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Share Name | Share Symbol | Market | Type |
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Vector Group Ltd | NYSE:VGR | NYSE | Common Stock |
Price Change | % Change | Share Price | High Price | Low Price | Open Price | Shares Traded | Last Trade | |
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0.43 | 4.59% | 9.80 | 9.89 | 9.32 | 9.46 | 1,773,514 | 01:00:00 |
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MARKET DATA
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2
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
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2
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INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
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3
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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4
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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
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5
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RISK FACTORS
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14
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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20
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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
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21
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THE EXCHANGE OFFER
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22
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DESCRIPTION OF NEW NOTES
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29
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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
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75
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
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76
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VALIDITY OF THE NOTES
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77
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EXPERTS
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77
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Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed on March 8, 2016 (including the portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on March 25, 2016, that were incorporated by reference into Part III of such Annual Report on Form 10-K).
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Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, filed on April 29, 2016.
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Our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed on March 4, 2016, April 28, 2016 and May 9, 2016, as well as March 8, 2016, April 1, 2016, April 28, 2016 and May 3, 2016 and two Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on May 2, 2016 (other than Items 2.02 and 7.01 and the exhibits related thereto).
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related industry developments (including trends affecting our business, financial condition and results of operations).
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general economic and market conditions and any changes therein, due to acts of war and terrorism or otherwise;
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governmental regulations and policies;
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effects of industry competition;
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impact of business combinations, including acquisitions and divestitures, both internally for us and externally in the tobacco industry;
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impact of legislation on our competitors’ payment obligations, results of operations and product costs, i.e. the impact of federal legislation eliminating the federal tobacco quota system and providing for regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”);
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impact of substantial increases in federal, state and local excise taxes;
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uncertainty related to product liability and other tobacco-related litigation, including the Engle progeny cases pending in Florida and other individual and class action cases, where certain plaintiffs have alleged compensatory and punitive damage amounts ranging into the hundreds of million and even billions of dollars; and
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potential additional payment obligations for us under the Master Settlement Agreement (the “MSA”) and other settlement agreements with the states.
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the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States through our Liggett Group and Vector Tobacco subsidiaries;
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the sale of electronic cigarettes (“e-cigarettes”) in the United States through our Zoom E-Cigs LLC (“Zoom”) subsidiary, and
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the real estate business through our New Valley subsidiary, which is seeking to acquire or invest in additional real estate properties or projects. New Valley owns 70.59% of Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC, (“Douglas Elliman Realty”) which operates the largest residential brokerage company in the New York metropolitan area.
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Background
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On May 9, 2016, we completed a private placement of $235,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Original Notes. In connection with that private placement, we entered into a registration rights agreement in which we agreed to, among other things, complete an exchange offer of the New Notes for the Original Notes.
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The Exchange Offer
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We are offering to exchange the New Notes, which have been registered under the Securities Act, for a like principal amount of our outstanding, unregistered Original Notes. Original Notes may only be tendered in an amount equal to $2,000 in principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. See “The Exchange Offer — Terms of the Exchange.” You may tender your outstanding Original Notes for New Notes by following the procedures described under the heading “The Exchange Offer — Procedures for Tendering.”
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Resale of New Notes
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Based upon the position of the staff of the SEC as described in previous no-action letters, we believe that New Notes issued pursuant to the Exchange Offer in exchange for Original Notes may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by you without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act, provided that:
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• you are acquiring the New Notes in the ordinary course of your business;
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• you have not engaged in, do not intend to engage in, and have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in a distribution of the New Notes; and
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• you are not our “affiliate” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
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Each broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account in exchange for Original Notes, where such Original Notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of New Notes during the 180 days after the expiration of this Exchange Offer. See “Plan of Distribution.”
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Any holder of Original Notes, including any broker-dealer, who:
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• is our affiliate,
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• does not acquire the New Notes in the ordinary course of its business, or
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• tenders in the Exchange Offer with the intention to participate, or for the purpose of participating, in a distribution of New Notes,
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cannot rely on the position of the staff of the SEC expressed in
Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation, Morgan Stanley & Co., Incorporated
or similar no-action letters and, in the absence of an applicable exemption, must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with the resale of the New Notes or it may incur liability under the Securities Act. We will not be responsible for, or indemnify against, any such liability.
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Consequences If You Do Not Exchange Your Original Notes
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Original Notes that are not tendered in the Exchange Offer or are not accepted for exchange will continue to bear legends restricting their transfer. You will not be able to offer or sell such Original Notes unless:
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• you are able to rely on an exemption from the requirements of the Securities Act; or
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• the Original Notes are registered under the Securities Act.
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After the Exchange Offer is closed, we will no longer have an obligation to register the Original Notes, except under certain limited circumstances. See “Risk Factors — If you fail to exchange your Original Notes, they will continue to be restricted securities and may become less liquid.”
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Expiration Date
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The Exchange Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 28, 2016, unless we extend the Exchange Offer. See “The Exchange Offer — Expiration Date; Extensions; Amendments.”
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Issuance of New Notes
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We will issue New Notes in exchange for Original Notes tendered and accepted in the Exchange Offer promptly following the Expiration Date. See “The Exchange Offer — Terms of the Exchange.”
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Certain Conditions to the Exchange Offer
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The Exchange Offer is subject to certain customary conditions, which we may amend or waive without your consent to the extent permitted by law. See “The Exchange Offer — Conditions to the Exchange Offer.”
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Special Procedures for Beneficial Holders
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If you beneficially own Original Notes that are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee and you wish to tender in the Exchange Offer, you should contact such registered holder promptly and instruct such person to tender on your behalf. If you wish to tender in the Exchange Offer on your own behalf, you must, prior to completing and executing the accompanying letter of transmittal and delivering your Original Notes, either arrange to have the Original Notes registered in your name or obtain a properly completed bond power from the registered holder. The transfer of registered ownership may take a considerable time. See “The Exchange Offer — Procedures for Tendering.”
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Withdrawal Rights
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You may withdraw your tender of Original Notes at any time before the Exchange Offer expires. See “The Exchange Offer — Withdrawal of Tenders.”
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Accounting Treatment
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We will not recognize any gain or loss for accounting purposes upon the completion of the Exchange Offer. See “The Exchange Offer — Accounting Treatment.”
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Federal Income Tax Consequences
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The exchange pursuant to the Exchange Offer generally will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.”
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Use of Proceeds
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We will not receive any proceeds from the issuance of New Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
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Exchange Agent
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U.S. Bank National Association is serving as exchange agent in connection with the Exchange Offer.
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Issuer
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Vector Group Ltd., a Delaware corporation.
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Notes Offered
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$235,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.750% Senior Secured Notes due 2021.
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The New Notes will be issued as additional notes under the indenture pursuant to which, on February 12, 2013 and April 15, 2014, we issued $450,000,000 and $150,000,000, respectively, aggregate principal amount of notes (collectively, the “Existing Notes”).
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The New Notes will be treated as a single series with the Existing Notes. Holders of the Notes offered hereby and holders of the Existing Notes will vote together as one class under the indenture.
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Maturity Date
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February 15, 2021.
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Interest Rate
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We will pay interest on the New Notes at an annual rate of 7.750% per annum.
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Interest Payment Dates
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We will make interest payments on the New Notes semi-annually in cash, in arrears, on February 15 and August 15, of each year commencing on August 15, 2016. Interest on the New Notes will accrue from February 15, 2016.
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Ranking
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The New Notes:
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• will be our general obligations;
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• will be pari passu in right of payment with all of our existing and future senior indebtedness, including the Original Notes and the Existing Notes;
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• will be senior in right of payment to all of our future subordinated indebtedness, if any; and
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• will be effectively subordinated in right of payment to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of our non-guarantor subsidiaries (other than indebtedness and liabilities owed to us or one of our guarantor subsidiaries).
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Guarantees
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The New Notes, along with the Original Notes and the Existing Notes, will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several basis on the issue date by all of our wholly owned domestic subsidiaries that are engaged in the conduct of our cigarette business (New Valley and its subsidiaries will not guarantee the notes).
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Each guarantee of the New Notes will be:
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• a general obligation of the guarantor;
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•
pari passu
in right of payment with all other senior indebtedness of the guarantor, including the indebtedness of Liggett Group and 100 Maple LLC (each a “Liggett Guarantor”) under Liggett Group’s secured revolving credit facility with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (the “Liggett Credit Agreement”) and the guarantees of the Original Notes and the Existing Notes;
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• senior in right of payment to all future subordinated indebtedness of the guarantor, if any;
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• effectively subordinated to indebtedness that is secured by a higher priority lien than the lien securing the guarantee, if any, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness; and
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• effectively senior in right of payment to all existing and future unsecured indebtedness of the guarantor to the extent of the value of the assets that secure such guarantee.
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Security Interest
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The New Notes will not be secured by assets of Vector Group Ltd.
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Only Liggett Group, 100 Maple LLC (“Maple”), Vector Tobacco, and VGR Holding will provide security for their guarantees of the New Notes.
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Each guarantee of the New Notes by the Liggett Guarantors is, and each guarantee of the Original Notes by the Liggett Guarantors is:
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• secured on a second priority basis, equally and ratably with all obligations of the Liggett Guarantors under existing and future parity lien debt, by liens on certain assets of the Liggett Guarantors, subject in priority to the liens securing first priority debt under the Liggett Credit Agreement and other permitted prior liens; and
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• effectively junior, to the extent of the value of assets securing a Liggett Guarantor’s first priority debt obligations under the Liggett Credit Agreement, which is secured on a first priority basis by the same assets of that Liggett Guarantor that secure the New Notes, the Original Notes and the Existing Notes and by certain other assets of that Liggett Guarantor that do not secure the notes.
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The guarantees of the New Notes by Vector Tobacco will be, and the guarantees of the Original Notes and the Existing Notes by Vector Tobacco are, secured on a first priority basis, equally and ratably with all of its obligations under existing and future parity lien debt, by liens on certain assets, subject in priority to permitted prior liens.
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The guarantees of the New Notes by VGR Holding will be, and the guarantees of the Original Notes and the Existing Notes by VGR Holding are, secured by a first priority pledge of the capital stock of each of Liggett and Vector Tobacco.
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See “Description of New Notes — Security” for additional information.
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Intercreditor Agreement
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Pursuant to an intercreditor agreement, the liens securing the guarantees of the Liggett Guarantors are second in priority to the liens that secure obligations under the Liggett Credit Agreement up to a maximum capped amount as described under “Description of New Notes — Intercreditor Agreement.”
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Pursuant to the intercreditor agreement, the second-priority liens securing the note guarantees of the Liggett Guarantors may not be enforced for a “standstill” period of up to 180 days when any obligations secured by the first-priority liens are outstanding.
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Optional Redemption
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On or after February 15, 2016, we may redeem all or a part of the New Notes at the redemption prices set forth under “Description of New Notes — Optional Redemption.”
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Mandatory Offers to Repurchase
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If we sell certain assets and do not apply the proceeds as required or we experience specific kinds of changes of control, we must offer to repurchase the New Notes at the prices listed in the section entitled “Description of New Notes — Repurchase at the Option of Holders.”
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Certain Covenants
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The indenture governing the New Notes contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit our and our guarantors’ ability to:
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• pay dividends, redeem or repurchase capital stock or subordinated indebtedness or make other restricted payments;
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• incur additional indebtedness or issue certain preferred stock;
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• create or incur liens;
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• incur dividend or other payment restrictions;
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• consummate a merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets;
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• enter into certain transactions with affiliates; and
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• transfer or sell assets, including the equity interests of our guarantors, or use asset sale proceeds.
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These covenants are subject to a number of important exceptions and qualifications. See “Description of New Notes.”
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No Public Market
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We do not intend to apply for listing of the New Notes on any securities exchange or to seek approval for quotation through any automated quotation system. Jefferies LLC, the initial purchaser in the private offering of the Original Notes (the “Original Notes Offering”), is not obligated to make a market in the New Notes, and any such market may be discontinued by the initial purchaser in its discretion at any time without notice. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that an active market for the New Notes will develop upon completion of the Exchange Offer or, if developed, that such market will be sustained or as to the liquidity of any market. See “Plan of Distribution.”
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Risk Factors
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You should consider carefully the information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and all other information included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus before determining whether to participate in the exchange offered hereby.
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cash interest expense of approximately $96.6 million;
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dividends on our outstanding common shares (currently at an annual rate of approximately $202.8 million); and
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other corporate expenses and taxes.
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make it more difficult for us to satisfy our other obligations with respect to our debt, including repurchase obligations upon the occurrence of specified change of control events;
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increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
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limit our ability to obtain additional financing;
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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, reducing the amount of our cash flow available for other general corporate purposes;
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require us to sell other securities or to sell some or all of our assets, possibly on unfavorable terms, to meet payment obligations;
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restrict us from making strategic acquisitions, investing in new capital assets or taking advantage of business opportunities;
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limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and industry; and
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place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to competitors that have less debt.
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pay dividends, redeem or repurchase capital stock or subordinated indebtedness or make other restricted payments;
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incur or guarantee additional indebtedness or issue certain preferred stock;
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create or incur liens with respect to our assets;
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make investments, loans or advances;
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incur dividend or other payment restrictions;
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consummate a merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets;
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enter into certain transactions with affiliates; and
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transfer or sell assets, including the equity interests of our guarantors, or use asset sale proceeds.
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received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for the incurrence of the guarantee;
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was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of the incurrence of the guarantee;
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was engaged in a business or transaction for which the guarantor’s remaining assets constituted unreasonably small capital; or
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intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond its ability to pay those debts as they mature.
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the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, was greater than the fair saleable value of all of its assets;
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the present fair saleable value of its assets was less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they became absolute and mature; or
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it could not pay its debts as they become due.
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Three Months Ended March 31,
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Year Ended December 31,
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2016
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2015
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2015
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2014
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2013
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2012
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2011
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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2.68x
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2.29x
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2.11x
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1.53x
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1.27x
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1.34x
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2.18x
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to delay accepting any Original Notes, to extend the Exchange Offer or to terminate the Exchange Offer if, in our reasonable judgment, any of the conditions described below shall not have been satisfied, by giving written notice of the delay, extension or termination to the exchange agent, or
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to amend the terms of the Exchange Offer in any manner permitted by the registration rights agreement.
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any action or proceeding is instituted or threatened in any court or by or before any governmental agency relating to the Exchange Offer which, in our reasonable judgment, might materially impair the contemplated benefits of the Exchange Offer to us, or any material adverse development has occurred in any existing action or proceeding relating to us or any of our subsidiaries;
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any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in our business or financial affairs or any of our subsidiaries has occurred which, in our reasonable judgment, might materially impair our ability to proceed with the Exchange Offer or materially impair the contemplated benefits of the Exchange Offer to us;
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any law, statute, rule or regulation is proposed, adopted or enacted that in our reasonable judgment might materially impair our ability to proceed with the Exchange Offer; or
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any governmental approval has not been obtained, which approval we, in our reasonable discretion, consider necessary for the completion of the Exchange Offer as contemplated by this prospectus.
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refuse to accept any Original Notes and return all tendered Original Notes to the tendering holders;
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extend the Exchange Offer and retain all Original Notes tendered before the expiration of the Exchange Offer, subject, however, to the rights of holders to withdraw those Original Notes (see “— Withdrawal of Tenders” below); or
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waive unsatisfied conditions relating to the Exchange Offer other than those conditions dependent upon the receipt of necessary governmental approvals and accept all properly tendered Original Notes that have not been withdrawn.
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complete, sign and date the letter of transmittal, or a facsimile of it;
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have the signatures guaranteed if required by the letter of transmittal; and
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mail or otherwise deliver the signed letter of transmittal or the signed facsimile, the Original Notes and any other required documents to the exchange agent prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date.
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by a registered holder who has not completed the box entitled “Special Issuance Instructions” or “Special Delivery Instructions” on the letter of transmittal; or
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for the account of an eligible guarantor institution.
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a member firm of a registered national securities exchange or of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority;
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a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States; or
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an “eligible guarantor institution” within the meaning of Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act.
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it has full power and authority to tender, sell, assign and transfer the Original Notes it is tendering and that we will acquire good and unencumbered title thereto, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances and not subject to any adverse claim when the same are accepted by us;
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the New Notes acquired in connection with the Exchange Offer are being obtained in the ordinary course of business of the person receiving the New Notes;
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at the time of commencement of the Exchange Offer it had no arrangement with any person to participate in a distribution of such New Notes;
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it is not an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of ours, or, if it is an affiliate, it will comply with applicable registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act;
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if the holder is a broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of the New Notes; and
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if the holder is a broker-dealer that will receive New Notes for its own account in exchange for Original Notes that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, that it has not entered into any arrangement or understanding with us or an affiliate of ours to distribute the New Notes and that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such New Notes. See “Plan of Distribution.”
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specify the name of the person who deposited the Original Notes to be withdrawn;
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identify the Original Notes to be withdrawn (including the certificate number(s), if any, and principal amount of such Original Notes);
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be signed by the depositor in the same manner as the original signature on the letter of transmittal by which such Original Notes were tendered (including any required signature guarantees) or be accompanied by documents of transfer sufficient to have the trustee register the transfer of such Original Notes into the name of the person withdrawing the tender; and
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specify the name in which any such Original Notes are to be registered, if different from that of the depositor.
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New Notes are to be delivered to, or issued in the name of, any person other than the registered holder of the Original Notes tendered;
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tendered Original Notes are registered in the name of any person other than the person signing the letter of transmittal; or
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a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of Original Notes in connection with the Exchange Offer;
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the remaining Original Notes may be resold only if registered pursuant to the Securities Act, if any exemption from registration is available, or if neither such registration nor such exemption is required by law; and
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the remaining Original Notes will bear a legend restricting transfer in the absence of registration or an exemption.
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are general obligations of the Company;
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are
pari passu
in right of payment with all of the Company’s existing and future senior Indebtedness;
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are senior in right of payment to all of the Company’s future subordinated Indebtedness, if any;
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are effectively subordinated in right of payment to all existing and future Indebtedness and other liabilities of the Company’s Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors (other than Indebtedness and liabilities owed to the Company or a Guarantor);
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are not secured by any of the Company’s assets; and
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are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors and certain of such guarantees are secured by certain assets of some of the Guarantors as provided below.
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is a general obligation of the Guarantor;
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is
pari passu
in right of payment with all other senior Indebtedness of that Guarantor, including a Liggett Guarantor’s guarantee of Indebtedness under the Liggett Credit Agreement;
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is senior in right of payment to any future subordinated Indebtedness of that Guarantor.
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is secured on a second priority basis, equally and ratably with all existing and future obligations of a Liggett Guarantor under any Parity Lien Debt, by Liens on certain assets of a Liggett Guarantor, subject in priority to Liens securing the First Priority Debt under the Liggett Credit Agreement and Permitted Prior Liens; and
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is effectively junior, to the extent of the value of assets securing a Liggett Guarantor’s First Priority Debt obligations under the Liggett Credit Agreement, which are secured on a first priority basis by the same assets of that Liggett Guarantor that secure the notes and by certain other assets of that Liggett Guarantor that do not secure the notes.
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immediately after giving effect to that transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and
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2.
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either:
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the Person acquiring the property in any such sale or disposition or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger assumes all the obligations of that Guarantor under the indenture, its Note Guarantee, the Collateral Documents and the registration rights agreement pursuant to a supplemental indenture and appropriate Collateral Documents satisfactory to the trustee; or
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B.
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the Net Proceeds of such sale or other disposition are applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of the indenture.
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1.
|
in connection with any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation) to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Guarantor, if the sale or other disposition does not violate the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture;
|
2.
|
in connection with any sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of that Guarantor to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Guarantor, if the sale or other disposition does not violate the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture; or
|
3.
|
upon legal defeasance or satisfaction and discharge of the indenture as provided below under the captions “- Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” and “- Satisfaction and Discharge.”
|
•
|
real property, other than the Mebane Facility and any real property that has a Fair Market Value in excess of $5.0 million;
|
•
|
equipment subject to purchase money or other financing;
|
•
|
investment property or securities, including securities of affiliates, other than the Pledged Securities;
|
•
|
cash and deposit accounts;
|
•
|
foreign intellectual property and all intent-to-use trademark applications;
|
•
|
aircraft, aircraft engines and motor vehicles; and
|
•
|
leasehold interests in real property,as such terms are defined under the UCC, collectively referred to as the “Excluded Assets.”
|
1.
|
prior to Discharge of Priority Debt, if (i) in connection with any disposition of any ABL Collateral (A) permitted under the terms of the ABL Documents (whether or not an event of default or equivalent event thereunder, and as defined therein, has occurred and is continuing) or (B) consented to or approved by ABL Lender, but in the case of (A) or (B) only if permitted under the terms of the Noteholder Documents or (ii) in connection with the exercise of the ABL Lender’s remedies in respect of the ABL Collateral (provided that after giving effect to the release and application of proceeds, ABL Debt (other than Excess ABL Debt) secured by the first priority Liens on the remaining ABL Collateral remains outstanding), the ABL Lender, for itself or on behalf of any of the other ABL Secured Parties, releases any of its Liens on any part of the ABL Collateral, then effective upon the consummation of such sale, lease, license, exchange, transfer or other disposition:
|
A.
|
the Liens, if any, of the Collateral Agent, for itself or for the benefit of the Noteholder Secured Parties, on such ABL Collateral shall be automatically, unconditionally and simultaneously released to the same extent as the release of ABL Lender’s Liens,
|
B.
|
the Collateral Agent, for itself or on behalf of the Noteholder Secured Parties, shall promptly upon the request of ABL Lender execute and deliver such release documents and confirmations of the authorization to file UCC amendments and terminations provided for herein, in each case as ABL Lender may require in connection with such sale or other disposition by ABL Lender, ABL Lender’s agents or any Liggett Guarantor with the consent of ABL Lender to evidence and effectuate such termination and release;
provided
,
that
, any such release or UCC amendment or termination by Collateral Agent shall not extend to or otherwise affect any of the rights, if any, of Collateral Agent and Noteholder Secured Parties to the proceeds from any such sale or other disposition of ABL Collateral, and
|
C.
|
the Collateral Agent, for itself or on behalf of the other Noteholder Secured Parties, shall be deemed to have authorized ABL Lender to file UCC amendments and terminations covering the ABL Collateral so sold or otherwise disposed of as to UCC financing statements between any Liggett Guarantor and Collateral Agent or any other Noteholder Secured Party to evidence such release and termination.
|
2.
|
after Discharge of Priority Debt but prior to Discharge of Priority Noteholder Debt, if (i) in connection with any sale, lease, license, exchange, transfer or other disposition of any ABL Collateral (A) permitted under the terms of the Noteholder Documents (whether or not an event of default or equivalent event thereunder, and as defined therein, has occurred and is continuing) or (B) consented to or approved by Noteholder Secured Parties, but in the case of (A) and (B), only if permitted under the terms of the ABL Documents, or (ii) in connection with the exercise of the Collateral Agent’s or any Noteholder Secured Party’s remedies in respect of the ABL Collateral (provided that after giving effect to the release and application of proceeds, Noteholder Debt secured by the Liens on the remaining ABL Collateral remain outstanding), the Collateral Agent, for itself or on behalf of any of the other Noteholder Secured Parties, releases any of its Liens on any part of the ABL Collateral, then effective upon the consummation of such sale, lease, license, exchange, transfer or other disposition:
|
A.
|
the Liens, if any, of the ABL Lender, for itself or for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties, on such ABL Collateral shall be automatically, unconditionally and simultaneously released to the same extent as the release of the Collateral Agent’s Liens,
|
B.
|
the ABL Lender, for itself or on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties, shall promptly upon the request of the Collateral Agent execute and deliver such release documents and confirmations of the authorization to file UCC amendments and terminations provided for herein, in each case as the Collateral Agent may require in connection with such sale or other disposition by the Collateral Agent or any Noteholder Secured Party, or any of their agents or any Liggett Guarantor with the consent of Noteholder Secured Parties to evidence and effectuate such termination and release; provided, that, any such release or UCC amendment or termination by ABL Lender shall not extend to or otherwise
|
C.
|
the ABL Lender, for itself or on behalf of the other ABL Secured Parties, shall be deemed to have authorized the Collateral Agent to file UCC amendments and terminations covering the ABL Collateral so sold or otherwise disposed of as to UCC financing statements between any Liggett Guarantor and ABL Lender or any other ABL Secured Party to evidence such release and termination.
|
3.
|
the Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of the other Noteholder Secured Parties, has irrevocably constituted and appointed the ABL Lender and any officer or agent of the ABL Lender, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place and stead of the Collateral Agent or such holder, from time to time in the ABL Lender’s discretion for the purpose of releasing Liens in accordance with provision (a) of “- Release of Liens” above, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and instruments which may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of provision (a) of “- Release of Liens” above, including any termination statements, endorsements or other instruments of transfer or release. The ABL Lender, for itself and on behalf of the other ABL Secured Parties, has irrevocably constituted and appointed the Collateral Agent and any officer or agent of any holder of notes, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place and stead of the ABL Lender or any ABL Secured Party, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of provision (b) of “- Release of Liens” above, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and instruments which may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of provision (b) of “- Release of Liens” above, including any termination statements, endorsements or other instruments of transfer or release.
|
1.
|
each Noteholder Secured Party will raise no objection to, nor support any other Person objecting to, and will be deemed to have consented to, the use of any ABL Collateral constituting cash collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, or any comparable provision of any other Bankruptcy Law or any post-petition financing, provided by any ABL Secured Party or any Qualified Financier under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code, or any comparable provision of any other Bankruptcy Law (a “
DIP Financing
”), will not request or accept adequate protection or any other relief in connection with the use of such cash collateral or such DIP Financing except as set forth below and will subordinate (and will be deemed hereunder to have subordinated) the Liens granted to Noteholder Secured Parties to such DIP Financing on the same terms as such Liens are subordinated to the Liens granted to ABL Lender in the Intercreditor Agreement (and such subordination will not alter in any manner the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement), to any adequate protection provided to the ABL Secured Parties and to any “carve out” agreed to by the ABL Lender;
provided that
:
|
A.
|
the ABL Lender does not oppose or object to such use of cash collateral or DIP Financing,
|
B.
|
the aggregate principal amount of such DIP Financing, together with the ABL Debt as of such date, does not exceed the principal component of Maximum Priority ABL Debt, and the DIP Financing is treated as ABL Debt under the Intercreditor Agreement,
|
C.
|
the Liens granted to the ABL Secured Parties or Qualified Financier in connection with such DIP Financing are subject to the Intercreditor Agreement and considered to be Liens of ABL Lender for purposes of the Intercreditor Agreement,
|
D.
|
the Collateral Agent retains a Lien on the ABL Collateral (including proceeds thereof) with the same priority as existed prior to such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding (except to the extent of any “carve out” agreed to by the ABL Lender),
|
E.
|
the Collateral Agent receives replacement Liens on all assets, including post-petition assets, of any Liggett Guarantor in which the ABL Lender obtains a replacement Lien, or which secure the DIP Financing, with the same priority relative to the Liens of ABL Lender as existed prior to such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, and
|
F.
|
the Noteholder Secured Parties may oppose or object to such use of cash collateral or DIP Financing on the same bases as an unsecured creditor, so long as such opposition or objection is not based on the Noteholder Secured Parties’ status as secured creditors.
|
2.
|
no Noteholder Secured Party shall, directly or indirectly, provide, or seek to provide, DIP Financing secured by Liens equal or senior in priority to the Liens on the ABL Collateral of ABL Lender, without the prior written consent of ABL Lender.
|
1.
|
the sale, lease, sublease, license, sublicense, conveyance or other disposition of products, services, inventory, or accounts receivable and related assets (including participations therein) in the ordinary course of business, including leases with respect to facilities that are temporarily not in use or pending their disposition, and any sale or other disposition of damaged, worn-out or obsolete assets in the ordinary course of business or any other property that is uneconomic or no longer useful to the conduct of the business of the Company or the Guarantors, which such transactions are expressly permitted under the indenture;
|
2.
|
as to any Collateral that is sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by such Guarantor to a Person that is not (either before or after such sale, transfer or disposition) the Company or a Guarantor in a transaction or other circumstance that complies with the provisions of the indenture described below under “Certain Covenants - Asset Sales” and is permitted by the Noteholder Documents, and, if the First Priority Debt has not been paid in full, the ABL Documents (as defined above under “-Intercreditor Agreement”);
provided
that such Liens will not be released if such sale or disposition is subject to the covenant described below under “Certain Covenants - Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets”;
|
3.
|
if any Guarantor is released from its Note Guarantee, that Guarantor’s assets will also be released from the Liens securing the Note Guarantee;
|
4.
|
with the consent of the holders of the requisite percentage of notes in accordance with the provisions of the indenture described below under “- Amendment, Supplement and Waiver”; or
|
5.
|
if required in connection with certain foreclosure actions by the ABL Lender in respect of First Priority Debt in accordance with the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement.
|
1.
|
upon a Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance of the notes as described below under “- Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance”;
|
2.
|
upon satisfaction and discharge of the indenture described below under “- Satisfaction and Discharge”; or
|
3.
|
upon payment in full and discharge of all notes outstanding under the indenture and all Obligations that are outstanding, due and payable under the indenture at the time the notes are paid in full and discharged.
|
Year
|
Percentage
|
2016
|
105.813%
|
2017
|
103.875%
|
2018
|
101.938%
|
2019 and thereafter
|
100%
|
1.
|
accept for payment all notes or portions of notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;
|
2.
|
deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all notes or portions of notes properly tendered; and
|
3.
|
deliver or cause to be delivered to the trustee the notes properly accepted together with an officers’ certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of notes or portions of notes being purchased by the Company.
|
1.
|
The Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of the Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of; and
|
2.
|
at least 75% of the consideration received in the Asset Sale by the Company or such Guarantor is in the form of cash. For purposes of this provision, each of the following will be deemed to be cash:
|
A.
|
any liabilities, as shown on the Company’s most recent consolidated balance sheet, of the Company or any Guarantor (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the notes or any Note Guarantee) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets pursuant to a customary novation agreement that releases the Company or such Guarantor from further liability;
|
B.
|
any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any such Guarantor from such transferee that are, subject to ordinary settlement periods, converted by the Company or such Guarantor into cash within 90 days of such Asset Sale, to the extent of the cash received in that conversion; and
|
C.
|
any stock or assets of the kind referred to in clauses (2) or (4) of the next paragraph of this covenant.
|
1.
|
to repay Indebtedness and other Obligations under the Liggett Credit Agreement and correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto;
|
2.
|
to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of, or any Capital Stock of, another business, if, after giving effect to any such acquisition of Capital Stock, the business is or becomes a Guarantor;
|
3.
|
to make a capital expenditure; or
|
4.
|
to acquire other assets that are not classified as current assets under GAAP and that are used or useful in the conduct of the Company’s or any Guarantor’s business.
|
1.
|
declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment or distribution on account of the Company’s or such Guarantor’s Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any Guarantor) or to the direct or indirect holders of the Company’s or any such Guarantor’s Equity Interests in their capacity as such (other than dividends or distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company and other than dividends or any other payments or distributions payable to the Company or a Guarantor);
|
2.
|
purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company) any Equity Interests of the Company;
|
3.
|
make any payment on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor that is contractually subordinated to the notes or to any Note Guarantee (excluding any intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any of the Guarantors), except a payment of interest or principal at the Stated Maturity thereof; or
|
4.
|
make any Restricted Investment
|
1.
|
the payment of any dividend or other distribution or the consummation of any irrevocable redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration of the dividend or other distribution or giving of the redemption notice, as the case may be, if at the date of declaration or notice, the dividend or other distribution or redemption payment would have complied with the provisions of the indenture;
|
2.
|
so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the making of any Restricted Payment in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of, Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or from the substantially concurrent contribution of common equity capital to the Company;
|
3.
|
so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor that is contractually subordinated to the notes or to any Note Guarantee with the net cash proceeds from a substantially concurrent incurrence of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;
|
4.
|
the payment of any dividend (or, in the case of any partnership or limited liability company, any similar distribution) by a Guarantor to the holders of its Equity Interests on a
pro rata
basis;
|
5.
|
the repurchase of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants or other convertible or exchangeable securities to the extent such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of those stock options, warrants or other convertible or exchangeable securities;
|
6.
|
so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the declaration and payment of regularly scheduled or accrued dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or any Guarantor issued on or after the date of the indenture in accordance with the Leverage Ratio and Secured Leverage Ratio tests described below under the caption “- Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock”; and
|
7.
|
the distribution of the Equity Interests of Eve to the Company in order to contribute such Equity Interests to Vector Tobacco, provided that Eve shall remain a Guarantor.
|
1.
|
the incurrence by the Company and any of the Guarantors of additional Indebtedness and letters of credit under Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding under this clause (1) (with letters of credit being deemed to have a principal amount equal to the maximum potential liability of the Company and the Guarantors thereunder) not to exceed $60.0 million less the aggregate amount of all Net Proceeds of Asset Sales applied by the Company or any of the Guarantors since the date of the indenture to repay any term Indebtedness under a Credit Facility or to repay any revolving credit Indebtedness under a Credit Facility and effect a corresponding commitment reduction thereunder pursuant to the covenant described above under the caption “- Repurchase at the Option of Holders - Asset Sales;”
|
2.
|
the incurrence by the Company and the Guarantors of the Existing Indebtedness;
|
3.
|
the incurrence by the Company and the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the notes and the related Note Guarantees to be issued on the date of the indenture and the exchange notes and the related Note Guarantees to be issued pursuant to the registration rights agreement;
|
4.
|
the incurrence by the Company or any of the Guarantors of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge, any Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness) that was permitted by the indenture to be incurred under the first paragraph of this covenant or clauses (2), (3) and (4) of this paragraph;
|
5.
|
the incurrence by the Company or any of the Guarantors of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any of the Guarantors;
provided
,
however
, that:
|
A.
|
any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Guarantor and
|
B.
|
any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is not either the Company or a Guarantor, will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause (5);
|
6.
|
the issuance by any of the Guarantors to the Company or to any of the Guarantors of shares of preferred stock;
provided
,
however
, that:
|
A.
|
any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such preferred stock being held by a Person other than the Company or a Guarantor; and
|
B.
|
any sale or other transfer of any such preferred stock to a Person that is not either the Company or a Guarantor, will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an issuance of such preferred stock by such Guarantor that was not permitted by this clause (6);
|
7.
|
the guarantee by the Company or any of the Guarantors of Indebtedness of the Company or a Guarantor that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this covenant;
provided
that if the Indebtedness being guaranteed is subordinated to or
pari passu
with the notes, then the Guarantee shall be subordinated or
pari passu
, as applicable, to the same extent as the Indebtedness guaranteed;
|
8.
|
the incurrence by the Company or any of the Guarantors of Indebtedness in respect of workers’ compensation claims, self-insurance obligations, bankers’ acceptances, performance and surety bonds, appeal or other similar bonds in the ordinary course of business, and in any such case any reimbursement obligations in connection therewith;
|
9.
|
the incurrence by the Company or any of the Guarantors of Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently drawn against insufficient funds, so long as such Indebtedness is covered within five business days;
|
10.
|
the incurrence by the Company or any of the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by Capital Lease Obligations, purchase money obligations or other obligations, in each case incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price, cost or value of any equipment used in the business of the Company or any of the Guarantors, in an aggregate principal amount, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (10), not to exceed $10.0 million at any time outstanding;
|
11.
|
the incurrence by the Company or any of the Guarantors of Hedging Obligations;
|
12.
|
indebtedness of the Company or any of the Guarantors to the extent the net proceeds thereof are promptly deposited to defease or satisfy and discharge all outstanding notes in full as described below under “- Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” and “- Satisfaction and Discharge”;
|
13.
|
obligations of the Company and any of the Guarantors arising from agreements of the Company or a Guarantor providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations, in each case incurred or assumed in connection with the disposition of any business, assets or a Subsidiary of the Company in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, other than Guarantees by the Company or any Guarantor of Indebtedness incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or a Subsidiary of the Company for the purpose of financing such acquisition; provided, however, that the maximum aggregate liability in respect of all such obligations shall not exceed the gross proceeds, including the fair market value as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company of non-cash proceeds (the fair market value of such non-cash proceeds being measured at the time received and without giving effect to any subsequent changes in value), actually received by the Company and the Guarantors in connection with such disposition; or
|
14.
|
obligations of the Company and any of the Guarantors arising from the entering into, maintaining or disposing of, Core Investments, including, without limitation, purchasing of any Core Investment on margin, any capital call obligations, make-well arrangements, hedging obligations of any nature or any obligations regarding a short position in any of such Core Investments.
|
1.
|
the accreted value of the Indebtedness, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount;
|
2.
|
the principal amount of the Indebtedness, in the case of any other Indebtedness; and
|
3.
|
in respect of Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on the assets of the specified Person, the lesser of:
|
A.
|
the Fair Market Value of such assets at the date of determination; and
|
B.
|
the amount of the Indebtedness of the other Person.
|
1.
|
pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or any Guarantor, or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or any Guarantor;
|
2.
|
make loans or advances to the Company or any of the Guarantors; or
|
3.
|
sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any Guarantor.
|
1.
|
agreements governing Existing Indebtedness and Credit Facilities as in effect on the date of the indenture and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements;
provided
that the amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in those agreements on the date of the indenture;
|
2.
|
the indenture, the notes, the Note Guarantees and the Collateral Documents;
|
3.
|
applicable law, rule, regulation or order;
|
4.
|
any instrument governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the Company or any of the Guarantors as in effect at the time of such acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness or Capital Stock was incurred in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired;
provided
that, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of the indenture to be incurred;
|
5.
|
customary non-assignment provisions in contracts, leases and licenses entered into in the ordinary course of business or that restrict the subletting, assignment or transfer of any property or asset that is subject to a lease, license or similar contract;
|
6.
|
purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and Capital Lease Obligations that impose restrictions on the property purchased or leased of the nature described in clause (3) of the preceding paragraph;
|
7.
|
any agreement for the sale or other disposition of a Guarantor that restricts distributions by that Guarantor pending the sale or other disposition;
|
8.
|
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;
provided
that the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company;
|
9.
|
Liens permitted to be incurred under the provisions of the covenant described above under the caption “- Liens” that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens;
|
10.
|
provisions limiting the disposition or distribution of assets or property in joint venture agreements, asset sale agreements, sale-leaseback agreements, stock sale agreements and other similar agreements entered into with the approval of the Company’s Board of Directors, which limitation is applicable only to the assets that are the subject of such agreements;
|
11.
|
restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
|
12.
|
provisions limiting the disposition or distribution of assets in joint venture agreements entered into (i) in the ordinary course of business or (ii) with the approval of the Company’s or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors or chief financial officer, which limitation or prohibition is applicable only to the assets that are the subject of such agreements;
|
13.
|
net worth provisions in leases and other agreements entered into by the Company or any Guarantor in the ordinary course of business; or
|
14.
|
agreements governing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to the covenant described under “- Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock”;
provided
, that the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith (such determination to be evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors) that such encumbrances and restrictions are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those in agreements in the Liggett Credit Agreement (as in effect on the date of the indenture) and would not reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Company to make payments of interest and scheduled payments of principal on the notes, in each case as and when due, or to impair any Guarantor’s ability to honor its Note Guarantee.
|
1.
|
either: (a) the Company is the surviving corporation; or (b) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been
|
2.
|
the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes all the obligations of the Company under the notes, the indenture, the registration rights agreement and the Collateral Documents pursuant to agreements reasonably satisfactory to the trustee;
|
3.
|
immediately after such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and
|
4.
|
the Company or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made would, on the date of such transaction after giving pro forma effect thereto and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Leverage Ratio and Secured Leverage Ratio tests set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “- Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.”
|
1.
|
a merger of the Company with an Affiliate solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction; or
|
2.
|
any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, lease or other disposition of assets between or among the Company and any of the Guarantors that are not any of the Liggett Guarantors.
|
1.
|
the Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Company or the relevant Guarantor than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Guarantor with an unrelated Person; and
|
2.
|
the Company delivers to the trustee:
|
A.
|
with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $3.0 million, a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company set forth in an officers’ certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with this covenant and that such Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the disinterested members, if any, of the Board of Directors of the Company; and
|
B.
|
with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $10.0 million, an opinion as to the fairness to the Company or such Guarantor of such Affiliate Transaction from a financial point of view issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing.
|
1.
|
any consulting or employment agreement or arrangement, employee benefit plan, officer indemnification agreement or any similar arrangement entered into by the Company or any of the Guarantors and payments pursuant thereto;
|
2.
|
transactions between or among the Company and/or the Guarantors;
|
3.
|
transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company) that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Guarantor, an Equity Interest in, or controls, such Person;
|
4.
|
payment of reasonable directors’ fees (including the issuance of restricted stock) to directors of the Company and other reasonable compensation, benefits and indemnities paid or provided by the Company to the directors of the Company in their capacities as directors;
|
5.
|
any sale, grant, award or issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company, including the exercise of options and warrants, to Affiliates, officers, directors or employees of the Company;
|
6.
|
Restricted Payments that do not violate the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “- Restricted Payments”;
|
7.
|
loans or advances to employees in the ordinary course of business not to exceed $1.0 million in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;
|
8.
|
Permitted Investments; and
|
9.
|
Accelerated Note Conversions.
|
1.
|
the Company or that Guarantor, as applicable, could have (a) incurred Indebtedness in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt relating to such sale and leaseback transaction under the Leverage Ratio and Secured Leverage Ratio tests in the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “- Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” and (b) incurred a Lien to secure such Indebtedness pursuant to the covenant described above under the caption “- Liens;”
|
2.
|
the gross cash proceeds of that sale and leaseback transaction are at least equal to the Fair Market Value, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company and set forth in an officers’ certificate delivered to the trustee, of the property that is the subject of that sale and leaseback transaction; and
|
3.
|
the transfer of assets in that sale and leaseback transaction is permitted by, and the Company applies the proceeds of such transaction in compliance with, the covenant described above under the caption “- Repurchase at the Option of Holders - Asset Sales.”
|
1.
|
all quarterly and annual reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company were required to file such reports; and
|
2.
|
all current reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such reports.
|
1.
|
default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on, or Liquidated Damages, if any, with respect to, the notes;
|
2.
|
default in the payment when due (at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise) of the principal of, or premium, if any, on, the notes, or default in the payment when due of a Change of Control Payment;
|
3.
|
failure by the Company or any of the Guarantors for 30 days after notice to the Company by the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the notes then outstanding voting as a single class to comply with the provisions described under the captions “- Repurchase at the Option of Holders - Asset Sales,” “- Certain Covenants - Restricted Payments” and “- Certain Covenants - Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock;”
|
4.
|
failure by the Company or any of the Guarantors for 60 days after notice to the Company by the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the notes then outstanding voting as a single class to comply with any of the other agreements in the indenture or the Collateral Documents;
|
5.
|
default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of the Guarantors (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of the Guarantors), whether such Indebtedness or Guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the indenture, if that default:
|
A.
|
is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such default (a “
Payment Default
”); or
|
B.
|
results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity, and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $10 million or more and such acceleration is not annulled within 30 days thereof or such payment default continues for 30 days;
|
6.
|
failure by the Company or any of the Guarantors to pay final non-appealable judgments entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction aggregating in excess of $10 million (net of any amounts as to which a reputable and solvent third party insurer has accepted full coverage), which judgments are not paid, discharged, bonded or stayed for a period of 60 days;
|
7.
|
breach by the Company or any of the Guarantors of any material representation or warranty or agreement in the Collateral Documents, and such failure shall continue for a period of 60 days after written notice to the Company by the trustee, the Collateral Agent or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the notes then outstanding voting as a single class;
|
8.
|
the repudiation by the Company or any of the Guarantors of any of its obligations under the Collateral Documents or the unenforceability of the Collateral Documents against the Company or any of the Guarantors for any reason;
|
9.
|
except as permitted by the indenture, any Note Guarantee is held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or ceases for any reason to be in full force and effect, or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any Guarantor, denies or disaffirms its obligations under its Note Guarantee; and
|
10.
|
certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency described in the indenture with respect to the Company or any of the Guarantors that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Guarantors that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary.
|
1.
|
such holder has previously given the trustee notice that an Event of Default is continuing;
|
2.
|
holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes have requested the trustee to pursue the remedy;
|
3.
|
such holders have offered the trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee against any loss, liability or expense;
|
4.
|
the trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and
|
5.
|
holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes have not given the trustee a direction inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.
|
1.
|
the rights of holders of outstanding notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, or interest or premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, on, such notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to below;
|
2.
|
the Company’s obligations with respect to the notes concerning issuing temporary notes, registration of notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust;
|
3.
|
the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee, and the Company’s and the Guarantors’ obligations in connection therewith; and
|
4.
|
the Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance provisions of the indenture.
|
1.
|
the Company must irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the holders of the notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, or interest and premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, on, the outstanding notes on the stated date for payment thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Company must specify whether the notes are being defeased to such stated date for payment or to a particular redemption date;
|
2.
|
in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Company must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that (a) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (b) since the date of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel will confirm that, the holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;
|
3.
|
in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Company must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that the holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;
|
4.
|
no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit) and the deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other instrument to which the Company or any Guarantor is a party or by which the Company or any Guarantor is bound;
|
5.
|
such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than the indenture) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound;
|
6.
|
the Company must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the holders of notes over the other creditors of the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any creditors of the Company or others; and
|
7.
|
the Company must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.
|
1.
|
keep their properties adequately insured at all times by financially sound and reputable insurers;
|
2.
|
maintain such other insurance, to such extent and against such risks (and with such deductibles, retentions and exclusions), including fire and other risks insured against by extended coverage and coverage for acts of terrorism, as is customary with companies in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations, including public liability insurance against claims for personal injury or death or property damage occurring upon, in, about or in connection with the use of any properties owned, occupied or controlled by them;
|
3.
|
maintain such other insurance as may be required by law;
|
4.
|
maintain title insurance on all real property Collateral insuring the Collateral Agent’s Parity Lien on that property, subject only to Permitted Prior Liens and other exceptions to title approved by the Collateral Agent; and
|
5.
|
maintain such other insurance as may be required by the Collateral Documents.
|
1.
|
reduce the principal amount of notes whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
|
2.
|
reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption of the notes (other than provisions relating to the covenants described above under the caption “- Repurchase at the Option of Holders”);
|
3.
|
reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest, including default interest, on any note;
|
4.
|
waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, or Liquidated Damages, if any, on, the notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the notes by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
|
5.
|
make any note payable in money other than that stated in the notes;
|
6.
|
make any change in the provisions of the indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of holders of notes to receive payments of principal of, or interest or premium or Liquidated Damages, if any, on, the notes;
|
7.
|
waive a redemption payment with respect to any note (other than a payment required by one of the covenants described above under the caption “- Repurchase at the Option of Holders”);
|
8.
|
release all or substantially all of the Collateral from the Liens securing the Note Guarantees;
|
9.
|
release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Guarantee or the indenture if the assets or properties of that Guarantor constitute all or substantially all of the Collateral, except in accordance with the terms of the indenture and the Intercreditor Agreement; or
|
10.
|
make any change in the preceding amendment and waiver provisions.
|
1.
|
to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
|
2.
|
to provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes;
|
3.
|
to provide for the assumption of the Company’s or a Guarantor’s obligations to holders of notes and Note Guarantees in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s or such Guarantor’s assets, as applicable;
|
4.
|
to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the holders of notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any such holder;
|
5.
|
to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;
|
6.
|
to conform the text of the indenture, the Note Guarantees, the Collateral Documents or the notes to any provision of this Description of Notes to the extent that such provision in this Description of Notes was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of the indenture, the Note Guarantees, the Collateral Documents or the notes;
|
7.
|
to provide for the issuance of additional notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the indenture as of the date of the indenture;
|
8.
|
to allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture and/or a Note Guarantee with respect to the notes; or
|
9.
|
to make, complete or confirm any grant of Collateral permitted or required by the indenture or any of the Collateral Documents or any release of Collateral that becomes effective as set forth in the indenture or any of the Collateral Documents.
|
1.
|
either:
|
A.
|
all notes that have been authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed notes that have been replaced or paid and notes for whose payment money has been irrevocably deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the Company, have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or
|
B.
|
all notes that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the mailing of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year and the Company or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and noncallable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the notes not delivered to the trustee for cancellation for principal, premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption;
|
2.
|
no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit) and the deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other instrument to which the Company or any Guarantor is a party or by which the Company or any Guarantor is bound;
|
3.
|
the Company or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under the indenture; and
|
4.
|
the Company has delivered irrevocable instructions to the trustee under the indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the notes at maturity or on the redemption date, as the case may be.
|
1.
|
upon deposit of the Global Notes, DTC will credit the accounts of the Participants designated by the initial purchaser with portions of the principal amount of the Global Notes; and
|
2.
|
ownership of these interests in the Global Notes will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership of these interests will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to the Participants) or by the Participants and the Indirect Participants (with respect to other owners of beneficial interest in the Global Notes).
|
1.
|
any aspect of DTC’s records or any Participant’s or Indirect Participant’s records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interest in the Global Notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of DTC’s records or any Participant’s or Indirect Participant’s records relating to the beneficial ownership interests in the Global Notes; or
|
2.
|
any other matter relating to the actions and practices of DTC or any of its Participants or Indirect Participants.
|
1.
|
DTC (a) notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global Notes or (b) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor depositary;
|
2.
|
the Company, at its option, notifies the trustee in writing that it elects to cause the issuance of the Certificated Notes; or
|
3.
|
there has occurred and is continuing a Default or Event of Default with respect to the notes.
|
1.
|
Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or became a Guarantor of such specified Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a Guarantor of, such specified Person; and
|
2.
|
Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.
|
1.
|
the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of any assets or rights;
provided
that the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and the Guarantors taken as a whole will be governed by the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “- Repurchase at the Option of Holders - Change of Control” and/or the provisions described above under the caption “- Certain Covenants - Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” and not by the provisions of the Asset Sale covenant; and
|
2.
|
the issuance or sale of Equity Interests in any of the Guarantors.
|
1.
|
any single transaction or series of related transactions that involves assets having a Fair Market Value of less than $3.0 million;
|
2.
|
a transfer of assets between or among the Company and the Guarantors;
|
3.
|
an issuance of Equity Interests by a Guarantor to the Company or to another Guarantor;
|
4.
|
the sale, lease, sublease, license, sublicense, conveyance or other disposition of products, services, inventory, or accounts receivable and related assets (including participations therein) in the ordinary course of business, including leases with respect to facilities that are temporarily not in use or pending their disposition, and any sale or other disposition of damaged, worn-out or obsolete assets in the ordinary course of business or any other property that is uneconomic or no longer useful to the conduct of the business of the Company or the Guarantors;
|
5.
|
the sale or other disposition of cash or Cash Equivalents or Investments that are Permitted Investments;
|
6.
|
a Restricted Payment that does not violate the covenant described above under the caption “- Certain Covenants - Restricted Payments” or a Permitted Investment.
|
7.
|
the licensing of intellectual property to third Persons on customary terms as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company;
|
8.
|
to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon) for use in the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries;
|
9.
|
transfers of property subject to casualty or condemnation proceedings; and
|
10.
|
the granting of Permitted Liens.
|
1.
|
with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board;
|
2.
|
with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership;
|
3.
|
with respect to a limited liability company, the managing member or members or any controlling committee of managing members thereof; and
|
4.
|
with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.
|
1.
|
in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
|
2.
|
in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
|
3.
|
in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and
|
4.
|
any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock.
|
1.
|
United States dollars and, solely for purposes of the definition of “Permitted Investments,” any national currency of any other country in which the Company or its Guarantors do business;
|
2.
|
securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States government (
provided
that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support of those securities) having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition;
|
3.
|
certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case, with any domestic commercial bank or commercial banking institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million and a Thomson Bank Watch Rating of “B” or better;
|
4.
|
repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2) and (3) above or (7) below entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above or (7) below;
|
5.
|
commercial paper having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from Moody’s or S&P and, in each case, maturing within one year after the date of acquisition;
|
6.
|
money market funds at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (1) through (5) of this definition; and
|
7.
|
marketable general obligations issued by any state of the United States or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year of the date of acquisition and at the time of acquisition having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from S&P or Moody’s.
|
1.
|
any sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the Company’s property or assets to any person or group of related persons (other than to any of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries) as defined in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, including any group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of securities within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act, other than any sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition in which (x) persons who, directly or indirectly, are beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to such transaction, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, immediately after such transaction at least a majority of the total voting power of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation or entity purchasing such properties or assets in such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition and (y) persons who, directly or indirectly, are beneficial owners of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to such transaction, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, immediately after such transaction shares of common stock of the corporation or entity purchasing such properties or assets
|
2.
|
the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company;
|
3.
|
if any “person” or “group” (as these terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) other than the Company, its subsidiaries, and the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ employee benefit plans becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the Company’s issued and outstanding stock; or
|
4.
|
the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, another person or any person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, other than any consolidation or merger in which (x) persons who, directly or indirectly, are beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to such transaction, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, immediately after such transaction at least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting stock of the continuing or surviving corporation or entity and (y) persons who, directly or indirectly, are beneficial owners of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to such transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, immediately after such transaction shares of common stock of the continuing or surviving corporation or entity in a proportion that does not, on the whole, materially differ from such ownership immediately prior to the transaction.
|
1.
|
any properties and assets in which the Collateral Agent is required to release its Liens pursuant to the provisions described above under the caption “- Intercreditor Agreement - Release of Liens”; and
|
2.
|
any properties and assets that no longer secure the Note Guarantees or any Obligations in respect thereof pursuant to the provisions described above under the caption “- Collateral Documents,”
|
1.
|
provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, including, without limitation, state, city and county income, franchise and similar taxes, foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes of the Company and the Guarantors for such period, to the extent that such provision for taxes was deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;
plus
|
2.
|
the Fixed Charges of the Company and the Guarantors (including amortization of deferred financing fees and changes in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt) for such period, to the extent that such Fixed Charges were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;
plus
|
3.
|
depreciation, amortization (including amortization of intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period) and other non-cash expenses (excluding any such non-cash expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenses in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period) of the Company and the Guarantors for such period to the extent that such depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;
plus
|
4.
|
any other non-cash charges (including impairment charges, write-offs of assets and the impact of purchase accounting but excluding any such charge that represents an accrual or reserve for a cash expenditure for a future period), to the extent that such non-cash charges were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;
plus
|
5.
|
any one-time, non-recurring expenses or charges related to any Equity Offering, Permitted Investment, acquisition, recapitalization or incurrence of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the indenture (including a refinancing thereof), whether or not consummated, in each case to the extent such expenses or charges were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income;
minus
|
6.
|
non-cash items increasing such Consolidated Net Income for such period, other than (a) the accrual of revenue in the ordinary course of business and (b) reversals of prior accruals or reserves for non-cash items previously excluded from the definition of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clause (3) above, in each case, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP.
|
1.
|
the Net Income (but not loss) of any Person that is not a Guarantor or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting will be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or similar distributions paid in cash to the Company or a Guarantor;
|
2.
|
the Net Income of any Guarantor will be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Guarantor of that Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement or instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Guarantor or its stockholders (except to the extent of the amount of dividends or similar distributions paid in cash to the Company or a Guarantor during such period);
|
3.
|
the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles will be excluded;
|
4.
|
any restructuring charge or reserve to the extent that such expenses or charges were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income, including any restructuring costs incurred in connection with acquisitions after the date of issuance of the notes and costs related to the closure and/or consolidation of facilities or work force reduction and severance and relocation costs incurred in connection therewith, will be excluded;
|
5.
|
any unrealized gains and losses due solely to fluctuations in currency values, the value of Investment Securities or the value of Long Term Investments, and the related tax effects according to GAAP will be excluded;
|
6.
|
non-cash compensation recorded from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights will be excluded;
|
7.
|
after-tax gains and losses attributable to discontinued operations will be excluded;
|
8.
|
the after-tax effect of extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, severance costs and curtailments or modifications or terminations to pension and post-retirement benefit plans will be excluded;
|
9.
|
any impairment charge or asset write-off, in each case pursuant to GAAP and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP will be excluded; and
|
10.
|
any deferred financing costs written off and premiums paid in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness will be excluded.
|
1.
|
public offerings with respect to any such Person’s common stock registered on Form S-8; and
|
2.
|
issuances to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.
|
1.
|
the consolidated interest expense of the Company and the Guarantors for such period, whether paid or accrued, including, without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs, beneficial conversion features, derivatives embedded within convertible debt and original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed interest with respect to Attributable Debt, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings, and net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations in respect of interest rates;
plus
|
2.
|
the consolidated interest expense of the Company and the Guarantors that was capitalized during such period;
plus
|
3.
|
any interest on Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by the Company or any of the Guarantors or secured by a Lien on assets of the Company or any of the Guarantors, whether or not such Guarantee or Lien is called upon;
plus
|
4.
|
the product of (a) all dividends, whether paid or accrued and whether or not in cash, on any series of preferred stock of the Company or any of the Guarantors, other than dividends on Equity Interests payable solely in Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or to the Company or a Guarantor,
times
(b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current combined federal, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal, in each case, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
|
1.
|
the Liggett Guarantors;
|
2.
|
the Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company on the date of the indenture, other than the New Valley Subsidiaries; and
|
3.
|
any other Subsidiary of the Company that executes a Note Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of the indenture, and their respective successors and assigns, in each case, until the Note Guarantee of such Person has been released in accordance with the provisions of the indenture.
|
1.
|
interest rate swap agreements (whether from fixed to floating or from floating to fixed), interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements;
|
2.
|
other agreements or arrangements designed to manage interest rates or interest rate risk; and
|
3.
|
other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange rates or commodity prices.
|
1.
|
in respect of borrowed money;
|
2.
|
evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof);
|
3.
|
in respect of banker’s acceptances;
|
4.
|
representing Capital Lease Obligations or Attributable Debt in respect of sale and leaseback transactions;
|
5.
|
representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services due more than six months after such property is acquired or such services are completed, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable arising in the ordinary course of business and not overdue by more than 90 days; or
|
6.
|
representing any Hedging Obligations, if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit, Attributable Debt and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the term “Indebtedness” includes all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the Guarantee by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person.
|
1.
|
any gain or loss, together with all fees and expenses related thereto and any related provision for taxes on such gain or loss, realized in connection with: (a) any Asset Sale; or (b) the disposition of any securities or Investments by such Person or any of the Guarantors or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of the Guarantors; and
|
2.
|
any extraordinary gain or loss, together with any related provision for taxes on such extraordinary gain or loss.
|
1.
|
the notes issued on the date of the indenture (including any related exchange notes); and
|
2.
|
any other Indebtedness of the Company pursuant to additional notes issued and permitted to be incurred under the indenture.
|
1.
|
any Investment in the Company or in a Guarantor;
|
2.
|
any Investment in Cash Equivalents;
|
3.
|
any Investment by the Company or any Guarantor in a Person, if as a result of such Investment:
|
A.
|
such Person becomes a Guarantor; or
|
B.
|
such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Guarantor;
|
4.
|
any Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with the covenant described above under the caption “- Repurchase at the Option of Holders - Asset Sales;”
|
5.
|
any acquisition of assets or Capital Stock solely in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company;
|
6.
|
any Investments received in compromise or resolution of (A) obligations of trade creditors or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any Guarantor, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer; or (B) litigation, arbitration or other disputes with Persons who are not Affiliates;
|
7.
|
loans or advances to employees made in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any Guarantor in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $1.0 million at any one time outstanding;
|
8.
|
repurchases of the notes;
|
9.
|
any Investment by the Company or any Guarantor in Core Investments;
|
10.
|
Investments represented by Hedging Obligations;
|
11.
|
Investments consisting of purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, material or equipment in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;
|
12.
|
other Investments in any Person having an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (12) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed $10.0 million.
|
1.
|
Liens in favor of the ABL Lender securing First Priority Debt;
|
2.
|
Liens held by the Collateral Agent equally and ratably securing the notes to be issued on the date of the indenture and all future Parity Lien Debt and other Parity Lien Obligations;
|
3.
|
Liens in favor of the Company or the Guarantors;
|
4.
|
Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Guarantor;
provided
that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Company or the Guarantor;
|
5.
|
Liens on property (including Capital Stock) existing at the time of acquisition of the property by the Company or any Guarantor;
provided
that such Liens were in existence prior to, and not incurred in contemplation of, such acquisition;
|
6.
|
Liens to secure the performance of statutory obligations (including obligations under worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance or similar legislation), surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, as well as obligations under the trade contracts and leases (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money) and cash deposits in connection with acquisitions otherwise permitted under the indenture;
|
7.
|
Liens existing on the date of the indenture;
|
8.
|
Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently concluded;
provided
that any reserve or other appropriate provision as is required in conformity with GAAP has been made therefor;
|
9.
|
Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, landlords’ and mechanics’ Liens, in each case, incurred in the ordinary course of business;
|
10.
|
survey exceptions, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property that were not incurred in connection with Indebtedness and that do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;
|
11.
|
Liens created for the benefit of (or to secure) the notes (or the Note Guarantees);
|
12.
|
Liens to secure any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the indenture;
provided
,
however
, that:
|
A.
|
the new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same property and assets that secured or, under the written agreements pursuant to which the original Lien arose, could secure the original Lien (plus improvements and accessions to, such property or proceeds or distributions thereof); and
|
B.
|
the Indebtedness secured by the new Lien is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (x) the outstanding principal amount, or, if greater, committed amount, of the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness and (y) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such renewal, refunding, refinancing, replacement, defeasance or discharge;
|
13.
|
Liens to secure Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) permitted by clause (10) of the second paragraph of the covenant entitled “- Certain Covenants - Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” covering only the assets acquired with or financed by such Indebtedness;
|
14.
|
Liens arising by reason of any judgment, decree or order not giving rise to an Event of Default so long as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period within such proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired; and
|
15.
|
Liens to secure obligations permitted by clause (14) of the second paragraph of the covenant entitled “- Certain Covenants - Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock,” provided that such liens do not comprise any of the Collateral.
|
1.
|
Liens described in clauses (1), (4), (5), (7) or (13) of the definition of “Permitted Liens;” and
|
2.
|
Permitted Liens that arise by operation of law and are not voluntarily granted, to the extent entitled by law to priority over the Liens created by the Collateral Documents.
|
1.
|
the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all fees and expenses, including premiums, incurred in connection therewith);
|
2.
|
such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged;
|
3.
|
if the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged is subordinated in right of payment to the notes, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and is subordinated in right of payment to, the notes on terms at least as favorable to the holders of notes as those
|
4.
|
such Indebtedness is incurred either by the Company or by the Guarantor who is the obligor on the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged.
|
1.
|
any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees of the corporation, association or other business entity 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); and
|
2.
|
any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).
|
1.
|
the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect of the Indebtedness, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment;
by
|
2.
|
the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.
|
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