a quorum is present, and entitled to vote thereon. All other matters presented to the stockholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by the common stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon, unless the matter is one upon which, by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or applicable stock exchange rules, a different vote is required, in which case such provision shall govern and control the decision of such matter. For purposes of this Section 2.5(d), a majority of the votes cast shall mean that the number of shares voted “for” a matter exceeds the number of votes cast “against” such matter. |
(e) | Inspectors of Election. The Board may, and shall if required by law, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more persons as inspectors of election, who may be employees of the Corporation or otherwise serve the Corporation in other capacities, to act at such meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof and to make a written report thereof. The Board may appoint one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspectors of election or alternates are appointed by the Board, the chairperson of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before discharging his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors shall ascertain and report the number of outstanding shares and the voting power of each; determine the number of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots; count all votes and ballots and report the results; determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors; and certify their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and their count of all votes and ballots. No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election. Each report of an inspector shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. |
Section 2.6 Adjournments. Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may be adjourned by the chairperson of the meeting (including due to a technical failure to convene or continue the meeting by remote communication), from time to time, whether or not there is a quorum, to reconvene at the same or some other place. Notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the date, time, and place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting the stockholders, or the holders of any class or series of stock entitled to vote separately as a class, as the case may be, may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 2.7 Advance Notice for Business.
(a) | Annual Meetings of Stockholders. No business may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders, other than business that is either (i) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board, (ii) otherwise properly brought before the annual |
meeting by or at the direction of the Board or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by any stockholder of the Corporation (x) who is a stockholder of record entitled to vote at such annual meeting on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2.7(a) and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such annual meeting and (y) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.7(a). Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.7(a) to the contrary, only persons nominated for election as a director to fill any term of a directorship that expires on the date of the annual meeting pursuant to Section 3.2 will be considered for election at such meeting. |
(i) | In addition to any other applicable requirements, for business (other than nominations) to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation, or such other person as the Corporation may designate, and such business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action. Subject to Section 2.7(a)(iii), a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary with respect to such business, to be timely, must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 120th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 150th day before the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to such anniversary date or delayed more than 70 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the 150th day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 120th day before the meeting or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made by the Corporation. The public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described in this Section 2.7(a). |
(ii) | To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary with respect to any business (other than nominations) must set forth as to each such matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event such business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment) and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (B) the name and record address of such stockholder and the name and address of the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (C) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and by the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (D) a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings between such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, any of their respective affiliates or associates and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, (E) any material interest of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made in such business, (F) a representation that such stockholder is a holder of record of stock entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to bring such business before the meeting, (G) a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions and borrowed or loaned shares) that have been entered into as of the date of the stockholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in underlying shares of stock, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or such beneficial owner, if any, with respect to securities of the Corporation, (H) a representation as to whether such stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made has complied with all state and other legal requirements in |
connection with the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acquisition of shares of capital stock or other securities of the Corporation and/or the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acts or omissions as a stockholder of the Corporation, (I) any direct or indirect material interest or any material contract or agreement between such stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any entity that provides products or services that compete with or are alternative to the principal products produces or services provided by the Corporation or its affiliates (a “Competitor”) (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (J) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (K) any other material relationship between such stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, on the one hand, and the Corporation, or any affiliate of the Corporation or any Competitor, on the other hand, and (L) any other information relating to such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for such business pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14A of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and (M) the written consent of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made to the public disclosure of information provided to the Corporation pursuant to this Section 2.7. |
(iii) | The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 2.7(a) shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder as to any proposal (other than nominations) if the stockholder has notified the Corporation of such stockholder’s intention to present such proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 (or any successor thereof) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and such stockholder has complied with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 for inclusion of such proposal in a proxy statement prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting. No business shall be conducted at the annual meeting of stockholders except business brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.7(a), provided, however, that once business has been properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with such procedures, nothing in this Section 2.7(a) shall be deemed to preclude discussion by any stockholder of any such business. If the Board or the chairperson of the annual meeting determines that any stockholder proposal was not made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.7(a) or the Exchange Act or that the information provided in a stockholder’s notice does not satisfy the information requirements of this Section 2.7(a) or the Exchange Act, such proposal shall not be presented for action at the annual meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.7(a), if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present the proposed business, such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such matter may have been received by the Corporation. |
(iv) | In addition to the provisions of this Section 2.7(a), a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth herein. Nothing in this Section 2.7(a) shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act. |
(b) | Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made only at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting pursuant to Section 3.2. |
Section 2.8 Conduct of Meetings. The chairperson of each annual and special meeting of stockholders shall be the Chairperson of the Board, if any, or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director), if any, or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chief Executive Officer or if the Chief Executive Officer is not a director, the President (if he or she shall be a director), if any, or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President or if the President is not a director, such other person as shall be appointed by the Board. The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the chairperson of the meeting. The Board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with these Bylaws or such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and to adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairperson, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairperson of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (c) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chairperson of the meeting shall determine; (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the chairperson of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure. The secretary of each annual and special meeting of stockholders shall be the Secretary, if any, or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary so appointed to act by the chairperson of the meeting. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
Article III
DIRECTORS
Section 3.1 Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders. Directors need not be stockholders or residents of the State of Delaware.
Section 3.2 Advance Notice for Nomination of Directors.
(a) | Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors of the Corporation, except as may be otherwise provided by the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock with respect to the rights of holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board at any annual meeting of stockholders, or at any special meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors as set forth in the Corporation’s notice of such special meeting, may be made (i) by or at the direction of the Board or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation (x) who is a stockholder of record entitled to vote in the election of directors on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 3.2 and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting and (y) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.2. |
(b) | In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) in the case of an annual meeting, not later than the close of business on the 120th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 150th day before the first |
anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to such anniversary date or delayed more than 70 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the 150th day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 120th day before the meeting or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was first made by the Corporation; and (ii) in the case of a special meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors, not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the special meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described in this Section 3.2. |
(c) | Notwithstanding anything in paragraph (b) of this Section 3.2 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board at an annual meeting is greater than the number of directors whose terms expire on the date of the annual meeting and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for the additional directors to be elected or specifying the size of the increased Board before the close of business on the 120th day prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 3.2 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships created by such increase that are to be filled by election at such annual meeting, if it shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the date on which such public announcement was first made by the Corporation. |
(d) | To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth (i) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of the person, (C) the class or series and number of shares of any capital stock of the Corporation that are owned beneficially or of record by the person, (D) the person’s written consent (x) to being named in the proxy statement, proxy card and ballot as a nominee and to serving as a director of the Corporation if elected and (y) the Corporation’s engaging in a background check of such person (including through a third party investigation firm), in a manner consistent with background checks customarily engaged in by the Corporation for prospective new members of the Board, (E) the information reasonably necessary to complete such background check, (F) all other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, including, without limitation, the requirements of Rule 14a-19, and (G) such other information regarding the person as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation in accordance with listing requirements and applicable stock exchange rules; (ii) with respect to each nominee for election to the Board, the completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 3.3 of these Bylaws; and (iii) as to the stockholder giving the notice (A) the name and record address of such stockholder as they appear in the Corporation’s books and the name and address of the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, (B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, (C) a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to the nomination to be made by such stockholder among such stockholder, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, any of such stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s respective affiliates or associates, each proposed nominee and any other person or persons (including their names), (D) a description of any agreements, arrangements or understandings (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that have been entered into as of the date of such stockholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in |
underlying shares of stock, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or such beneficial owner, if any, with respect to securities of the Corporation, (E) a representation that such stockholder is a holder of record of stock entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the persons named in its notice, (F) a representation whether such stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made intends or is part of a group which intends to (x) solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposed nomination and/or (y) solicit proxies in support of such proposed nomination of persons for election to the Board other than the Corporation’s nominees for election to the Board from the holders of capital stock of the Corporation representing at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors in accordance with Rule 14a-19 of the Exchange Act, (G) a representation as to whether such stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made has complied with all state and other legal requirements in connection with the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acquisition of shares of capital stock or other securities of the Corporation and/or the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acts or omissions as a stockholder of the Corporation, (H) any direct or indirect material interest or any material contract or agreement between such stockholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any Competitor (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (I) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (J) any other material relationship between such stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, on the one hand, and the Corporation, or any affiliate of the Corporation or any Competitor, on the other hand, (K) any other information relating to (i) such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, and (ii) each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and (L) the written consent of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made to the Corporation’s public disclosure of information provided to the Corporation pursuant to this Section 3.2. |
(e) | If the Board or the chairperson of the meeting of stockholders determines that any nomination was not made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.2 or the Exchange Act, including, without limitation, Rule 14a-19 thereunder, then such nomination shall not be considered at the meeting in question. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.2, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) (i) fails to comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(2) or Rule 14a-19(a)(3) under the Exchange Act or (ii) does not appear at the meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present the nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such nomination may have been received by the Corporation. |
(f) | In addition to the provisions of this Section 3.2, a stockholder shall also comply with all of the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, Rule 14a-19 thereunder, with respect to the matters set forth herein, and if any stockholder provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) under the Exchange Act, such stockholder shall deliver to the Corporation, no later than five (5) business days prior to the applicable meeting, reasonable evidence that it has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 3.2 shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of Preferred Stock to elect directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation. |
Section 3.3 Submission of Questionnaire, Representation and Agreement. To be eligible to be a nominee for election as a director of the Corporation, the candidate for nomination must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under Section 3.2 of these Bylaws), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (a) a completed written questionnaire (in a form provided by the Corporation) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee, (b) a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Corporation) that such candidate for
nomination (i) unless previously disclosed to the Corporation, the nominee is not and will not become a party to any voting agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity as to how such nominee, if elected as a director, will vote on any issue or that could interfere with such person’s ability to comply, if elected as a director, with his/her fiduciary duties under applicable law, (ii) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director, and (iii) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director of the Corporation (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect). At the request of the Board, any person nominated by the Board for election as a director shall furnish to the Secretary of the Corporation the information that is required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice of nomination that pertains to the nominee (as if such nominee were the stockholder), as set forth in Section 3.2(d).
Section 3.4. Proxy Card. Any stockholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other stockholders (other than on behalf the Corporation) must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for exclusive use by the Corporation.
Section 3.5 Compensation. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors. The directors may be reimbursed their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board and may be paid either a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board or other compensation as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of committees of the Board may be allowed like compensation and reimbursement of expenses for service on the committee.
Section 3.6 Chairperson of the Board. The Chairperson of the Board shall be a member of the Board and may or may not be an officer and/or employee of the Corporation. The Chairperson of the Board, if any, shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The Chairperson of the Board shall have general supervision and control of the acquisition activities of the Corporation subject to the ultimate authority of the Board, and shall be responsible for the execution of the policies of the Board with respect to such matters. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The powers and duties of the Chairperson of the Board shall not include supervision or control of the preparation of the financial statements of the Corporation (other than through participation as a member of the Board). The position of Chairperson of the Board and Chief Executive Officer may be held by the same person.
Section 3.7. Lead Independent Director. If at any time the Chairperson of the Board is not independent as that term is defined under the then applicable rules and regulations of each national securities exchange upon which shares of the stock of the Corporation are listed for trading and of the Commission, the independent directors may designate from among them a lead independent director (a “Lead Independent Director”) having the duties and responsibilities determined by the Board from time to time.
Article IV
BOARD MEETINGS
Section 4.1 Annual Meetings. The Board shall meet as soon as practicable after the adjournment of each annual stockholders meeting at the place of the annual stockholders meeting or, if such meeting is held solely by means of remote communication, then by means of remote communication, unless the Board shall fix another time and place and give notice thereof in the manner required herein for special meetings of the Board. No notice to the directors shall be necessary to legally convene this meeting, except as provided in this Section 4.1.
Section 4.2 Regular Meetings. Regularly scheduled, periodic meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such times, dates and places (within or without the State of Delaware) as shall from time to time be determined by the Board, provided that the Board may in its sole discretion determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5(b).
Section 4.3 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board (a) may be called by the Chairperson of the Board, Lead Independent Director, Chief Executive Officer or President and (b) shall be called by the Chairperson of the Board, Lead Independent Director, Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary on the written request of at least a majority of directors then in office and shall be held at such time, date and place (within or without the State of Delaware) as may be determined by the person calling the meeting or, if called upon the request of directors or the sole director, as specified in such written request. Notice of each special meeting of the Board shall be given to each director: (i) at least 24 hours before the meeting if such notice is oral notice given personally or by telephone or written notice given by hand delivery or by means of a form of electronic transmission and delivery; (ii) at least two days before the meeting if such notice is sent by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service; and (iii) at least five days before the meeting if such notice is sent through the United States mail. If the Secretary shall fail or refuse to give such notice, then the notice may be given by the officer who called the meeting or the directors who requested the meeting. Any and all business that may be transacted at a regular meeting of the Board may be transacted at a special meeting. Except as may be otherwise expressly provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any special meeting need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting. A special meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 9.4.
Section 4.4 Quorum; Required Vote. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board, and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.
Section 4.5 Consent In Lieu of Meeting. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all the members of the Board or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. Any person, whether or not then a director, may provide, through instruction to an agent or otherwise, that a consent to action will be effective at a future time (including a time determined upon the happening of an event) no later than sixty (60) days after such instruction is given or such provision is made and such consent shall be deemed to have been given at such effective time so long as such person is then a director and did not revoke the consent prior to such time. Any such consent shall be revocable prior to its becoming effective. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained.
Section 4.6 Organization. The chairperson of each meeting of the Board shall be the Chairperson of the Board, if any, or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairperson of the Board, the Lead Independent Director, if any, or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Lead Independent Director, the Chief Executive Officer, if any (if he or she shall be a director), or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chief Executive Officer or if the Chief Executive Officer is not a director, the President, if any (if he or she shall be a director), or in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President or if the President is not a director, a chairperson elected from the directors present. The Secretary, if any, shall act as secretary of all meetings of the Board. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, if any, shall perform the duties of the Secretary at such meeting. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
Article V
COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS
Section 5.1 Establishment. The Board may by resolution passed by a majority of the Board designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required. The Board shall have the power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the membership of, or to dissolve any such committee.
Section 5.2 Available Powers. Any committee established pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof, to the extent permitted by applicable law and by resolution of the Board, shall have and may exercise all of the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation.
Section 5.3 Alternate Members. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of such committee.
Section 5.4 Procedures. Unless the Board otherwise provides, the time, date, place, if any, and notice of meetings of a committee shall be determined by such committee. At meetings of a committee, a majority of the number of members of the committee (but not including any alternate member, unless such alternate member has replaced any absent or disqualified member at the time of, or in connection with, such meeting) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee, except as otherwise specifically provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or the Board. If a quorum is not present at a meeting of a committee, the members present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than an announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present. Unless the Board otherwise provides and except as provided in these Bylaws, each committee designated by the Board may make, alter, amend and repeal rules for the conduct of its business. In the absence of such rules each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board is authorized to conduct its business pursuant to Article III and Article IV of these Bylaws.
Article VI
OFFICERS
Section 6.1 Officers. The officers of the Corporation elected by the Board shall be a Chief Executive Officer and such other officers (which may include, without limitation, a Chief Financial Officer, a Secretary, a President, Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries and a Treasurer) as the Board from time to time may determine. Officers elected by the Board shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the specific provisions of this Article VI. Such officers shall also have such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board. The Chief Executive Officer or President may also appoint such other officers (which may include, without limitation, one or more Vice Presidents and Controllers) as may be necessary or desirable for the conduct of the business of the Corporation. Such other officers shall have such powers and duties and shall hold their offices for such terms as may be provided in these Bylaws or as may be prescribed by the Board or, if such officer has been appointed by the Chief Executive Officer or President, as may be prescribed by the appointing officer.
(a) | Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Corporation and general control of all of its business subject to the ultimate authority of the Board, and shall be responsible for the execution of the policies of the Board with respect to such matters, except to the extent any such powers and duties have been prescribed to the Chairperson of the Board pursuant to Section 3.7 above. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of both the Chairperson of the Board and the Lead Independent Director, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The position of Chief Executive Officer and President may be held by the same person. |
(b) | President. The President, if any, shall make recommendations to the Chief Executive Officer on all operational matters that would normally be reserved for the final executive responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairperson of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, the President (if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The President shall also perform such duties and have such powers as shall be designated by the Board. The position of President and Chief Executive Officer may be held by the same person. |
(c) | Vice Presidents. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President, the Vice President, if any (or in the event there be more than one Vice President, the Vice Presidents in the order designated by the Board), shall perform the duties and have the powers of the President. Any one or more of the Vice Presidents may be given an additional designation of rank or function. |
(d) | Secretary. |
(i) | The Secretary, if any, shall attend all meetings of the stockholders, the Board and (as required) committees of the Board and shall record the proceedings of such meetings in books to be kept for that purpose. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board, the Chairperson of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President. |
(ii) | The Secretary, if any, shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the principal executive office of the Corporation or at the office of the Corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, if one has been appointed, a stock ledger, or duplicate stock ledger, showing the names of the stockholders and their addresses, and the number and classes of shares held by each. |
(e) | Assistant Secretaries. The Assistant Secretary, if any, or, if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Board shall, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, perform the duties and have the powers of the Secretary. |
(f) | Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer, if any, shall perform all duties commonly incident to that office (including, without limitation, in respect of the care and custody of the funds and securities of the Corporation, including the deposit of the funds of the Corporation in such banks or trust companies as the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may authorize). |
(g) | Treasurer. The Treasurer, if any, shall, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chief Financial Officer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chief Financial Officer. |
Section 6.2 Term of Office; Removal; Vacancies. The elected officers of the Corporation shall be appointed by the Board and shall hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified by the Board or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office. Any officer may be removed, with or without cause, at any time by the Board. Any officer appointed by the Chief Executive Officer or President may also be removed, with or without cause, by the Chief Executive Officer or President, as the case may be, unless the Board otherwise provides. Any vacancy occurring in any elected office of the Corporation may be filled by the Board. Any vacancy occurring in any office appointed by the Chief Executive Officer or President may be filled by the Chief Executive Officer, or President, as the case may be, unless the Board then determines that such office shall thereupon be elected by the Board, in which case the Board shall elect such officer.
Section 6.3 Other Officers. The Board may delegate the power to appoint such other officers and agents, and may also remove such officers and agents or delegate the power to remove same, as it shall from time to time deem necessary or desirable.
Section 6.4 Multiple Officeholders; Stockholder and Director Officers. Any number of offices may be held by the same person unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws otherwise provide. Officers need not be stockholders or residents of the State of Delaware.
Article VII
SHARES
Section 7.1 Uncertificated Shares. The shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation may be uncertificated and registered in book-entry form.
Section 7.2 Multiple Classes of Stock. If the Corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the Corporation shall, within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of such shares, send to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing a summary of the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights; provided, however, that,
except as otherwise provided by applicable law, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on such written notice a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences or rights.
Section 7.3 Consideration and Payment for Shares.
(a) | Subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation, shares of stock may be issued for such consideration, having in the case of shares with par value a value not less than the par value thereof, and to such persons, as determined from time to time by the Board. The consideration may consist of any tangible or intangible property or any benefit to the Corporation including cash, promissory notes, services performed, contracts for services to be performed or other securities, or any combination thereof. |
(b) | Subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation, shares may not be issued until the full amount of the consideration has been paid, unless upon the books and records of the Corporation there shall have been set forth the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon up to and including the time said shares are issued. |
Section 7.4 Transfer of Stock.
(a) | Subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 7.6, all transfers of shares shall be made on the books of the Corporation, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney, in such manner as the Board or any officer of the Corporation may prescribe and subject to any applicable law, rule or regulation. The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any shares of its capital stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware. |
(b) | Whenever any transfer of shares shall be made for collateral security and not absolutely, the Corporation shall so record such fact in the entry of transfer if, when the instruction for registration of transfer thereof is presented to the Corporation, both the transferor and transferee request the Corporation to do so. |
Section 7.5 Registered Stockholders. Before due presentment of an instruction requesting registration of transfer of uncertificated shares, the Corporation may treat the registered owner as the person exclusively entitled to inspect for any proper purpose the stock ledger and the other books and records of the Corporation, vote such shares, receive dividends or notifications with respect to such shares and otherwise exercise all the rights and powers of the owner of such shares, except that a person who is the beneficial owner of such shares (if held in a voting trust or by a nominee on behalf of such person) may, upon providing documentary evidence of beneficial ownership of such shares and satisfying such other conditions as are provided under applicable law, may also so inspect the books and records of the Corporation.
Section 7.6 Effect of the Corporation’s Restriction on Transfer.
(a) | A written restriction on the transfer or registration of transfer of shares of the Corporation or on the amount of shares of the Corporation that may be owned by any person or group of persons, if permitted by the DGCL and contained in the Certificate of Incorporation or a notice, offering circular or prospectus sent by the Corporation to the registered owner of such shares within a reasonable time prior to or after the issuance or transfer of such shares, may be enforced against the holder of such shares or any successor or transferee of the holder, including an executor, administrator, trustee, guardian or other fiduciary entrusted with like responsibility for the person or estate of the holder. |
(b) | A restriction imposed by the Corporation on the transfer or the registration of shares of the Corporation or on the amount of shares of the Corporation that may be owned by any person or group of persons, even if otherwise lawful, is ineffective against a person without actual knowledge of such restriction unless such restriction was contained in the Certificate of Incorporation or a notice, offering circular or |
prospectus sent by the Corporation to the registered owner of such shares prior to or within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of such shares. |
Section 7.7 Regulations. The Board shall have power and authority to make such additional rules and regulations, subject to any applicable requirement of law, as the Board may deem necessary and appropriate with respect to the issue, transfer or registration of transfer of shares of stock or certificates representing shares. The Board may appoint one or more transfer agents or registrars.
Article VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.1 Right to Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “Proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an “Indemnitee”), whether the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 8.3 with respect to Proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify an Indemnitee in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Indemnitee only if such Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.
Section 8.2 Right to Advancement of Expenses. In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 8.1, an Indemnitee shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law the expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any such Proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such Indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon the Corporation’s receipt of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or otherwise.
Section 8.3 Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 8.1 or Section 8.2 is not paid in full by the Corporation within 60 days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be 20 days, the Indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (a) any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by an Indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (b) in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that, the Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including a determination by its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought
by the Indemnitee, shall be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article VIII or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.
Section 8.4 Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights provided to any Indemnitee pursuant to this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of any other right, which such Indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, an agreement, a vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.
Section 8.5 Insurance. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and/or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.
Section 8.6 Indemnification of Other Persons. This Article VIII shall not limit the right of the Corporation to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Indemnitees. Without limiting the foregoing, the Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation and to any other person who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of Indemnitees under this Article VIII.
Section 8.7 Amendments. Any repeal or amendment of this Article VIII by the Board or the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any other provision of these Bylaws inconsistent with this Article VIII, will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in applicable law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights to Indemnitees on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.
Section 8.8 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article VIII, (a) references to “other enterprise” shall include any employee benefit plan; (b) references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; (c) references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service that imposes duties on, or involves services by, a person with respect to any employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and (d) a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interest of the Corporation” for purposes of Section 145 of the DGCL.
Section 8.9 Contract Rights. The rights provided to Indemnitees pursuant to this Article VIII shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, agent or employee and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.
Section 8.10 Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Article VIII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article VIII shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article VIII (including, without limitation, each such portion of this Article VIII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.
Article IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.1 Place of Meetings. If the place of any meeting of stockholders, the Board or committee of the Board for which notice is required under these Bylaws is not designated in the notice of such meeting, such meeting
shall be held at the principal business office of the Corporation; provided, however, if the Board has, in its sole discretion, determined that a meeting shall not be held at any place, but instead shall be held by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5 hereof, then such meeting shall not be held at any place.
Section 9.2 Fixing Record Dates.
(a) | In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which notice is given. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting. |
(b) | In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto. |
Section 9.3 Means of Giving Notice.
(a) | Notice to Stockholders. Whenever under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws notice is required to be given to any stockholder, such notice may be given (i) in writing and sent either by hand delivery, through the United States mail, or by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service for next day delivery, or (ii) by means of a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder, to the extent permitted by, and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 232 of the DGCL. A notice to a stockholder shall be deemed given as follows: (i) if given by hand delivery, when actually received by the stockholder, (ii) if sent through the United States mail, when deposited in the United States mail, with postage and fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address appearing on the stock ledger of the Corporation, (iii) if sent for next day delivery by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, when deposited with such service, with fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address appearing on the stock ledger of the Corporation, and (iv) if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given and otherwise meeting the requirements set forth above, (A) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice, (B) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specified posting, upon the later of (1) such posting and (2) the giving of such separate notice, and (C) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. A stockholder may revoke such stockholder’s consent to receiving notice by means of electronic communication by giving written notice of such revocation to the Corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or to the Corporation’s transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action. |
(b) | Electronic Transmission. “Electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process, including but not limited to transmission by facsimile telecommunication, electronic mail, virtual dataroom or electronic portal. |
(c) | Notice to Stockholders Sharing Same Address. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively by the Corporation to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. A stockholder may revoke such stockholder’s consent by delivering written notice of such revocation to the Corporation. Any stockholder who fails to object in writing to the Corporation within 60 days of having been given written notice by the Corporation of its intention to send such a single written notice shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice. |
(d) | Exceptions to Notice Requirements. Whenever notice is required to be given, under the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting that shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the Corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate with the Secretary of State of Delaware, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful. |
Whenever notice is required to be given by the Corporation, under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, to any stockholder to whom (1) notice of two consecutive annual meetings of stockholders and all notices of stockholder meetings or of the taking of action by written consent of stockholders without a meeting to such stockholder during the period between such two consecutive annual meetings, or (2) all, and at least two payments (if sent by first-class mail) of dividends or interest on securities during a 12-month period, have been mailed addressed to such stockholder at such stockholder’s address as shown on the records of the Corporation and have been returned undeliverable, the giving of such notice to such stockholder shall not be required. Any action or meeting that shall be taken or held without notice to such stockholder shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. If any such stockholder shall deliver to the Corporation a written notice setting forth such stockholder’s then current address, the requirement that notice be given to such stockholder shall be reinstated. In the event that the action taken by the Corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate with the Secretary of State of Delaware, the certificate need not state that notice was not given to persons to whom notice was not required to be given pursuant to Section 230(b) of the DGCL. The exception in subsection (1) of the first sentence of this paragraph to the requirement that notice be given shall not be applicable to any notice returned as undeliverable if the notice was given by electronic transmission.
Section 9.4 Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws, a written waiver of such notice, signed before or after the date of such meeting by the person or persons entitled to said notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to said notice, shall be deemed equivalent to such required notice. All such waivers shall be kept with the books of the Corporation. Attendance at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a person attends for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.
Section 9.5 Meeting Attendance via Remote Communication Equipment.
(a) | Stockholder Meetings. If authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board may adopt, stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting and proxy holders not physically present at a meeting of stockholders may, by means of remote communication: |
(i) | participate in a meeting of stockholders; and |
(ii) | be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders, whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication; provided that (A) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxy holder, (B) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxy holders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (C) if any stockholder or proxy holder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such votes or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation. |
(b) | Board Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board or any committee thereof by means of conference telephone, videoconference or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting, except where a person participates in the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened. |
Section 9.6 Dividends. The Board may from time to time declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends (payable in cash, property or shares of the Corporation’s capital stock) on the Corporation’s outstanding shares of capital stock, subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 9.7 Reserves. The Board may set apart out of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve.
Section 9.8 Contracts and Negotiable Instruments. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument may be executed and delivered in the name and on behalf of the Corporation by such officer or officers or other employee or employees of the Corporation as the Board may from time to time authorize. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances as the Board may determine. The Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Vice President may execute and deliver any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument in the name and on behalf of the Corporation. Subject to any restrictions imposed by the Board, the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Vice President may delegate powers to execute and deliver any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument in the name and on behalf of the Corporation to other officers or employees of the Corporation under such person’s supervision and authority, it being understood, however, that any such delegation of power shall not relieve such officer of responsibility with respect to the exercise of such delegated power.
Section 9.9 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board.
Section 9.10 Books and Records. The books and records of the Corporation may be kept within or outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board.
Section 9.11 Resignation. Any director, committee member or officer may resign by giving notice thereof in writing or by electronic transmission to the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, or at the time of receipt of such notice if no time is specified or the specified time is earlier than the time of such receipt. Unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 9.12 Surety Bonds. Such officers, employees and agents of the Corporation (if any) as the Chairperson of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or the Board may direct, from time to time, shall be bonded for the faithful performance of their duties and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of their death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in their possession or under their control belonging to the Corporation, in such amounts and by such surety companies as the Chairperson of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or the Board may
determine. The premiums on such bonds shall be paid by the Corporation and the bonds so furnished shall be in the custody of the Secretary.
Section 9.13 Securities of Other Corporations. Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents in writing and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the Chairperson of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President or any other officer authorized by the Board. Any such officer, may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities, or to consent in writing, in the name of the Corporation as such holder, to any action by such corporation, and at any such meeting or with respect to any such consent shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed. The Board may from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.
Section 9.14 Amendments. These Bylaws shall be adopted, amended, altered or repealed in accordance with Article VI of the Certificate of Incorporation.
**********
EXHIBIT 4.1
NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
dated as of December 7, 2023
among
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY LLC,
as Company,
and
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC. and CAPSTONE TURBINE FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC
as Guarantors,
VARIOUS PURCHASERS,
GOLDMAN SACHS SPECIALTY LENDING GROUP, L.P.,
as Collateral Agent
________________________________________________________
$ 28,090,857.69 Senior Secured Notes
________________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
i
ii
iii
iv
APPENDICES:APurchase Commitments
BNotice Addresses
SCHEDULES:1.1(b)Certain Material Real Estate Assets
4.1Jurisdictions of Organization and Qualification
4.2Capital Stock and Ownership
4.13Real Estate Assets
4.16Material Contracts
5.15Certain Post Closing Matters
5.18 Professional Fees
6.1Certain Indebtedness
6.2Certain Liens
6.7Certain Investments
6.12Certain Affiliate Transactions
EXHIBITS:A-1Funding Notice
A-2Conversion/Continuation Notice
BLetter of Direction
CCompliance Certificate
DTransfer Agreement
E-1U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
E-2[Reserved]
E-3[Reserved]
E-4U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
F-1Closing Date Certificate
F-2Solvency Certificate
GCounterpart Agreement
HLandlord Collateral Access Agreement
IIntercompany Note
J-1New Money Note
J-2Roll Up Note
v
NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of December 7, 2023, is entered into by and among CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY LLC (“Company”), as issuer, CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC. (“Holdings”) and CAPSTONE TURBINE FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC, as guarantors, the Purchasers party hereto from time to time, and GOLDMAN SACHS SPECIALTY LENDING GROUP, L.P., (“GSSLG”) as collateral agent (in such capacity, “Collateral Agent”).
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, on September 28, 2023 (the “Petition Date”), Capstone Distributor Support Services Corporation f/k/a Capstone Green Energy Corporation (“Capstone”) and the Guarantors (collectively with Capstone, the “Debtors”) each filed voluntary petitions and initiated proceedings under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (collectively, the “Chapter 11 Cases”) with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”);
WHEREAS, during the Chapter 11 Cases, Capstone, as issuer and the Guarantors, as guarantors, entered into that certain Super-Priority Senior Secured Debtor-in-possession Note Purchase Agreement dated October 2, 2023 (the “DIP Agreement”);
WHEREAS, on November 14, 2023, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order (the “Confirmation Order”) confirming the Debtors’ Plan (as defined below), which Plan went effective on December 7, 2023 (the “Effective Date”);
WHEREAS, on the Effective Date, pursuant to the Plan and the Confirmation Order, the obligations under $12,600,000 (plus any accrued interest) of the DIP New Money Notes (as defined below), $5,000,000 (plus any accrued interest) of the DIP Pre-Petition Roll Up Notes (as defined in the below) and $3,000,000 (plus any accrued interest) of the DIP Pre-Funding Roll Up Notes (as defined below) (collectively, the “DIP Roll-Up Obligations”) are to be deemed senior secured notes issued under this Agreement;
WHEREAS, Purchasers have agreed to purchase senior secured notes from Company in the amounts and upon the terms and conditions more particularly set forth herein, the proceeds of which will be used, among other things, for the purposes set forth in Section 2.5, in each case to the extent permitted hereunder;
WHEREAS, Company and the Guarantors have agreed to guarantee the Obligations of the other Note Parties hereunder and to secure all such Persons’ respective Obligations by granting to Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, a First Priority Lien on all of their respective assets, including a pledge of all of the Capital Stock issued by any Subsidiary of Company, in each case, other than Excluded Property and subject to the limitations set forth herein and in the Collateral Documents;
NOW, THEREFORE, to induce Purchasers to purchase the Notes from Company and in consideration of the premises and the agreements, provisions and covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1
Section 1 | DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION |
“ABL Facility” as defined in Section 6.1(c) hereto.
“ABL Priority Collateral” as defined in Section 6.1(c) hereto.
“Acceptable Auditor” means (i) Marcum LLP, (ii) a “Big Four” accounting firm, (iii) an independent certified public accountant of recognized national standing, (iv) a regional “mid-tier” firm of good public standing approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board selected by Company or (v) any other independent certified public accountant reasonably satisfactory to Requisite Purchasers.
“Acquisition” means the acquisition of, by purchase or otherwise (other than purchases or other acquisitions of inventory, materials and equipment and capital expenditures, in each case in the ordinary course of business), the business, a substantial portion of the property or assets of, or a substantial portion of the Capital Stock or other evidence of beneficial ownership of, any Person, any division or line of business, or any other business unit of any Person.
“Acquisition Consideration” means, with respect to any Permitted Acquisition or any other acquisition of any property or assets by any Person (including in connection with an Asset Sale consummated by a Note Party), the aggregate purchase consideration for such Permitted Acquisition or other Acquisition and all other payments by Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries in exchange for, or as part of, or in connection with, such Permitted Acquisition or other Acquisition, whether paid in cash, by issuance of a note, or by exchange of Capital Stock or of other assets or otherwise, and, in each case, whether payable at or prior to the consummation of such Permitted Acquisition or other Acquisition or deferred for payment at any future time, and whether or not any such future payment is subject to the occurrence of any contingency, and includes any and all payments representing the purchase price and any assumptions of Indebtedness, Earn Out Obligations, Seller Financing Indebtedness, and agreements to make any payment the amount of which is, or the terms of payment of which are, in any respect subject to or contingent upon the revenues, income, cash flow, profits or other performance (or the like) of any Person or business. For purposes of this Agreement, any such consideration not consisting of Cash paid or payable upon the closing of any such Permitted Acquisition or other Acquisition shall be valued at the principal amount thereof in the case of notes or other debt Securities, the stated amount thereof in the case of fixed post-closing installments or similar Seller Financing Indebtedness obligations, the maximum payout amount in the case of any capped Earn Out Obligations or similar deferred contingent payment obligations, and reasonably estimable fair market value in the case of any other non-Cash consideration; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, Acquisition Consideration shall not include any Earn Out Obligations or similar consideration to the extent such amounts are no longer payable due to any failure to satisfy the conditions to payment of such Earn Out Obligations or similar consideration.
“Adjusted Term SOFR” means, for purposes of any calculation, the rate per annum equal to (a) Term SOFR for such calculation plus (b) the Term SOFR Adjustment;
2
provided; that, if Adjusted Term SOFR as so determined shall ever be less than the Floor, then Adjusted Term SOFR shall be deemed to be the Floor.
“Adverse Proceeding” means any action, suit, proceeding, hearing (in each case, whether administrative, judicial or otherwise), governmental investigation or arbitration (whether or not purportedly on behalf of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries) at law or in equity, or before or by any Governmental Authority, domestic or foreign (including any Environmental Claims), whether pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened in writing against or affecting Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any property of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Affected Notes” as defined in Section 2.17(b)(v).
“Affected Purchaser” as defined in Section 2.17(b)(v) .
“Affiliate” means, as applied to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, that Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power (i) to vote 10% or more of the Capital Stock having ordinary voting power for the election of members of the Board of Directors of such Person, or (ii) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of that Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. Notwithstanding anything in this definition to the contrary, neither Capstone Distributor Support Services Corporation as an equity holder of Company nor any of Capstone Distributor Support Services Corporation’s affiliates shall be considered an “Affiliate” of any Note Party or of any Subsidiary of any Note Party.
“Agent Affiliates” as defined in Section 10.1(b)(iii).
“Aggregate Amounts Due” as defined in Section 2.16.
“Aggregate Payments” as defined in Section 7.2.
“Agreement” means this Note Purchase Agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated, or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Laws” means any and all requirements of law related to anti-bribery or anti-corruption matters, including the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977.
“Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Money Laundering Laws” means any and all requirements of law related to engaging in, financing, or facilitating terrorism or money laundering, including the PATRIOT Act, The Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act (also known as the “Bank Secrecy Act”, 31 U.S.C. §§5311-5330 and 12 U.S.C. §§1818(s), 1820(b) and 1951-1959), Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. §1 et seq.), Executive Order 13224 (effective September 24, 2001) and each of the laws, regulations, and executive orders administered by OFAC (31 C.F.R., Subtitle B, Chapter V).
3
“Applicable Margin” means (i) in the case of SOFR Rate Notes, a percentage, per annum, equal to 7.00% and (ii) in the case of Notes bearing interest at the Base Rate, a percentage, per annum, equal to 6.00%.
“Approved Electronic Communications” means any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material that any Note Party provides to Purchasers pursuant to any Note Document or the transactions contemplated therein that is distributed to Collateral Agent or Purchasers by means of electronic communications pursuant to Section 10.1(b).
“Asset Sale” means a sale, lease or sub lease (as lessor or sublessor), sale and leaseback, assignment, conveyance, transfer (including through a plan of division), exclusive license (as licensor or sublicensor), or other disposition to, or any exchange of property with, any Person (other than to or with Company or any other Note Party), in one transaction or a series of transactions, of all or any part of Holdings’s, Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses, assets or properties of any kind, whether real, personal, or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, leased, or licensed, including the Capital Stock of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than inventory sold or leased to unaffiliated customers in the ordinary course of business. For purposes of clarification, “Asset Sale” shall (x) include (A) the sale or other disposition for value of any contracts and (B) the early termination or modification of any contract resulting in the receipt by Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries of a cash payment or other consideration in exchange for such event (other than payments in the ordinary course for accrued and unpaid amounts that would have been due through the date of termination or modification without giving effect thereto) and (y) exclude a sale or issuance by Holdings of its own common stock (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with any at the market offering of Holdings’s Capital Stock).
“Asset Sale Reinvestment Amounts” as defined in Section 2.13(a).
“Authorized Officer” means, as applied to any Person that is an entity, any duly authorized individual natural Person holding the position of chairman of the Board of Directors (if an officer), chief executive officer, president, vice president, Chief Financial Officer, or, if approved by Requisite Purchasers, any other officer position with similar authority; provided, that the secretary or assistant secretary of such Person, or another officer of such Person satisfactory to Requisite Purchasers, shall have delivered an incumbency certificate to Purchasers verifying the authority of such Authorized Officer.
“Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (x) if such Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining the length of an interest period pursuant to this Agreement or (y) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of the term “Interest Period” pursuant to Section 2.17.
4
“Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code.
“Bankruptcy Court” as defined in the Recitals hereto.
“Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (i) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (ii) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1.00%, (iii) the sum of (a) Adjusted Term SOFR (after giving effect to the Floor) for a one month tenor in effect on such day plus (b) the difference between the Applicable Margin for SOFR Rate Notes and the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Notes, and (iv) the Floor. Any change in the Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR shall be effective on the effective day of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR, respectively.
“Base Rate Notes” means a Note bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Base Rate.
“Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day” as defined in the definition of “Term SOFR”.
“Benchmark” means, initially, the Term SOFR Reference Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event has occurred with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to Section 2.17.
“Benchmark Replacement” means with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by Collateral Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:
a. | The sum of (i) Daily Simple SOFR and (ii) 0.10% (10.0 basis points); or |
b. | the sum of: (i) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Collateral Agent and Company giving due consideration to (A) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (B) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement to the then-current Benchmark for Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities and (ii) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment. |
If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (a) or (b) above would be less than the interest rate specified in clause (a) of the definition of “Floor”, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the interest rate specified in clause (a) of the definition of “Floor” for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Note Documents.
“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Collateral Agent and Company
5
giving due consideration to (a) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body or (b) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time.
“Benchmark Replacement Date” means a date and time determined by the Collateral Agent, which date shall be no later than the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
a. | in the case of clause (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the later of (i) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (ii) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or |
b. | in the case of clause (c) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by or the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be non-representative; provided that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (c) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date. |
For the avoidance of doubt, the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (a) or (b) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
a. | a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); |
b. | a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the |
6
administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or |
c. | a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are not, or as of a specified future date will not be, representative. |
For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
“Benchmark Unavailability Period” means, the period (if any) (a) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Note Document in accordance with Section 2.17 and (b) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Note Document in accordance with Section 2.17.
“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Purchasers.
“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.
“Beneficiary” means Collateral Agent and each Purchaser.
“Board of Directors” means, (a) with respect to any corporation or company, the board of directors of the corporation or company or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board, (b) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the general partner of the partnership, (c) with respect to a limited liability company, the manager, the managing member or members or any controlling committee or board of managers (or equivalent governing body) of such company or the sole member or the managing member thereof, and (d) with respect to any other Person, the entity, individual, board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.
“Board of Governors” means the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, or any successor Governmental Authority.
“Business Day” means any day excluding Saturday, Sunday and any day that is a legal holiday under the laws of the State of New York or is a day on which banking institutions located in any such state are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
7
“Capital Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by that Person (i) as lessee that, in conformity with GAAP, is or should be accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of that Person or (ii) as lessee which is a transaction of a type commonly known as a “synthetic lease” (i.e., a transaction that is treated as an operating lease for accounting purposes but with respect to which payments of rent are intended to be treated as payments of principal and interest on a loan for Federal income tax purposes) provided that “Capital Lease” shall in no event include Operating Lease Liabilities.
“Capital Lease Obligation” means, as applied to any Person that is a lessee under any Capital Lease, that portion of obligations under such Capital Lease that is properly classified as a liability on a balance sheet in conformity with GAAP.
“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, stock, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership or profits interests in a Person that is another type of entity, including partnership interests, membership interests, voting trust certificates, certificates of interest, and profits interests, participations, or similar arrangements, and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase, or other arrangements or rights to acquire, subscribe, convert to or otherwise receive or participate in the economic or other rights associated with any of the foregoing.
“Capstone” as defined in the Recitals hereto.
“Cash” means money, currency or a credit balance in any demand or Deposit Account.
“Cash Equivalents” means, as at any date of determination, (i) marketable securities (a) issued or directly and unconditionally guaranteed as to interest and principal by the U.S. Federal Government, or (b) issued by any agency of the U.S., in each case of sub-clauses (a) and (b), the obligations of which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S., mature within one year after such date, and have, at the time of the acquisition thereof, a rating of at least A-1 from S&P and at least P-1 from Moody’s; (ii) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the U.S. or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof, in each case maturing within one year after such date and having, at the time of the acquisition thereof, a rating of at least A-1 from S&P or at least P-1 from Moody’s; (iii) certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances maturing within three months after such date and issued or accepted by any Purchaser or by any commercial bank organized under the laws of the U.S. or any state thereof or the District of Columbia that (a) is at least “adequately capitalized” (as defined in the regulations of its primary federal banking regulator), and (b) has Tier 1 capital (as defined in such regulations) of not less than $250,000,000; and (iv) shares of any money market mutual fund that (a) has at least 95% of its assets invested continuously in the types of investments referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above, (b) has net assets of not less than $500,000,000, and (c) has the highest rating obtainable from either S&P or Moody’s.
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date hereof, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request,
8
rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the U.S. or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.
“Change of Control” means, at any time: (i) any Person or “group” (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) (a) shall have acquired beneficial ownership or control of 25% or more on a fully diluted basis of (1) the voting interests in the Capital Stock of Holdings and/or (2) the economic interests in the Capital Stock of Holdings, or (b) shall have obtained the power (whether or not exercised) to elect a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of Holdings; (ii) the majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the Board of Directors of Company cease to be occupied by Persons who either (a) were members of the Board of Directors of Holdings on the Closing Date, or (b) were nominated for election by the Board of Directors of Holdings, a majority of whom were directors on the Closing Date or whose election or nomination for election was previously approved by a majority of such directors; or (iii) Holdings ceases to hold 100% of the Common Units (as such term is defined in the Company LLCA, as in effect on the date hereof) other than as a result of the any Preferred Member exercising its option to convert its Preferred Units (as such term is defined in the Company LLCA, as in effect on the date hereof) to Common Units under the Company LLCA, as in effect on the date hereof.
“Chapter 11 Cases” as defined in the Recitals hereto.
“Chief Financial Officer” means, as applied to any Person that is an entity, any duly authorized individual natural Person holding the position of chief financial officer or, if approved by Requisite Purchasers, any other officer position with similar financial responsibility; provided; that the secretary or assistant secretary of such Person, or another officer of such Person satisfactory to Requisite Purchasers, shall have delivered an incumbency certificate to the Purchasers verifying the authority of such Authorized Officer.
“Closing Date” means the date this Agreement was executed and certain Notes were issued and purchased by Purchasers hereunder, which occurred on December 7, 2023.
“Closing Date Certificate” means a certificate dated as of the Closing Date or the New Money Additional Notes Closing Date, as applicable, and substantially in the form of Exhibit F-1.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder. For the avoidance of doubt, references to specific sections of the Code shall include references to Treasury regulations interpreting such sections.
“Collateral” means, collectively, all of the real, personal and mixed property (including Capital Stock) in which Liens are granted and/or purported to be granted pursuant to
9
the Collateral Documents as security for the Obligations, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Excluded Property.
“Collateral Agent” as defined in the preamble hereto.
“Collateral Documents” means the Pledge and Security Agreement, any intellectual property security agreements, any Mortgages, any Deposit Account Control Agreements, any Securities Account Control Agreements, any Landlord Collateral Access Agreements, and all other instruments, documents and agreements that are expressly designated pursuant to their terms to be “Collateral Documents” or are otherwise executed and delivered by or on behalf of any Note Party or any other Person pursuant to this Agreement or any of the other Note Documents in order to grant to, or perfect in favor of, Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, a Lien on any real, personal or mixed property of that Note Party as security for the Obligations, in each case, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Collateral Questionnaire” means the Perfection Certificate dated as of the date hereof or a collateral questionnaire and/or perfection certificate in form satisfactory to Collateral Agent, in each case, that provides information with respect to the personal or mixed property of each Note Party and their respective Subsidiaries and Controlled Entities.
“Commitment” means any Roll Up Notes Purchase Commitment or New Money Purchase Commitment and “Commitments” means all of the Roll Up Notes Purchase Commitments and New Money Purchase Commitments of all Purchasers.
“Company” as defined in the preamble hereto.
“Company LLCA” means that certain Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Company, dated as of the Effective Date, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of Company substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
“Confirmation Order” means an order of the Bankruptcy Court confirming the Plan.
“Conforming Changes” means, with respect to either the use or administration of Term SOFR or the use, administration, adoption or implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Base Rate,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “U.S. Government Securities Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period” or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of “interest period”), timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of Section 2.17(d) and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Collateral Agent reasonably decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of any such rate or to permit the use and administration thereof by the Collateral Agent in a manner
10
substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Collateral Agent reasonably decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Collateral Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of any such rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Collateral Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Note Documents).
“Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA” means, for any period, an amount determined for Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis equal to (i) Consolidated Net Income plus (ii) in each case to the extent reducing Consolidated Net Income, the sum, without duplication, of the amounts for such period of (a) Consolidated Interest Expense, plus (b) provisions for taxes based on income and the amount of any Restricted Junior Payments made in reliance on Section 6.5(b), plus (c) total depreciation expense, plus (d) total amortization expense, plus (e) other non-Cash charges reducing Consolidated Net Income (excluding any such non-Cash charge to the extent that it represents an accrual or reserve for potential Cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid Cash charge that was paid in a prior period), plus (f) restructuring charges and similar charges, fees, costs, expenses, and reserves related to severance, relocation, integration, the opening, closing or consolidation of facilities or lines of business (including contract and/or lease termination), subject to a cap of $500,000 for any Fiscal Year following Fiscal Year 2024, plus (g) the amount of non-controlling or minority interest expense consisting of income attributable to third parties in non-wholly owned Subsidiaries, plus (h) fees, costs and expenses associated with (x) the negotiation of this Agreement and the other Note Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein (including any Transaction Costs), and (y) all amendments, waivers, consents and other modifications hereto and thereto undertaken from time to time after the Closing Date, plus (i) non-ordinary course losses and extraordinary, unusual, or non-recurring charges, costs, expenses losses, or other items, subject to a cap of $250,000 for any Fiscal Year, plus (j) third-party out-of-pocket fees, charges, costs, losses, expenses (including financial advisory, accounting, auditor, legal and other consulting and advisory fees) or reserves related to litigation (including threatened litigation), any investigation or proceeding (or any threatened investigation or proceeding) by a regulatory, governmental or law enforcement body, or any shareholder litigation (including threatened litigation), subject to a cap equal to the sum of (x) $250,000 during such period, plus (y) solely with respect to such third-party out-of-pocket fees, charges, costs, losses, expenses or reserves related to shareholder litigation (including threatened litigation), an additional aggregate amount not to exceed $1,250,000 during the term of this Agreement plus (k) for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at the end of the first Fiscal Quarter of 2024, fees, charges, costs, losses, expenses (including financial advisory, accounting, auditor, legal and other consulting and advisory fees) related to the restatement of, or other adjustments to, the financial statements of any Note Party or of Capstone, minus (iii) in each case to the extent increasing Consolidated Net Income, the sum, without duplication, of the amounts for such period of (a) non-Cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period (excluding any such non-Cash gain to the extent it represents the reversal of an accrual or reserve for potential Cash gain in any prior period), plus (b) interest income, plus (c) other non-ordinary course income plus (d) any Restricted Junior Payments by Holdings in the form of Cash distributions and/or dividends; provided that, to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, there shall be excluded in determining Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA currency translation gains and losses related to currency remeasurements of
11
Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain resulting from Hedge Agreements for currency exchange risk) and any other foreign currency transaction or translation gains and losses, to the extent such gain or losses are non-Cash items.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement, with respect to any period during which a Permitted Acquisition or an Asset Sale has occurred (each, a “Subject Transaction”), for purposes of determining compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.8 or any other calculation herein using Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA shall be calculated with respect to such period on a pro forma basis (which pro forma adjustments shall be certified by a Chief Financial Officer of Company) using the historical audited financial statements of any business so acquired or to be acquired or sold or to be sold and the consolidated financial statements of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries, which shall be reformulated as if such Subject Transaction, and any Indebtedness incurred or repaid in connection therewith, had been consummated or incurred or repaid at the beginning of such period (and assuming that such Indebtedness bears interest during any portion of the applicable measurement period prior to the relevant acquisition at the weighted average of the interest rates applicable to outstanding Notes incurred during such period); provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the foregoing adjustments shall be subject to the approval of Requisite Purchasers in their sole discretion for all purposes of this Agreement.
“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the aggregate of all expenditures of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries during such period determined on a consolidated basis that, in accordance with GAAP, are or should be included in “purchase of property and equipment or similar items”, or that should otherwise be capitalized, as reflected in the consolidated statement of cash flows of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Consolidated Current Assets” means, as at any date of determination, the total assets of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis that are properly classified as current assets in conformity with GAAP, excluding Cash and Cash Equivalents.
“Consolidated Current Liabilities” means, as at any date of determination, the total liabilities of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis that are properly classified as current liabilities in conformity with GAAP, excluding the current portion of long term debt.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, total interest expense (including that portion attributable to Capital Leases in accordance with GAAP and capitalized interest) of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness, including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and net costs under Interest Rate Agreements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated Interest Expense for any period that would otherwise start before the Closing Date, such period shall instead start on the Closing Date and Consolidated Interest Expense shall be an amount equal to Consolidated Interest Expense from the Closing Date through the last day of such period multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is 365 and the denominator of which is the number of days from the Closing Date through the last day of such period.
12
“Consolidated Liquidity” means, at any time of determination, an amount determined for Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis equal to the sum of (a) Qualified Cash of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries, (b) undrawn commitments under the New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitments to the extent that such New Money Additional Notes would be able to be issued on such date and (c) so long as no event is occurring that would constitute an Event of Default or a Default, any amounts due and payable by Capstone to Company under the DSS Services Agreement, including without limitation, any Service Fees (as such term is defined in the DSS Services Agreement).
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, (i) the net income (or loss) of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period taken as a single accounting period determined in conformity with GAAP, minus (ii) in each case to the extent otherwise included in such net income (or loss) and without duplication, (a) the income (or loss) of any Person that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (other than Holdings, the Company or any of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries), (b) the income (or loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Note Party or is merged into or consolidated with any Note Party or that Person’s assets are acquired by any Note Party, (c) the income of any Subsidiary of Company to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Subsidiary of that income is not at the time 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, (d) any after-tax gains or losses attributable to Asset Sales or returned surplus assets of any Pension Plan, and (e) (to the extent not included in clauses (a) through (d) above) any net extraordinary gains or net extraordinary losses.
“Consolidated Working Capital” means, as at any date of determination, the difference of Consolidated Current Assets minus Consolidated Current Liabilities.
“Consolidated Working Capital Adjustment” means, for any period of determination on a consolidated basis, the amount (which may be a negative number) equal to the difference of (i) Consolidated Working Capital as of the beginning of such period minus (ii) Consolidated Working Capital as of the end of such period. In calculating the Consolidated Working Capital Adjustment there shall be excluded the effect of reclassification during such period of current assets to long term assets and current liabilities to long term liabilities and the effect of any Permitted Acquisition during such period; provided that there shall be included with respect to any Permitted Acquisition during such period an amount (which may be a negative amount) equal to the difference of (a) the Consolidated Working Capital acquired in such Permitted Acquisition as at the time of such acquisition minus (b) Consolidated Working Capital at the end of such period.
“Contractual Obligation” means, as applied to any Person, any provision of any Security issued by that Person or of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, contract, undertaking, agreement or other instrument to which that Person is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound or to which it or any of its properties is subject.
“Contributing Guarantors” as defined in Section 7.2.
13
“Controlled Account” means (a) any Deposit Account of a Note Party that is subject to a Deposit Account Control Agreement, and (b) any Securities Account of a Note Party that is subject to a Securities Account Control Agreement.
“Controlled Entity” means any Note Party’s Controlled Affiliates. As used in this definition, “Control” means the power, directly or indirectly, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Conversion/Continuation Date” means the effective date of a continuation or conversion, as the case may be, as set forth in the applicable Conversion/Continuation Notice.
“Conversion/Continuation Notice” means a Conversion/Continuation Notice substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2.
“Counterpart Agreement” means a Counterpart Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit G delivered by a Note Party pursuant to Section 5.10.
“Credit Date” means the date of the issuance and purchase of Notes.
“Currency Agreement” means any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, futures contract, option contract, synthetic cap or other similar agreement or arrangement, each of which is for the purpose of hedging the foreign currency risk associated with Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ operations and not for speculative purposes.
“Daily Simple SOFR” means, for any day, SOFR, with the conventions for this rate (which will include a lookback) being established by the Collateral Agent in accordance with the conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining “Daily Simple SOFR” for syndicated business loans; provided that, if the Collateral Agent reasonably decides that any such convention is not administratively feasible for the Collateral Agent, then the Collateral Agent may establish another convention in its reasonable discretion.
“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the U.S., any state or territory thereof, the District of Columbia or any other applicable jurisdictions.
“Default” means a condition or event that, after notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means any interest payable pursuant to Section 2.9.
“Deposit Account” means any “deposit account” as defined in Article 9 of the UCC.
“Deposit Account Control Agreement” means, with respect to a Deposit Account, an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Collateral Agent that (i)
14
is entered into among Collateral Agent, the financial institution or other Person at which such Deposit Account is maintained, and the Note Party maintaining such Deposit Account, and (ii) is effective for Collateral Agent to obtain “control” (within the meaning of Articles 8 and 9 of the UCC) of such Deposit Account.
“DIP Agreement” as defined in the Recitals hereto.
“DIP New Money Notes” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Plan.
“DIP Note Documents” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the DIP Agreement.
“DIP Note Party” means each of Capstone, Capstone Turbine International, Inc, and Capstone Turbine Financial Services.
“DIP Obligations” means all obligations of every nature of each DIP Note Party under the DIP Note Documents.
“DIP Pre-Funding Roll Up Notes” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Plan.
“DIP Pre-Petition Roll Up Notes” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Plan.
“DIP Roll-Up Obligations” as defined in the Recitals hereto.
“Director” means any natural Person constituting the Board of Directors or an individual member thereof.
“Dispose” means, with respect to any Person, any conveyance, sale, lease (as lessor), license (as licensor), exchange, assignment, transfer or other disposition by such Person of any property or assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to any other Person, in each case, whether or not the consideration therefor consists of Cash, Cash Equivalents, Securities or any other property or assets. For purposes of clarification, “Dispose” shall (a) include (i) the sale or other disposition for value of any contracts, (ii) the early termination or modification of any contract by any Person resulting in the receipt by such Person of a Cash payment or other consideration in exchange for such event (other than payments in the ordinary course for previously accrued and unpaid amounts due through the date of termination or modification) or (iii) any sale of merchant accounts (or any rights thereto (including any rights to any residual payment stream with respect thereto)) and (b) exclude a sale or issuance by Holdings of its own common stock (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with any at the market offering of Holdings’ Capital Stock).
“Disqualified Capital Stock” means any Capital Stock, that, by its terms (or by the terms of any other instrument, agreement or Capital Stock into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the occurrence of any event or condition (i) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, (ii) is redeemable at the option of the holder or beneficial owner
15
thereof (other than solely for Capital Stock that is not otherwise Disqualified Capital Stock), in whole or in part, (iii) provides for the scheduled payments of dividends, distributions or other Restricted Junior Payments in cash, or (iv) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other obligation, instrument, agreement, or Capital Stock that would meet any of the conditions in clauses (i), (ii), or (iii) of this definition, in each case, prior to the date that is one hundred eighty (180) days after the Latest Maturity Date, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), if as a result of a change of control or asset sale, so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of such a change of control or asset sale event are subject to the prior Payment in Full of all Obligations.
“Distribution” as defined in Section 7.7.
“Dollars” and the sign “$” mean the lawful money of the U.S.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary organized under the laws of the U.S., any state thereof or the District of Columbia other than any CFC Holdco (as such term is defined in the Pledge and Security Agreement).
“DSS Services Agreement” means that certain Reorganized PrivateCo Services Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between Company and Capstone, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms therein.
“Earn Out Obligations” means any obligation or liability consisting of an earnout or similar deferred purchase price that is issued or otherwise incurred as consideration for any acquisition of any property.
“EDGAR System” means the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System owned and operated by the SEC or any replacement system.
“Effective Date” as defined in the Recitals hereto.
“Eligible Transferee” means (i) (a) any Purchaser, any Affiliate of any Purchaser and any Related Fund (any two or more Related Funds being treated as a single Eligible Transferee for all purposes hereof) (in each case, other than a Natural Person), and (b) any commercial bank, insurance company, investment or mutual fund or other entity that is an “accredited investor” (as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act) and extends credit or buys notes as one of its businesses provided that with respect to subclause (b), Requisite Purchasers’ consent shall be required for any such Person to become a Purchaser, and (ii) any other Person (other than a Natural Person) approved by Company (so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, it being understood that Company shall be deemed to have approved such Person if Company fails to either approve or reject such Person within five (5) Business Days after any request for such approval by any Purchaser); provided, (x) neither Company nor any Affiliate of Company shall, in any event, be an Eligible Transferee and (y) no Person owning or controlling any trade obligations or Indebtedness of any Note Party (other than the Obligations) or any Capital Stock of any Note Party (in each case, other than any other Person approved by Requisite Purchasers) shall, in any event, be an Eligible Transferee.
16
“Employee Benefit Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA that is or was sponsored, maintained or contributed to by, or required to be contributed by, Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates.
“Environmental Claim” means any investigation, notice, notice of violation, claim, action, suit, proceeding, demand, abatement order or other order or directive (conditional or otherwise), by any Governmental Authority or any other Person, arising (i) pursuant to or in connection with any actual or alleged violation of any Environmental Law; (ii) in connection with any Hazardous Material or any actual or alleged Hazardous Materials Activity; or (iii) in connection with any actual or alleged damage, injury, threat or harm to health, safety, natural resources or the environment.
“Environmental Laws” means any and all current or future foreign or domestic, federal or state (or any subdivision of either of them), statutes, ordinances, orders, rules, regulations, judgments, Governmental Authorizations, or any other requirements of Governmental Authorities relating to (i) environmental matters, including those relating to any Hazardous Materials Activity; (ii) the generation, use, storage, transportation or disposal of Hazardous Materials; or (iii) occupational safety and health, industrial hygiene, land use or the protection of human, plant or animal health or welfare, in any manner applicable to Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Facility.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA Affiliate” means, as applied to any Person, (i) any corporation that is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414(b) of the Code of which that Person is a member; (ii) any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is a member of a group of trades or businesses under common control within the meaning of Section 414(c) of the Code of which that Person is a member; and (iii) any member of an affiliated service group within the meaning of Section 414(m) or (o) of the Code of which that Person, any corporation described in clause (i) above or any trade or business described in clause (ii) above is a member. Any former ERISA Affiliate of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall continue to be considered an ERISA Affiliate of Company or any such Subsidiary within the meaning of this definition with respect to the period such entity was an ERISA Affiliate of Company or such Subsidiary and with respect to liabilities arising after such period for which Company or such Subsidiary could be liable under the Code or ERISA.
“ERISA Event” means (i) a “reportable event” within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued thereunder with respect to any Pension Plan (excluding those for which the provision for thirty day notice to the PBGC has been waived by regulation); (ii) the failure to meet the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the Code with respect to any Pension Plan (whether or not waived in accordance with Section 412(c) of the Code) or the failure to make by its due date a required installment under Section 430(j) of the Code with respect to any Pension Plan or the failure to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan; (iii) the provision by the administrator of any Pension Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate such plan in a distress termination described in Section 4041(c) of ERISA; (iv) the withdrawal by Holdings, Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from any Pension Plan with two or more
17
contributing sponsors or the termination of any such Pension Plan resulting in liability to Holdings, Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Affiliates pursuant to Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA; (v) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate any Pension Plan, or the occurrence of any event or condition that might constitute grounds under ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (vi) the imposition of liability on Holdings, Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates pursuant to Section 4062(e) or 4069 of ERISA or by reason of the application of Section 4212(c) of ERISA; (vii) the withdrawal of Holdings, Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates in a complete or partial withdrawal (within the meaning of Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA) from any Multiemployer Plan if there is any potential liability therefor, or the receipt by Holdings, Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates of notice from any Multiemployer Plan that it is in reorganization or insolvency pursuant to Section 4241 or 4245 of ERISA, or that it intends to terminate or has terminated under Section 4041A or 4042 of ERISA; (viii) the occurrence of an act or omission that could give rise to the imposition on Holdings, Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates of fines, penalties, taxes or related charges under Chapter 43 of the Code or under Section 409, Section 502(c), (i) or (l), or Section 4071 of ERISA in respect of any Employee Benefit Plan; (ix) the assertion of a material claim (other than routine claims for benefits) against any Employee Benefit Plan other than a Multiemployer Plan or the assets thereof, or against Holdings, Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates in connection with any Employee Benefit Plan; (x) receipt from the Internal Revenue Service of notice of the failure of any Pension Plan (or any other Employee Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code) to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code, or the failure of any trust forming part of any Pension Plan to qualify for exemption from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code; or (xi) the imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section 430(k) of the Code or pursuant to Section 303(k) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan.
“Event of Default” means each of the conditions or events set forth in Section 8.1.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
“Excluded Accounts” means (i) payroll accounts or employee benefits accounts as long as in the case of payroll accounts, the total amount on deposit at any time does not exceed the current expected amount of payroll obligations of the Note Parties, (ii) zero balance accounts maintained by the Note Parties, as long as any deposits or funds in any such accounts are transferred at least once each Business Day into a Controlled Account (including, for the avoidance of doubt, at any time following the exercise of exclusive control by Collateral Agent under the applicable control agreement with respect to such Controlled Account), (iii) accounts, the amounts on deposit in which do not exceed an average monthly balance of $50,000 for all such accounts in the aggregate at any one time, (iv) any segregated accounts holding solely Cash collateral for a third party to the extent such Lien is permitted under Section 6.2(n) hereof, the aggregate balance of which shall not at any time exceed 105% of the face value of such obligations and (v) an account maintained at Wells Fargo Bank, National Association for so long as the aggregate balance in such account does not exceed $50,000 for any two (2) consecutive
18
Business Day period; provided that, promptly after opening such account, the Company shall deliver written notice of the account number to the Collateral Agent.
“Excluded Property” has the meaning set forth in the Pledge and Security Agreement.
“Extraordinary Receipts” means any net Cash proceeds received by or paid for the account of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries outside of the ordinary course of such Person’s business and any such payments in respect of purchase price adjustments (excluding working capital adjustments), tax refunds, judgments, settlements for actual or potential litigation or similar claims, pension plan reversions, indemnity payments, payments in respect of Earn Out Obligations or Seller Financing Indebtedness, and similar payments; provided, however, that “Extraordinary Receipts” shall not include (i) proceeds of any indemnity payment to the extent that no Event of Default exists at the time of receipt of such proceeds and such proceeds are promptly (and in any event within five Business Days) used to pay related third party claims and expenses, (ii) proceeds otherwise subject to Sections 2.13(a) through 2.13(g) or (iii) to the extent any such amounts are (A) immediately payable to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Note Parties pursuant to an arrangement permitted under this Agreement or (B) received by the Note Party or any of its Subsidiaries as reimbursement for any costs previously incurred or any payment previously made by a Note Party.
“Extraordinary Receipts Reinvestment Amounts” as defined in Section 2.13(h).
“Extraordinary Receipts Reinvestment Period” as defined in Section 2.13(h).
“Facility” means any real property (including all buildings, fixtures or other improvements located thereon) now, hereafter or heretofore owned, leased, operated or used by Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Fair Share” as defined in Section 7.2.
“Fair Share Contribution Amount” as defined in Section 7.2.
“FATCA” means (a) Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations promulgated thereunder or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, (b) any treaty, law, regulation or other official guidance enacted in any jurisdiction, or relating to an intergovernmental agreement between the United States and any other jurisdiction, with the purpose (in either case) of facilitating the implementation of clause (a) above, or (c) any agreement pursuant to the implementation of clauses (a) or (b) above with the United States Internal Revenue Service, the United States government or any governmental or taxation authority.
“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means for any day, the rate per annum (expressed, as a decimal, rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the
19
Federal Reserve System on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the next Business Day; provided, (i) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the preceding Business Day as so published on the next Business Day, and (ii) if no such rate is so published on such next Business Day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day shall be the average rate charged to GSSLG.
“Financial Advisor” means Riveron Consulting, LLC or another advisor acceptable to Collateral Agent in its sole discretion.
“Financial Officer Certification” means, with respect to the financial statements for which such certification is required, the certification of the Chief Financial Officer of Company that, as of the date of such certification, such financial statements fairly present, in all material respects, the financial condition of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the periods indicated, subject to changes resulting from audit and normal year-end adjustments and to the absence of footnotes.
“Financial Plan” as defined in Section 5.1(i).
“First Priority” means, (i) with respect to any Lien purported to be created in any Collateral not consisting of Capital Stock pursuant to any Collateral Document, that such Lien is the only Lien to which such Collateral is subject, other than any Permitted Lien, and (ii) with respect to any Lien purported to be created in any Collateral consisting of Capital Stock, that such Lien is the highest priority Lien to which such Collateral is subject, other than any non-consensual Permitted Liens for Taxes, statutory obligations, or other obligations that arise and have higher priority by operation of law.
“Fiscal Quarter” means a fiscal quarter of any Fiscal Year.
“Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries ending on March 31 of each calendar year.
“Flood Certificate” means a “Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form” of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and any successor Governmental Authority performing a similar function.
“Flood Hazard Property” means any Real Estate Asset subject to a mortgage in favor of Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, and located in an area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as having special flood or mud slide hazards.
“Flood Program” means the National Flood Insurance Program created by the U.S. Congress pursuant to the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 and the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004.
“Flood Zone” means areas having special flood hazards as described in the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968.
20
“Floor” means (a) with respect to Adjusted Term SOFR and any Benchmark Replacement, 1.00% per annum and (b) with respect to the Base Rate, 4.00% per annum.
“Fund” means any Person (other than a Natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in notes, bonds and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.
“Funding Guarantor” as defined in Section 7.2.
“Funding Notice” means a notice substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1.
“GAAP” means, subject to Section 1.2, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles in effect as of the date of determination thereof.
“Goldman Sachs” means Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC.
“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, municipal, national or other government, governmental department, commission, board, bureau, court, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision thereof or any entity or officer exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to any government or any court, in each case whether associated with a state of the U.S., the U.S., or a foreign entity or government.
“Governmental Authorization” means any permit, license, authorization, plan, directive, consent order or consent decree of or from any Governmental Authority.
“Grantor” as defined in the Pledge and Security Agreement.
“GSSLG” as defined in the preamble hereto.
“Guaranteed Obligations” as defined in Section 7.1.
“Guarantor” means (a) Company, to the extent that Company is not already the primary obligor in respect of any Obligations, (b) Holdings, (c) each Subsidiary of Company that executes this Agreement on the Closing Date, and (d) each other Person that guarantees, pursuant to Section 5.10, Section 7.1 or otherwise, all or any part of the Obligations.
“Guarantor Subsidiary” means each Guarantor (other than Holdings or Company).
“Guaranty” means (a) the guaranty of each Guarantor set forth in Section 7, and (b) each other guaranty of the Obligations that is made by any other Guarantor in favor of Collateral Agent for the benefit of Secured Parties.
“Hazardous Materials” means any chemical, material or substance, exposure to which is prohibited, limited or regulated by any Governmental Authority or that may or could pose a hazard to the health and safety of the owners, occupants or any Persons in the vicinity of any Facility or to the indoor or outdoor environment.
21
“Hazardous Materials Activity” means any past, current, proposed or threatened activity, event or occurrence involving any Hazardous Materials, including the use, manufacture, possession, storage, holding, presence, existence, location, Release, threatened Release, discharge, placement, generation, transportation, processing, construction, treatment, abatement, removal, remediation, disposal, disposition or handling of any Hazardous Materials, and any corrective action or response action with respect to any of the foregoing.
“Hedge Agreement” means any Interest Rate Agreement, any Currency Agreement, and any other derivative or hedging contract, agreement, confirmation, or other similar transaction or arrangement that is entered into by Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including any commodity or equity exchange, swap, collar, cap, floor, adjustable strike cap, adjustable strike corridor, cross-currency swap or forward rate agreement, spot or forward foreign currency or commodity purchase or sale, listed or over-the-counter option or similar derivative right related to any of the foregoing, non-deliverable forward or option, foreign currency swap agreement, currency exchange rate price hedging arrangement, or other arrangement designed to protect against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates, commodity, currency, or Securities values, or any combination of the foregoing agreements or arrangements.
“Highest Lawful Rate” means the maximum lawful interest rate, if any, that at any time or from time to time may be contracted for, charged, or received under the laws applicable to any Purchaser that are in effect as of the Closing Date or, to the extent allowed by law, under such applicable laws that may be in effect after the Closing Date and allow a higher maximum nonusurious interest rate than applicable laws in effect as of the Closing Date.
“Home Page” means Company’s corporate home page on the World Wide Web accessible through the Internet via the universal resource locator (URL) identified as http://www.capstoneturbine.com or such other universal resource locator that it shall designate in writing to the Purchasers as its corporate home page on the World Wide Web.
“Immaterial Fee-Owned Properties” means, as of any date of determination, any individual fee-owned Real Estate Asset having a fair market value less than $1,000,000; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) if at any time Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries own, in the aggregate, multiple fee-owned Real Estate Assets that, in the aggregate, have a fair market value in excess of $2,500,000, then Company shall notify Purchasers thereof and Requisite Purchasers shall have the option, exercisable in its sole discretion, to designate any such Real Estate Assets as Material Real Estate Assets, and (b) any fee-owned Real Estate Asset designated as a Material Real Estate Asset pursuant to clause (iii) of the definition thereof and any fee-owned Real Estate Asset set forth on Schedule 1.1(b) shall not constitute “Immaterial Fee-Owned Properties”.
“Incremental New Money Effective Date” as defined in Section 2.24(a).
“Incremental New Money Notes” means any note purchased by a Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.24.
“Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment” as defined in Section 2.24(a).
22
“Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment Supplement” as defined in Section 2.24(b).
“Incremental New Money Purchaser” as defined in Section 2.24(a)
“Indebtedness,” as applied to any Person, means, without duplication, (i) all indebtedness for borrowed money; (ii) Capital Lease Obligations; (iii) notes payable and drafts accepted representing extensions of credit whether or not representing obligations for borrowed money; (iv) any obligation owed for all or any part of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding any such obligations incurred under ERISA or any trade payable incurred in the ordinary course of business unless (a) more than one hundred twenty (120) days past due, or (b) such obligation is evidenced by a note or a similar written instrument), including any Earn Out Obligations and Seller Financing Indebtedness; (v) all indebtedness secured by any Lien on any property or asset owned or held by that Person regardless of whether the indebtedness secured thereby shall have been assumed by that Person or is nonrecourse to the credit of that Person; (vi) the face amount of any letter of credit or similar instrument issued for the account of (or similar credit transaction entered into for the benefit of) that Person or as to which that Person is otherwise liable for reimbursement of drawings or is otherwise an obligor; (vii) Disqualified Capital Stock, with the amount of Indebtedness represented by such Disqualified Capital Stock being equal to the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference and its maximum fixed repurchase price (for purposes hereof, the “maximum fixed repurchase price” of any Disqualified Capital Stock that does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Capital Stock as if such Disqualified Capital Stock were purchased on any date on which Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Agreement, and as if such price were based upon, or measured by, the fair market value of such Disqualified Capital Stock); (viii) the direct or indirect guaranty, endorsement (otherwise than for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business), co-making, discounting with recourse or sale with recourse by such Person of the obligation of another; (ix) any obligation of such Person the primary purpose or intent of which is to provide assurance to an obligee that the obligation of the obligor thereof will be paid or discharged, or any agreement relating thereto will be complied with, or the holders thereof will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss in respect thereof; (x) any liability of such Person for an obligation of another through any agreement (contingent or otherwise) (a) to purchase, repurchase or otherwise acquire such obligation or provide any security therefor, or to provide funds for the payment or discharge of such obligation (whether in the form of loans, advances, stock purchases, capital contributions or otherwise) or (b) to maintain the solvency or any balance sheet item, level of income or financial condition of another if, in the case of any agreement described under subclauses (a) or (b) of this clause (x), the primary purpose or intent thereof is as described in clause (ix) above; and (xi) all obligations of such Person in respect of any exchange traded or over the counter derivative transaction, including under any Hedge Agreement, in each case whether entered into for hedging or speculative purposes or otherwise, provided, the “principal” amount of obligations under any Hedge Agreement that has not been terminated shall be deemed to be the Net Mark-to-Market Exposure of Company and its Subsidiaries thereunder.
“Indemnified Liabilities” means, collectively, any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages (including natural resource damages), penalties, claims (including Environmental Claims), actions, judgments, suits, costs (including the costs of any investigation,
23
study, sampling, testing, abatement, cleanup, removal, remediation or other response action necessary to remove, remediate, clean up or abate any Hazardous Materials Activity), Taxes, expenses and disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever (including attorneys’ fees and any fees or expenses incurred by Indemnitees in enforcing this indemnity), whether direct, indirect, special, or consequential and whether based on any federal, state or foreign laws, statutes, rules or regulations (including securities and commercial laws, statutes, rules or regulations and Environmental Laws), on common law or equitable cause or on contract or otherwise, that may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against any such Indemnitee, in any manner relating to or arising out of (i) this Agreement or the other Note Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the Purchasers’ agreement to purchase any Notes or the use or intended use of the proceeds thereof, or any enforcement of any of the Note Documents (including any sale of, collection from, or other realization upon any of the Collateral or the enforcement of the Guaranty)); or (ii) any Environmental Claim or Hazardous Materials Activity relating to or arising from, directly or indirectly, any past or present activity, operation, land ownership, or practice of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Indemnitee” means, each of Collateral Agent and any Purchaser, and each of their respective shareholders, principals, advisors, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, partners, members, Directors, trustees, employees, agents and sub-agents.
“Indemnitee Agent Party” as defined in Section 9.6.
“Initial Notes” means the New Money Initial Notes and the Roll Up Notes.
“Initial Notes Purchase Commitments” means the New Money Initial Notes Purchase Commitments and the Roll Up Notes Purchase Commitments.
“Insolvency Proceeding” means, with respect to any Note Party, any (a) case, action or proceeding before any court of Governmental Authority relating to bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation, receivership, dissolution, winding-up or relief of debtors, (b) general assignment for the benefits of creditors, composition, marshaling of assets for creditors, or (c) similar arrangement in respect of creditors generally or any substantial portion of applicable creditors, in any case , under taken under U.S. federal, state or foreign law.
“Institutional Investor” means (a) any Purchaser of a Note, (b) any holder of a Note holding (together with one or more of its affiliates) more than 5% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, (c) any bank, trust company, savings and loan association or other financial institution, any pension plan, any investment company, any insurance company, any broker or dealer, or any other similar financial institution or entity, regardless of legal form, and (d) any related fund of any holder of any Note.
“Insurance/Condemnation Reinvestment Amounts” as defined in Section 2.13(b).
“Insurance/Condemnation Reinvestment Period” as defined in Section 2.13(b).
“Intellectual Property” as defined in the Pledge and Security Agreement.
24
“Intercompany Note” means a “global” intercompany promissory note and subordination that evidences and subordinates certain Indebtedness and other monetary liabilities owed among Note Parties and their Subsidiaries, substantially in the form of Exhibit I.
“Interest Payment Date” means with respect to (i) any Base Rate Note (a) the last day of each month and (b) the final maturity date of such Notes; and (ii) any SOFR Rate Note, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Note; provided, in the case of each Interest Period of longer than six months “Interest Payment Date” shall also include each date that is three months, or an integral multiple thereof, after the commencement of such Interest Period.
“Interest Period” means, in connection with any SOFR Rate Note an interest period of one-, three- or six-months, (in each case, subject to the availability thereof) as selected by Company in the applicable Funding Notice or Conversion/Continuation Notice, commencing on December 7, 2023; and thereafter, commencing on (and including) the day on which the immediately preceding Interest Period expires; provided, (a) if an Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next Business Day unless no further Business Day occurs in such month, in which case such Interest Period shall expire on the immediately preceding Business Day; (b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of a calendar month and (c) no tenor that has been removed from this definition pursuant to Section 2.17 shall be available for specification in such Funding Notice or Conversion/Continuation Notice.
“Interest Rate Agreement” means any interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedging agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement, each of which is (i) for the purpose of hedging the interest rate exposure associated with Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ operations, (ii) approved by Requisite Purchasers, and (iii) not for speculative purposes.
“Interest Rate Determination Date” means, with respect to any Interest Period, the date that is two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period.
“Investment” means (i) any direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition by Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries of, or of a beneficial interest in, any of the Securities of any other Person, including the establishment or other creation of a Subsidiary or any other interest in the Securities of any Person; (ii) any direct or indirect redemption, retirement, purchase or other acquisition for value, by any Subsidiary of Company from any Person, of any Capital Stock of such Person; and (iii) any direct or indirect loan, advance (other than advances to employees for customary moving, entertainment and travel expenses, drawing accounts and similar expenditures in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice) or capital contributions by Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any other Person, including all indebtedness and accounts receivable from that other Person that are not current assets or did not arise from sales of inventory to that other Person in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Investment shall be the original cost of such Investment plus the
25
cost of all additions thereto, without any adjustments for increases or decreases in value, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to such Investment.
“Joint Venture” means a joint venture, partnership or other similar arrangement, whether in corporate, partnership or other legal form; provided, in no event shall any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of any Person be considered to be a “Joint Venture” to which such Person is a party.
“Landlord Collateral Access Agreement” means a Landlord Waiver and Consent Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit H (or such other form as agreed to by Collateral Agent).
“Latest Maturity Date” means, as of any time of determination, the latest possible maturity or expiration date applicable to any Note or Commitment hereunder at such time, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time, as the case may be.
“Leasehold Property” means any leasehold interest of any Note Party as lessee under any lease of real property, other than any such leasehold interest designated from time to time by Collateral Agent in its sole discretion as not being required to be included in the Collateral.
“Lien” means (i) any lien, mortgage, pledge, assignment, security interest, charge or encumbrance of any kind (including any agreement to give any of the foregoing, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, and any lease in the nature thereof) and any option, trust or other preferential arrangement having the practical effect of any of the foregoing, and (ii) in the case of Securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such Securities.
“Liquidation Event” means any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of Company.
“Majority-in-Interest” means holders of Holdings’s Capital Stock accounting for 50% or more of the voting power of all of the Capital Stock of Company.
“Margin Stock” as defined in Regulation U.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (i) the business operations, properties, assets or financial condition of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) the ability of any Note Party to fully and timely perform its Obligations; (iii) the legality, validity, binding effect, or enforceability against a Note Party of a Note Document to which it is a party; (iv) the validity, perfection or priority of a Lien in favor of Collateral Agent for the benefit of Secured Parties on the Collateral, taken as a whole, or (vi) the rights, remedies and benefits available to, or conferred upon, Collateral Agent, any Purchaser or any other Secured Party under any Note Document.
“Material Contract” means any and all contracts or other arrangements to which Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party (other than the Note Documents) for which breach,
26
nonperformance, cancellation or failure to renew could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect together with those contracts and arrangements that are otherwise listed on Schedule 4.16.
“Material Indebtedness” means (i) Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) of any one or more of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries with an individual principal amount or Swap Termination value of $250,000 or more or, solely for purposes of Section 8.1(b), that, collectively with any other Indebtedness in respect of which any relevant default or other specified event has occurred, has an aggregate principal amount (or Swap Termination Value) of $500,000 or more.
“Material Real Estate Asset” means any and all of the following: (i) all fee-owned Real Estate Assets other than any Immaterial Fee-Owned Properties, (ii) any Real Estate Asset that Requisite Purchasers determine after the Closing Date, in their sole discretion, to be material to the business, operations, properties, assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of any of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries and designate in writing to be a “Material Real Estate Asset”, and (iii) any Real Estate Asset listed on Schedule 1.1(b).
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
“Mortgage” means a mortgage, deed of trust, or similar instrument in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Collateral Agent.
“Mortgaged Real Estate Documents” means, with respect to each Material Real Estate Asset that is required to be subject to a Mortgage pursuant to this Agreement:
27
“Multiemployer Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.
“NAIC” means The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and any successor thereto.
“Natural Person” means a natural Person or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person.
“Net Asset Sale Proceeds” means, with respect to any Asset Sale, an amount equal to: (i) Cash payments received by Company or any of its Subsidiaries from such Asset Sale (including any Cash received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise (including by way of a milestone payment, as applicable), but only as and when so received), minus (ii) any bona fide costs and expenses incurred in connection with such Asset Sale to the extent paid or payable to non-Affiliates, including (a) any income or gains taxes payable by Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of any gain recognized in connection with such Asset Sale during the tax period in which the sale occurs and sales, transfer and other similar taxes payable in connection with such Asset Sale, (b) payment of the outstanding principal amount of, premium or penalty, if any, and interest on any Indebtedness (other than the Notes) that is secured by a Lien on the stock or assets in question and that is required to be repaid under the terms thereof as a result of such Asset Sale, (c) amounts deposited in escrow pursuant to
28
the terms of the agreement governing such Asset Sale (only to the extent such proceeds remain in escrow) and (d) a reasonable reserve for any indemnification payments (fixed or contingent) attributable to seller’s indemnities and representations and warranties to purchaser in respect of such Asset Sale undertaken by Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with such Asset Sale; provided that, upon release of any such reserve, the amount released shall be considered Net Asset Sale Proceeds.
“Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds” means an amount equal to: (i) any Cash payments or proceeds received by Company or any of its Subsidiaries (a) under any casualty, business interruption or “key man” insurance policies in respect of any covered loss thereunder, less any applicable taxes payable with respect thereto or (b) as a result of the taking of any assets of Company or any of its Subsidiaries by any Person pursuant to the power of eminent domain, condemnation or otherwise, or pursuant to a sale of any such assets to a purchaser with such power under threat of such a taking, minus (ii) (a) any actual and reasonable costs incurred by Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the adjustment or settlement of any claims of Company or such Subsidiary in respect thereof, and (b) any bona fide costs and expenses incurred in connection with any sale of such assets as referred to in clause (i)(b) of this definition to the extent paid or payable to non-Affiliates, including any income or gains taxes payable by Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of any gain recognized in connection therewith during the tax period the Cash payments or proceeds are received.
“Net Mark-to-Market Exposure” of a Person means, as of any time of determination, the excess (if any) of all unrealized losses over all unrealized profits of such Person arising from Hedge Agreements or other Indebtedness of the type described in clause (xi) of the definition thereof. As used in this definition, “unrealized losses” means the fair market value of the cost to such Person of replacing such Hedge Agreement or such other Indebtedness as of the date of determination (assuming the Hedge Agreement or such other Indebtedness were to be terminated as of that date), and “unrealized profits” means the fair market value of the gain to such Person of replacing such Hedge Agreement or such other Indebtedness as of the time of determination (assuming such Hedge Agreement or such other Indebtedness were to be terminated as of that time).
“New Money Additional Notes” means a New Money Additional Note purchased by a Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.1(b)(ii).
“New Money Additional Notes Closing Date” means any date Company issues any New Money Additional Notes and such New Money Additional Notes are purchased by Purchasers in accordance with Section 2.1.
“New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitment” means the commitment of a Purchaser to purchase New Money Additional Notes and “New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitments” means such commitments of all Purchasers in the aggregate. The amount of each Purchaser’s New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitment, if any, is set forth on Appendix A-2 or in the applicable assignment agreement, subject to any adjustment or reduction pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof. The aggregate amount of the New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitments as of the New Money Additional Notes Closing Date is $4,000,000
29
“New Money Notes” means the New Money Initial Notes, the New Money Additional Notes and (if an increase has been made pursuant to Section 2.24) the Incremental New Money Notes.
“New Money Initial Notes” as defined in Section 2.1(b)(i).
“New Money Initial Notes Purchase Commitment” means the commitment of a Purchaser to make or otherwise purchase the New Money Initial Notes and “New Money Initial Notes Purchase Commitments” means such commitments of all Purchasers in the aggregate. The amount of each Purchaser’s New Money Initial Notes Purchase Commitment, if any, is set forth on Appendix A-1, subject to any adjustment or reduction pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof. The aggregate amount of the New Money Initial Notes Purchase Commitments as of the Closing Date immediately prior to giving effect to the purchasing of the Initial Notes was $3,000,000.
“New Money Purchase Commitments” means any New Money Initial Notes Purchase Commitment, New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitment or (if an increase has been made pursuant to Section 2.24) any Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment and “New Money Purchase Commitments” means all of the New Money Initial Notes Purchase Commitment, New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitment and (if an increase has been made pursuant to Section 2.24) the Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment of all Purchasers.
“Non-U.S. Purchaser” as defined in Section 2.19(e).
“Note Document” means any of this Agreement, the Collateral Documents, the Notes, any intercreditor agreement and all other documents, certificates, instruments or agreements that are expressly designated pursuant to their terms to be “Note Documents” or are otherwise executed and delivered by or on behalf of a Note Party or any other Person for the benefit of Collateral Agent or any Purchaser in connection herewith.
“Note Party” means Company, as issuer, and each Guarantor.
“Notes” means the New Money Notes and Roll Up Notes.
“Notes Maturity Date” means (x) with respect to the New Money Notes, the earlier of (i) December 7, 2025 and (ii) the date that all Notes shall become due and payable in full hereunder, whether by acceleration or otherwise and (y) with respect to the Roll Up Notes, the earlier of (i) December 7, 2026 and (ii) the date that all Notes shall become due and payable in full hereunder, whether by acceleration or otherwise; provided, however, the Company shall use best efforts to refinance the New Money Notes in full in cash on or before the date that is one (1) year after the Closing Date through either (i) a sale or issuance by Holdings of its own common stock or (ii) Indebtedness incurred in accordance with Section 6.1(c).
“Notice” means a Funding Notice.
“Obligations” means all obligations (whether now existing or hereafter arising, absolute or contingent, joint, several, or independent), including for the avoidance of doubt, the
30
Guaranteed Obligations of every nature of each Note Party from time to time owed to Collateral Agent, the Purchasers or any of them, under any Note Document, whether for principal, interest (including interest that, but for the filing of an Insolvency Proceeding with respect to such Note Party, would have accrued on any Obligation, whether or not a claim is allowed against such Note Party for such interest in the related Insolvency Proceeding), fees, expenses, indemnification or otherwise.
“Obligee Guarantor” as defined in Section 7.7.
“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and any successor Governmental Authority.
“Operating Lease Liabilities” means (i) prior to the effectiveness of FASB ASC 842 as applied to any Person, all obligations of such Person that are or would be characterized as operating lease obligations of such Person in accordance with GAAP without giving effect to FASB ASC 842, and (ii) after the effective date of FASB ASC 842 as applied to any Person, all operating lease liabilities (within the meaning of FASB ASC 842) of such Person, whether or not such liabilities are required to be capitalized and reflected as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.
“Organizational Documents” means (i) with respect to any corporation or company, its certificate, memorandum, or articles of incorporation or organization, and its by-laws, (ii) with respect to any limited partnership, its certificate or declaration of limited partnership and its partnership agreement, (iii) with respect to any general partnership, its partnership agreement, and (iv) with respect to any limited liability company, its articles of organization and its operating agreement. In the event any term or condition of this Agreement or any other Note Document requires any Organizational Document to be certified by a secretary of state or similar governmental official, the reference to any such “Organizational Document” shall only be to a document of a type customarily certified by such governmental official.
“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp, court, intangible, recording, filing or documentary, excise, property or similar Taxes arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Note Document.
“Paid in Full” and “Payment in Full” mean, with respect to any or all of the Obligations or Guaranteed Obligations, as the context requires, that each of the following events has occurred, as applicable: (a) the payment or repayment in full in immediately available funds of (i) the principal amount of all outstanding Notes, (ii) all accrued and unpaid interest, fees, premiums or other charges owing in respect of any Note or Commitment or otherwise under any Note Document, and (iii) all accrued and unpaid costs and expenses payable by any Note Party to Collateral Agent or Purchasers pursuant to any Note Document, whether or not demand has been made therefor (limited, in the case of indemnification and reimbursement claims to those claims that have been asserted by any such Person prior to such time), (b) the payment or repayment in full in immediately available funds or all other outstanding Obligations or Guaranteed Obligations other than unasserted contingent indemnification and contingent reimbursement obligations and (c) the termination in writing of all of the Commitments.
31
“PATRIOT Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.
“Pension Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan, other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA.
“Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Term SOFR”.
“Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition by Company or any of its Wholly-Owned Guarantor Subsidiaries, whether by purchase, merger or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of, all of the Capital Stock of, or a business line or unit or a division of, any Person; provided, the Requisite Purchasers have provided prior written consent to such Acquisition; and
32
“Permitted Liens” means each of the Liens permitted pursuant to Section 6.2.
“Person” means and includes natural persons, corporations, limited partnerships, general partnerships, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, joint stock companies, Joint Ventures, associations, companies, trusts, banks, trust companies, land trusts, business trusts or other organizations, whether or not legal entities, and Governmental Authorities.
“Petition Date” as defined in the Recitals hereto.
“Plan” means the Debtors’ Joint Prepackaged Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Capstone Green Energy Corporation and Its Debtor Affiliates, ECF No. 70, as it may be altered, amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the Bankruptcy Code and otherwise in form and substance satisfactory to Collateral Agent and Purchasers.
“Platform” as defined in Section 10.1(b).
“Pledge and Security Agreement” means the Pledge and Security Agreement dated as of the Closing Date, executed by Company and each Guarantor in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as it may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest quoted in the print edition of The Wall Street Journal, Money Rates Section as the Prime Rate (currently defined as the base rate on corporate loans posted by at least 75% of the nation’s thirty largest banks), as in effect from time to time, or, if such source or rate is unavailable, any replacement or successor source or rate as determined by Requisite Purchasers. The Prime Rate is a reference rate and does not necessarily
33
represent the lowest or best rate actually charged to any customer. Purchasers may make commercial loans or other loans at rates of interest at, above or below the Prime Rate.
“Pro Forma Basis” means a calculation giving pro forma effect to (i) the adjustments related to Subject Transactions described in “Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA” and (ii) when used with respect to determining the permissibility of any specific transaction hereunder, such specific transaction as if it were a Subject Transaction.
“Pro Rata Share” means with respect to all payments, computations and other matters relating to the Initial Notes of any Purchaser, the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the outstanding principal amount of the Notes held by such Purchaser by (b) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Notes held by all Purchasers.
“Projections” as defined in Section 4.8.
“Property” means any interest (including any leasehold or similar interest) in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, Cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
“Purchaser” means each financial institution listed on the signature pages hereto as a Purchaser, and any other Person that becomes a party hereto pursuant to a Transfer Agreement.
“Qualified Cash” means, at any time of determination, the aggregate balance sheet amount of unrestricted Cash (which, solely for purposes of this definition, shall be deemed to include (x) deposits in transit up to an aggregate amount of $1,000,000.00 at any one time and (y) during the period from and after the Closing Date through and including that date that is 90 days after the Closing Date (or such later date as may be agreed to by Collateral Agent), all cash in the deposit account of Capstone maintained with Scotiabank Inverlat, S.A. with the account number ending in 8823 (the “Specified Account”)) and, to the extent readily monetized, Cash Equivalents included in the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries as of such time that (i) is free and clear of all Liens other than Liens in favor of Collateral Agent for the benefit of Secured Parties and non-consensual Permitted Liens, (ii) may be applied to payment of the Obligations without violating any law, contract, or other agreement, (iii) is (a) in Controlled Accounts, (b) in the Specified Account or (c) not in a Controlled Account, provided that, the aggregate amount of Cash included in Qualified Cash pursuant to this clause (iii)(c) may not exceed $250,000.00 at any one time, and (iv) is not Net Asset Sale Proceeds or Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds.
“Qualified Capital Stock” means any Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Capital Stock.
“Qualified Institutional Buyer” means any Person who is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of such term as set forth in Rule 144A(a)(1) under the Securities Act.
“Real Estate Asset” means, at any time of determination, any interest (fee, leasehold or otherwise) then owned by any Note Party in any real property.
“Register” as defined in Section 2.6(b).
34
“Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board of Governors and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.
“Regulation T” means Regulation T of the Board of Governors and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.
“Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Board of Governors and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.
“Regulation X” means Regulation X of the Board of Governors and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.
“Related Fund” means any Fund that is managed, advised, or administered by (a) a Purchaser, (b) an Affiliate of a Purchaser, or (c) an entity or affiliate of an entity that manages, administers, or advises a Purchaser.
“Related Parties” means any of the officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys, representatives, subsidiaries, Affiliates or shareholders of a Person.
“Release” means any release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, pouring, injection, escaping, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, dumping, leaching or migration of any Hazardous Material into the indoor or outdoor environment (including the abandonment or disposal of any barrels, containers or other closed receptacles containing any Hazardous Material), including the movement of any Hazardous Material through the air, soil, surface water or groundwater.
“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.
“Rental Fleet” means turbine assets owned by any Note Party or its Subsidiaries that are available to rent, or already on rent, to end-use customers for on-site power generation.
“Required Prepayment Date” as defined in Section 2.14(c).
“Requisite Purchasers” means one or more Purchasers holding more than 50% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Notes held by all Purchasers at such time.
“Restricted Junior Payment” means (i) any dividend, other distribution, or liquidation preference, direct or indirect, on account of any shares of any class of Capital Stock of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries now or hereafter outstanding, except a dividend payable solely in common shares of Holdings or shares of that class of Capital Stock (other than any Disqualified Capital Stock) to the holders of that class; (ii) any redemption, retirement, sinking fund or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value, direct or indirect, of any shares of any class of Capital Stock of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) now or hereafter outstanding, except any such redemption, retirement or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value payable solely in common shares of Holdings or in shares of such class of Capital Stock (other than any Disqualified Capital Stock) to the holders of such class; (iii) any payment made to retire, or to obtain the surrender of, any
35
outstanding warrants, options or other rights to acquire shares of any class of Capital Stock of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) now or hereafter outstanding, except a payment payable solely in in common shares of Holdings or shares of that class of Capital Stock (other than any Disqualified Capital Stock) to the holders of that class and (iv) any payment or prepayment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, or redemption, purchase, retirement, defeasance (including in-substance or legal defeasance), sinking fund or similar payment with respect to, any Subordinated Indebtedness or any Earn Out Obligations or Seller Financing Indebtedness.
“Roll Up Notes” as defined in Section 2.1(a)(ii).
“Roll Up Notes Purchase Commitment” means the commitment of a Purchaser to make or otherwise purchase the Roll Up Notes and “Roll Up Notes Purchase Commitments” means such commitments of all Purchasers in the aggregate. The amount of each Purchaser’s Roll Up Notes Purchase Commitment, if any, is set forth on Appendix A-1, subject to any adjustment or reduction pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof. The aggregate amount of the Roll Up Notes Purchase Commitments as of the Closing Date immediately prior to giving effect to the purchasing of the Roll Up Notes was $21,090,857.69.
“S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, or any successor to its rating agency business.
“Sale Transaction” means any transaction pursuant to which (a) Holdings and/or Company sells or disposes (in one or a series of related sales or dispositions) of all or substantially all of the assets of Holdings and/or Company on a consolidated basis (other than inventory in the ordinary course of business), including any sale or disposition of the securities or assets of Company or the Subsidiaries of Company, (b) Holdings engages in any merger, consolidation, combination or similar transaction, (in one or a series of related transactions), such that the Majority-in-Interest immediately prior to the transaction or transactions will, immediately after such transaction or transactions, no longer constitute the Majority-in-Interest, (c) Holdings engages in any transaction or series of related transactions that results in any change of control of Holdings (as the term “control” is defined in Rule 405 the Securities Act), whether such change of control occurs through the sale of assets, Capital Stock or otherwise or (d) any other transaction constituting a Change of Control.
“Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, territory or region that is, or whose government is, the subject or target of any Sanctions, including, as of the Closing Date, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine.
“Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, any Person with whom dealings are restricted or prohibited under Sanctions, including (i) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the U.S. (including by OFAC, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or the U.S. Department of State), or by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any EU member state, His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or any other relevant sanctions authority, (ii) any Person located, operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (iii) any Person owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by any such Person described in clause (i) or (ii) of this definition.
36
“Sanctions” means sanctions or trade embargoes enacted, imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (i) the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC, U.S. Department of State, or U.S. Department of Commerce, (ii) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any of its member states, His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, or (iii) any other relevant sanctions authority.
“Secured Parties” as defined in the Pledge and Security Agreement.
“Securities” means any stock, shares, partnership interests, voting trust certificates, certificates of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement or arrangement, options, warrants, bonds, debentures, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness, secured or unsecured, convertible, subordinated or otherwise, or in general any instruments commonly known as “securities” or any certificates of interest, shares or participations in temporary or interim certificates for the purchase or acquisition of, or any right to subscribe to, purchase or acquire, any of the foregoing, including any Capital Stock and any Hedge Agreements or other derivatives.
“Securities Account” means any “securities account” as defined in Article 8 of the UCC and any “commodity account” as defined in Article 9 of the UCC.
“Securities Account Control Agreement” means, with respect to a Securities Account, an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Collateral Agent that (i) is entered into among Collateral Agent, the Securities Intermediary at which the applicable Securities Account is maintained, and the Note Party having rights in or to the underlying financial assets credited to or maintained in such Securities Account, and (ii) is effective for Collateral Agent to obtain “control” (within the meaning of Articles 8 and 9 of the UCC) of such Securities Account.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.
“Securities Intermediary” means any “securities intermediary” or “commodity intermediary” as such terms are defined in the UCC.
“Seller Financing Indebtedness” means any obligation or liability consisting of fixed deferred purchase price, installment payments, or promissory notes that, in each case, is issued or otherwise incurred as consideration for any acquisition of any property.
“Services Agreement” means that Reorganized PublicCo Services Agreement dated as of December 7, 2023 among Holdings and Company, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms therein.
“SOFR” means a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the SOFR Administrator.
“SOFR Administrator” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).
37
“SOFR Rate Note” means a Note that bears interest at a rate determined by reference to Adjusted Term SOFR, other than pursuant to clause (iii) of the definition of “Base Rate.”
“Solvency Certificate” means a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of Company substantially in the form of Exhibit F-2.
“Solvent” means, with respect to any Person, that as of the date of determination, both (i) (a) the sum of such Person’s and its Subsidiaries’ debt (including contingent liabilities) does not exceed the present fair saleable value of such Person’s and its Subsidiaries’ present assets; (b) such Person’s and its Subsidiaries’ capital is not unreasonably small in relation to its business as contemplated on such date of determination and, with respect to the determination made on the Closing Date, reflected in the Projections provided on or prior to the Closing Date, or with respect to any transaction contemplated or to be undertaken after such date of determination; and (c) such Person has not incurred and does not intend to incur, or believe (nor should it reasonably believe) that it will incur, debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they become due (whether at maturity or otherwise); and (ii) such Person is “solvent” within the meaning given that term and similar terms under applicable laws relating to fraudulent transfers and conveyances. For purposes of this definition, the amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all of the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability (irrespective of whether such contingent liabilities meet the criteria for accrual under FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 450-20).
“Specified Lease Agreement” means that certain Equipment Lease Agreement, dated as of December 13, 2021, by and between Capstone Green Energy Corporation and Hilmobay Resort Limited dba Hiltyon Rose Hall Resort & Spa.
“Subordinated Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness that is contractually or structurally subordinated in payment or lien ranking to the Obligations or related Liens.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of stock or other ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election or appointment of the Person or Persons (whether Directors, trustees, or other Persons performing similar functions) having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof; provided, in determining the percentage of ownership interests of any Person controlled by another Person, no ownership interest in the nature of a “qualifying share” of the former Person shall be deemed to be outstanding.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Hedge Agreements, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Hedge Agreements, (a) for any date on or after the date such Hedge Agreements have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s)
38
determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Hedge Agreements, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Hedge Agreements (which may include a Purchaser or any Affiliate).
“Tax” means any present or future tax, levy, impost, duty, assessment, charge, fee, deduction or withholding (together with interest, penalties and other additions thereto) of any nature and whatever called, imposed, levied, collected, withheld or assessed by any Governmental Authority; provided, “Tax on the overall net income” of a Person shall be construed as a reference to a tax imposed on all or part of the overall net income (whether worldwide, or only insofar as such overall net income is considered to arise in or to relate to a particular jurisdiction, or otherwise), a franchise Tax, and a branch profits Tax of that Person (and/or, in the case of a Purchaser, its applicable investment office) by the jurisdiction in which that Person is organized or in which that Person’s applicable principal office (and/or, in the case of a Purchaser, its investment office) is located.
“Term SOFR” means,
a) | for any calculation with respect to a SOFR Rate Note, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period on the day (such day, the “Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if, as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day, and |
b) | for any calculation with respect to a Base Rate Note on any day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor of one month on the day (such day, the “Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such day, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if, as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day; |
39
provided further, that if Term SOFR determined as provided above (including pursuant to the proviso under clause (a) or clause (b) above) shall ever be less than the Floor, then Term SOFR shall be deemed to be the Floor.
“Term SOFR Adjustment” means, for any calculation with respect to a Base Rate Note or SOFR Rate Note, a percentage per annum as set forth below for the applicable type of such Note and (if applicable) Interest Period therefor:
Base Rate Notes:
0.10% |
SOFR Rate Notes:
Interest Period | Percentage |
One Month | 0.10% |
Three Months | 0.15% |
Six Months | 0.25% |
“Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (CBA) (or a successor administrator of the Term SOFR Reference Rate selected by GSSLG in its reasonable discretion).
“Term SOFR Reference Rate” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.
“Title Policy” as defined in the definition of Mortgaged Real Estate Documents.
“Transaction Costs” means the fees, costs and expenses payable by Holdings or any of Holdings’ Subsidiaries to the extent paid or payable to non-Affiliates on or before the Closing Date or the New Money Additional Notes Closing Date (as applicable) in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Note Documents, the DIP Agreement, the Plan, the Confirmation Order or the Chapter 11 Cases.
“Transactions” means the transactions contemplated by the Note Documents.
“Transfer Agreement” means a Transfer Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit D.
“Transfer Effective Date” as defined in Section 10.6(b).
“Type of Note” means a Base Rate Note or a SOFR Rate Note.
40
“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code (or any similar or equivalent statute or law) as in effect in any applicable jurisdiction.
“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
“U.S.” means the United States of America.
“U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday or (c) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.
“U.S. Purchaser” as defined in Section 2.19(c).
“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of one of Exhibits E-1, E-2, E-3 or E-4, as applicable.
“Waivable Mandatory Prepayment” as defined in Section 2.14(c).
“WARN” as defined in Section 4.19.
“Wholly-Owned” means, in reference to any Subsidiary of a specified Person, that 100% of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary (other than (x) Directors’ qualifying shares and (y) shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable law) is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person and/or one or more of such specified Person’s other Subsidiaries that also qualify as Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries under this definition.
41
as of the Closing Date (whether such lease is entered into before or after the Closing Date) shall continue to be treated as an operating lease and shall not constitute Indebtedness or a Capital Lease Obligation of Company or any Subsidiary under this Agreement and the other Note Documents. When used herein, the term “financial statements” shall be construed to include all notes and schedules thereto. Whenever the term “Company” is used in respect of a financial covenant or a related definition, it shall be construed to mean “Holdings, Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis” unless the context clearly requires otherwise. Except as otherwise provided therein, this Section 1.2 shall apply equally to each other Note Document as if fully set forth therein, mutatis mutandis.
42
case in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement and any other relevant Note Document unless such reference is expressly limited to refer to such agreement, instrument, or other document “as in effect on” a specified date. Unless otherwise expressly stated, if a Person may not take an action under this Agreement, then it may not take that action indirectly, or take any action assisting or supporting any other Person in taking that action directly or indirectly. “Taking an action indirectly” means taking an action that is not expressly prohibited for the Person but is intended to have substantially the same effects as the prohibited action. Except as otherwise provided therein, this Section 1.3 shall apply equally to each other Note Document as if fully set forth therein, mutatis mutandis.
1.4Rates.Collateral Agent does not warrant or accept responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to (a) the continuation of, administration of, submission of, calculation of or any other matter related to the Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR, or any component definition thereof or rates referred to in the definition thereof, or any alternative, successor or replacement rate thereto (including any Benchmark Replacement), including whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, or have the same volume or liquidity as, the Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR, Term SOFR or any other Benchmark prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, or (b) the effect, implementation or composition of any Conforming Changes. Collateral Agent and its Affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of the Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR, any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Note Parties. Collateral Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain the Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR or any other Benchmark, in each case, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to any Note Party, any Purchaser or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.
Section 2 | NOTES |
43
Subject to Section 2.13, all amounts owed hereunder shall be Paid in Full no later than the Notes Maturity Date, as applicable. Each Purchaser’s Initial Notes Purchase Commitment shall terminate immediately and fully without further action by any Person upon the issuance by Company of such Notes and purchase pursuant to such Purchaser’s Initial Notes Purchase Commitment on the Closing Date. Each Purchaser’s New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitment shall terminate immediately and fully without further action by any Person upon the issuance by Company of the related New Money Additional Notes and purchase pursuant to such Purchaser’s
44
New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitment on each New Money Additional Notes Closing Date.
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
first, to the payment of all fees other than any premium, and all expenses specified in Section 10.2, in each case to the full extent thereof;
second, to the payment of any accrued interest on any New Money Notes at the Default Rate, if any;
third, to the payment of any accrued interest (other than Default Rate interest) on New Money Notes;
fourth, except in connection with any Waivable Mandatory Prepayment as provided in Section 2.14(c), to prepay the New Money Notes on a pro rata basis (in accordance with the respective outstanding principal amounts thereof);
fifth, to payment of any remaining New Money Note Obligations then due and payable;
sixth, to the payment of any accrued interest on any Roll Up Notes at the Default Rate, if any;
seventh, to the payment of any accrued interest (other than Default Rate interest) on Roll Up Notes;
eighth, except in connection with any Waivable Mandatory Prepayment as provided in Section 2.14(c), to prepay the Roll Up Notes on a pro rata basis (in accordance with the respective outstanding principal amounts thereof);
52
ninth, to payment of any remaining Roll Up Note Obligations then due and payable; and
tenth, to the extent of any excess, to Company for any purpose not prohibited hereunder.
53
54
Purchasers in proportion to the Aggregate Amounts Due to them; provided, if all or part of such proportionately greater payment received by such purchasing Purchaser is thereafter recovered from such Purchaser upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of Company or otherwise, those purchases shall be rescinded and the purchase prices paid for such participations shall be returned to such purchasing Purchaser ratably to the extent of such recovery, but without interest. Company expressly consents to the foregoing arrangement and agrees that any holder of a participation so purchased may exercise any and all rights of banker’s lien, consolidation, set-off or counterclaim with respect to any and all monies owing by Company to that holder with respect thereto as fully as if that holder were owed the amount of the participation held by that holder. The provisions of this Section 2.16 shall not be construed to apply to (a) any payment made by any Note Party pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of any Note Document or (b) any payment obtained by any Purchaser as consideration for the transfer in any of its Notes or other Obligations owed to it.
(i)Collateral Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that “Adjusted Term SOFR” cannot be determined pursuant to the definition thereof, or
(ii)the Requisite Purchasers determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a SOFR Rate Note or a conversion thereto or a continuation thereof that Adjusted Term SOFR for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed SOFR Rate Note does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Purchasers of making and maintaining such Note, and the Requisite Purchasers have provided notice of such determination to Collateral Agent,
Collateral Agent will promptly so notify Company and each Purchaser.
Upon notice thereof by Collateral Agent to Company, any obligation of the Purchasers to make SOFR Rate Notes, and any right of Company to continue SOFR Rate Notes or to convert Base Rate Notes to SOFR Rate Notes, shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected SOFR Rate Notes or affected Interest Periods) until Collateral Agent (with respect to clause (ii), at the instruction of the Requisite Purchasers) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, (i) Company may revoke any pending request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Rate Notes (to the extent of the affected SOFR Rate Notes or affected Interest Periods) or, failing that, Company will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Notes in the amount specified therein pursuant to Section 2.8 and (ii) any outstanding affected SOFR Rate Notes will be deemed to have been converted into Base Rate Notes at the end of the applicable Interest Period pursuant to Section 2.8. Upon any such conversion, the Note Parties shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so converted, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to this Section 2.17. Subject to clause (b), if Collateral Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that “Adjusted Term SOFR” cannot be determined pursuant to the definition thereof on any
55
given day, the interest rate on Base Rate Notes shall be determined by Collateral Agent without reference to clause (iii) of the definition of “Base Rate” until Collateral Agent revokes such determination.
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
“The sale of this Senior Secured Note has not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act 1933 (the “Securities Act”) or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. The holder hereof, by purchasing or otherwise acquiring this security, acknowledges that the sale of this security has not been registered under the Securities Act. The holder agrees for the benefit of Company, any distributors or dealers and any such persons’ affiliates that this security may be offered, resold, pledged or otherwise transferred only in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws and only (1) pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or (2) pursuant to another exemption from registration under the Securities Act, and in each case in accordance with any applicable securities laws of the states of the United States and other jurisdictions.”
(i) the minimum amount of each Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment shall be $5,000,000;
64
(ii) the aggregate amount of all Incremental New Money Purchase Commitments hereunder shall not be greater than $10,000,000;
(iii) both at the time of any such request and upon the effectiveness of any Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such proposed Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment;
(iv) the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4 and in the other Note Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) immediately prior to, and after giving effect to, such Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment as if made on and as of such date (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, as of such specific date); and
(v) any Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment shall be on terms that are identical to the existing New Money Purchase Commitments, or otherwise as acceptable to the Incremental New Money Purchasers.
Each notice by the Company under this paragraph shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Company as to the matters specified in clauses (iii) and (iv) above. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Purchaser shall have any obligation hereunder to become an Incremental New Money Purchase Commitment and any election to do so shall be in the sole discretion of each Purchaser.
65
Section 3 | CONDITIONS PRECEDENT |
66
67
68
Each Purchaser, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement and purchasing a Note on the Closing Date, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Note Document and each other document required to be approved by Collateral Agent or Purchasers, as applicable on the Closing Date.
69
70
Each Purchaser, by purchasing a Note on a Credit Date, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Note Document and each other document required to be approved by, or item or other matter required to be satisfactory to, the Collateral Agent or Purchasers, as applicable, on such Credit Date.
Section 4 | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
In order to induce Collateral Agent and Purchasers to enter into this Agreement and to purchase the Notes, each Note Party represents and warrants to Collateral Agent and Purchasers, on the Closing Date and on each Credit Date, that the following statements are true and correct:
71
necessary to carry out its business and operations, except in jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing has not had, and could not be reasonably expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
72
delivered to Collateral Agent for filing and/or recordation, as of the Closing Date and (c) any required EDGAR filings.
Reserved.
73
are due and payable have been paid when due and payable (other than any Taxes the amount or validity of which are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided on the books of Holdings, Company and/or its applicable Subsidiary, as the case may be). There is no proposed tax assessment against Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is not being actively contested by Company or such Subsidiary in good faith and by appropriate proceedings; provided, such reserves or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made or provided therefor.
74
predecessor of Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries has filed any notice under any Environmental Law indicating past or present treatment of Hazardous Materials at any Facility, and none of Holdings’, Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ operations involves the generation, transportation, treatment, storage or disposal of hazardous waste, as defined under 40 C.F.R. Parts 260-270 or any state equivalent. Compliance with all current or reasonably foreseeable future requirements pursuant to or under Environmental Laws could not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. No event or condition has occurred or is occurring with respect to Holdings, Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to any Environmental Law, any Release of Hazardous Materials, or any Hazardous Materials Activity that individually or in the aggregate has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
75
76
Plan and are not in material “default” (as defined in Section 4219(c)(5) of ERISA) with respect to payments to a Multiemployer Plan.
77
Section 5 | AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS |
Each Note Party covenants and agrees that until Payment in Full of all Obligations, each Note Party shall perform, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to perform, all covenants in this Section 5.
78
79
80
81
82
83
be maintained (a) flood insurance with respect to each Flood Hazard Property that is located in a community that participates in the National Flood Program, in each case in compliance with any applicable regulations of the Board of Governors, and (b) replacement value casualty insurance on the Collateral under such policies of insurance, with such insurance companies, in such amounts, with such deductibles, and covering such risks as are at all times carried or maintained under similar circumstances by Persons of established reputation engaged in similar businesses. Each such policy of insurance shall (i) in the case of each liability insurance policy, name Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear, (ii) in the case of each casualty insurance policy, contain a loss payable clause or endorsement, satisfactory in form and substance to Collateral Agent, that names Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties as the loss payee thereunder, and (iii) in each case, provide for at least thirty days’ prior written notice to Collateral Agent of any modification or cancellation of such policy.
84
85
86
87
actions (including any filings or registrations) outside of the United States or security or pledge agreements governed by any foreign law be required.
88
the Board. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Holdings reserves the right to exclude the Observer from access to any Board meetings or reunions (including any executive sessions of the Board) or any material or portion thereof and/or withhold from the Board Observer any notices, documents or other information furnished to the other participants of such meeting or reunion if and only if (A) the Board is discussing strategy with respect to the Notes and/or the Purchasers or matters of conflict of interest to any Purchaser or (B) to the extent Holdings believes that such exclusion or withholding is reasonably necessary (w) to preserve the attorney-client privilege of Holdings, Company or its Subsidiaries or to avoid a conflict of interest, (x) to discharge its directors’ or managers’ fiduciary duties, (y) to protect proprietary or confidential information of third parties, or (z) to avoid any circumstance where such access could reasonably be deemed to violate applicable law. Company shall reimburse the Observer for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Section 5.21.
Section 6 | NEGATIVE COVENANTS |
Each Note Party covenants and agrees that until Payment in Full of all Obligations, such Note Party shall perform, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to perform, all covenants in this Section 6.
89
90
91
92
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6.2 to the contrary, in no event shall any obligations of any Note Party under any Hedge Agreement be secured by any Lien.
93
extent required to make tax distributions under Section 7.03 of the Company LLCA, as in effect on the date of this Agreement, or as otherwise amended with the Collateral Agent’s consent.
For the avoidance of doubt, no amount shall be permitted to be distributed by any Note Party to pay, or otherwise in connection with, any Tax resulting from the cancellation or discharge of Indebtedness.
94
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6.7 to the contrary, in no event shall any Note Party make any Investment that results in or facilitates in any manner any Restricted Junior Payment not otherwise permitted under the terms of Section 6.5.
Fiscal Quarter Ending | Consolidated |
---|---|
March 31, 2024 | $1,000,000 |
June 30, 2024 | $1,500,000 |
September 30, 2024 | $2,500,000 |
December 31, 2024 | $4,000,000 |
March 31, 2025 | $5,000,000 |
June 30, 2025 | $5,500,000 |
September 30, 2025 | $6,000,000 |
December 31, 2025 | $6,500,000 |
March 31, 2026 | $8,000,000 |
June 30, 2026 | $8,000,000 |
September 30, 2026 | $8,000,000 |
95
96
97
98
99
Section 7 | GUARANTY |
100
101
in the related bankruptcy case) and all other Guaranteed Obligations then owed to Beneficiaries as aforesaid.
102
103
power of any Beneficiary whatsoever; (b) any defense arising by reason of the incapacity, lack of authority or any disability or other defense of Company or any other Guarantor including any defense based on or arising out of the lack of validity or the unenforceability of the Guaranteed Obligations or any agreement or instrument relating thereto or by reason of the cessation of the liability of Company or any other Guarantor from any cause other than Payment in Full of all Obligations; (c) any defense based upon any statute or rule of law that provides that the obligation of a surety must be neither larger in amount nor in other respects more burdensome than that of the principal; (d) any defense based upon any Beneficiary’s errors or omissions in the administration of the Guaranteed Obligations, except behavior that amounts to bad faith; (e) (i) any principles or provisions of law, statutory or otherwise, that are or might be in conflict with the terms hereof and any legal or equitable discharge of such Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, (ii) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting such Guarantor’s liability hereunder or the enforcement hereof, (iii) any rights to set-offs, recoupments and counterclaims, and (iv) promptness, diligence and any requirement that any Beneficiary protect, secure, perfect or insure any security interest or lien or any property subject thereto; (f) notices, demands, presentments, protests, notices of protest, notices of dishonor and notices of any action or inaction, including acceptance hereof, notices of default hereunder, notices of any renewal, extension or modification of the Guaranteed Obligations or any agreement related thereto, notices of any extension of credit to Company and notices of any of the matters referred to in Section 7.4 and any right to consent to any thereof; and (g) any defenses or benefits that may be derived from or afforded by law that limit the liability of or exonerate guarantors or sureties, or that may conflict with the terms hereof.
104
indemnification or contribution rights at any time when all Guaranteed Obligations shall not have been Paid in Full, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of Beneficiaries and shall forthwith be paid over to Beneficiaries to be credited and applied against the Guaranteed Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms hereof.
105
Section 8 | EVENTS OF DEFAULT |
106
107
108
THEN, (1) upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Section 8.1(f) or 8.1(g), automatically, and (2) upon the occurrence of any other Event of Default, upon notice to Company by Requisite Purchasers, (A) each of the following shall immediately become due and payable, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other requirements of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by each Note Party: (I) the unpaid principal amount of and accrued interest and premium on the Notes and (II) all other Obligations; (B) Requisite Purchasers may cause Collateral Agent to enforce any and all Liens and security interests created pursuant to Collateral Documents; and (C) Collateral Agent may enforce any other rights and remedies available to it under any Note Document or under applicable law.
109
Upon satisfying the requirements in the previous sentence, the Note Parties shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of such Specified Financial Covenant as of the relevant date of determination with the same effect as though there had been no failure to comply therewith on such date of determination.
Until the expiration of the Specified Debt Cure Deadline in respect of any prospective Default or Event of Default with respect to the Specified Financial Covenant, neither Collateral Agent nor any Purchaser shall be permitted to (and shall not) accelerate any Notes held by them or exercise any rights or remedies against any Note Party or any of the Collateral on the basis of a failure to comply with the requirements of the Specified Financial Covenant.
Section 9 | COLLATERAL AGENT |
110
Collateral Agent may exercise such powers, rights and remedies and perform such duties by or through its agents or employees. Collateral Agent shall not have, by reason hereof, in any of the other Note Documents, a fiduciary relationship in respect of any Purchaser or any other Person; and nothing herein or in any of the other Note Documents, expressed or implied, is intended to or shall be so construed as to impose upon Collateral Agent any obligations in respect hereof or any of the other Note Documents except as expressly set forth herein or therein.
111
112
participation in the Notes, Collateral Agent shall have the same rights and powers hereunder as any other Purchaser and may exercise the same as if it were not performing the duties and functions delegated to it hereunder, and the term “Purchaser” shall, unless the context clearly otherwise indicates, include Collateral Agent in its individual capacity. Collateral Agent and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory or other business with Company or any of its Affiliates as if it were not performing the duties specified herein, and may accept fees and other consideration from Company for services in connection herewith and otherwise without having to account for the same to Purchasers. The Purchasers acknowledge that pursuant to such activities, Collateral Agent and its Affiliates may receive information regarding any Note Party or any Affiliate of any Note Party (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Note Party or such Affiliate) and acknowledge that Collateral Agent and its Affiliates shall be under no obligation to provide such information to them.
113
114
115
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Purchaser to make such payments to Collateral Agent and, in the event that Collateral Agent shall consent to the making of such
116
payments directly to the Purchasers, to pay to Collateral Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of Collateral Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due Collateral Agent under Sections 10.2 and 10.3. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of Collateral Agent, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due Collateral Agent under Sections 10.2 and 10.3 out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Purchasers may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise. Nothing contained in this Section 9.10 shall be deemed to authorize Collateral Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Purchaser any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Purchaser or to authorize Collateral Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Purchaser in any such proceeding.
Section 10 | MISCELLANEOUS |
117
118
reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation, preparation and execution of the Note Documents and any consents, amendments, waivers or other modifications thereto; (b) all of Collateral Agent’s costs of furnishing all opinions by counsel for Company and the other Note Parties; (c) all the reasonable and documented fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel to Collateral Agent in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution and administration of the Note Documents and any consents, amendments, waivers or other modifications thereto and any other documents or matters requested by Company; (d) all the actual costs and reasonable and documented expenses of creating, perfecting, recording, maintaining, and preserving Liens in favor of Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, including filing and recording fees, expenses and taxes, stamp or documentary taxes, search fees, title insurance premiums and reasonable and documented fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel to Collateral Agent and of counsel providing any opinions that Collateral Agent or Requisite Purchasers may request in respect of the Collateral or the Liens created pursuant to the Collateral Documents; (e) Collateral Agent’s actual costs and reasonable and documented fees, expenses, and disbursements of any auditors, accountants, consultants or appraisers’; (f) all the actual costs and reasonable and documented expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees, expenses and disbursements of any appraisers, consultants, advisors and agents employed or retained by Collateral Agent and its counsel) in connection with the custody or preservation of any of the Collateral; (g) all other actual and reasonable and documented costs and expenses incurred by Agent in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Note Documents and any consents, amendments, waivers or other modifications thereto; and (h) after the occurrence of a Default or an Event of Default, all costs and expenses, including reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees (including allocated costs of internal counsel) and costs of settlement, incurred by Collateral Agent and Purchasers in enforcing or preparing for enforcement of any Obligations of or in collecting or preparing to collect any payments due from any Note Party hereunder or under the other Note Documents by reason of such Default or Event of Default (including in connection with any actual or prospective sale of, collection from, or other realization upon any of the Collateral or the enforcement of the Guaranty) or in connection with any actual or prospective refinancing or restructuring of the credit arrangements provided hereunder in the nature of a “work out” or pursuant to or in contemplation of any insolvency or bankruptcy cases or proceedings, including the engagement of a restructuring advisor or consultant satisfactory to Requisite Purchasers in their sole discretion.
119
120
such notice being hereby expressly waived, to set off and to appropriate and to apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) and any other obligations or Indebtedness at any time held or owing by such Purchaser to or for the credit or the account of any Note Party against and on account of the Obligations of any Note Party to such Purchaser hereunder and under the other Note Documents, including all claims of any nature or description arising out of or connected hereto and participations therein or with any other Note Document, irrespective of whether or not (a) such Purchaser shall have made any demand hereunder or (b) the principal of or the interest on the Notes or any other amounts due hereunder shall have become due and payable pursuant to Section 2 and although such obligations and liabilities, or any of them, may be contingent or unmatured. The rights of each Purchaser and its Affiliates under this Section 10.4 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set off) that such Purchaser or its Affiliates may otherwise have.
121
122
123
124
125
Any forbearance or failure to exercise, and any delay in exercising, any right, power or remedy hereunder shall not impair any such right, power or remedy or be construed to be a waiver thereof, nor shall it preclude the further exercise of any such right, power or remedy.
126
SOUNDING IN CONTRACT LAW OR TORT LAW ARISING OUT OF THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND ANY DETERMINATIONS WITH RESPECT TO POST-JUDGMENT INTEREST) SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY LAW OTHER THAN THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
127
EACH PARTY HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS WAIVER IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT TO ENTER INTO A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, THAT EACH HAS ALREADY RELIED ON THIS WAIVER IN ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, AND THAT EACH WILL CONTINUE TO RELY ON THIS WAIVER IN ITS RELATED FUTURE DEALINGS. EACH PARTY HERETO FURTHER WARRANTS AND REPRESENTS THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL AND THAT IT KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. THIS WAIVER IS IRREVOCABLE, MEANING THAT IT MAY NOT BE MODIFIED EITHER ORALLY OR IN WRITING (OTHER THAN BY A MUTUAL WRITTEN WAIVER SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO THIS SECTION 10.16 AND EXECUTED BY EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO), AND THIS WAIVER SHALL APPLY TO ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, SUPPLEMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS HERETO OR ANY OF THE OTHER NOTE DOCUMENTS OR TO ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS OR AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE NOTES MADE HEREUNDER. IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE FILED AS A WRITTEN CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.
128
financing source is informed of the confidential nature of the information, (ix) disclosure to rating agencies and (x) disclosures with the consent of the relevant Note Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on or after the Closing Date, GSSLG may, at its own expense issue news releases and publish “tombstone” advertisements and other announcements relating to this transaction in newspapers, trade journals and other appropriate media (which may include use of logos of one or more of the Note Parties) (collectively, “Trade Announcements”). No Purchaser (other than GSSLG or its Affiliates) or Note Party shall (a) issue any Trade Announcement, (b) use or reference in advertising, publicity, or otherwise the name of Goldman Sachs, any Purchaser or any of their respective Affiliates, partners, or employees, or (c) represent that any product or any service provided has been approved or endorsed by Goldman Sachs, any Purchaser, or any of their respective Affiliates, except (i) disclosures required by applicable law, regulation, legal process or the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission or (ii) with the prior approval of Requisite Purchasers.
129
page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
130
leading thereto. Each Note Party agrees that it will not claim that any Purchaser has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to such Note Party, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
131
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first written above.
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY LLC
By:/s/ John Juric_______________
Name: John Juric
Title: Chief Financial Officer
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.
By:/s/ John Juric_______________
Name: John Juric
Title: Chief Financial Officer
CAPSTONE TURBINE FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC
By:/s/ John Juric_______________
Name: John Juric
Title: Chief Financial Officer
[Signature Page to Capstone Note Purchase Agreement]
GOLDMAN SACHS SPECIALTY LENDING GROUP, L.P.,
as Collateral Agent
By:/s/ Greg Watts_______________
Name: Greg Watts
Title: Authorized Signatory
BROAD STREET CREDIT HOLDINGS LLC,
as Purchaser
By:/s/ Greg Watts_______________
Name: Greg Watts
Title: Authorized Signatory
[Signature Page to Capstone Note Purchase Agreement]
APPENDIX A-1
TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Initial Notes Purchase Commitments
Purchaser | Roll Up Notes Purchase Commitment | Pro Rata Share |
BROAD STREET CREDIT HOLDINGS LLC | $21,090,857.69 | 100% |
Total | $21,090,857.69 | 100% |
Purchaser | New Money Initial Notes Purchase Commitment | Pro Rata Share |
BROAD STREET CREDIT HOLDINGS LLC | $3,000,000 | 100% |
Total | $3,000,000 | 100% |
APPENDIX A-2
TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitments
Purchaser | New Money Additional Notes Purchase Commitment | Pro Rata Share |
BROAD STREET CREDIT HOLDINGS LLC | $4,000,000 | 100% |
Total | $4,000,000 | 100% |
Appendix A
Page 1
Notice Addresses
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY LLC
16640 Stagg Street
Van Nuys, CA 91406
Attention: John Juric, Chief Financial Officer
Email: JJuric@CGRNenergy.com
CAPSTONE GREEN ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.
16640 Stagg Street
Van Nuys, CA 91406
Attention: John Juric, Chief Financial Officer
Email: JJuric@CGRNenergy.com
CAPSTONE TURBINE FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC
16640 Stagg Street
Van Nuys, CA 91406
Attention: John Juric, Chief Financial Officer
Email: JJuric@CGRNenergy.com
in each case, with a copy to:
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
525 W. Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60661-3693
Attention: Mark D. Wood, Esq.; Jaime T. Willis, Esq. and Daniel Tola, Esq.
Email: mark.wood@katten.com; jaime.willis@katten.com and daniel.tola@katten.com
GOLDMAN SACHS SPECIALTY LENDING GROUP, L.P., as Collateral Agent,
and Purchaser, to its address set forth below
Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P.
2001 Ross Ave
Suite 2800
Dallas, TX 75201
Attention: Capstone Green Energy LLC, Account Manager
Email: Matt.Carter@gs.com; and gs-slg-notices@gs.com
And, in any event, with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
One Liberty Plaza
New York, NY 10006
Attention: Sean O’Neal; Kara A. Hailey
Email: soneal@cgsh.com; khailey@cgsh.com
SCHEDULE 4.1
Jurisdictions of Organization and Qualification
SCHEDULE 4.2
Capital Stock and Ownership
SCHEDULE 4.13
Real Estate Assets
SCHEDULE 4.16
Material Contracts
SCHEDULE 5.15
Certain Post Closing Matters
SCHEDULE 5.18
Professional Fees
SCHEDULE 6.1
Certain Indebtedness
SCHEDULE 6.2
Certain Liens
SCHEDULE 6.7
Certain Investments
SCHEDULE 6.12
Certain Affiliate Transactions
EXHIBIT A-2 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
CONVERSION/CONTINUATION NOTICE
EXHIBIT B TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
LETTER OF DIRECTION
Exhibit A
Disbursement of Proceeds
EXHIBIT C TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
ANNEX A TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT D TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
TRANSFER AGREEMENT
ANNEX 1
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR TRANSFER AGREEMENT
ANNEX 2
SECURITIES ACT CERTIFICATIONS
EXHIBIT E-1 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
[Reserved]
EXHIBIT E-2 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT E-3 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
[Reserved]
EXHIBIT E-4 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
(For Foreign Person Recipients That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
EXHIBIT F-1 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
[CLOSING DATE][NEW MONEY ADDITIONAL NOTES CLOSING DATE]
CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT F-2 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
SOLVENCY CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT G TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
COUNTERPART AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT H TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
LANDLORD COLLATERAL ACCESS AGREEMENT
Legal Description of Premises:
EXHIBIT A TO LANDLORD COLLATERAL ACCESS AGREEMENT
Description of Lease:
EXHIBIT B TO LANDLORD COLLATERAL ACCESS AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT I TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
INTERCOMPANY NOTE
Schedule A
TRANSACTIONS UNDER PROMISSORY NOTE
ENDORSEMENT
EXHIBIT J-1 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
SENIOR SECURED NEW MONEY NOTES
EXHIBIT J-2 TO NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
SENIOR SECURED ROLL UP NOTE